SARE Southern: Richard & Peggy Sechrist
Managed Grazing Brings Herd Closer to Holistic Vision

By Keith Richards

Focal Point of Operation —
Managed grazing, marketing of cattle and poultry
The Sechrists established a management-intensive grazing system for cattle in their dry, brittle environment. They use all organic practices for herd health and low-stress handling techniques. They’ve added pastured poultry and egg production to the ranch, and are working with a local, family-owned processing plant where they can cut up chickens and process beef. Their ranch was the first to be certified organic by the Texas Department of Agriculture, and their poultry and beef are certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI).

To market their products — and those of neighboring ranchers raising organic meat — they have created a separate company called Homestead Healthy Foods. They’ve built an initial customer base of about 750 by direct sales through mail order, local phone orders, farmers markets, booths at fairs and shows, and small health food stores. In 1999, they opened a small retail store in the neighboring town of Fredericksburg, and also began marketing through two natural foods distributors.

Their accomplishments so far are a testimony to hard work and planning built on a shared vision.

The yearly average rainfall of 26 inches can come in short bursts in between long dry spells. The Sechrists work within the dry cycles by maintaining their pastures in native grasses. Richard says the native grasses have a high protein content — as high as 17 percent when green, retaining 7 to 9 percent in the winter.

They graze three herds of cattle — one-year-olds, two-year-olds and a cow-calf herd — in a planned rotational approach.

“It’s not just an every-few-days you-move-’em system,” Richard says. Instead, rotations are based on a fairly sophisticated system of monitoring plant growth and recovery. They concentrate on building a healthy pasture “community” that supports microbes, earthworms and diverse plant life.

The cattle are entirely grass-fed. “As we have learned more about the changes that grain causes in cattle metabolism — causing them to lower their pH and lose their ability to digest forage well — we have significantly reduced the amount of supplemental feed,” Peggy says. They use alfalfa hay if they need a supplement, and carefully plan and monitor grazing to limit the times the cattle need anything other than minerals.

After a one-time vaccination for Blackleg, their cattle don’t get any antibiotics or synthetic treatments. “Our basic herd health is excellent,” Peggy says, adding that the local vet is amazed. “He feels that our pasture management is the most important factor.”

Cattle, both steers and heifers, are slaughtered for market at about 1,000 to 1,100 lbs.

The Sechrists added pastured poultry to their ranch after an 18-month stretch without any measurable precipitation. They figured that the size of their cattle herd will always be limited by rainfall, but their land can support more poultry. Richard says the chickens are like an insurance policy for drought because they can sell 500 birds per week.

They started with 200 chickens per month and have slowly expanded to about 750 to 1,000. They experimented with rectangular, moveable pens made of PVC, but have switched to a design made with steel to stand up to the heat. Because of the intense labor requirements for pastured poultry at their scale, Richard says they are also trying some modified methods so they won’t have to move the pens, water and feed every day.

Another lesson they learned in the intense heat spell of 2000 was that chickens can withstand high temperatures if they have shelter, but remain susceptible to dust. They began spraying water around and over the pens to alleviate this problem.

As innovative as the Sechrists are in their production practices, they seem to really relish the challenges of marketing. They sell their beef in individual, frozen cuts. “That protects our customers and provides us with a longer sell time,” Peggy says.

Richard’s son, Dan, set up a computer program that they use to calculate their rate of return based on margins, pricing and volume for any combination of cuts. They keep their markets balanced, but continue to monitor closely.

Currently, they only sell their chickens whole and frozen. Although demand for whole birds is increasing faster than they can increase production, Peggy and Richard decided they need to offer more choices in chicken, too.

They explored the possibility of building their own USDA-inspected processing plant, then discovered that a family-owned plant 30 miles away was begging for business. The Sechrists recently made an agreement with the owners of that plant to have all their processing done there. This will allow them to sell chicken breasts separately, as well as create a prepared food from the other parts of the birds.

At their retail store, they sell their products and those of other like-minded ranchers, while providing nutritional information to the community. Demand for eggs has skyrocketed since the opening.

Although they initially built their business on direct sales, they found it difficult to reach the volume they needed to turn a profit. They decided to develop a label that would differentiate their products and bring a premium.

They first tried a label specifying that they were “chemical-free,” but wholesale buyers didn’t understand the difference from “natural beef,” so they were reluctant to buy. In early 1999, when the USDA ruled that meat could be labeled organic, they finally had the marketing tool they needed. Since receiving their organic meat label, they have begun distributing their beef through two health food distributors.

Peggy stresses that the move from direct marketing to wholesaling is still based on holistic management goals. “We are not interested in becoming another national beef company,” she says. “We want to build and serve a regional market, because that is our vision of a sustainable market.”

Economics and Profitability
Asked whether their changes in production practices and organic certification have increased the profitability of their ranch, Peggy responds positively. “Definitely,” she says. “We are right at the point of cash flowing and reaching profitability this year.”

The reasons for their economic success? Having their own store to consistently reach the local retail market, taking advantage of a booming wholesale market for their chickens and being able to distribute their beef through the two health food distributors.

It has been a challenge to educate consumers about their production practices and the difference in their products. Yet once educated, consumer demand for organic and grass-fed, free-range meat is strong.

Environmental Benefits
The Sechrists’ production practices have maintained productivity of their pastures and increased soil biota despite drought and a fragile environment. They use no synthetic fertilizers or pest controls.

Community and Quality of Life Benefits
Despite working ceaseless hours, Richard and Peggy have been more than willing to share information with other producers at workshops and conferences, and serve on leadership and advisory committees to sustainable agricultural programs.

Their marketing approach has brought the Sechrists in closer touch with their community. At their store and through direct sales, they talk to people about nutrition and food system issues. “It’s gratifying to hear our customers express their appreciation,” Peggy says.

Yet, the workload has a down side.

“The work required to develop this business has been tremendous and unreasonable,” Peggy says. “We probably would not have followed through if we were just trying to make a buck. But our business is built on our vision of developing a sustainable business, helping develop a sustainable and regional food system, and expanding consumer awareness about the need for sustainable communities.”

Transition Advice
“Plan on a slow process,” Peggy advises. Producers should try something on an affordable scale, learn from their experiences and adapt.

“You need to be clear on what you are trying to accomplish,” Richard says. “If organic isn’t part of your value system, then maybe you shouldn’t move your farm or ranch toward organic production. Your work has to be more than just a means to making money.”

The Future
Peggy and Richard feel largely satisfied with their beef production. Since they reduced their herd to 50, they have, to some extent, developed a drought-tolerant herd. On the other hand, not all of their rangeland receives hoof impact. Richard hopes to create smaller pasture areas in the future.

As they develop a pastured poultry system that is more streamlined and less labor-intensive, they would like to increase their production to 2,000 birds per month.

Their biggest plans, though, lie in the area of marketing. With a marketplace so controlled by major corporations, they hope to create an alternative marketing network that is more farmer-friendly.

As the Sechrists enter the wholesale market more aggressively, they will continue to sell direct to their local customers. This will keep them in contact with the feedback of consumers, and also satisfy their vision of creating local food security.