Ben and LaLane McClure are ranchers in Kansas who love what they do and hope to pass their legacy on to their children. Learn more about this ranch family.

BEN:

Lalane and I own Plus One Cattle Company in Hugoton and work alongside our children, Toby, Molly, Carter and Lindy. We farm 4,500 acres of irrigated and dryland ground and have about 260 mama cows. We also feed out some of our own cattle and a few hogs to sell meat directly to consumers. I’m also the managing partner for Kramer Seed Farms, a seed wheat business.

What is calving season like for you? Do you calve in fall and spring? Why?

We calve in both the spring and the fall. Spring calving can be cold and bitter and a bit of a struggle if the weather turns nasty. We raise our heifers with the expectation they need little to no help calving. We previously only calved in the spring but split the herd to calve both spring and fall to use fewer bulls to cover more cows and to spread out some cash flow.

What does sustainability mean to you?

Sustainability to us is caring for our cattle and land in a way that they can be utilized and profitable for many generations after us — caring for the land and animals by doing what is best for the long term, not just the short term.

Where do you see the future of your operation going?

Our children are still young and trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives, but we would love to see them all come back to the farm in some form or another, if that is God’s will for them. We have dreams to grow out even more cattle and expand the meat business as well as diversifying to bull and heifer development for other cattle ranchers.

What’s a typical day/week/month look like for you?

Every day is a little different, but most include office work, checking and feeding cattle, checking irrigation wells and handing out instructions to farm help. Most months include working cattle, whether it is vaccinating or setting up cows for artificial insemination or embryo transfers.

What is one thing you wish consumers knew about your operation?

We wish consumers understood how difficult and stressful running our operation can be. Yes, we own our own business and have the freedom that comes with owning your own business, but it also means we are fully responsible to the operation and profitability of the farm. So much is out of our control: markets, weather, supply chains, etc. We often work ourselves to the bone to feed the world, with little reward. We are not out to hurt people or animals, and we put our heart and soul into providing a safe, quality food product for consumers.

What is the hardest and best part of your job as a rancher?

The hardest part of our job as ranchers is dealing with the loss of livestock. Sometimes you do absolutely everything you can to save a calf and it still dies or a big blizzard comes in and you feel helpless to protect your herd.

What is your family’s favorite protein? And what is your favorite way to prepare it?

Our favorite protein is a good steak cooked on the grill with just a little seasoning. A good steak doesn’t need much!

What’s one thing you’ve changed on your operation since you started?

Since we started farming and raising cattle after our marriage in 1998, we have added the direct-to-consumer meat business in the last three to four years. It has not come without growing pains but has become a profitable part of our business.