New Mexico Workshop Demonstrates Innovative Practices

Some of the participants from the JX Ranch workshop with Tom Sidwell (second from left).

On February 26, 2025 HMI collaborated with the JX Ranch to offer a two-day grazing workshop on “Innovative Practices for Ranching Success in New Mexico’s High Desert” at the JX Ranch near Tucumcari, New Mexico.

During the workshop, ranch owners Tom and Mimi Sidwell shared their management practices and the results they’ve achieved, while HMI Certified Educators Kirk Gadzia and Owen Hablutzel facilitated experiential activities out in the field like doing a STAC analysis to determine forage availability. Workshop participants enjoyed experiencing first-hand the innovative practices that have made the Sidwell’s JX Ranch a renowned success. 

Tom Sidwell (center) discussing innovative grazing practices and how to plan for drought with workshop participants.

“To see this kind of forage in New Mexico’s high plains, despite years of drought, is simply amazing,” one participant stated.  Another added, “the land under Tom and Mimi’s care is alive.  Their story is invigorating and inspiring.  We should all hope to do so well.”

Evaluations from the participants who collectively manage over 54,000 acres showed a 100% satisfaction for the event as well as increased knowledge and expansion of their network. They also all will now be integrating drought planning in their grazing planning and intend to change management practices.

The participants also noted that they liked learning techniques like the “Bullseye Monitoring” as well learning more about how to match their stock days to their available resources, learning about Animals Days per Acre, how to determine recovery times and how to manage stockpiled forage.

A husband and wife team, working side by side on their ranch south of Tucumcari, New Mexico, Tom and Mimi raise all-natural beef on their native pastures using regenerative, holistic range management methods. Since they bought and moved on to this ranch in 2004, they have been working hard to strengthen the ecological condition of the ranch, restoring the watersheds and removing infestation of invasive species.

In 2023 Tom and Mimi were recognized as the recipients of the Leopold Conservation Award from the Sand County Foundation. Check out this video to learn more or read this case study written by Dr. Ann Adams, Education Director at HMI.

Thank you for workshop funding from the Thornburg Foundation, and for scholarship funding support from the L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation.