Lesson Learned at New Cowgirl Camp

By Malerie Morgan

I attended New Cowgirl camp as the first female in my family with an interest in stewarding our ancestral lands. I had zero experience in livestock handling or land management but knew that I wanted to step into my role with integrity and in a way that felt more connected to natural rhythms than I had seen in many traditional male-led ranching and land stewardship operations.  The instructors at New Cowgirl Camp create a safe space for folks of all types to come together as they are to learn these skills and ask as many questions as they need to. The learning environment is a mix of hands-on, lecture, and ample time for hanging out to casually connect with other attendees and instructors. I made lifelong connections during my time at Lazy R.

While there, I learned how to confidently read the land I steward and make assessments on how to introduce livestock. The skills I learned on low-stress animal management and rotational grazing have come in handy countless times with goats, sheep, and even horses.

New Cowgirl Camp was not only a place for me to learn tangible skills as a female farmer. It was also a safe place for me because of how the instructors weave in social justice. Beth, Sandy, and Alex prioritize conversations around race, land theft and access, patriarchal and colonial systems of oppression, and how those things affect us not only in our everyday lives but also in this work with the land. New Cowgirl Camp is a place for all types to show up as themselves to have open dialogues, and put in the work on how we can dismantle these systems of oppression that affect not only the land and the animals but all of us who choose not to mold into the box of what the stereotypical idea of what it looks like to be a rancher, farmer, land steward, soil enthusiast, or shepherd. New Cowgirl Camp is a place for us to push back against these norms and allow ourselves to wear whatever damn hat we choose while we do this work!

Journey into Food Production Information Management

By Dr. Alan Raeder

Managing production and food system information is a challenge, whether you are managing 1,000 acres or a small garden. In this article, I will introduce my journey into information management, share my current efforts related to food production and information management at WWCC, and ask for your experience and thoughts to help shape future articles.

I got my first introduction to the challenges of information management while in graduate school and later while working in the agriculture chemical industry. While in graduate school, I realized the challenges of managing information in a research program with a large team and multiple contributors per project.

As I transitioned into the industry and began managing an herbicide research and development program, I quickly realized that I was in an even more challenging situation than before. I was accumulating more than 100 research trial reports per year from across North America and each report had information and data separated into multiple files. In addition, I was responsible for evaluating the full history of reports to fill technical service requests while preparing product use guidelines for labels submitted to US and Canadian regulatory authorities. It was a tough time, but I am now thankful for the challenge.

I was eventually able to devote two years to learning and developing new skills in information management, and at that time, I realized a new interest and passion. I also worked with a team that created some useful solutions for managing trial information, saving time, and eventually providing peace of mind in an often fast-paced development environment.

I am now an instructor at Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) and primarily teach an agroecology course series for the Agricultural Systems Bachelors program. In addition to the courses, I am helping to develop the Farm to Fork program on campus, which gives agriculture and culinary arts students an interdisciplinary experience while studying at WWCC. As the Farm to Fork program grows on campus, many notice crops growing in the raised beds, cow and calf pairs grazing the teaching pasture, and new equipment arriving on campus as we plan to expand and produce more food. What often goes unnoticed is the information management component that is also developing and expanding.

Managing information related to food production, distribution, preparation, and serving is a new challenge. We are working to bring programs and students that have traditionally been siloed together. Faculty and staff are working together to improve our use of technology and facilitate improved communication, planning, and overall food production that we can make available to the WWCC community. Among all that is developing at WWCC related to the Farm to Fork program, I am paying close attention to the information management component. I am excited to have our production plans intentionally lead to actions, see those actions develop into an accurate production history, and eventually teach students to use dashboards to analyze how soil health correlates with overall productivity and quality of food prepared by the culinary program.

I have been curious about applying information management principles to individual farms for several years. It would be great to hear your thoughts, experiences, opinions, and suggestions about the topic. I hope to develop this introductory news article into a series of articles that dive a little deeper into the topic. Your input will help shape the article series. Feel free to send an email to alan.raeder@rootsofresilience.org with your thoughts.

