Ranchlands Podcast

Conservation photographer and storyteller Mike Forsberg has devoted much of his career to telling stories from North America's Great Plains, and his work has been recognized by many well-known organizations, including Audubon, National Geographic, and the Nature Conservancy. He's the author and photographer for several stunning books, and the co-founder of the Platte Basin Timelapse– a one-of-a-kind project that is discussed in detail in this episode.

In this episode, Mike and Ed discuss everything from the importance of storytelling in the conservation movement to his career trajectory as a professional photographer. They talk about the significance of the Platte Basin, and the critical role that ranchers and other private landowners play in the region's ecological health. They also chat about teaching the up-and-coming generation of conservation storytellers, measuring success in the conservation field, his vision for the future of conservation in the Platte Basin, and much more.

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Topics covered:

1:40 - Platte Basin Timelapse

9:25 - Getting the public to engage with less glamorous acts of conservation

15:00 - What are the most promising and challenging aspects of conservation?

21:00 - What keeps Mike up at night? What fuels his drive?

24:30 - How does Mike balance the positive with the negatives of the future?

28:45 - Storytelling and letting a story develop

34:20 - The role that ranchers play in conservation

42:15 - When did photography become part of Mike's life?

46:00 - Blending photography with conservation

51:00 - Offering advice to the next generation

54:25 - How children have shifted Mike's perspective

58:00 - Mike's dream for the future of the Platte Basin Timelapse

1:02 - People, books, and films that have influenced Mike

1:07 - Where can you learn more about Mike's work?

Wendy Millet is the Ranch Director at TomKat Ranch, a 1,800-acre grass-fed cattle ranch located on the California Coast. Wendy has devoted her entire career to conservation and land stewardship, serving in various capacities at well-known conservation organizations such as The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund. And for the past 10+ years, she's been helping the team at TomKat achieve its mission "to provide healthy food on working lands in a way that regenerates the planet and inspires others to action."

In this discussion, we covered a range of topics including the history of TomKat ranch and its current agricultural initiatives, the ranch's commitment to science-based data collection and analysis, what Wendy looks for in potential team members, and a few exciting projects that are in the ranch's near future. We also talked about Wendy's personal connection to the land and her career trajectory, including how she fell in love with western landscapes, her love of transcendentalist authors, her professional experiences with both non-profit and for-profit organizations, and much more.

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Topics covered:

00:54 - What is TomKat Ranch?

3:45 - What does regenerative agriculture mean to TomKat?

6:40 - Is there a blueprint TomKat followed for starting a ranch?

9:30 - The partnership between Point Blue and TomKat

15:45 - How much of Wendy's daily work is influenced by data collected by Point Blue?

18:00 - Keeping everything on the rails at TomKat

19:00 - What does Wendy look for in potential team members?

21:00 - How have California's recent rains affected TomKat?

23:00 - How Kat Taylor has influenced Wendy

27:00 - How does Wendy focus her conservation efforts on the ranch?

29:00 - Acting as a network for learning

30:45 - Projects that can become a larger movement in the future

33:15 - Wendy's upbringing and background

35:00 - Ranch vacation in Jackson and Wendy's return to the West

36:25 - How Wendy's formal education helped to guide her career

39:00 - Florence Williams and The Nature Fix

40:00 - What has Wendy learned from TNC and The Conservation Fund

43:00 - Wendy's work in the financial side of the timber industry

44:50 - Wendy's work with Western Landowners Alliance

47:45 - Young people in agriculture

51:50 - Heroes and mentors of Wendy's

55:35 - Why should a lifelong city dweller care about the land?

56:15 - Common misconceptions about agriculture and ranching

57:00 - Books and podcasts Wendy recommends

58:26 - What music have you been listening to?

59:30 - What gives Wendy hope for the future

On today's episode, our guest is the agroecologist, systems thinker, educator, and author Nicole Masters. Originally from New Zealand, Nicole is one of the most well-respected voices on soil health and ecologically responsible grazing practices. She is also the author of the excellent book For the Love of Soil: Strategies to Regenerate Our Food Production Systems.

In this conversation, Nicole discusses her life-long connection to nature and the land, her early career that included growing avocados and being a worm farmer, her move from New Zealand to the American West, her process for writing, some common misconceptions about the idea of food scarcity, and much more.

