Aaron Steele was recently interviewed for the Savanna Institute’s “Perennial AF” podcast. The conversation covered pretty much everything from goat grazing to solar grazing to farm dogs. Aaron even acknowledged some of his most stupid farm mistakes. Check it out here or on any podcast app.
New solar grazing videos
If you’re interested in adding solar grazing to your repertoire as a Goats On The Go®/Sheep On The Go® affiliate, you’re definitely going to want to check out all of the newly posted videos on the Video University section of FarmLaunch.me. Among all the valuable videos you’ll find there, here’s what’s new:
Intro to Solar Grazing — This presentation was given at the 2020 Affiliate Training & Conference by Lexie Hain who was the director of the American Solar Grazing Association at the time. Lexie outlines some solar industry basics and covers the foundations of the practice of solar grazing.
Solar Grazing Intro Q&A — This was part 2 of Lexie Hain’s presentation at our 2020 event where she addressed questions from our affiliates.
Solar Grazing Update, spring 2023 — We held this Zoom meeting exclusively for affiliates in late April 2023 to bring our network new information about where the solar industry is headed and the demand for solar grazing. We also discussed why some affiliates may want to pursue it and other may not, and introduced the idea of subcontracting for more established grazing companies such as United Agrivoltaics.
United Agrivoltaics Q&A — Executives from United Agrivoltaics joined us to explain and answer questions about their “Farm Partner” program for connecting aspiring solar graziers to solar grazing projects. This program may be a good opportunity for some affiliates.
If you have more questions about solar grazing after watching the videos, contact Aaron Steele at Aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com.
New and improved branded apparel store is live!
We are so excited to announce that we have a new vendor for our Goats On The Go® merchandise store! You can access the store through FarmLaunch.me, or by clicking here.
We created this store to give you, Goats On The Go® affiliates, quick and easy access to branded merchandise. You can always take the full logo (the one with the goat, green block, and the words “Goats On the Go”) to your own vendors to create your own branded gear, but we’ve hired a graphic designer to create compelling products for you at a reasonable price. This store is also the only source of branded gear using the goat silhouette logo, which is reserved for use by Goats On The Go, LC.
We hope you’ll find that our new and improved branded merchandise store has a greater variety of products at a better price with lower shipping costs. We’ve tried to answer your requests for more women’s specific apparel (including tank tops!) and a greater variety of colors.
There are no minimums to buy because each item is produced on-demand as a custom order. While Phelps (our vendor) will stand behind their work, they generally don’t grant refunds or returns because each order is custom. All transactions are directly between you and Phelps, and they handle all customer service so questions about orders should be directed to them. Still, we’d like your feedback on the items because we can make changes to the product offerings as we see a need.
Happy shopping!
2023 Affiliate Training & Conference FAQ
The 2023 edition of the annual Goats On The Go® Affiliate Training & Conference is less than a month away. If you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? Perhaps you have unanswered questions. FAQ to the rescue!
Q: What are the dates of the Training & Conference?
A: Friday, March 3 (Affiliate Basic Training and All-Affiliate Social), Saturday, March 4 (Affiliate Conference). Click here for an overview and to download an agenda.
Q: Where is the Training & Conference?
A: All events will be held at West48 Conference Center (1601 48th St, #100) in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Q: Where can I find details about travel, accommodations, and things to do?
A: FarmLaunch.me
Q: Is there a “Conference Hotel”?
A: No, not really. There are many good hotels within a short drive from West48. However, because it’s the only hotel within walking distance to West48, we have negotiated a special rate for our affiliates at the Sheraton West Des Moines. That rate is only available until February 10, so don’t wait!
Q: What can I attend, and what do I have to attend?
A: All events are open to all affiliates. If you are a new affiliate you are required to attend the Basic Training on Friday, March 3. All other affiliates can satisfy their training requirements by attending either the Basic Training or the Conference (or both!). Remember, your affiliate agreement requires you to attend training in your first two years and every-other year thereafter.
Q: Is there a fee for any of the events?
A: The Basic Training and Social are free to attend. The Conference has a $200 registration fee per affiliate (bring as many representatives from your targeted grazing business as you like for one fee).
Q: Do I have to register even if I’m only attending the free stuff?
A: Yes, please! Registering for each event you plan to attend helps us with our planning.
Q: Can I bring people with me?
