Healthy soil is more than dirt beneath our feet — it’s a living system that determines the resilience of our landscapes, the vitality of our food systems, and the future of agriculture. For Brian and Vicki Maddock, soil health isn’t a buzzword or trend. It’s the foundation of how they ranch, make decisions, and steward the land for the long term.
“In a lot of ways, it’s not more work, it’s easier.”
— Brian Maddock, speaking about his regenerative approach The Mighty 790 KFGO | KFGO
That simple insight reflects a deeper truth: when the land is allowed to function naturally with living roots, diverse plants, and healthy soil biology, the operation becomes more resilient and productive.
Building Life From the Ground Up
Regenerative ranching starts below the surface. On the Maddocks’ ranch, the goal isn’t just to grow grass for cattle, but to build soil structure, organic matter, and biological activity year after year. By focusing on how the land responds — not just how much it produces — they’ve shifted away from extractive practices and toward systems that restore natural function.
Their soil-first approach means thinking about two herds:
“We’re feeding the cows, but we’re also feeding all those microbes in the soil. We need to feed them too, and they need to be thriving.”
— Travis Maddock, Rancher and Maddock Ranch Supply Owner
That perspective transforms how management decisions are made each day. Instead of viewing cattle as simply livestock, they see them as ecological tools — converting plant energy into soil nutrients, moving them across the landscape, and stimulating plant regrowth.
Cattle as a Catalyst, Not a Burden
In regenerative systems, cattle aren’t the problem; mismanagement is. Properly managed grazing, like planned rotations moving cattle through different paddocks, mimics natural grazing patterns. It encourages grasses to regrow while feeding soil organisms through root material and organic matter.
This process increases soil cover, builds soil organic matter, and improves water infiltration — the very indicators of healthier soil.
“You’ve got cover, you’ve got living roots in there, you’re increasing your water cycle, your nitrogen cycle… that’s how you build soil.”
— Travis Maddock on the soil–microbe–plant connection Y94
These regenerative practices don’t just benefit the land ecologically; they also contribute to long-term economic and operational resilience.
A Long-Term Vision for the Land
This deep commitment to soil health helped the Maddocks earn recognition as recipients of the 2025 North Dakota Leopold Conservation Award, an honor given to land stewards who demonstrate excellence in land management and conservation. North Dakota Grazing Lands Coalition
But for Brian and Vicki, awards aren’t the point. It’s about legacy, resilience, and restoring the land for future generations:
“He’s … always looking to improve his processes… thinking, how can I make it better for my kids, how can I make it better for my grandkids.”
— Shane Maddock, Rancher and Maddock Ranch Supply Owner
Why Soil Health Matters
Soil is the quiet hero of agriculture. It filters water, stores carbon, supports biodiversity, and underpins food security. Regenerative ranching demonstrates that agriculture can be part of the solution — restoring ecosystems while sustaining rural livelihoods.
What the Maddock family shows us is this: true sustainability starts below ground. By listening to the land and working with natural systems, they’ve shown what’s possible when soil health is treated not as an afterthought, but as the heart of the operation.
