By Shelby Shank
Field Editor
Driven by faith and a love for the land, Kade and Morgan Hodges have embraced every challenge that ranching has thrown their way.
“While ranching is a way of life, we also view it as a business, and challenges are part of any business,” Kade said. “We view them as opportunities to refine our skills and build experience.”
In 2024, the Hodges faced a major challenge on their ranch, losing leased acreage after the passing of the landowner.
Determined to find a solution, the couple saw an opportunity to expand their ranch and started offering vegetation management to solar farms through targeted sheep grazing.
“This has offered us a unique opportunity to diversify our operation,” Morgan said. “Although these locations are over six hours away from our headquarters, this helps us manage risk when drought conditions arise in our home county through raising sheep in an area with greater average rainfall.”
Their ability to adapt extends to other parts of their ranching operation, as well.
Their strong agricultural foundation comes from their families.
Kade is a sixth-generation rancher whose family has been ranching in the same area since 1889. Although Morgan didn’t grow up on a ranch, her family is deeply rooted in agriculture, and she is passionate about carrying on the ranch’s legacy.
“Our goal is to preserve the family’s ranching legacy and to pass down a successful business to our children,” Morgan said. “With the arrival of our first child, Weston, we are more dedicated than ever to do our best, accomplish our goals and live a life that carries out God’s will for our lives.”
Kade also works part-time for his family’s ranch and assists in daily operations and management decisions.
Kade and Morgan raise Royal White stud rams and ewes, Angus cross-cattle and Spanish goats on their ranch in Sterling City.
They also own a feedlot where they formulate rations and mix feed to finish out a portion of their sheep and goats each year.
“Our mission is to be good stewards of God’s creation while raising productive and profitable livestock for both consumers and fellow ranchers,” Kade said.
To do that, the Hodges manage their ewes and nannies on an accelerated program—meaning they will have three lamb and kid crops in two years.
“We implement a hybrid range and confinement system where sheep and goats are on range for five months and raise their offspring in our drylot for three months,” Morgan said. “This enables us to refine our genetic selection, provide our pastures with advantageous rest periods and allows us to run more animal units while maintaining the same fixed costs.”
Together, the couple implement sustainable management practices, such as rotational grazing, on their ranch.
“We’re both lifelong learners and are constantly evaluating new research to find ways to improve our operation,” Kade said. “We view change as a constant in our industry and in our lives, and we adapt by searching for new opportunities and creative solutions.”
The Hodges are committed to the future of agriculture and use their education, experiences and passion for the industry to promote agriculture.
“Our society is becoming increasingly removed from agriculture,” Kade said. “It is crucial for those who understand the vital role agriculture plays in our future to tell our story passionately and effectively.”
They both serve on the Coke-Sterling County Farm Bureau board of directors and are involved in Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) events and activities at the county, state and national level. Morgan also serves as the vice chair of Texas Farm Bureau’s YF&R Advisory Committee.
Outside of agriculture, Kade and Morgan are active members in their community and church.
“Working alongside one another to chase our dreams has been a wonderful journey,” Morgan said. “Our goal is to preserve our family’s ranching legacy and to pass down a successful business to future generations.”
Watch a video with the Hodges.
Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher Contest
The Hodges are finalists in TFB’s Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher Contest.
The contest recognizes young men and women ages 18 to 35 who are involved in agriculture but do not earn their primary income from a farm or ranch enterprise.
Information on the contest and TFB’s YF&R program can be found online at texasfarmbureau.org/YFR.
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