For this week's episode, Ed headed over to the Nature Conservancy's Zapata Ranch in Colorado's San Luis Valley where he met up with Kate Matheson. Kate is the manager of the Zapata Ranch for Ranchlands, and she is also our Director of Hospitality and PR.

Originally from England, Kate enjoyed a successful career in publishing and fashion before a fateful trip to the American West drastically changed her trajectory. After a few years of working on a ranch in Montana, Kate eventually found her way to Ranchlands, where she has been an invaluable member of the team for many years.

This was a wonderful conversation about Kate's fascinating career path, her deep love for horses, and her journey from her home in England to her new home in the American West. We hope you enjoy this episode, and if you have any follow-up questions for Kate, you can email them to [email protected], and we'll answer them in a future Q&A episode. Enjoy!

---

TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• 2:20 - Kate's history with horses
• 8:00 - School and career post-high school
• 12:40 - Breaking into the magazine business
• 18:45 - Kate's impression of the US before moving here
• 20:45 - Moving to Montana
• 26:00 - How did Montana change Kate?
• 30:40 - Quitting her job and moving back to Montana
• 34:00 - Meeting the Phillips family
• 39:54 - Beginning work at Ranchlands
• 42:15 - How Kate combines her passions with her career
• 48:00 - Life-changing experiences at Zapata
• 52:20 - Why should city dwellers care about the land
• 53:25 - Misconceptions about ranching
• 54:45 - Resources
• 55:40 - Sources of hope

---

ABOUT RANCHLANDS:

• www.ranchlands.com
• Ranchlands Mercantile
• Ranch Stays
• Ranchlands Meat
• Stories

Questions or comments? Email us at [email protected]!