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Topics Covered:

1:25: Nicole's upbringing

3:10 Traveling, education, and overseas experiences

4:40 When agriculture became a part of Nicole's life

8:10 Nicole's first jobs

9:30 Buying a farm and having a child

13:20 Jumping into agriculture head first, Nicole's gratitude to her father

14:55 What brought Nicole to the United States

19:00 Being an outsider in the American West

22:00 How Nicole defines her work

25:00 Why don't all ranches use regenerative methods?

30:00 Can ecological responsible practices feed the world?

33:50 Resources for people interested in regenerative soil science

35:00 Nicole's book "For the Love of Soil"

37:00 Why did she write a book?

40:00 Finding the purpose of one's life

42:20 Advice for young people

45:50 How can people contribute to responsible agriculture

47:00 Where does Nicole see her career in 15 years

51:00 Why should a lifelong city dweller care about the land?

52:00 Common misconceptions about agriculture

53:00 Books Nicole recommends

54:15 What music Nicole has been listening to

54:50: What gives Nicole hope for the future

Jill Soukup reads her short essay, "What Zapata Means to Me," featured on the Ranchlands Journal.

Jill Soukup is a celebrated artist and long time friend of Ranchlands. She has been teaching her drawing and painting workshop at the Zapata Ranch for the past 8 years, and visiting the Chico and Zapata ranches to photograph horses for her paintings for at least 18 years.

On today's episode, Ed connects with the great artist Jill Soukup for a conversation about everything from her professional journey as an artist, to her love of teaching, to the diverse set of influences that fuel her creativity.

Jill has been a long-standing member of the Ranchlands community for well over a decade– she teaches one of our most sought-after workshops at the Zapata Ranch, and she's a frequent visiting artist at the Chico Basin Ranch. Year after year, Jill has demonstrated her ability to not only produce stunning, one-of-a-kind art, but also to teach artists of all skill levels how to fully tap into their own creative potential.

Whether you are an aspiring artist or simply a person who loves horses and western landscapes, you'll appreciate Jill's outlook and approach to her art. Her curiosity and commitment to creativity are infectious, and we appreciate her taking the time to share some of her hard-earned wisdom with us.

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Topics Covered:

• 2:45 - Jill's childhood art business
• 5:00 - Career choices heading into college
• 6:30 - Lifelong love of horses
• 8:30 - Pros and cons of art school
• 15:45 - How teaching helps Jill's art
• 18:15 - Importance of simplicity
• 20:50 - Learning about horse skeletons
• 25:20 - The backstory of Jill's Zapata workshop
• 27:30 - Painting at the Chico
• 29:30 - Sources of inspiration
• 31:30 - Favorite podcasts
• 36:00 - The business of art
• 38:00 - Business advice for aspiring artists
• 40:45 - Jill's artistic process
• 47:30 - Artists that Jill admires
• 50:15 - Thoughts on the evolution of her art career
• 54:45 - Why should city dwellers care about conservation
• 57:00 - Common misconceptions about ag
• 1:02:35 - Favorite music
• 1:03:45 - What is giving you hope

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!

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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

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ABOUT RANCHLANDS:

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

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

This is another Q&A episode, this time with the questions being answered by Duke Phillips IV. All of these questions were either submitted via social media or through our podcast-specific email address, [email protected].

Duke answers a wide range of questions, including some specific questions about cattle and the ranching business, the amount of acreage needed to support different size herds, a question from an incoming ranch intern, and a few questions about landing a job with Ranchlands.

If you are curious about any of these topics, we know you'll enjoy this episode. And if you have a question that you'd like us to answer, please email us at [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

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QUESTIONS ANSWERED:

• 1:20 - Several general questions about cattle and ranching.
• 5:20 - How many people are needed to run a ranch?
• 7:58 - A question from an incoming ranch intern.
• 11:50 - Questions about the Ranchlands hiring process.
• 13:50 - Any upcoming exciting plans at Ranchlands?

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ABOUT RANCHLANDS:

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

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

For today's podcast, Ed sat down with legendary horseman Cam Schryver. Cam has been a great friend of Ranchlands for many years, and he is widely regarded as one of the premiere horsemen in the country. For many years, Cam was the head of the horsemanship program at the world-renowned Thatcher School, and he was also a two-time Extreme Cowboy World Champion. Now, in retirement, he lives and works on his family ranch in Oregon.

