Final Reflections

November 2022

Eight months ago I arrived in the middle of Montana. I came in the peak of calving season and I hardly left the ranch at all during the first couple of months here. Not knowing anyone, living in the middle of nowhere, and committing to working very closely with a family was extremely intimidating. However, after only a few weeks it was clear to me that this is exactly where I need to be. Never have I been so isolated or alone but at the same time, I have the strongest sense of peace and belonging that I’ve ever had in my life. I came to learn about regenerative agriculture and to grow in a field that I care intensely about, but I am leaving the first year of this apprenticeship with so much more. 

A wise leader in my life often used a phrase that has stuck with me over the past four years; “endeavor to persevere.” It may seem a bit cheesy or silly but it has helped me in my life significantly. In order to persevere one has to have the mind and heart to commit to trying. It has taken a great amount of perseverance for me to get through these last eight months. That may sound harsh but it is true. Electric fencing is one of those tasks that has tested my patience throughout my time here, and will probably continue to do so. I build and take down electric fences on pretty much a weekly basis. It is rewarding when it works, and it is fun when I can get it done efficiently. But, when the cows break through it, or the wire gets tangled, or I can’t find the short, or my mentor tells me that plans have changed and I need to rebuild the fence I just spent time taking down, these are times I have had to say, “Stevie Joy, endeavor to persevere.” The healing of the land is something I have learned a great deal about. It is the reason we use so much electric fence. Nick has taught me much about pasture management and watching the grass and forbs. He has taught me to implement rest and change the way I look at things. This is one thing I hope to continue broadening my knowledge about and enhancing my skills on. 

Endeavoring to persevere through the trials that life brings has been one of the biggest challenges for me personally this year. However, the impact of the land and the people around me have truly helped get me through these trials and hardships. I thought I would be here to help these prairies and animals, but I think they’ve done more for me than I could ever do for them. One of the things I love most about this way of life is the fact that it isn’t just work, it becomes a part of who you are as a human being. Not to say that it isn’t a challenge, because it is. I was blessed enough to grow up on a family operation and saw that connection for my dad and my grandparents. I also see it with Nick, Marti, and their family, and I am finding it for myself. The reason this apprenticeship has been the greatest blessing in my life is not that I just get to learn and work in agriculture. It is that this gets to be my life. It is my work, and I am proud of myself for doing this, but it also has given me the opportunity to heal. I cannot quite put into words my gratitude for Nick and Marti. They have given me a great amount of guidance, friendship, forgiveness, patience, space, and the opportunity to work and live on their beautiful ranch. Their children have also been such a blessing. They make me laugh every day and I have learned so much from them too. This place, these people, and the connection to the land is such a blessing. 

There’s now a part of me I didn’t know eight months ago, but also a part of me I’ve returned to that I hadn’t known in so long. I’m more myself and central Montana has quickly become my home. I came here not knowing a single soul for hundreds of miles, but that quickly changed. Fellow apprentices became some of my closest friends, the little white town church became my community, at the special weekly Bible study I found fellowship with other Christian young folk, and at the Schultz’s kitchen table, I became a part of their family. 

Needless to say, central Montana has become my little corner of the world, at least for the time being. 

I plan on taking what I’ve learned this year into life as I hope to always stay connected to agriculture As of right now I hope to have my own set of endeavors. A small homestead with the goal being community reliant. To live ethically and responsibly. Whether its few chickens and a milk cow, or a small herd of cows or goats, I know that animals will continue to be one of the main ways I stay connected to nature throughout my life. 

I came here wanting to learn a plethora of skills, from working cattle on foot and horseback, pasture management, direct marketing beef, to business and finance. I am finishing out this year with a little more knowledge than I had eight months ago. I am closing out this season feeling a bit like a jack of all trades. There’s nothing that I feel like I’ve truly been able to master here on the Schultz ranch, but that is okay because I have come a long way from eight months ago. I am more confident, the majority of the time I can build a good electric fence, I can work cattle in the corral with some skill, I can drive a manual transmission without killing it most days, I can haul a trailer without having a freakout, and I can be a pretty good swather operator. I also hope to be closing out this season as a better steward of the land, a better friend, and a better follower of Christ. I am blessed beyond measure. I have a wonderfully supportive community surrounding me, I get to work outside every day, and I get to contribute to making this earth a better place by treating the land and the animals well.

REFLECTIONS AFTER THE FIRST MONTH

May 2022

As a young girl, I took it to heart when my father told me I could do whatever I wanted with my life if I put my mind to it and worked hard enough. That same young girl wanted to be a farmer just like him. I loved riding in the tractor as he planted crops or in the semi-truck when he took a load of grain to the river, soaking in every word of wisdom or story he had to share. I found myself working for local dairy farmers through high school, and it brought me so much purpose. Making sure calves were fed and healthy, and that cows were milked and happy was my life for almost three years. Even though it was undoubtedly one of the greatest loves in my life, I didn’t think I would pursue being a farmer or anything of the sort. I lost my dream of being like my dad. I spent a lot of time dreaming and working towards different paths I could take in life, a cosmetologist, a career in finance, dairy science, a baker, the list goes on and on.

My interest in agriculture started at a point so early in my life I can’t even remember, however, the realization that it is what I am meant to do is one of late. I suppose it has been staring me straight in the face for a long time. Nothing brought as much joy and purpose as growing watermelons to eat, raising pumpkins to sell, working on dairies, taking care of animals, making connections and sharing information with consumers, or simply just spending the day on my family farm. It took me some time to figure out that the only thing I was willing to fight for in a career was to be in agriculture. Maybe it is just in my blood but I believe it is God’s calling for me to take care of his earth and creatures in this way.

I know I will never have all the answers and that no one ever will, but I hope I can keep learning and adapting new practices so that I and those who come after me will become better and better stewards. After my first few weeks at the Schultz Ranch, I’ve learned a lot, mostly that this midwest farm girl doesn’t know much. I love learning and I know these next months I spend here will be filled with many opportunities to do so. I hope to gain more knowledge on different grazing practices to direct marketing beef. Along with knowledge, I am looking forward to gaining new experiences and meeting new people.

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