Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Ed Roberson
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May 3, 2019 • 1h 19min

Mary Rondepierre - Melding Work, Play, and Purpose

Mary Rondepierre is a fourth-generation Montanan, avid sportswoman, and a public lands advocate who has explored our nation’s wild places from coast to coast. She is also the Marketing and Experiences Manager at Filson, one of the most renowned and respected outdoor apparel brands anywhere. Currently based in Seattle, Mary has managed to combine her personal and professional passions into an exciting and rewarding career that melds together high-performance business with conservation and time in wide-open spaces. As a child, Mary grew up in a household that respected the outdoors and valued rich experiences over accumulating endless amounts of “stuff.” Her father worked as a commercial fisherman and logger, wearing-- you guessed it-- Filson gear to his jobs in the often-brutal environments of Alaska and the West. Mary headed to Oregon State for college, and soon after graduation entered the apparel business, eventually landing at Filson. Since then, she’s worn many hats at the company and now works closely with Filson’s partnership with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, helping to produce their “Campfire Stories” events around the country. If you’re like me, love the outdoors, and own a ridiculously large stash of gear, odds are you’ve dreamed about working at a well-known outdoor apparel company. Mary’s career serves as an excellent case study for anyone interested in pursuing this path, and she reveals how she managed to land such a dream job. We talk about her education and early career, as well as her decision to work retail at Filson to “get her foot in the door.” We discuss the critical lessons she learned from working on the sales floor, and how those retail experiences inform and enhance her current role at Filson. We chat about an epic road trip she took with her husband in which they visited public lands from coast to coast, and we talk about how her upbringing in rural Montana instilled a deep love and respect of public lands. As usual, we discuss favorite books, places in the West, and the best advice she’s ever received. Enjoy! https://mountainandprairie.com/mary-rondepierre/ https://mountainandprairie.com/support/ https://mountainandprairie.com/bozeman/ TOPICS COVERED: 4:30 - How Mary describes her work 6:30 - History of Filson 9:40 - Holding high standards 11:45 - Outdoor apparel marketing 13:30 - Partnership with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers 18:10 - How Mary began working in outdoor apparel 19:00 - Mary’s dad’s secret camps! 20:00 - Family history in Montana 22:55 - Childhood outdoor adventures 24:00 - Decision to leave Montana 26:30 - First job out of college 28:30 - First job at Filson 30:10 - Experience working retail 33:30 - Filson’s “Unfailing Goods” 35:30 - Humility gained from retail 38:00 - Advice to recent college grads 41:00 - Thoughts on reading business books versus real-world experience 44:10 - Epic public lands roadtrip 49:30 - Proposal story! 52:00 - Lessons learned from the road trip 55:00 - Favorite spots in the PNW 59:30 - Awesome TR side conversation 1:01:45 - Mentors 1:04:30 - Favorite books 1:09:00 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:12:45 - Favorite location in the West 1:13:30 - Best advice ever received 1:14:30 - Request of the listeners 1:16:00 - Connect with Mary
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Apr 19, 2019 • 1h 9min

Bryce Andrews - People, Predators, and the American West

Bryce Andrews is a Montana-based rancher, conservationist, and author whose unique set of experiences gives him uncommon insights into the relationship between humans and carnivores in the West. Having worked as a ranch hand, ranch manager, and ranch owner, Bryce understands agriculture and the myriad of challenges faced by producers. As Field Director at the non-profit People and Carnivores, he has gained first-hand knowledge of the predicaments facing large predators in the Rockies. And as an author, he has researched and written extensively about all sides of the issue-- most notably in his books “Badluck Way” and his new book “Down from the Mountain,” which was published earlier this week. Bryce grew up in Seattle, far removed from ranching, farming, and the arid ruggedness of the Rocky Mountain West. But soon after college, he landed an entry-level job at the 20,000-acre Sun Ranch, located in Montana’s spectacular Upper Madison River Valley. On the Sun Ranch, Bryce received a trial-by-fire education in the sometimes-problematic relationship between agriculture and wild animals, a relationship he has spent much of his professional career exploring. The latest manifestation of this exploration is “Down from the Mountain,” an educational, entertaining, and sometimes-heartbreaking book that explores specific interactions between grizzly bears and farms in Montana’s Mission Valley. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book and cannot recommend it enough. If you are familiar with this podcast and the topics that I love to discuss, then you know that Bryce is a perfect guest. He’s smart, funny, insightful, and has a real gift for explaining complex, sometimes controversial topics in an engaging way. We talked a lot about “Down from the Mountain,” discussing grizzlies, farming, and the unique location and topography of the Mission Valley. We talk about Bryce’s upbringing in Seattle, and what drove him to explore the West after college. We discuss his work with People and Carnivores, and how his background in agriculture helps him to span the divide between his organization and the farming and ranching communities. Bryce also explains his writing and research process and offers some excellent advice for aspiring authors. And as usual, we spend a lot of time discussing books, authors, and his most powerful outdoor experience. I encourage you to find a copy of “Down from the Mountain” and give it a read. You will not be disappointed. Episode Notes: https://mountainandprairie.com/bryce-andrews/ TOPICS DISCUSSED 4:00 - Bryce describes his work 5:20 - How Bryce started ranching 6:30 - First experiences ranching 7:20 - Heading to the Rockies after college 9:00 - Getting a hand-hold in ranching 10:30 - Culture shock of the West 13:50 - First encounter with carnivores 16:30 - Primal thrill of wildlife encounters 17:30 - Work with People and Carnivores 20:00 - Finding common ground in the carnivore controversies 25:00 - “Down from the Mountain” 29:00 - Mission Valley explained 34:00 - Similarities between humans and grizzlies 37:30 - Unexpected tension of bears in a cornfield 41:20 - Bryce’s history as a writer 42:50 - Favorite/important writers 46:30 - Bryce’s relationship with writing 50:00 - Writing, the flow state, and fear 52:00 - Intense life events versus the boring “real world” 56:15 - Advice for aspiring writers 59:45 - Favorite books about the West 1:01:50 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:03:30 - Request of the listeners 1:05:30 - Connect with Bryce
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Apr 13, 2019 • 1h 14min