A: We encourage you to bring multiple representatives from your targeted grazing business at no extra charge. Family members, employees, etc. are all welcome — anyone you would consider to be part of your team.
Q: Can kids come along?
A: All of the events involve intense learning that young children would likely have trouble sitting through. If you have older kids (roughly middle school and up) that will be a part of your business, bring them!
Q: What’s the dress code?
A: No dress code, just a few recommendations. All events will take place entirely inside. Dress casually and comfortably. We’ll take plenty of breaks, but there will be a fair bit of sitting. If you’re staying at the Sheraton and plan to walk to and from the event venue, be sure to bring outerwear suitable for Iowa’s highly variable March weather.
Q: Are meals on my own?
A: We’ll provide snacks and drinks but meals, including lunch on Friday and Saturday, are on your own. We find that most attendees need a long lunch break away from the conference center to mentally recharge. There are lots of restaurants near the conference center.
Q: Tell me more about the All-Affiliate Social.
A: That’s not technically a question, but here goes: the social is the highlight of the weekend for many people. It’s simply a time to visit with other affiliates, ask questions, share experiences, and enjoy some appetizers and drinks. This year it will begin right after the Basic Training finishes (5:00-ish), but you don’t have to attend the Basic Training to come. If you’re attending the Conference on Saturday, plan to arrive in town early enough on Friday evening to join the party!
Q: My affiliate agreement says I need to attend a large project session in order to do projects 10 acres or bigger. Will that session be part of the Training & Conference.
A: Not this year. We’ve bumped it to make room for other good stuff. Instead, we’ll be offering the large project training remotely (by Zoom) in late March or early April. There will be no cost to attend.
Q: How do I register, and what’s the deadline?
A: Click the button below to register. You’ll add each event to your cart (even the free ones) just like any online store. Always enter “1” for the quantity. You’ll be cued to indicate how many team members from your business will attend before you check out. It would be extremely helpful to us if you register by February 15.
Check this out...Will Harris of White Oak Pastures on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast
Will Harris is one of the most inspirational and well-known figures in the regenerative agriculture world. Joe Rogan is a huge celebrity and the host of the most popular podcast in the world. They got together for a three hour discussion recently that was fascinating. Click here to see the first 15 minutes of the interview. You’ll have to be a Spotify subscriber to listen to the whole thing, but this interview may be worth the subscription fee.
Incidentally, Goats On The Go®/Sheep On The Go® has been working with White Oak Pastures on a cooperative event for our affiliates. We hope to bring you more details about this exciting opportunity early in 2023.
How much fencing and equipment do I need?
How much stuff should a new affiliate buy and when should they buy it? Our many affiliates probably all have different opinions, and I’m sure some of them would do things differently if they could start all over again. This would make a great discussion topic on the Affiliate Facebook Group, by the way, but here are some things to think about in the meantime.
We will be recommending specific models of fencing to you at the Goats On The Go® Affiliate Training & Conference on March 3 & 4. We’ll also tell you why we prefer some models over others. If you just can’t wait for the full explanation, the list of fence and energizer models eligible for our 15% discount from Premier 1 Supplies is available here (on FarmLaunch.me). All of the models in the list will work, but we have a definite preference for short, light, and simple.
You will likely be setting up your targeted grazing projects in multiple, small paddocks of 1/2 to 1 acre. The full length fences from Premier are 164’ long. Let’s do some math…a paddock that is 164’ by 164’ in a perfect square encloses 26,896 square feet. An acre is equal to 43,560 square feet, so a square paddock made from just four fences encloses 0.62 acres. A square paddock that uses six fences encloses 1.39 acres. So, we should have more than enough length with six full length rolls of fencing, EXCEPT…
We are rarely able to set up paddocks in anything that resembles a perfect square. Rectangles are more common, and as they become skinnier and skinnier they lose area quickly. A paddock made up of one roll of fencing on the ends and two on each side, for a total of six rolls of fencing, only encloses 1.23 acres instead of 1.39 acres if those same fences were set up in a square. AND…
It’s always advisable to have enough rolls of fencing for the paddock currently being grazed AND the next adjacent paddock at the same time. That way the goats/sheep can be easily moved from one enclosure that is out of food to the next enclosure that is full of fresh vegetation. AND…
When doing targeted grazing projects there always seems to be a need for just one or two more rolls! Also, it’s a common practice to build narrow alleys with fence rolls to load and unload animals, and move them to non-adjacent paddocks.
