Final Reflections
November 2024

Autumn has long been my favorite time of year and this is my second autumn spent in Montana. That in itself brings me much satisfaction, being a goal of mine for quite some time to live in the state I would visit when there was barely enough free time to make the drive. This autumn brings with it the bonus of having worked and learned in food production for a season. Almost a year ago, I started the application process for a program I knew little about and appeared to be aimed at people much younger than myself. After starting and stopping the process several times, I finally submitted my application for what I felt was a long shot chance to step through the door to my future in agriculture. After interviews with several mentor sites, I accepted the position at Sather Farm and Ranch. No matter where I end up in agriculture, it started here and I will always be grateful for Jeff and Marisa affording me the opportunity. 

Having no experience in agriculture prior to joining the program, the past 7 months have not been short on learning experiences. In the beginning, of course, I had to learn how this place operates, where everything is, and how to care for all the animals. Then came the new animals, from calves being born to baby chicks and turkeys, and piglets.Then the farming started and there were a whole new set of processes to learn. Point is, it felt overwhelming at times but there was always support to get me headed in the right direction. Aside from the individual things I had to learn to get a job done, I felt my desire to expand my personal knowledge in general was rekindled. I was eager to attend pasture walks, animal clinics, and local events to glean any and all experience I could. It became very fun and satisfying for me. Throughout the season and all the experiences I also learned the things about the regenerative agricultural lifestyle that I enjoyed and which parts may not be for me. I feel like that’s one of the important aspects of this apprenticeship, sort of a test drive for what suits us and what doesn’t. There were things for me that quickly became chores and others I looked forward to. Some aspects of ag I came here quite excited to experience left me underwhelmed while others quickly became quite comfortable, unexpectedly. Distilling this all down to a set of clear goals for my future in ag becomes the task now and I’m excited for what that future looks like. 

Aside from the knowledge and experience gained during the apprenticeship, it’s the people I’ve met that have been the greatest gift. Quivira and my fellow apprentices feel like a family to me now. Julie, Hayden, and Luka created a welcoming and comfortable space for us at orientation and continued to be great support throughout the season. I was fortunate enough to share a mentor site with another apprentice so we got to know each other pretty well and provide a sympathetic ear or helping hand. Other apprentices I got to know at orientation, mid season gathering, and weekly unwind calls. I’m very much looking forward to seeing them all again at REGENERATE and hopefully crossing paths with them in our future endeavors. My mentors have also treated me like a part of their extended family. Saturday breakfasts, county fair, and other social events will be fond memories I keep with me. I’ve also been able to start building a network of people in regenerative ag and some of the agencies involved through several pasture walks, community events, and my mentor site hosting a Ranchers Stewardship Alliance tour. 

As I write this, I don’t have a destination after REGENERATE but I do have a clearer vision of what it is I want to focus on going forward in regenerative ag. I consider that to be an important step in the journey and makes me feel like the apprenticeship was a great success. It’s important to recognize even these small wins in whatever we do because they all add up to big victories eventually and we don’t get to the big victories without the small wins and losses along the way. Recognizing the wins and losses has been a key part of my apprenticeship because it kept me motivated and forced me to be more present in the moment. My mind naturally demands that all things attempted be executed perfectly the first time. Not only is this slightly unhealthy, it’s just not realistic. Being that I’m a realist, and also an optimist, I’ve been able to reign in the perfectionist. Staying in the present when doing new things during my apprenticeship made me focus on the things I was doing well to keep my confidence up and notice the things I could do better. It was a good way to keep my spirits up and not get too focused on the mistakes. There were plenty, to be sure, but in the end I feel good about my contributions this year. More than that, I feel good about how I spent my time this year. I haven’t been able to say that for way too long. Being able to watch calves be born, chickens and pigs go from being babies to being processed, crops go from seed I put in the soil to grain in the bins, and myself go from dreamer to doer has been one of the most satisfying ways I’ve spent seven months. Here’s to many more.

What contributes to a meaningful life and how do you hope this apprenticeship will help you explore that?
May 2024

For me a meaningful life means I used my time on this planet to leave it better than I found it. It means I used my talents and passions to not only fulfill my needs and desires but be of service to others as well. Agriculture does this on a very basic level by providing food for not only myself but others as well.  Agriculture done well means I can be a part of feeding a community while improving a small piece of the planet. Through this apprenticeship I hope to gain knowledge and experience in practices that will help me make these contributions to society and the planet. By working alongside a mentor that puts regenerative practices to use everyday with livestock as well as crops I have the opportunity to experience both to decide where my passion lies. I hope to experience not only my mentor site but a few other sites through the apprenticeship, as well as the clinics and educational calls, to broaden my perspective on regenerative agriculture. During the apprenticeship is the time to be out of my comfort zone and saying yes to trying new things. It’s all valuable information and experience in the end. 

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