Greg Friel
Year Inducted: 2015
Kapāpala Ranch | Hawai'i
Kipu Kai Ranch | Hawai'i
Hana Ranch | Maui
Haleakalā Ranch | Maui
Greg Friel has worked a variety of operations since 1978: From Kapapala, to Kipu Kai Ranch, to Hana Ranch, and on to Haleakalā Ranch. The environment and locations have been as varied as the ownership structures, which range from a State lease, to a family trust, to a multi national corporate owned ranch that has seen five owners in 71 years, and finally, to a ranch that has been owned and operated by the same family since 1888.
Over the years and under all of these different operations, the main keys to success that this versatile man, Greg, has taken away with him are as listed below.
1) Proper animal handling is key. Greg’s early years were spend working with a lot of wild cattle that had been chased around a lot. The amount of time and energy it took to gather and settle these cattle was very costly. While roping these kinds of cattle might have been fun for a young man, there are less costly handling techniques used today.
2) Grazing management can play a larger part in the animal’s health than any of the vaccinations that are available. If an animal is stressed in any way, you may as well shoot the vaccine in the ground. Stressed wild cattle can die simply from stress so managing them quietly and gently is the best way to keep them alive.
3) Never stop learning. Learning from life is as important as learning from a textbook.
4) If you don’t love what you’re doing, you won’t ever be very good at it. Follow your passion and you’ll never work a day in your life.
5) Diversity is the key whether it’s in livestock, forages or crops. Mono cultures never occur in nature and they shouldn’t be the models for a ranch.
6) Mentor the youth. They are critical if ranching is to have a future. Someone has to produce food for the people when we’re gone and right now the young people are not lining up to take our place.