Our standard advice is to buy 10 - 12 rolls of fencing and one high quality solar fence energizer rated at 1 joule or larger. Some affiliates find that shorter rolls are easier to carry. If you go that route, make sure that you end up with a total length of fencing equivalent to 10 - 12 164’ rolls. You’ll probably buy more equipment once you get some projects under your belt, but this will be more than enough to give you a good start.
By the way, Goats On The Go, LC has built a Fenced Area Calculator spreadsheet that affiliates can download from FarmLaunch.me. Just enter all of the fence lengths that you use to build a paddock (hypothetical or real) and the calculator will spit out an approximate area for the enclosure. It’s a fun tool to mess around with, and it will help you visualize how your equipment will be used in practice.
There's a great opportunity outside of my territory. What should I do?
You got an inquiry from outside of your territory, and it looks like a good opportunity. What now?
Good question. It’s one that GOTG’s founders have been mulling lately as we continue to grow and new issues surface. Solar grazing in particular has the potential to complicate things. It’s time for a clarification of our policy, so here goes…
Let’s start by laying some groundwork:
Your affiliate agreement allows you to provide targeted grazing services with goats or sheep to customers inside the bounds of your territory, or outside of your territory only with express permission from Goats On The Go, LC;
Even if you believe there is not another affiliate covering the area of the customer’s property, you still need to get express permission to pursue a project that falls outside of your territory;
We want our affiliates to be responsive to customers who contact them from outside of their territories. But, we would interpret active prospecting by an affiliate outside of their territory — without express permission — to be a violation of their affiliate agreement.
It’s important to be upfront here about Goats On The Go, LC’s interests. We make money by granting territories. The more territories we grant, the more we make. Because we want lots of customers to experience professional targeted grazing, we’re usually happy to say, “Go for it!” when a customer with a one-off, single season project approaches you about a property that would otherwise go un-served. But when that one-off turns into many projects in the same area, some with year-in/year-out potential, we’re apt to say, “It’s time for you to buy an additional territory.”
That’s all fine and dandy in thriving suburban metros. Buying additional territories where the demand has been proven is a no-brainer. But large, multi-year projects (often for government agencies or conservation groups) and utility-scale solar grazing contracts can pop up randomly in sleepy rural places. No one wants to buy a vast, quiet territory hoping for a 2,000 acre solar farm to come along. Sure, it could happen, but how would the territory pay for itself in the meantime?
We understand. So here’s how we’ll approach these infrequent, but potentially valuable, opportunities:
Whenever you are contacted about a potential project outside of your territory, even if it’s nearby and there appear to be no conflicts with other affiliates, talk to us first. Always.
If you hear about a large project (e.g. a solar farm) that may be a candidate for targeted grazing outside of your territory that you are interested in serving, talk to us. We’ll discuss whether you should attempt to develop the lead. The important thing is that we never want to have multiple affiliates vying for the attention of the same customer, as that would be confusing and self-defeating.
If you are able to land that big, multi-year project, we will work with you to create an additional territory around it. The territory will require payment of an additional affiliate fee, but you will have budgeted that into your proposal for the customer from the beginning. The length of the term of the additional affiliate agreement will be negotiable.
So, that’s a lot of words for an issue that will likely not pop up often, but there you go. Key takeaway: TALK TO US!
2023 is near, and there is something you need to do! Yes, you!
As 2022 wraps up, you might be thinking, “Now I can relax since I have no GOTG responsibilities to worry about for awhile.”
We want you to relax. You earned it! But unless you are a brand new Goats On The Go® affiliate, there is one more thing you need to do to complete the year and reset for 2023 — attend to your 2023 contract and payment by January 15!
You should have received an email message from Aaron Steele or Margaret Chamas telling you exactly what action to take, but here’s the breakdown:
For those affiliates whose contracts are expiring (inclusive of any extensions built into their contracts), we’d love for you to continue your targeted grazing business with Goats On The Go®! You should have received an email with a link in it to e-sign a new, one-year agreement. All you have to do is click, sign, and then log-in to FarmLaunch.me and pay the 2023 affiliate fee. If you’ve decided not to continue in 2023, please contact us. We won’t try to change your mind, but we want to give you a proper goodbye.
