Meet the Farmer
Perennial Grazing
Christian Cain & Shannon Waldron
Established In 2017
Location Rumsey, CA
Acreage 60 acres
What they offer. Grazing services; duck, turkey & lamb meat
When they began working with KTA. 2022
Advising focus Financial management; capital access
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Christian Cain and Shannon Waldron of Perennial Grazing are California shepherds, traveling locally with their sheep to provide grazing services for farms, wineries, parks, and private lands. Following the ancient practice of transhumance — the seasonal practice of rotating livestock — Christian and Shannon accompany their sheep job-to-job as they graze across hills and pasture from the coast to the foothills. Their grazing method not only provides a more effective and environmentally friendly alternative to herbicide usage or costly weed whacking, but also fulfills several key ecosystem services: cropping system management, fire safety, soil health, and fertility enhancement to name a few. Alongside these services, Christian and Shannon also raise ducks and turkeys, grow grapes and garlic, and produce nutrient-rich, organic lamb.
For Christian and Shannon, shepherding is centered on ecology and responsible stewardship of land. They not only actively foster natural, symbiotic relationships between their animals and surrounding landscapes, but are also dedicated to exploring the unknowns of nature and implementing new ecological strategies.
Read more about the values that guide Perennial Grazing and their journey through business ownership in KTA’s blog post, “Grounded Values in a Shifting Economy.”
Advising Snapshot: 2022
When Shannon and Christian began shepherding together in 2020, their partnership allowed them to begin taking more risks. They began growing their business, going from 200 to 1,000 sheep and covering more and more rangeland in California. Eventually, they hope to be able to bring on supporting staff to help manage their business.
A key part of scaling up their business was the development and management of a cash flow budget. With Senior Farm Business Advisor Federica Beatrice’s assistance, they set up an operational cash flow budget which has helped them foster a more informed perspective of their business and save for equipment and further expansion. They were also able to streamline and organize the necessary paperwork to apply for an FSA loan, allowing them to purchase a double-decker trailer and truck. With these back-end systems established, Shannon and Christian now feel more prepared to expand their business. In the next few months, they will continue to work with landowners, counties, and state parks, traveling up and down the coast with the bud break to provide their grazing services.
