Family, land stewardship priorities at Pochop Farm and Ranch

Kerry Hoffschneider
Aug 7, 2025
Aug 7, 2025

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Bad luck with a nice bull led Lincoln Pochop to find a breed that worked better on his family ranch near McDonald, Kansas.

kAm!@49@A <?6H 27E6C 96 62C?65 9:D 72C> 2?5 C2?49 >2?286>6?E 568C66 2?5 2DD@4:2E6D :? 28C:4F=EFC2= D4:6?46 568C66 7C@> r@=3J r@>>F?:EJ r@==686[ E92E 96 H2D >62?E E@ H@C< @FE5@@CD 2?5 :? 28C:4F=EFC6]k^Am

kAmw6 H@C<D 4=@D6=J H:E9 9:D A2C6?ED[ v6C2C5 2?5 p?:E2[ 92G:?8 3F:=E E96 72C> FA 7C@> 9:D 525’D D>2== 96C5]k^Am

Cattle graze on the Pochop Ranch near McDonald, Kan.
Submitted photo

kAm“(96? x 42>6 324<[ H6 5:5 ?@E 72C> 2 =@E 2E E92E E:>6] s25 2=D@ 925 2C@F?5 g_ E@ `__ 42EE=6[ 2?5 x <?6H x 4@F=5 96=A 9:>[ 3FE x H2D 2=D@ 8@:?8 E@ 92G6 E@ 7:8FC6 D@>6E9:?8 @FE @? >J @H?[ E@@[” !@49@A D2:5]k^Am

kAmxE 2== DE2CE65 H:E9 D@>6 C6A=246>6?E 96:76CD 9:D 72E96C 96=A65 9:> D64FC6] w:D 525 925 3@F89E 2 ?:46 J62C=:?8 3F== 2?5 D6?E 9:> @FE H:E9 E96 96:76CD]k^Am

kAm“(:E9:? h_ 52JD[ H6 5:5?’E C64@8?:K6 E96 3F== 2?J>@C6] xE ;FDE 76== E@ A:646D[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%92E’D H96? !@49@A 8@E :?E@ E96 D665DE@4< 3FD:?6DD] {@@<:?8 E@ 3F:=5 D@>6E9:?8 E92E H@F=5 =2DE[ 96 2:>65 E@ 3C665 2?:>2=D E92E 5:5?’E ?665 A2>A6C:?8]k^Am

A calf feeds from its mother on the Pochop Ranch in Kansas.
Submitted photo

kAm“~FC >@EE@ :D[ ‘$@F?5[ C6=:23=6[ 2?5 3F:=E E@ =2DE[’” !@49@A D2:5] “(6 92G6 7@4FD65 D:?46 @? C2:D:?8 42EE=6 E92E 2C6 H@C<:?8 7@C FD] (6 2C6 ?@E H@C<:?8 7@C E96>]”k^Am

kAm%96 !@49@AD 72== 42=G6 :? $6AE6>36C 2?5 ~4E@36C 2?5 DAC:?8 42=G6 :? pAC:= 2?5 |2J] %96 72== 96C5 DE2JD @? 8C2DD J62C\C@F?5] %96 DAC:?8 96C5 CF?D @? DE2=<D 5FC:?8 E96 H:?E6CE:>6[ 2?5 E96 !@49@AD 7665 7C@> >:5\E@\=2E6 |2C49 E@ E96 7:CDE @7 yF?6[ 3FE E96J 2C6 H@C<:?8 E@ D9@CE6? E92E E:>6]k^Am

kAmpEE6?5:?8 D@:= 962=E9 4@?76C6?46D 2?5 D66<:?8 C6D@FC46D :D 9@H E96 !@49@AD 2C6 =62C?:?8 9@H E@ >2I:>:K6 E96:C >2?286>6?E] xE’D 2 C62D@? E96J D@F89E vC2K6 |2DE6C 86?6E:4D 2?5 EF?65 :?E@ D@:= 962=E9 AC24E:46D H:E9 4@?DF=E:?8 7C@> vC2K6 |2DE6C %C2?D:E:@?2= p8 r@?DF=E:?8 $6CG:46D]k^Am

kAmr@?DF=E2?E s6= u:4<6 2AAC64:2E65 E92E E96 !@49@A’D 42EE=6 H6C6 `[`d_ E@ `[ad_ A@F?5D[ H9:49 =625D E@ >@C6 677:4:6?4:6D :? E96 H2J E96J 8C2K6[ >@C6 :? EF?6 H:E9 ?2EFC6]k^Am