For those affiliates who have completed their first two years, all you need to do is email us saying whether you plan to take advantage of the built-in one year extension, then follow the link in the email you received to pay the same affiliate fee you paid in years one and two. No new paperwork is needed. We’d love to have you continue operating as a GOTG affiliate in 2023! But, even if you don’t plan to continue we’d appreciate a message to that effect.
For those affiliates who just finished their first year, you only need to pay your 2023 affiliate fee. Follow the link in the email you received to the payment option you prefer.
If you can’t find the email we sent you with your customized instructions, or if you have any questions, send a message to Margaret at support@GoatsOnTheGo.com and she’ll walk you through it.
Thank you all for trusting your business to the Goats On The Go® brand in 2022. The work you’re doing is important, and we’re glad you’re doing it as part of the GOTG family!
Check this out: on-farm rotational grazing with Greg Christiansen
Many of you know Greg. He was our guest speaker a few years ago at the annual Affiliate Training & Conference, and he’s been a mentor to me (Aaron Steele) for a long time. His YouTube channel is a great resource for those of us raising goats and sheep at scale as an agricultural produc, but much of his advice can be applied to our targeted grazing projects, too.
In this video he discusses:
Mob/strip grazing sheep with just two electric wires (and some challenges he’s having);
Rotational grazing to avoid parasite problems;
A portable water setup he built without too much expense.
As always, Greg is humble and just as willing to share about his losses as his wins. It’s a good watch.
How are weed/brush grazing and solar grazing different?
We’re becoming evermore excited about the potential for Goats On The Go®/Sheep On The Go® affiliates to profit from solar grazing. You’ve probably noticed that we’re feeding you a steady and growing diet of solar grazing information, and that’s going to continue. In our excitement, however, we may have failed to answer one big foundational question: “How is solar grazing different from the targeted grazing I’m already doing with goats?”
There are several important differences:
The livestock. Goats already have a PR problem when it comes to solar grazing. They chew on expensive electronic components and climb on solar panels. We may see other types of livestock used in the future, but right now it appears sheep will be core to solar grazing in most situations. Thus, we created the Sheep On The Go® brand for our affiliates to use in solar grazing applications.
The vegetation. Whereas we tend to focus on weedy, brushy, often invasive vegetation with our goat grazing, the vegetation around solar farms is typically selected and planted with a purpose. It tends to be made up of more traditional livestock forages. There have already been efforts to select plant species that grow slower and shorter, and some solar farms are planting native plant mixes, sometimes with pollinator and wildlife habitat in mind. To the extent that these efforts increase positive PR (see #4 below), solar grazing service providers might be selected in part for their ability to manage for conservation benefits.
The landscape. Compared to the places we often apply our goats for weed and brush control, solar grazing landscapes are pretty tame. They may have some slopes, but they are necessarily wide open to ensure good access to the sun. They are also usually surrounded by excellent, tall fences.
The goals. The companies that own and operate solar farms generally have two big goals in mind: (1) generate as much renewable energy as possible, and (2) generate as much positive PR as possible. That means preventing vegetation from casting shadows on solar panels and making the public love all things solar. Unlike weed/brush grazing, plants are only a concern if they grow taller than the front edge of the solar panels. Avoidance of chemicals and mechanization are only a concern to the extent that the watching public thinks they are a concern. Invasive plants are unlikely to be on anyone’s radar.
The strategy and pricing. If you think of goat grazing for weed and brush control as a 100 meter sprint, then solar grazing is a marathon. When we target weeds and brush we pound the offending vegetation hard with the goal of stressing and perhaps killing it, and we do it as quickly as we can. Each extra day on one job is a day we’re not getting paid for the next. We search and destroy! But, when it comes to solar grazing, we’re more like gardeners. We’ll typically have been contracted to keep the vegetation below the height of the solar panels for the entire grazing season, for a single price per acre. Speed only matters in the sense that we can’t allow the vegetation to outgrow our capacity to keep up. Since this is much more like grazing a pasture on the farm or ranch, we can expect the price we get paid to be lower on a per-acre-per-grazing-event basis compared to our hard-target goat attacks on suburban brush and weeds.
