Natalie Kovarik is the co-owner of Kovarik Cattle Co., a first-generation seedstock operation based in central Nebraska, and the co-host of the Discover Ag podcast.

By the time you are reading this, my family will be less than two weeks away from celebrating my great-aunt’s 100th birthday. At the end of our lives, each of us will leave a legacy for others to remember us by. What do you want your legacy to be? What do you want to be remembered for?

Jackie Sanford, Heather Lifsey and Becky Heim found that balancing these roles with their responsibilities on the farm and careers required creativity, resilience and a willingness to lean on others. Their journeys reveal not only the struggles of caregiving but also the profound strength it takes to navigate this path.

Ranchers shifting from cattle production to other endeavors are driven by many reasons and goals. Operations must have a solid plan backed by knowledgeable direction and commonsense experience for a greater chance of success.

Amid higher input and machinery costs, maximizing profitability means expanding landholdings for some farmers – that’s one way to go. Another way to go is through maximizing yields on current cropland, which is the route R.L. Brown Farms of Jerome, Idaho, has chosen.

Steppler Farms, located in Miami, Manitoba, is the largest registered purebred Charolais herd in the province. Run by Andre Steppler, his wife Katie and their three kids (Brynn, Brayden and Declan), the operation continues to breed cattle for productivity and show ring appeal, while creating a legacy for generations to come.