Cam's horsemanship workshops at our Zapata Ranch are some of our most popular events year after year, and riders of all skill levels rave about Cam's gift as an effective, patient, and gifted teacher. Whether you are a rider or not, I know you'll be struck by Cam's authenticity, humility, and quiet confidence, and you just may feel the pull to sign up for one of his workshops in the coming years.

Ed and Cam recorded this episode at the Chico Basin Ranch, just after Cam had wrapped up his second Zapata workshop. We were honored to have the opportunity to chat with Cam on the podcast, and we know you'll enjoy this episode.

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• Cam's Zapata Ranch Workshop: Foundations of Horsemanship
• Cam's Zapata Ranch Workshop: Intermediate Horsemanship

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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• 2:00 - How Cam connected with Ranchlands
• 3:15 - Thacher School explained
• 5:15 - Why Cam felt a connection with Duke and Duke
• 6:20 - Cam's early years
• 10:55 - Working with Thacher School
• 14:55 - Horsemanship program successes
• 19:05 - Horse-rider relationships
• 23:10 - Thacher's camping program
• 25:00 - Cam's Zapata Workshops
• 27:00 - Keys to a successful horsemanship workshop
• 29:44 - More on horse-rider relationships
• 31:15 - Extreme Cowboy World Championships
• 35:40 - Current ranch work
• 37:00 - Cam's integrity
• 39:00 - How late is too late to begin riding horses?
• 41:50 - Cam's mentors
• 45:45 - Why should a life-long city dweller care about the land, land stewardship, and conservation?
• 50:15 - What is a common misconception about ranching or agriculture that you'd like to correct?
• 52:25 - Can you name a few resources that have played a critical role in your understanding of land and land stewardship?
• 55:45 - When it comes to conservation and land stewardship, what is giving you hope?

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ABOUT RANCHLANDS:

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

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

We're excited to bring you another essay episode, this one featuring our friend and past podcast guest Molly Baldrige. You may remember from our discussion in Episode 6 that Molly wrote a wonderful essay titled "Querencia," which details her deep connection to the MP Ranch.

In this short episode, Molly reads "Querencia," and we know you'll enjoy listening. And if you'd like to read the essay for yourself, there's a link in the episode notes.

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Read the essay: https://ranchlands.com/blogs/journal/querencia

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ABOUT RANCHLANDS:

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

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

For today's episode, Duke IV and Ed had the great pleasure of sitting down with Molly Baldrige, who is the owner of the MP Ranch. Located in the rocky juniper pinon hills of central New Mexico cattle country, the MP Ranch has been an important part of Molly's family history for decades. And as you'll hear in this conversation, Molly feels a deep, even spiritual, connection to the landscapes and history of the ranch, and she has a strong desire to steward the land in a thoughtful and responsible manner.

In 2016, Molly partnered with Ranchlands to take over the management of the MP, so this discussion centers around Molly and Duke's shared love of this special ranch. We discuss Molly's family history on the MP, the lasting role of her larger-than-life father's vision for the ranch, Molly's interesting career trajectory, and some of the specific stewardship challenges of ranching in arid New Mexico.

Both Duke and Ed loved this conversation, and they greatly appreciated Molly taking the time to chat with us. We know that you'll enjoy this episode.

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• Querencia by Molly Baldrige

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TOPICS DISCUSSED:

• 1:50 How Molly learned about Ranchlands
• 4:29 Duke's first impression of Monte Prieto Ranch
• 6:16 History of Monte Prieto Ranch
• 11:09 Carryovers from Molly's father
• 13:03 Molly talks about big yearly roping event at Monte Prieto Ranch
• 14:37 Molly's talks about her father's career and history
• 18:25 What made Molly's father successful
• 23:40 Molly's initial vision for Monte Prieto
• 29:31 The struggles and journey of expanding Monte Prieto Ranch
• 35:23 The role of the Quincho building
• 37:19 Molly's experience at the Zapata and Chico with Cam Shriver
• 47:54 Molly discusses her essay "Querencia"
• 49:10 Why should a life-long city dweller care about the land, land stewardship, and conservation?
• 50:37 What is a common misconception about ranching or agriculture that you'd like to correct?
• 52:10 Can you name a few resources that have played a critical role in your understanding of land and land stewardship?
• 57:02 When it comes to conservation and land stewardship, what is giving you hope?

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ABOUT RANCHLANDS:

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

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