Beyond Barns

Custer State Park: Part 1

Chad Kremer joined host Anna Poull for an engaging and enlightening conversation about Custer State Park, bison herd management, and how the industry has changed. Chad is the Bison Herd Manager for Custer State Park and he has a personal bison herd with his family. He discusses what's similar and what's different about the two. 
It was such a great conversation that there is a part two!

Bison: Big & Bold

Dr. Phil Urso, Assistant Professor of Bison Studies at South Dakota State University (SDSU) joins host Anna Poull to kick off the Bison Topic Series. They discuss how Dr. Urso made his way to SDSU, bison basics, and what's coming in the future!

Locally Sourced Beef

Tim Meagher joins host Anna Poull to close out the South Dakota Beef topic series. Tim discusses his work as the chief operations officer for Vanguard Hospitality and his efforts to use locally sourced products in the restaurants. They also discuss the costs and benefits of sourcing locally before closing out with what's coming in the future. 

South Africa - Special Edition

Take a trip to South Africa with Beyond Barns host Anna Poull for this special episode! 
In March 2025, I traveled to South Africa on a short-term study abroad experience with the Department of Animal Science at South Dakota State University. We visited various farmers, wildlife preserves, game farms, and a few sites about South Africa's history. It was an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience! I'm excited to share the stories of a few people I met in South Africa.
Thank you to the faculty who taught the South Africa class, the administration who supports international experiences, my classmates, and everyone who welcomed us while in South Africa.
Disclaimer: Excluding the introduction and closing, all audio was recorded in March 2025 in outdoor spaces with a mini microphone, which impacts background noises and audio quality. 

Taste the Difference

Troy Hadrick joins host Anna Poull to talk all things data! Hadrick ranch has honed in on retaining ownership and using data to improve their herd. Troy and Anna also talk about transitioning management between generations and supplying local restaurants or grocery stores with South Dakota grown beef. 

Cattle, Kids, and Good Times

Ashley Werning, with Werning Cattle Company, joins host Anna Poull to talk about cattle, kids, and good times. Ashley talks about both the show cattle and the commercial cattle industries. Her family works together for all things cattle, and she shares some insights into the benefits of raising kids in this industry. Towards the end of the episode, Ashley and Anna talk about some misconceptions, plus a heartwarming story!
*Recorded on February 18, 2025.

History and Leadership

Eric Jennings joins host Anna Poull this week. He provides an in-depth historical look on his family's farm before they discuss leadership, and South Dakota Cattlemen's. To close out this episode, they talk about connecting with people and groups outside of agriculture and growth opportunities in South Dakota.

What do students say?

Host Anna Poull is joined by Hunter Haberman and Riley Puck. Hunter and Riley share their background with beef and what they're researching for their theses. With good humor, they discuss what their favorite form of beef is and wrap up the conversation with a few insights into new technology.

Burger Backwards

Beyond Barns Host Anna Poull talks with Dr. Cody Wright, a professor in the Department of Animal Science at South Dakota State University. Dr. Wright shares what beef breed he's most similar to, how to help cattle manage cold weather, and common production cycles to bring a "burger backwards."