Jessica Lewis - Doing More With Less

Jessica Lewis is a Montana-based metalsmith who is best known for the beautifully unique jewelry she creates for her online shop, Ruby and Revolver. She is also the mother of a two-year-old daughter, who she is raising with her husband in the home they constructed with their own hands in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Thanks to her tireless work ethic and disciplined creativity, Jessica has built an authentic and full life around the things she loves most-- her family, her craft, and Western landscapes. Montana’s rugged mountains and valleys have been a part of Jessica’s life for as long as she can remember, and even though she has traveled widely, she has always returned to Big Sky Country. The Rocky Mountain landscapes inform many aspects of her work, as does her ethic of “doing more with less.” By American standards, she and her family embrace a purposefully minimalist lifestyle which allows Jessica to focus on quality over quantity in both her professional and personal endeavors. In our world of constant connectivity and endless distraction, I’m truly inspired by Jessica’s genuine and mindful approach toward living a simple yet rich and meaningful life. Jessica was kind enough to take a break from her numerous projects for this fun conversation about her life, creative process, and love of Montana. We chatted about how she got her start making jewelry and how the impending birth of her daughter inspired her to pursue art full time. We talked about how she began making jewelry with the simplest of tools, and how the desire for fancy equipment can distract from the act of making art. We talk a lot about parenthood, and Jessica explains how becoming a mother shifted her perspectives on work and life. We discuss our shared appreciation for Stoic philosophy, and how several specific books have impacted Jessica’s creativity. We talk about the importance of international travel and wisdom gained from spending time abroad. And as usual, we discuss favorite books about the West, the best advice she’s ever received, and several of her unexpected hobbies. I really loved the conversation and know you will too. Thanks again to Jessica for taking the time to chat. Enjoy! https://mountainandprairie.com/jessica-lewis/ https://rubyandrevolver.com https://mountainandprairie.com/support/ TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:40 - How Jessica describes her work 5:00 - Jessica’s jewelry described 7:00 - Embracing the rawness of her work 8:50 - Materials used for her jewelry 10:30 - Why she was drawn to metalworking 12:15 - Starting out with simple tools 14:30 - Importance of her studio 17:00 - Making the leap into full-time art 19:45 - The bravery to pursue artistic dreams 22:50 - How kids change parents’ perspectives 23:45 - Creative mentors and influences 25:50 - Books that have influenced creativity 29:30 - Daily routines 30:55 - Importance of exercise 31:50 - Living in the Bitterroot Valley 32:45 - Growing up in Montana 35:30 - International travels 36:45 - Lessons learned from international travel 39:00 - “Doing more with less" 42:00 - Ed’s weird story about accumulating junk 44:00 - More on parenthood and its effects 46:10 - Advice to new parents 48:30 - Current project of building a new house by hand 52:00 - Jessica’s healthy relationship with technology 57:15 - Advice to aspiring creatives 59:50 - Favorite books 1:03:25 - Favorite films 1:05:30 - Surprising activities 1:07:00 - Favorite location in the West 1:08:30 - Best advice received 1:10:30 - Request of the listeners 1:11:50 - Connect with Jessica online
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Mar 30, 2019 • 1h 2min

