Virtual Workshops
To register for these workshops, head over to the Register page. You can sign up for the whole conference, including workshops, or by individual workshop.
Collaboration for Resilience Workshop
October | | $10
This workshop will offer strategies to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in collaborative conservation as a way to build resilience on public lands with multiple stakeholders. The workshop will include information about opportunities for collaboration through the new USFS Shared Stewardship Strategy, practical information on working with diverse partners, and strategies to work towards collaboration for drought and fire mitigation across shared watersheds and landscapes.
Soil Health Basics for Technical Service Providers and Trainers
Thursday October 27, and Tuesdays November 10 & 17 | 9am – 11am | $10
We welcome agency folks, such as conservation district staff and extension agents; natural resource managers on Tribal lands; land grant, acequia, and other organizations; and producers who are interested in becoming Soil Health leaders in their communities. In recorded webinars, we will present fundamentals and quantitative assessment of soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, and crop rotation with livestock management. We’ll connect TSPs with participants in the Introduction to Soil Health workshop for practice assisting with in-field activities. We will then come together to discuss, troubleshoot, and brainstorm.
Session 1 – Two hours on general soil health content with NM Extension webinars, followed by two weeks when you will assist (e.g. by phone or Zoom) participants in the Introduction to Soil Health workshop with their measurements and interpretation.
Session 2 – Two hours of guided discussion on how the soil health fundamentals and activities informed each other. We will also discuss how practices and management align with the Healthy Soil Principles.
Session 3 – Two hours on soil chemical properties, advanced quantitative soil assessment, and crop rotation/livestock integration, followed by a brief guided discussion.
NOTE: Do NOT sign up for both Soil Health workshops (this one and “Introduction to Soil Health for Ranchers, Farmers and Gardeners”) because they are held together and intersect.
Introduction to Soil Health for Ranchers, Farmers, and Gardeners
Thursday October 29, Tuesday November 10 | 9am – 11am | $10
We welcome producers of all kinds, whether you have a backyard garden, an orchard, or an expansive dryland ranch. We’ll present fundamentals of soil physical and biological characteristics through webinars and provide instruction for on-the-ground activities for you to try on your own. We’ll finish up by coming together remotely to discuss, troubleshoot, and brainstorm.
Session 1 – Two hours on soil health with NM Extension webinars, followed by two weeks when you are invited to try in-field monitoring on your own, with optional support from workshop organizers and the attendees of the our workshop for educators and tech assistance providers.
Session 2 – Two hours of guided discussion on how soil health fundamentals and your activities informed each other. We will also cover the ways practices and management align with the Healthy Soil Principles.
NOTE: Do NOT sign up for both Soil Health workshops (this one and “Soil Health Basics for Technical Service Providers and Trainers”) because they are held together and intersect.
Understanding, Responding to, and Managing Ranch and Farm Stress
Dates and Times TBA
Taking care of animals and crops is hard on ranchers, farmers, and other agribusiness professionals. Caring for your own health and wellness in this high-stress profession is often overlooked but is just as critical as caring for your ag business. The workshop provides an overview of stressors that ranchers and farmers often encounter and shares best practices for connecting them and their families with resources. It also unpacks the detrimental impact of stress on the body and state of mind, providing information on how to recognize some of the signs of stress and suicide in the ag community and how to connect yourself and others with resources.
Leasing Your Future
More info to come
Leasing Land: Legal and Practical Tips for Success
Thurs Nov 5 | 1 – 3pm MT | $10
Leasing farmland is so commonplace that ranchers, farmers, and other land stewards may not think twice about the lease, itself, …until things go wrong. Prevent problems with a strong lease that addresses water usage, equipment access, payment strategies, dispute resolution procedures, long-term concerns, and more. This online workshop will help you understand what a lease should include and how to put it in writing. We’ll also cover specific state laws you need to know. Equally important, the workshop will cover skills for negotiating terms that work for all parties involved in the lease agreement. This workshop is interactive and will allow ample time for discussion and guidance on the issues that matter most to you.
The Right Business Structure for Reducing Legal Risk and Leveraging Opportunity
Tues Nov 10 | 1-3pm MT | $10
Although the options can get confusing, choosing the right business structure for your ranch or farm business doesn’t have to be hard. In this workshop, learn to apply straightforward decision making to your situation. We’ll walk though the tax advantages and business practices that make the most of your choices. Ranchers and farmers curious about bylaws, operating agreements, and partnerships will also appreciate this workshop’s focus on preventing problems with good governance. Whether you are just starting out or you’ve been on the land for a few decades, this workshop will help you chart next steps.
