farmer,” Logan prioritizes forage and topsoil health, knowing the strength of these assets leads to increased margins on their cows, calves and feeders.

Another grass farmer, Bill Legg, owner of Legg Farms in Tennessee, made a career change 30 years ago from a multidecade profession as a deck officer and navigational pilot on merchant ships. Throughout that time, he slowly bought land near his father’ s farm, knowing that one day, he’ d keep his boots on the soil instead of the deck, and dedicate himself to raising cattle. Although he didn’ t grow up on a farm, his father bought farmland when Legg was a high school senior, and helping his father on weekends began his passion for the lifestyle.

Legg’ s greatest asset gained from working as a navigational pilot was his ability to manage risk. As he monitored radars from the ships’ bridges, on the lookout for issues up to 40 miles ahead, he was constantly looking to the horizon for problems that could challenge the goal of the ship and its crew. Navigating ships safely to their destinations taught Legg how to navigate the landscape of cattle production and soil management.

“ If I can see something, I can deal with it. It’ s what I couldn’ t see over the horizon that taught me to be mindful, to think ahead and problem solve preemptively,” Legg reflected.“ This skill is something that helped me when I came back to raise cattle; for example, I made a risk management strategy to split my herd into spring and fall calving seasons, which has worked really well for me.”

Bill Legg spent decades on merchant ships and now he and his wife raise cattle together.

Ranching is a life-long apprenticeship. Your knowledge and skills come from the previous generation, those who’ ve had the responsibility to care for the landscape before you.— Meredith Ellis

The cattlemen of Wine Glass Ranch consider themselves " grass farmers " for the value they place on grazing management.

DIRECTIONS 2025 NATIONAL CATTLEMEN 13