Reflections on New Cowgirl Camp 2025

By Alexandra Machado

New Cowgirl Camp wrapped up our eighth season this June. Over five days, we hosted 18 women from across the country and Canada, ranging in age from 20s to 60s. Some came from careers in education, healthcare, and nonprofit work. Others had experience in ranching, farming, and land stewardship, but were looking for deeper mentorship and a framework for decision-making that centers the land itself.

We don’t teach a romantic version of ranching. Camp is grounded in multigenerational experience and real world decision-making. Participants learn to monitor the land, move animals with intention, and apply practical skills like fencing, animal husbandry, and how to test decisions that support both ecology and livelihood. We also visited Madison Throop’s targeted grazing operation, Salt of the Earth Grazing Co., to explore the role of livestock in wildfire mitigation and as a service.

Beyond the curriculum, the strongest impact of the week was community. Many of these women are working in rural places,or live in urban environments trying to break into ranching with no network to tap into, often isolated from others doing similar work. Camp offers a rare chance to connect face-to-face, exchange ideas, and build lasting relationships. Through mentorship and peer support, we aim to grow a network of women committed to land-based livelihoods and ecological care.

New Cowgirl Camp is just one entry point but it’s also a commitment. To observe more closely, to make decisions that center land and people, and to be part of a community working toward long-term resilience in agriculture.