What contributes to a meaningful life and how do you hope this apprenticeship will help you explore that?
May 2025

To me, a huge contribution to life is working with nature instead of against it. Nature is single-handedly the most beautiful thing on this earth, and getting to work alongside is a huge blessing in my eyes. Not only getting to work with it but allowing it to thrive. I want to do everything in my power to allow nature to take its course and have a healthy eco-system. I think this apprenticeship will help me explore these things by teaching me regenerative grazing so that I could one day apply those skills to my own little eco-system. As well is to hopefully one day share my experiences and help teach these practices. 

Alongside working with/in nature everyday, having important people in my life to share the little things with. Getting to love nature together, having great meals, as well as meaningful conversations. Being solemn and being comfortable being by myself is important but having someone to share the things I enjoy is another blessing and is easily taken for granted. I do believe this apprenticeship will help me create these bonds and find very like-minded people that I can share life’s blessings with.

 

Final Reflections
November 2025

The experiences I have gained and skills I have learned are paramount to the career in regenerative agriculture I have decided to pursue, and it is all thanks to the NAP program. The friends and connections I have had the pleasure to gain from this apprenticeship is, in my opinion, the most valuable experience. Within a 10 month window, I have made lifelong friends with fellow apprentices and mentors alike. I have learned a passion for stockmanship and horsemanship, and have learned skills to be able to progress, and find a job that I could endlessly learn more about these things. As well as learning how to utilize and work with the land, resulting in fat happy cattle and healing the range lands I work.

I have worked on planes, I’ve done body work on cars, I have been a plumber, but none of those things have come close to fulfilling my life, as being able to work on a ranch. A ranch that is very devoted to producing healthy and happy cows, devoted to growing more grass and healing the land we work. I started off, never been on a horse in my life, never been around cattle, and never mended fences. This apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to learn these skills and many more. I would absolutely not be in the place I am now if it weren’t for the Quivira New Agrarian Program. All the skills I have learned have given me the opportunity to find a full time position in NorthWest Oklahoma, working on a cow/calf operation.

Stepping into something completely new is hard, and it’s scary. It’s the unknown, there are so many what ifs and doubts. But it’s necessary, doing something scary, something challenging, getting out of your comfort zone is how you grow. The NAP program opens doors for folks that want to grow, for people who want to challenge themselves. This whole year will be a highlight in my life, I left the Military and went into agriculture. I found a passion for production agriculture, and found people that are likeminded with the same passion and goals. I learned working hard out on the range is what really fulfills me. Getting on a good horse and working those cows are what I want to spend the rest of my days doing. Now not everyday is out there working cattle, riding, and roping. Some days are mending fences, haying, irrigating and much more. Those are necessary tasks and what I like to think is what makes the good days great. Some of the challenges I have faced, I’d say it can get lonely, and that’s why finding a community and

like-minded people is very important. It’s also dangerous work, you have to be willing to accept these risks and you have got to want it down to your bones. For me, the good outweighs the bad tenfold. Waking up everyday and putting 100% out there everyday is the most fulfilling thing I can imagine, but you have too, you have to give it all. But it’s all because of the opportunities this program has given me, and I would do it all again.