AoR 182: Allen Miller on Fire, Fence, and Family - 140 Years of Stewardship at Tower Rock Ranch
From The Art of Range by Tip Hudson
May 14, 2026 · 1h 11m
About this episode
Allen Miller discusses his family's 140 years of stewardship at Tower Rock Ranch and the challenges of managing cattle in a wildfire-affected landscape.
Allen Miller of Tower Rock Ranch in Mansfield, Washington was the 2023 NCBA Environmental Stewardship Award regional winner. His family has run cattle on the same Douglas County ground since 1883. Allen joins Tip to talk about blending the art and science of range management on a 15,000-acre operation reshaped by five major wildfires in just 14 years. Allen shares hard-earned lessons on rotational grazing, post-fire rest and deferment, the payoff of 125 miles of new fence, and how Sage Grouse Initiative water infrastructure and remote tank monitors have transformed cattle distribution across rocky, water-scarce country. The conversation closes with candid thoughts on riparian fencing, CRP's unintended consequences, the promise of virtual fence and GPS ear tags, and Allen's advice to the next generation of agency professionals: come in humbly, listen first, and learn alongside the ranchers you're trying to help. Music by Lewis Roise. Support for The Art of Range comes from RanchBot and the Western Extension Risk Management Education Center. Visit the episode page at artofrange.com for the transcript and links to resources mentioned in this interview.
People in this episode
Host: Tip Hudson
Guest: Allen Miller
Topics covered
- range management
- cattle ranching
- environmental stewardship
- wildfire impact
- rotational grazing
- water infrastructure
- agricultural technology
Keywords
- environmental stewardship
- cattle distribution
- wildfires
- rotational grazing
- riparian fencing
- virtual fence
- GPS ear tags
Sponsors
RanchBot, Western Extension Risk Management Education Center
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: NCBA, Sage Grouse Initiative
Places: Tower Rock Ranch, Mansfield, Washington, Douglas County
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