The customers (and finding them). We can’t really find more solar grazing customers simply by trying harder or promoting more, because there aren’t significant solar installations around every corner — yet. Instead, most of us are preparing to be ready when utility-scale solar farms pop up in our territories. There are solar grazing companies out there that travel huge areas (sometimes several states) to quickly and intensely graze for multiple customers with thousands of sheep in a gigantic, never-ending rotation. Since we are limited by our territory boundaries, that strategy won’t work for us — and thank goodness! We can continue to do our weed and brush control while we wait for solar grazing opportunities nearby. We may also get some offers to graze smaller, non-utility solar installations of a few acres or smaller for home and business owners. These are likely to be out-of-control, overgrown jungles that need quick, critical care rather than the ongoing maintenance that utilities want. In those cases, a price and strategy similar to our usual weed and brush control projects makes sense.
New resource: GOTG Video University
Cute, but we’re looking for “how-to” guides that are a little more useful than this one.
We’re building a library of video content that covers the basics of running a targeted grazing business, and we’re inviting you to be a part of it.
If you click the button below you’ll be taken to a new page on FarmLaunch.me where you’ll see the beginnings of GOTG Video University. For the moment it includes publicly available content from third parties, but we’d like it to be mostly custom content produced internally, exclusively for use by GOTG affiliates. That’s where you come in. Whenever you’re working on your business and you think, “That’s a good idea. I should tell someone about that,” get out your phone and shoot a quick “how-to” video. Try to keep it to two minutes or less, and do the best you can to make it watchable. It doesn’t need to be professional, but try to keep camera wobble and background noise to a minimum. Good lighting helps, too.
Send your video to Aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com. If we use it (we hope to receive enough to be choosy — don’t be offended if we don’t select yours) we’ll send you a $25 discount to be used at Premier 1 Supplies or our affiliate merchandise store. If your video is too big to email, send it through WeTransfer.com.
Feel free to share your videos on the Affiliate Facebook Group too, but if you want them to be considered for Video University you’ll need to email them to Aaron.
Here are some video topic ideas to get you started. Show us…
How you set up fencing over a fallen tree
Your special way of stacking rolled fences in your truck so they don’t hook on each other (yeah, right!)
Your economical water delivery system
How you use a certain web app or service to track your customer leads
A better way to repair tears in fencing
The wireless camera you use to monitor projects and how you set it up
The possibilities are endless. If it makes your life easier in your targeted grazing business, and a video is the best way to communicate it, then it may be ideal for GOTG Video University! Happy shooting.
Be part of the No Fence future, free!
We’re so excited!
Goats On The Go® affiliates will have a unique opportunity to try out No Fence GPS containment collars in 2023 before they even hit the market in the U.S.! And here’s the best part: GOTG’s founders are footing the bill!
But, we only have a limited amount of equipment available so we’re asking you to submit an application as part of a competitive process to help us decide how to best use the technology. Click the button below and complete the online form to tell us how you would put No Fence to work in your targeted grazing business, what lessons you hope to learn, and how that information will benefit the whole Goats On The Go® network.
Applications are due by December 1, 2022. We expect to grant the use of a maximum of 60 collars to one affiliate or smaller numbers of collars to up to three affiliates. The winners will have use of the collars beginning May 1, 2023 until at least August 1, 2023.
We can’t to hear from you about this exciting opportunity!
Check this out: Cherrie Nolden on Farm Dog podcast
Many of you will remember Cherrie Nolden as our guest speaker at the 2022 Goats On The Go® Affiliate Conference. Cherrie knows so much about so many things, we didn’t even begin to talk about livestock guardian dogs at that event. No problem! Aaron Steele recently had the opportunity to interview Cherrie for an episode of Farm Dog. The conversation covered even more stuff about Cherrie’s farm that wasn’t mentioned during the GOTG Conference, and she shared some fascinating stuff about temperament testing puppies.
Check it out at FarmDogPodcast.com, or search for “Farm Dog” on any podcast app.
Mid-summer call-in Monday
Many of us have some grazing projects under our belts already this summer, and others are just getting rolling. Either way, you might have operating questions that you’d like some feedback on. Or, maybe you have a valuable piece of knowledge you picked up recently that you’d like to share. Or, maybe you’ve just had some hard days and you’re looking for someone to empathize with you and give you encouragement.
Whatever your situation, consider joining the optional Zoom call on Monday, July 11 at 2 p.m. Central. We’ll stay on for about an hour or until the conversation winds down. Join whenever you like and drop off the call whenever you like.
