#114: Using What You’ve Got to Build the Life You Want
” Every little boy wants to be a cowboy when he grows up and so I think that's kind of kinda where it started.”
I’ve met a lot of folks in agriculture over the years. Some inherited the family operation. Others married into it. But every once in a while, I talk with someone who’s building it all from scratch. That’s what today’s conversation is about: grit, goats, and growing a ranch when no one hands you the reins.
Zak Copeland is a first-generation rancher running cattle and a goat grazing business out in Idaho. And I’ve got to tell you—his story hit home for me.
The Cowboy Dream That Wouldn’t Let Go
Zak didn’t grow up on a ranch. But like a lot of us, he knew from a young age that he wanted to be around livestock. “Every little boy wants to be a cowboy,” he said. And even though it wasn’t something he saw as realistic back then, that dream stuck with him.
He started by coaching football after high school, where he met a friend who was raising cows. One day, Zak asked if he could help out after practice to learn more. That turned into buying his first cow and running a few head with his friend. That small start would eventually lead to something bigger.
From Chicks in the Basement to a Herd of Goats
Zak’s first real taste of agriculture wasn’t out in the pasture—it was in the basement of a rental house, hatching chicks in an incubator and selling them. Over time, he experimented with different animals: pigs, sheep, goats. He tried it all.
“I think it's important to try different income streams,” he told me. “One year cattle might not make you anything, so it helps to have something else.”
For him, goats started as a way to fund more cattle. They made more sense financially than sheep—less hassle, fewer shearing costs, and better markets in his area. Pretty soon, what started as a side hustle grew into something more.
Turning Goats into a Business
The real shift came when Zak started looking into targeted goat grazing. He had a buddy who mentioned it a few years back, and eventually, Zak got on TikTok and saw others doing it—some even hiring employees and running big operations.
He decided to give it a shot.
His first customer came from a simple Facebook ad. That job led to another, and then a local news crew showed up and ran a story. That changed everything.
“I couldn’t answer the phone fast enough after that,” Zak laughed.
Since then, he’s been all over—clearing overgrown backyards, tackling steep hillsides, and wiping out thistle patches that had been plaguing people for years. Some jobs are in town. Some are out in the country. No matter where they are, the goal is the same: leave the land better than they found it, and make a good impression.
Letting the Goats Pay the Bills
Zak hauls around 120 goats for most jobs. It’s a one-man show right now, and he’s careful about the kind of properties he takes on—safety for the animals always comes first. But it’s a cash flow game-changer.
The goats provide regular income, especially in the busy summer months. Meanwhile, his cattle are growing slower in the background. He sells 10 to 20 head of freezer beef a year, with more people committing early and helping him plan ahead. “It lets me sleep better,” he said.
There’s a freedom in being able to say yes or no to a job because you’ve got options. That’s a huge deal when you’re raising animals, raising kids, and trying to keep the lights on without working for someone else.
Using What You’ve Got to Build the Life You Want
Like a lot of us, Zak didn’t quit his day job right away. For years, he worked off-farm to support the dream. Even now, he’s quick to jump into side hustles when cash is tight. He buys and sells food-grade barrels, fixes small engines, flips used pickups, and builds homemade livestock panels. If there’s a need in his community, he’s figuring out how to fill it.
“It's not always glamorous,” he said, “but it keeps me from having to punch a clock for someone else.”
And that’s the goal: more time with his animals, more time with his family, and the kind of life he’s proud to build.
The Power of Relationships in Agriculture
None of this happened in a vacuum. Zak is the first to admit that he’s had mentors, friends, and strangers willing to share advice, make a deal, or pass along a bit of land.
When he bought the place he lives on now, it was thanks to a simple conversation while buying hay and fence panels. “I just asked if he’d ever thought about selling the place. He said yes, and it went from there.”
A lot of folks in ag are more willing to help than you might think. But you’ve got to show up, be kind, and be ready when opportunity knocks.
The Dream Is Still Alive
I asked Zak what advice he’d give to someone else starting out. His answer was simple:
“You really can do this. You’ve just got to figure out how to pay the bills every day while you chase that dream.”
It’s not about being the biggest. It’s not about fancy equipment or a picture-perfect ranch. It’s about freedom. It’s about doing the work, day in and day out, to build something that matters.
And maybe most of all—it’s about not giving up when the odds seem long and the numbers don’t add up right away.
If you’re a parent, a first-generation rancher, or someone working to make your farm dreams happen while raising kids and juggling it all—you’re not alone. Zak’s story is proof that it’s still possible.
It might not be easy. But it’s worth it.
If you want to follow along with Zak, you can find him on TikTok for The Copelands Farm or check out Idaho Goat Grazers on Facebook.
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About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright:
I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture.
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