A Practical Guide Inspired by Rancher Joel Hollingsworth

Most people know something is wrong in American agriculture, but few understand why. Prices go up, farmers go broke, and rural towns get hollowed out. But the truth is simpler than it seems:

Small farms aren’t failing because they’re bad at farming.
They’re failing because they’re forced to operate alone.

Recently, on a farm tour rancher Joel Hollingsworth shared a model that is quietly restoring rural economies and it’s something everyday consumers can support right now.

This post breaks down the practical side of his approach and what it means for anyone who cares about real food, healthy soil, and rebuilding the middle class.

1. The Problem: Small Farms Don’t Have the Scale to Survive

Here are numbers most Americans never hear:

• 89% of U.S. ranches have fewer than 100 cows.

• The average herd size? 22 cows.

• The economically viable herd size? Around 500 cows.

A 22-cow operation simply cannot compete with corporate agriculture, not because the rancher lacks skill, but because the system is designed for consolidation.

This is why most small farms rely on:

• Off-farm jobs - jobs to support farm's operations

• Tax deductions - often unreliable and temporary

• Unsustainable hours - burnout is the #1 reason small farms close

The result? Rural America loses families, infrastructure, and generational knowledge every year.

2. The Solution: Collaborative Ownership (Herd-Share Model)

Instead of each farm acting as an isolated business, Joel uses a model where multiple middle-class families share ownership of the breeding herd.

Here’s how it works:

Families invest in cattle → The rancher raises them → Calves are split yearly

This gives each family:

• Food security (no risk of barren shelves at supermarket)

• Local asset security (no risk of waking up in a food desert)

• A meaningful stake in a regenerative business

And it gives the rancher:

• The scale needed to operate efficiently

• The ability to negotiate against big processors

• The leverage to restore local food systems

This is the kind of structure that once existed naturally in small American towns before consolidation wiped it out. These are the town you drive through and ask "Does anyone live here?" or "How can anyone live here?". Get off any major interstate and you'll see exactly what we mean.

3. Why It Matters for Your Food — and Your Community

Even if you don’t own land or raise animals, collaborative models directly impact your food access.

Here’s why:

✔ More scale = lower prices

When regenerative ranches hit viable herd sizes, regenerative beef becomes competitive with supermarket beef.

✔ More families involved = stronger local economies

Money that stays inside a region circulates through:

• Local processors, not major packers

• Local feed suppliers, reviving local business 

• Local labor, putting money in the pocket of your neighbor no billionaires

• Local schools and businesses, for a healthier community

✔ More resilience = less vulnerability

Collaborative ranching protects communities from:

• Supply chain shocks - no driving 45 minutes for good food

• Corporate buyouts - keeping dollar stores at bay

• Processor monopolies - removing soulless animal killing

In other words, supporting regenerative ranchers isn’t charity, it’s protection.
Protection for soil, families, and everyone who eats food (aka: all of us).

4. How You Can Support This Movement Today

Here are simple actions anyone can take:

1. Buy from regenerative ranches directly

Every purchase helps small farms avoid the pricing trap of middlemen. If you've never done this before use From The Farm to find a local farm or one that will ship to you.

2. Join or support local herd-share programs

Even if you can’t own cattle, many ranches let customers buy fractional shares of animals or memberships that support herd growth. Just google 'local farms' or '[your county] herd shares'.

3. Choose products from companies committed to rural revival

(Like us — this is literally why The Regenaissance exists.) Make sure a company uses locally, sourced or regenerative products if you're buying something you consume.

4. Learn the stories behind your food

A community that understands food becomes a community that protects food systems. Read the company's story not just their nutrition label, if they share your values then they can get a share of your wallet.

5. The Big Picture: Regeneration Requires Community

Joel said it best:

“The only way we win is behaving in unity.”

Regenerative agriculture isn’t just about grazing patterns or soil health.
It’s about families (rural and urban) refusing to let the future be written by corporations extracting value from the land and the people who steward it.

When customers support collaborative models, they aren’t just buying beef or produce:

They’re helping rebuild rural America from the roots up.

Viva La Regenaissance!
- Ryan, Founder

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