A Sand County Almanac

By Tim Copeland

"A Sand County Almanac" by Aldo Leopold is a cornerstone text in environmental literature. It offers a profound, eloquent, and reflective account of the natural world and our relationship with it. First published in 1949, it has been reprinted many times since then. The book is divided into three sections, each offering a different perspective on ecology and conservation.

 The book's first part, "A Sand County Almanac," provides a month-by-month account of the changes and natural processes that occur throughout the year on Leopold's property in the sand counties of Wisconsin. Through these vivid, meticulous observations, Leopold illustrates the interconnectedness of all living things and the importance of each species to the ecosystem's overall health. Leopold became an astute student of the flora, fauna, and geology of his farm.

February, Good Oak is my favorite chapter in this section. It begins with the felling of an 80-year-old oak tree by lightning, followed by it being cut for firewood by a two-man crosscut saw. In each cut of the saw, it penetrates one or two of the tree’s growth rings. After every five-ring set has been penetrated, Leopold recounts the history of the farm during the years in which those rings developed. Working backward from 1945, the farm’s story is recounted until the tree’s birth in 1865. It’s a magical way to experience history.

 The second section, "Sketches Here and There," broadens the perspective beyond Sand County to other regions of North America. Here, Leopold shares his experiences and reflections on wildlife and wilderness in places ranging from the Arizona desert to the forests of Quebec, highlighting the diversity and richness of the continent's environments.

 The final section, "The Upshot," is where Leopold articulates his land ethic, a pioneering concept in environmental ethics. He argues that land should not be seen as a commodity to be exploited but as a community to which we belong. He urges respect for all living things and emphasizes the need for an ethical, sustainable relationship with the environment. In this 75-year-old treatise, Leopold discusses many of the tenets now taught in regenerative agriculture and agroecology courses. He was far ahead of his time.

Leopold's profound insights and the beauty of his writing are remarkable. His prose is poetic, capturing the essence of the natural world and conveying his deep respect and affection for it. Wendell Berry stands on Leopold’s shoulders.

 “A Sand County Almanac" is more than just a book about nature; it's a call to action and a philosophical treatise on how humans should coexist with the land. It remains a vital read for anyone interested in conservation, ecology, or the natural world, offering timeless insights that are as relevant today as they were when the book was first published.

Planning for and Recovery from Fire

Save the Date: June 22, 2024, 8:30 am to 4:00 pm and June 23, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.
Where: Jensen Memorial Ranch, Medical Lake, WA
What: Tame the Flames – Preserving Property, People and Rangelands

In eastern Washington, grappling with wildfires is inevitable – a matter of when, not if. This summer, in partnership with the Washington Department of Natural Resources and the Spokane Conservation District, Roots of Resilience will host a workshop focused on measures to lessen wildfire damage to your property and strategies for post-fire recovery.

The urgency for such initiatives was highlighted in 2023 when two major fires struck the Spokane region. The Gray Fire consumed over 10,000 acres, including 50 structures in Medical Lake, while the Oregon Road Fire affected around 11,000 acres. These disasters obliterated 366 homes and 710 structures, amplifying community concerns regarding fire prevention and post-fire land management.

 The workshop will feature officials from the Department of Natural Resources and the Spokane Conservation District, Mayor Terri Cooper of Medical Lake, Chief Cody Rohrbach of Spokane Fire District 3, and ranchers Maurice and Beth Robinette.

 Topics will include:

• Department of Natural Resources' initiatives on Community Wildfire Resilience, Preparedness, and Service Forestry Programs, aiming to educate communities and small landowners on forest health, wildfire mitigation, and sustainable forest management.
  

• Spokane Conservation District will shed light on Firewise Communities, offering free site assessments, forest technical support, and financial aid programs.
  

• Maurice Robinette will share his firsthand experience with wildfire impact, detailing how the Gray Fire affected his Lazy R Ranch and the adaptive strategies implemented for recovery and fire risk mitigation, including the strategic use of livestock grazing.

This event is a must-attend for those interested in learning about assessing fire risk, implementing preventative measures, utilizing prescribed burns and livestock to manage fuel loads, and post-fire livestock management. Mark your calendars and visit our website in a few weeks to register.

 For registration details and more information, stay tuned to Roots of Resilience's website: https://rootsofresilience.org/.