MULTI-DAY INTENSIVES

OCTOBER 2-6, 2024

Grazing School of the West and New Cowgirl Camp present

Grazing for Resilience: An Immersive Land & Livestock Discovery Experience

5 days of hands-on learning about the ins and outs of Prescribed Grazing in beautiful Tomales, California

A prescriptive approach to grazing (Prescribed Grazing or Rx Grazing) is one of the fastest growing sectors in regenerative agriculture. Whether it’s fuel/fire mitigation, weed/invasive species control, solar grazing or integration with cropping, the need and opportunity for committed, well-trained people throughout the grazing industry is growing. Join us for an immersive 5-day experience where you'll learn about land, animal and ecosystem stewardship with ruminants, small and large (sheep, goats and cows). Hosted by Grazing School of the West and New Cowgirl Camp, this camp intensive offers joyful and communal hands-on training in thoughtful ranching and livestock & land management. 

What you will learn

This is an intensive training, so we cover A LOT of topics over the course of our 5 days together. Get ready to absorb a ton of information and leave with the resources you need to begin your own journey in working with livestock, whether in the PG industry or elsewhere.

Learn about people, ecology, animals, and tools for using grazing animals in fire mitigation and landscape regeneration through various types of grazing business models and career paths. Our approaches are informed by Holistic Management values and regenerative agricultural practices, and are inspired by ancient and indigenous modes of observation and living in tune with animals and land.

Engage in both classroom instruction and on-the-ground, real-world practice, both on the land and in the field with animals – all in a supportive and celebratory environment.

ECOLOGY

Read the landscape and understand ecosystem processes. Gain practical insight into diagnosing ecosystem health, utilizing the tools of animal impact and grazing.

ANIMALS

An introduction to breed/species selection, animal husbandry, working dogs, low stress stockmanship, and growing, processing and selling fiber, dairy, and meat products.

OPERATIONS

Learn the nuts and bolts of running a Prescribed Grazing business and/or find your place within the industry as a herder, manager or support person in the many industry-adjacent opportunities. Learn infrastructure (fencing, water/irrigations systems & solar power), basics of hauling & transport, equipment and machinery, and tech and logistics of business operations.

PEOPLE

Create a holistic context for managing the land, animals, and people for resilience via a culture of care and a holistic framework for decision making.

Who is this for?

  • People with little to no experience in agriculture but who are interested in learning more about what working with ruminants on the land actually looks like. Best for folks who want hands-on experience after gaining some theoretical background via ag classes and/or reading materials, etc.

  • People with some experience working with livestock who want to gain a deeper understanding of Prescribed Grazing, and who want to bolster their existing skill sets 

  • Owners/managers/employees of existing farm/ranch operations who want to add PG services to their revenue streams but don’t know where to start

  • Anyone looking to network and build community within the PG industry

  • Anyone simply wanting to learn more about grazing and regenerative agriculture even though they may not be involved in farming

Expert Instruction

Benefit from the knowledge of lifelong ranchers and seasoned professionals ready to answer all of your questions. Learn from practitioners who bring a sense of playfulness, hope and joy to their work, along with decades of experience dedicated to cultivating and stewarding the next generation of land stewards.

Our trainers are passionate and skilled practitioners with over a decade of experience under their belts. They are PG business owners, butchers & meat purveyors, veterinarians, Ecological Outcome Verifiers from the Savory Institute, and more.

Come learn the ins and outs of working with ruminants with our wonderful team of trainers! Whether you aim to seek employment in Prescribed Grazing, hope to add PG services to an existing livestock operation, or are just curious about working with animals on the land, our trainers are ready to guide you in your next direction!

Our Instructors

  • Cole is the founder of nonprofit Grazing School of the West, as well as Shepherdess Land & Livestock and Shepherdess Holistic Hides. She is a practitioner, educator, and consultant in the fields of climate-beneficial agriculture, land stewardship, and prescribed grazing based out of the Ojai Valley, home of Shepherdess L&L. With fifteen years of experience, Cole has developed and managed the treatment of thousands of acres on private and public lands using prescribed grazing with commercial-scale herds of sheep and goats as an ecosystem service for ecological enhancement and fire hazard reduction throughout California.