Lincoln Pochop said his biggest goal is to make sure he and his wife Brenda and their children, Landon, Breckyn, and Leo, stay close-knit as a family first.
Submitted photo

kAm%96 !@49@AD 2C6 H6== @? E96:C H2J :? E96 D@:= 962=E9 2?5 42EE=6 2C6?2 2?5 2C6 2=H2JD D66<:?8 E@ 5:G6CD:7J] x? 255:E:@? E@ E96 42EE=6 @A6C2E:@?[ E96J 72C> H962E[ >:=@[ 4@C?[ @2ED 2?5 2C6 5C:==:?8 D@C89F> $F52? 2D 2 4@G6C 4C@A E@ 8C2K6 E9:D H:?E6C] “(6 7:8FC6 H:E9 E96 H2J E96 4@>>@5:EJ AC:46D 2C6 =@@<:?8[ 2?5 E96 42EE=6 AC:46D 2C6 =@@<:?8[ :E’D H:D6 E@ <66A E96 42EE=6 2C@F?5 2?5 E@ <66A H@C<:?8 @? :>AC@G:?8 @FC >2?286>6?E @7 E96>[” !@49@A D2:5]k^Am

People are also reading…

Dairy era ends in sadness
System continues to protect calf health, ranch profitability
Beware turkey bits, pieces
Plant soybeans early, Below says
Producers urged to implement strong identification processes to safeguard cow herd
Get better hay, returns with small changes
Buckhouse cowboy known for strong work ethic
Modern farm shops feature high-end components, aesthetic appeal
Laws restrict foreign land owners
EPA makes latest attempt to define WOTUS
Farmland values relatively stable amid volatile world markets
Cattlemen answer the call with hay convoy to wildfire-stricken Nebraska
Bales from 1940s a lesson in housing hay long-term
Functional storage with easy access serves acreage owners
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability

kAm%9:D J62C[ E96 !@49@AD 6IA2?565 E@ 2C@F?5 cd_ 24C6D @7 4@G6C 4C@AD 7@C 8C2K:?8] x? 255:E:@? E@ D@C89F> $F52?[ E96 42EE=6 H:== 62E >F?8 362?D[ DF?7=@H6CD[ $F?? w6>A[ 2?5 v6C>2? >:==6E]k^Am

kAm%96J 92G6 6IA6C:>6?E65 H:E9 :?E6?D:G6 8C2K:?8] %96J E@@< 23@FE d_ 24C6D @FE @7 2 3:886C A2DEFC6 2?5 5:G:565 :E FA E@ 8C2K6 2 A@CE:@? @7 E96 E:>6 2?5 J@ 2==@H E96 @E96C A2CE E@ C6DE 2?5 D66 :7 E96 8C2DD 4@>6D 324< 2?J DEC@?86C]k^Am

kAm{2DE H:?E6C E96J 8C2K65 >:=@ DE2=<D 2?5 82G6 E96 4@HD D:I E@ `_ 24C6D 7@C E9C66 E@ 7:G6 52JD]k^Am

kAm“xE’D ;FDE s25 2?5 x[ D@ E96 52:=J >@G6D 2C6?’E 8@:?8 E@ 36 2D 762D:3=6 3642FD6 52JD ;FDE 5@?’E 2=H2JD 8@ 2D A=2??65[” !@49@A D2:5]k^Am