We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
Aaron Steele is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Mid-Summer check-in
Time: Jul 11, 2022 02:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 834 2281 9774
Passcode: 543300
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5 recession tips to help your grazing business thrive
Whether we’re technically in a recession right now won’t be known for a few weeks when Q2’s numbers have been tabulated. But the textbook definition of a recession doesn’t really matter anyway, does it? What matters is whether (and how many of) our potential customers still feel like spending money on your targeted grazing service.
Whenever consumers feel like spending less, there’s good reason to have heightened awareness if you’re a business owner. But that doesn’t mean 100% doom and gloom, and it certainly doesn’t mean it’s time to panic. In fact, there can be real opportunities during a recession, and we don’t want you to miss them.
Here are some healthy ways to respond to the threat of a recession:
Evaluate your prices. Notice we didn’t say, “lower your prices.” It’s generally accepted wisdom that you don’t want to be caught in the middle with your pricing during a recession. People who can afford it continue to buy higher priced non-essentials during recessions, and people who can’t rush to lower priced alternatives. Few people truly stop spending money. If you’re offering a product or service that is neither a near-luxury nor a bargain, you’re you-know-what. If your local economy is in rough shape, it’s a bad time to be offering a service that is somewhat expensive. We also can’t compete with bargain priced alternatives, because the alternative to targeted grazing is to do nothing, or buy a $29 hedge trimmer and go full DIY on that brush problem. We simply can’t compete with that on price. So, yes. We’re telling you to consider raising your prices during a recession! Make your service look expensive, not just sort of expensive.
Put a laser focus on the right customer segments. Obviously, if you follow the above advice, you need to find the people who can (and will) pay a premium for your service even during a recession. That means you really need to know your customers and how to reach them. Go back and review the six customer segments we covered in affiliate training. Are there ones that are more likely than others to produce for you during hard economic times? Remember, it’s not only about knowing who’s wealthy. It’s also about asking, “Who will make spending on my expensive service a priority, even when money is tight?” You need to find the kind of people who will postpone a car purchase or vacation to make room in the budget for goat grazing. Finding the kind of people who don’t have to sacrifice any of those things is nice too, of course. Finally, don’t assume that just because this may be a bad time for consumers that it’s a bad time for local governments. Public entities are awash in post-pandemic sales tax revenues and grant funds. Now’s the time to plug targeted grazing into their budgets, as the belt-tightening of public entities lags behind the economic struggles of consumers — sometimes by years.
Don’t assume National = Local. So the U.S. economy may have suffered two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth — the technical definition of a recession. Big deal. Does that automatically mean that your local demand is about to evaporate? Of course not! Local economies reflect local forces first, and hard times don’t hit every region and every community equally. Further, there may be reasons why, in your market, the demand for targeted grazing stays hot even when other businesses in the area are struggling. For example, customers in the U.S. West simply have to deal with the problem of excess vegetation that could fuel wildfires, and grazing is one of the best ways to do it. The urgency means demand will likely remain high, and prices for targeted grazing with it. You may have forces in your area, though different than wildfire, that can nonetheless bolster your business outlook.
Don’t overreact based on a small sample size. Perhaps you’ve had people cancel scheduled grazing projects, or it seems like more potential customers than usual are balking at your prices. There seems to be a growing miserly vibe that wasn’t there before. We’re not going to tell you to ignore that vibe, but don’t rush to conclusions. How many people in your market have you talked to? Ten? Twenty? Most affiliates serve territories with populations well over 100,000 people. Talking with a relative few people should not be the only reason for taking drastic and often counterproductive action like dramatically lowering your prices. Take a breath. Do some more research. Get to know your customer base even better (refer to #2 above). Invest a little time and money into promotions to expand the pool of potential customers you’re engaging with.
Engage more deeply with your customers. You’ve been keeping all of those email inquiries you get from potential customers, right? You have an email list, right? Maybe it’s time to use MailChimp or ConstantContact or some other app with a free basic subscription to send out an email campaign every couple of months. Your emails don’t even have to be super “marketing-y”. Just drop in a pair of before and after images. In the caption mention what kind of vegetation your herd was tasked with and what the customer’s goals were. Be sure to add a cute picture or two of your goats, and make it clear how customers can contact you. Ask them to take an action (call you, download a brochure, schedule a site visit, etc.). What’s the difference for you between feeling scared about the recession and feeling like you had a great season? Four additional customers? Six? You can get that with more, and more highly targeted, communication. If you don’t have an email list built up yet do it the old fashioned way. Use tax records to pull the names and mailing addresses of 40 - 50 property owners who need your service and are most likely to pay for it (see #2 again). Print and send a postcard to each of them.
