Meet the Kraffts
About The Krafts
Myndi Krafft grew up in Southern California near the ocean, the malls, and the lakes. By her own admission, she was a typical cheerleader who knew nothing about agriculture, especially cattle. Jason Krafft grew up on his family's farm in western Kansas, where his family has raised cattle for over 100 years.
They met at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California, in a class on Artificial Insemination. The professor paired them together when Myndi needed to learn the technique and Jason was already certified. They were practically dating by the end of the semester.
After college, Myndi taught high school agriculture for 10 years in the Bay Area, growing the program from 2 teachers and 200 students to 4 teachers and over 600 students. Life was fast-paced, the neighborhood was not where they wanted to raise their daughters, and they barely saw their kids between daycare and work. So they made the call: leave California, move to the family ranch in Kansas, and build a different kind of life.
"A lot of pride and love goes into caring for these animals. We also want to be a great example to our kids on how to take care of the cattle." - Myndi Krafft"
What Is a Cow/Calf Ranch?
"On a cow/calf ranch, we raise cows that give birth to a calf every year. We raise those calves and do one of two things with them. We keep some of the heifers that will become tomorrow's cows on our ranch. The rest of the cattle will grow on our pastures where they will eventually become the beef you can buy in the grocery store or at the restaurant." - Myndi
Why Did The Kraffts Leave California for Kansas?
"Life in the Bay Area was incredibly fast-paced and very busy. We hardly ever saw our kids between daycare and work. We also did not live in the safest area. The kids were safe in the backyard but we could not let them beyond the front door. We wanted a place that was safe for the kids, where they could run outside and have space to play. We also wanted our kids to understand where their food comes from." - Myndi
"We wanted to spend more time around our kids. Now we are doing everything as a family. We do chores as a family. We watch the cattle as a family. We want as much quality time as possible, and we have that here on the farm." - Jason
What Does a Typical Day on the Ranch Look Like?
"Our day really depends on the season. But no matter what time of the year it is, we are always focused on the cattle. We daily make sure they are cared for and that they have enough clean water. Are they doing okay in the pastures? During the winter we make sure they have enough hay and grain." - Jason
"Our oldest daughter goes to school in the morning, so we get her up and cook her breakfast. Then we have our morning meeting before our youngest wakes up. One great thing about being out here as a family is that our youngest daughter usually comes along when we do most of our chores. Our oldest also has a bucket calf. It was a twin and the mother could not take care of both of them at the same time, so for the health and safety of the calf we decided to bottle feed it. It is her responsibility to feed it when she gets home from school." - Myndi
What Does a Typical Day on the Ranch Look Like?
"The great thing about ranching is every day is different. There will always be new challenges and some new learning experiences along the way. However, there are some things that routinely happen. Every morning I go check on the cows in the pasture to make sure they are healthy. Most times this involves Hawk and me riding through pastures to get a good close look at every cow and calf. After that I head over to our feedyard to check on those cattle. They need fresh food in their bunk and plenty of fresh, clean water. I take my scrub brush with me, empty out the waterer and scrub each trough in every pen to make sure they have clean water to drink." Daily ranch tasks also include fence maintenance across miles of pastureland and delivering mineral blocks to cattle on pasture. Cattle require a mineral supplement even while grazing, and Jake makes sure every pen and pasture is stocked consistently.
The sustainability story on the Pannbacker farm goes beyond pasture management. The ranch operates a closed-loop system that connects its cropland and feedyard. "We grow crops and forage, so almost everything the cattle eat at the feedyard is grown on our land. Since we own a small feedyard, we have a great source of high-quality organic fertilizer. We capture this fertilizer and use it on our row crops. From there we harvest those row crops and feed the grain to the cattle. It is a complete circle and really helps us be efficient. With the exception of the mineral and the distillers grains that we feed at the feedyard, everything the cattle eat comes from our farm." On average, corn accounts for only about 7 percent of a beef animal's total diet. Cattle spend the vast majority of their lives grazing on grass pastures. Distillers grains, a byproduct of the brewing process with no nutritional value for humans, are a protein-rich feed cattle love and would otherwise go to waste. It is one of many ways cattle convert human-inedible products into high-quality beef.
How Do the Kraffts Include Their Kids in Ranch Life?
For Jason and Myndi, sharing their occupation and way of life with their children is a dream come true. Myndi, a former agricultural educator, keeps the lessons and responsibilities age-appropriate for now, including checking on the well-being of cattle at the feed bunk, feeding bottle calves in the morning and evening, and helping give grain to the steers. But she is always looking for the next teachable moment.
"Coming from not being able to let the kids go beyond the front door to now watching them climb the fences and take care of the animals, it is everything I could have ever dreamed of for my daughters." - Myndi
Meet Your Rancher:
Where is the Krafft family ranch located?
The Krafft family ranch is located outside of Phillipsburg in western Kansas. Jason Krafft's family has raised cattle in this area for over 100 years.
What type of ranch do the Kraffts operate?
The Kraffts operate a cow/calf ranch, meaning they breed cows, raise the calves born each year, and either keep heifer calves to grow the herd or raise cattle that will eventually become beef for grocery stores and restaurants.
Why did the Krafft family move from California to Kansas?
Myndi and Jason Krafft left the Bay Area to give their daughters a safer environment, more outdoor space, and the chance to grow up understanding where food comes from. Life in the Bay Area was fast-paced and they rarely had time together as a family. The ranch offered them the quality time and lifestyle they were looking for.
Is beef from Kansas family ranches safe for families?
Yes. Myndi Krafft, who grew up with no connection to agriculture and later became an agricultural educator, says she is 100 percent confident in the beef produced on their ranch and by their neighbors. She feeds it to her own children. The animals are well cared for and monitored daily, and the beef that reaches grocery stores meets strict federal safety standards.
How do ranching families involve their children in farm life?
The Kraffts involve their daughters in age-appropriate ranch tasks including checking on cattle at the feed bunk, feeding bottle calves morning and evening, and helping give grain to steers. Their oldest daughter is responsible for bottle-feeding a bucket calf and plans to take it to the county fair. For the Kraffts, chore time is family time.
What is a bucket calf?
A bucket calf, also called a bottle calf, is a calf that is fed by hand rather than by its mother. This is common when a calf is a twin and the mother cannot nurse both, or when a mother is unable to care for her calf. The calf is fed milk replacer from a bottle or bucket until it is old enough to eat solid feed on its own.
Krafft Family Ranch