Navigating Farm Transition – Succession Cafe with Young Agrarians
Thursday Nov 12 | 2 – 4pm MT | $10
How we steward the transition of farmland and businesses from one generation to the next is going to have a major impact on the future of agriculture and food systems. Join us for a participatory workshop to share and learn about the opportunities and challenges of farm transition. Our facilitated conversation will explore the process of transition, the skills needed for a successful transition, and the exchanges that will build a strong foundation. This workshop is open to current and future farmers thinking about or already involved in either family or non-family farm transition.
SWGLA Bringing Meat to Market: Supply Chain Primer: Processing, Yield, Carcass Balance
Thursdays November 5 & 12 | 9-11am MT | $10
Part of the Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance’s ongoing “Bringing Meat to Market” programming, this workshop will provide an introduction to the basics and exploration of the middle supply chain elements of a grassfed meat business: everything that happens from the moment of harvest until it leaves your hands as sellable product. It is open and relevant to all ranchers at any stage of their meat business development, including folks who haven’t yet launched, and also applicable to seasoned ranchers who need to better understand the nuances of processing and carcass maximization. We will cover calculating yield during butchery and processing, from live weight through cut-out decisions and how best to weigh your options in marketing various cuts in a quick overview of our Yield & Margin Calculator. We will discuss the integrity of your processor relationship, and review the soft skills, collaboration and creative ideas necessary to cultivating a successful raport. We will touch on inventory and production management tactics, as well as certifications and labeling basics. We touch on next steps for educated, savvy sales and pricing strategies as an introduction to SWGLA’s existing in-depth sales and marketing webinars.
This course is geared towards producers and industry stakeholders wanting a general introduction to the meat supply chain in order to understand the various considerations for operating meat program. It is appropriate for beginner or experienced producers who want to develop or refine skills and knowledge, specifically those looking most to improve practices around yield tracking and processing realities. The two-part workshop will have multiple moments of interaction, including breakout groups for emerging/new and existing meat businesses based on where your business is at in terms of development. Note that this course is a repetition of our offering at 2019’s Regenerate Conference with expanded group sharing/engagement opportunities and some small content additions.
Homeopathy for Ranch and Farm Livestock
Date TBA
Homeopathy is a self-contained system of medicine. Practiced at its best, it is far more than prescribing little white pellets to “fix” a symptom of concern. The art-and-science of homeopathy considers hygiene (including diet, environment, and lifestyle) as an integral component and influencer of health and wellness. Homeopathic medicines are used in conjunction with species-appropriate hygiene practices to dynamically catalyze the return to vibrant health.
Susan Beal, DVM, an experienced holistic veterinarian and homeopath, will open the workshop with a brief overview of the manner in which livestock management practices can influence the health of individual animals, flocks and herds on the farm and ranch, as well as influence the health of the larger ecosystem.Her presentation will then explore homeopathy basics, including discussion of the dynamics of disease, obstacles that impact vital health and the response to treatment, and the patterns of responses to treatment. There will be instruction on how to give a homeopathic medicine, the timing of doses, and ways to assess the response. Concepts will be illustrated using both real case studies and “paper cases” drawn from actual field situations. The principles and symptoms discussed will cover all species, and examples will include human and beast, as Dr Beal will present a variety of situations commonly found in all aspects of farming and husbandry.
Dr. Beal stresses the importance of remembering that homeopathy’s basic concepts and approaches are applicable to all species, making it an approachable and economical solution in a wide range of situations. Farmers and ranchers (and clinicians) who seriously study and apply the concepts of homeopathy have found it to be a practical, cost-effective method of treatment, with no withdrawals on meat, milk, and eggs and no resistance to the medicines.
This session is appropriate for all animal species, two and four legged, feathered or furred. It is specifically geared for those who have little or no experience with the art and science of homeopathy.
There will be time for questions and answers in this interactive workshop, but please don’t expect to have individual health care needs addressed in this session.
Workshop with Intertribal Agriculture Council
More info to come
CarbonPlus Grasslands Credits for Regenerative Ranch Management
Wednesday, October 28 | 10:00 – 11:30 AM MT | $10
Are you a rancher? Are you interested in financial rewards for your ecologically positive land management? Learn about Regen Network’s new CarbonPlus Grasslands credits and how we use remote sensing to verify soil organic carbon changes… Walk away with a basic understanding of the potential for revenue, the credits registry, project pages, the steps to develop or enroll your existing project, and how ranchers like you can get started today!