There’s no need to fear a recession! Meet it head on and use it as an opportunity to grow. Remember, your competitors are operating in the same environment. If you approach an economic downturn smartly you just might come out the other side without any!
Affiliate fees and payment options changing for 2023
Back in 2016 there were moments when you could buy a gallon of gas for well under $2. Really. We looked it up. The national average that year was $2.14 per gallon. Ah, those were the days!
In 2016 Goats On The Go® launched its affiliate program and recruited its first four goat grazing entrepreneurs who took a big risk and trusted their new businesses to our brand, paying us — wait for it — $2000 per year.
That’s right. The annual fee to be a Goats On The Go® affiliate has not changed since the program’s inception, even though we have become a supportive community of over 50 affiliates with access to a wealth of resources and benefits that was virtually non-existent back in 2016.
You probably know where this is headed. In 2023, for the first time, we’ll be raising our prices. What does that mean for you?
If the term of your active affiliate agreement includes 2023 your affiliate fee will remain unchanged.
If you are approaching the end of your first two-year agreement, you have the option to extend it for one additional year at today’s price. It’s built right into your contract.
If you are approaching the end of a second or third agreement, and there is no option for extension written into your contract, you will be subject to the new pricing when you sign a new agreement for 2023.
So what is the new price? Those subject to the new affiliate fee in 2023 will pay $2,200 annually.
We’re also making a couple of other changes. Beginning in 2023 we will not be offering a monthly payment option for new contracts. If you have an active affiliate agreement that covers 2023 and you currently pay monthly, you will still be able to pay monthly for the remainder of your current agreement’s term.
Finally, if you’ve been an affiliate in good standing with a history of paying your affiliate fees on time for a year or more, you’ll have the option to pay your affiliate fee in quarterly installments. We understand that even very successful businesses can have cash flow challenges, especially when their revenue is seasonal. This option should help with that. A small additional fee may apply to this option to help cover the costs of the extra transactions.
It’s a different world than it was in 2016, but it’s a world that values targeted grazing even more than it did then! We’re looking forward to meeting that demand together!
LFAQ (Less Frequently Asked Questions) about the Affiliate Training & Conference
We’ve had a few questions pop up about the Affiliate Training & Conference that are not often asked, but that you may also be wondering about. Here goes:
Q: Is it too late to register for the Hands-On Clinic, Basic Training, All-Affiliate Social, or Conference?
A: No. You can register for any of the events right up until the last minute, but we appreciate as much notice as possible so we can get a good estimate of how many people will be there.
Q: Can I get a refund for my Conference registration if something urgent pops up back at my farm and I have to bale out at the last minute?
A: Yes. We cannot promise you a refund for your hotel, however. That’s between you and them.
Q: Do I need to have a payment plan set up on FarmLaunch.me before I register?
A: Yes. Even if you already signed a new or extended/renewed affiliate agreement, you won’t be able to access the registration page until you have created an account on FarmLaunch.me and initiated a payment option for your affiliate fee.
Q: Why is it so important that I attend this thing in person. You’ve heard of Zoom, haven’t you?
A: Everyone has gotten used to doing things remotely, even stuff we would never have dreamed of two years ago. We get it. But as a company we value in-person communication, relationship-building, and learning that we don’t think can be matched with remote attendance. And, it’s a ton of fun to be together.
Q: Will I get to be around goats at the Hands-On Clinic on March 3? The agenda says “weather dependent.”
A: We plan to have goats at the Hands-On Clinic if at all possible. However, that will require a 40 minute trip in a livestock trailer. If the weather will make that trip stressful for the goats, then we will conduct the clinic without them.
Q: What’s the Covid situation in central Iowa?
A: As with much of the country, the Omicron variant has swept through Iowa. Life is pretty normal here, though, with few restrictions or mask requirements in public places. As a company, we will not be requiring masks or proof of vaccination to attend any of the events. We encourage you to take whatever personal precautions make you comfortable, and it’s not a bad idea to have a N95 or equivalent mask with you for the few places that still require them. If you have questions or concerns, contact Aaron Steele (aaron@GoatsOnTheGo.com).
Q: According to my affiliate agreement, I’m due to attend training this year. But, I can’t make it to this one. Are there other options?