    She is dedicated to training new entrepreneurs and practitioners in the prescribed grazing field, as well as, providing consultation and technical assistance services for climate-smart agricultural and land stewardship projects

  • Alex Machado is a first-generation, multiracial agrarian from Metro-Detroit. She joined the New Cowgirl Camp team in 2019, bringing a diverse background in welding, construction, livestock husbandry, inclusive community building, project management, and education. Alex works as the Farmer Collectives Manager for Washington Farmland Trust, supporting farmer collectives in their goals of food sovereignty and land access. Founder of Sundog Sheep Company, Alex resides in Edwall, WA, where she raises Navajo-Churro sheep for grass-fed lamb, hides, and wool, and offers targeted grazing services. In addition to her work in ranching, Alex is dedicated to increasing BIPOC representation and equitable access to opportunities in hunting, fishing, and conservation.

  • Beth is the fourth generation of her family to work the Lazy R Ranch, where she raises grass fed beef and lamb with her dad, Maurice. Beth explored the intersection sustainable agriculture and business in her undergraduate studies at Western Washington University, and went on to earn her MBA at Bainbridge Graduate Institute, a small independent sustainability focused business school. She is also the co-founder of LINC Foods, a worker-farmer-owned cooperative food hub based in Spokane.

    Beth became the first (and only?) second generation certified Holistic Management educator in 2015 after completing her training in Extremadura, Spain, with Byron Shelton. She has had the honor of teaching and studying holistic management in Turkey, Mexico, and throughout the United States.

    Along with Sandy, Beth co-facilitates the New Cowgirl Camp and is excited about making future generations of land managers more resilient, vibrant, and diverse.

  • Dr. Sandra M. Matheson is a life-long farmer, educator, filmmaker, author, speaker, and retired veterinarian. She lives and ranches in Bellingham, Washington, where she runs a cow/calf operation and grass-fed beef and Yak business. Sandra was a participant in the five-year Washington State University IFS Holistic Management Project. She also completed the intensive two-year training to become a Certified Educator and Accredited Consultant/Field Professional in Holistic Management. She is certified as a facilitator by Consensus Associates.

    Sandra been trained in personal development; leadership; consensus building; public speaking; facilitation; cross-cultural skills; rural community development, and the holistic approach to management of natural resources, people, and finances. She has worked throughout Washington and the United States presenting, teaching, and facilitating various aspects of agriculture, holistic management, and consensus building.

Logistics, Lodging and Pricing

  • October 2-6, 2024 at True Grass Farms in Tomales, California

    True Grass Farms is a family-owned and operated farm located four miles east of the Pacific Coast and tucked within the coastal valleys of northwestern Marin county in the Estero San Antonio Watershed. The farm’s primary goal is to regenerate landscapes and restore water cycles by increasing diversity of plants, and biological communities, and using holistic decision making and animal impact as tools to stimulate ecosystems beneficially.

    TGF has also recently been named as a 2024 Top Farmstay Experience on HipCamp.

  • Each day includes 7-8 hours of learning with a combination of classroom time, interactive in-the-field learning, field trips to nearby farms, and informal group discussions. We believe that we all have something to share and something to learn, so group activities are important to us!

  • All food and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the price of tuition. We provide light breakfasts with coffee and tea, and ranch-cooked lunches and dinners with farm meat and produce as much as possible.

    Please note in your application if you have any dietary restrictions.

  • We are delighted to have True Grass Farms with its epic Hip Camp as our home base. Lodging options include:

    • BYO tent camping (access to outdoor shower, shared kitchen and compost toilet) - FREE

    • Airbnb rentals and hotels in Tomales (Tomales Hotel, 5 mins) or in Petaluma (30 mins), which you can book independently. Please note in your application if you prefer to book an Airbnb with other attendees and we will connect all interested parties.

  • $1350 per person

    Tuition includes food, NA beverages, camping spot, field materials and print resources.

    We also offer a limited number of partial scholarships.

  • APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.

    Subscribe to our mailing list to stay updated on future educational opportunities in 2025 and beyond!

Applications are now closed. Subscribe to our mailing list to stay updated on future trainings in 2025 and beyond!

Past Camps and Trainings