The extended Pochop family gathers for a portrait.
Submitted photo

kAm!@49@A D2:5 9:D 3:886DE 8@2= :D E@ >2<6 DFC6 96 2?5 9:D H:76 qC6?52 2?5 E96:C 49:=5C6?[ {2?5@?[ qC64<J?[ 2?5 {6@[ DE2J 4=@D6\<?:E 2D 2 72>:=J 7:CDE]k^Am

kAm%96:C @A6C2E:@? E@52J =@@<D 5:776C6?E E92? H96? !@49@A H2D 86EE:?8 DE2CE65 :? a_`a] pE E92E E:>6 E96J 765 4@HD J62C\C@F?5]k^Am

kAm“xE H2D 5FC:?8 E96 5C@F89E E92E x <6AE 2D<:?8 >JD6=7[ ‘(9J 2C6 H6 5@:?8 E9:Dn’” 96 D2:5] “%96 7:CDE 42EE=6 4964< x 8@Ej E96 H9@=6 E9:?8 H6?E 324< E@ 7665] %92E’D H9J E96 492?86D H6 2C6 >2<:?8 ?@H H:E9 @FC 8C2K:?8 >2?286>6?E >2<6 D@ >F49 >@C6 D6?D6]”k^Am

kAm%96:C 8@2= :D E@ 92G6 76H6C 7665:?8 52JD 2?5 E@ 8C2K6 E96 42EE=6 @? H92E 7665 E96J 2=C625J 92G6]k^Am

kAm“(6 5@?’E ?665 >@C6 =2?5 3642FD6 >@C6 =2?5 5@6D?’E 2=H2JD 6BF2E6 E@ >@C6 >@?6J] xE’D 23@FE >2?286>6?E[” !@49@A D2:5]k^Am

kAm~? E96 72C>:?8 D:56[ 96 EC:6D E@ H@C< H:E9 H92E 96 92D[ E@@] %96J DH:E49 4C@A C@E2E:@?D E@ 244@>>@52E6 492?8:?8 H62E96C A2EE6C?D]k^Am

kAm“yFDE 3642FD6 H962E H6?E :?E@ 2 7:6=5 7@C @?6 J62C[ 5@6D ?@E >62? 2 72== 4@>>@5:EJ H:== 8@ E96C6 282:? E96 7@==@H:?8 J62C[” 96 D2:5] “(6 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 5@ H92E’D 36DE 7@C E96 D@:= 2?5 H92E >2<6D D6?D6]”k^Am

kAmw6’D 2=D@ 7@F?5 @AA@CEF?:E:6D :? H92E @C:8:?2==J D66>65 =:<6 2 492==6?8:?8 D:EF2E:@?]k^Am

kAm~?6 J62C[ 2? @2E 7:6=5 86E C62==J H665J] (:E9 @C82?:4 AC@5F4E:@?[ E96C6 H2D ?@ @AE:@? @7 DAC2J:?8 :E] x?DE625[ E96J 3C@F89E E96 4@HD @FE 2?5 8C2K65 :E]k^Am

kAm“(6 D2G65 >@?6J @? 7665:?8 4@HD 2?5 E@@< 42C6 @7 E96 H665 AC@3=6>[” !@49@A D2:5]k^Am

kAmxE >:89E 92G6 =@@<65 E6CC:3=6 7@C 2 H9:=6[ 3FE :E H@C<65 @FE :? E96 6?5] %9C@F89 DF49 EC:2=D[ 2=@?8 H:E9 D@>6 D@=:5 25G:46 2?5 2 8@@5 ?6EH@C< @7 >6?E@CD[ E96 !@49@AD 2C6 7:?5:?8 H92E H@C<D 7@C E96>]k^Am

Kerry Hoffschnieder is a founder of the Lincoln, Nebraska-based GrazeMaster Group, who writes Hope Stories to show that caring for the soil and all natural resources is possible, profitable and benefits all life on earth. Reach her at kerry@grazemaster.com or visit grazemastergroup.com.