A: We’ll figure something out, but you may not find the alternative to be ideal, either. Do your best to make it to the Affiliate Training & Conference in March, but if you absolutely can’t, get in touch with Aaron Steele.
Q: Can I send someone else to training in my place?
A: We’d miss you, but you can satisfy the training requirement in your affiliate agreement by sending any adult who represents your targeted grazing business — a partner, spouse, employee, etc. As a representative of your business, that person would be subject to the same confidentiality and non-compete provisions as you.
We’re looking forward to seeing many of you in a couple of weeks!
Check this out…Before & After Photo Contest!
Every year at the Goats On The Go®/Sheep On The Go® Affiliate Training & Conference, we announce the winner of the Before & After Photo Contest. The winner gets $200 cash money (okay, maybe a check). No strings attached.
Here’s what you need to do to have your Before & After photo pairs considered:
Post your photos on the Affiliate Facebook Group, and use the tag #beforeandafter2021 somewhere in your post. BY MARCH 1!
If you previously posted photos you would like considered, go back and edit the posts to include the new tag. BY MARCH 1!
Photos must be of projects you completed in 2021. So, for all you new affiliates, be thinking about snapping great pics during the 2022 grazing season.
The big event is coming! Here's a preview.
It’s almost here! The annual Goats On The Go®/Sheep On The Go® Affiliate Training & Conference is less than two weeks away (March 3, 4, and 5). We have some great things planned for you. Here’s a sneak peak.
Hands-On Clinic at River Heights Ranch
There’s so much we want to do, we had to add an extra half-day! This year we’re separating the on-the-ground skills part of our event from the classroom-style Basic Training. The optional Hands-On Clinic will be held at River Heights Ranch, owned by former affiliate Dawn Carlson, on the afternoon of March 3. If you attend, you’ll get very familiar with electric net fencing and some local goats!
Joe Putnam from Premier 1 Supplies
Joe (he’s the guy you see in lots of Premier’s product demo videos) will be on hand for part of the day on Friday, March 4 to answer your questions and show off some products. He’ll also do an informal Q&A session during the all-affiliate social on Friday evening. Come with your questions, recommendations, and even a few constructive criticisms. This is your chance to have a direct line with the company.
New format for the All-Affiliate Social
This year our social will happen immediately after the Basic Training on Friday, March 4, and be in the same venue (West48). If you’re attending the Basic Training, you can shift right into relax mode afterward while enjoying some snacks and drinks. If you’re just rolling into town for the next day’s conference, the earlier (4:30 - 7:00 p.m.) time slot will allow you to network and socialize without making for too long of a day.
Case studies from fellow affiliates
In keeping with tradition, several experienced Goats On The Go®/Sheep On The Go® affiliates have volunteered to present on actual, real world grazing projects they conducted last year. During the Conference on Saturday, March 5, you’ll hear from harmOny Davies (Goats On The Go® Denver South) and Syndy and Chris Clark (Goats On The Go® Peoria — first solar grazing project!). These intrepid folks’ willingness to share both their successes and failures, the good parts and bad, make us all better!
Break-out sessions
We’ve added additional break-out sessions to the Conference this year. During the morning break-out on March 5 you’ll get to choose between Going Deeper with Pricing & Profitability (led by Aaron Steele) or Equipment Upgrades, Gripes, and Problem Solving (open forum facilitated by Chad Steenhoek of Goats On The Go® Ames). In the afternoon, attend Large Project Training (required before doing projects 10 acres or larger) or Making a Meat Goat Farm and Targeted Grazing Business Work Together (presented by Glenda and Jeff DeShon of Goats On The Go® Mid-MO).
Guest speaker, Cherrie Nolden
We’re lucky to have Cherrie on hand this year. She’ll be presenting two different sessions at the Conference on Saturday, March 5: Science of Vegetation Management with Goats and Low Input Goat Health. Check out Cherrie’s bio on the last page of the agenda, by clicking the button below.
If you haven’t registered for the event yet, it’s not too late! Click below.
Check this out...No Fence
There is much to be said, discussed, and argued about this technology, and we’ll attempt to tackle some of it at the upcoming Goats On The Go® Affiliate Training & Conference. Our prediction? Some of us will be using this in our targeted grazing operations at some level inside of three years, and all of us will be using it extensively in less than 10. There. We said it. It’s out there. Let the debate begin on the Affiliate Facebook Group!
Click to see the future!