Len Necefer - Indigenous Advocate

Len Necefer is a scholar, entrepreneur, and outdoor adventurer who is also a proud member of the Navajo Nation. Academically, Len holds a Ph.D. in engineering and public policy, and he is currently a professor of both Indian Studies and public policy at the University of Arizona. In business, he’s the CEO of NativesOutdoors, a cutting-edge outdoor apparel company that uses its platform to advocate for the cultural empowerment indigenous people. And to top it all off, Len is a committed mountaineer, backcountry skier, and rock climber, having ticked off countless impressive adventures throughout the West. It is clear that Len has accomplished a lot personally, but what is even more impressive is the positive ripple effect his work is having on the outdoor industry. By melding his professional expertise, personal interests, and cultural heritage, he has become one of the leading voices advocating for Native American representation in outdoor recreation and conservation. His work and personal story have been featured in big-time publications such as Outside and Alpinist, and he’s recently delved into filmmaking with his newest film Welcome to Gwichyaa Zhee. As you’ll hear, Len has a unique ability to educate and inspire, and his message is striking a chord with a large, engaged audience. As you’d expect from a guy as multifaceted as Len, he offers up a wealth of knowledge in our conversation. We talked about his Navajo heritage and discussed the unique history and culture of the Navajo tribe. We chatted about his recent film and discussed the of impact oil and gas development on Native populations in areas such as Bears Ears and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We chatted about the need for mutual respect between the outdoor industry and indigenous groups, and Len explains two fascinating case studies around rock climbing on sacred Native lands. He gives an excellent overview of his company NativesOutdoors, and he explains why he chose to start a business instead of a non-profit. And as usual, we discuss favorite books, films, and the best advice he ever received. Thanks so much to Len for carving out time to chat. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did! http://mountainandprairie.com/len-necefer/ https://www.natives-outdoors.org http://mountainandprairie.com/support/ TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:10 - How Len describes his work 6:15 - Len’s early years 7:00 - Navajo background 9:00 - History of the Navajo tribe 12:00 - Len’s new film: "Welcome to Gwichyaa Zhee” 16:15 - Oil and gas development’s impact on humans 19:40 - Historic native management of landscapes 22:15 - Preservation of people as new phase of conservation 27:15 - NativesOutdoors 33:00 - For-profit versus non-profit 34:00 - Native Americans and the outdoor industry 38:30 - Climbing Case Studies: Devil’s Tower versus Bears Ears 43:00 - How does he accomplish so much? 45:00 - Len’s work ethic 48:15 - Best books about Native American culture 50:45 - Favorite books about the West 52:00 - Favorite films 53:30 - Most powerful outdoor experience 56:15 - Favorite locations in the West 57:00 - Best advice ever received 58:30 - Request of the listeners 59:15 - Connect with Len
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Mar 11, 2019 • 1h 28min

Chris Dombrowski - Words, Water & the West

Chris Dombrowski is an author, poet, and fishing guide who lives and works in Missoula, Montana. As a writer, Chris is probably best known for his book "Body of Water: A Sage, a Seeker, and the World's Most Elusive Fish," which is one of the best books I’ve read in years. He has also published several collections of poetry, and his newest volume titled "Ragged Anthem" will be released this week. When you merge Chris’s decades of experience in the outdoors with his phenomenal skills as a wordsmith and creative, the end product is some of the most engaging writing that any outdoor lover could ever hope to read. Chris grew up in Michigan and was always drawn to fishing, hunting, and outdoor adventure. During high school, his favorite English teacher gave him a copy of "A River Runs Through It"—he devoured the book in a day and from that point forward he knew he wanted to be a professional writer living in the American West. Over the following years, he began fish guiding in Montana, attended graduate school in Missoula, and built a solid career as a working writer and poet. Along the way, he formed friendships with such notable western writers as Jim Harrison and David James Duncan, and he established his nonprofit writing workshop, the Beargrass Writing Retreat. If you are interested in creativity, writing, or the writing process, then you will absolutely love this episode with Chris. We discuss that fateful day when he read "A River Runs Through It" and exactly how that moment changed his life. We discuss his work as a teacher and a guide, and how those skills inform his writing. We talk about his writing process and his writing studio, the importance of creating art with a disciplined, workman-like approach, and how he deals with any self-doubt that may come with publishing his work. We chat in depth about poetry, and Chris offers some great advice for poetry novices like me who want to better understand the art form. We talk about specific writers Chris particularly admires, including John McFee, Thomas McGuane, David James Duncan, Jim Harrison, and more. He offers a ton of great book recommendations, discusses his favorite rivers in Montana, and shares some excellent words of wisdom to people who love the West. Thanks again to Chris for this fun conversation—I hope you enjoy it! http://mountainandprairie.com/chris-dombrowski/ https://www.cdombrowski.com TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:00 - How Chris describes his work 6:30 - Story behind "Body of Water" 13:00 - How writing poetry helps his nonfiction work 17:00 - Structuring nonfiction like McPhee 19:00 - Experience teaching 21:00 - Reading seriously 23:15 - Teaching as a complement to writing 25:30 - Early experiences in Montana 27:00 - First big trip to the Rockies 27:30 - First time reading "A River Runs Through It" 29:00 - Importance of fishing 31:00 - Importance of passion in work 34:30 - Chris’s writing process 38:00 - Importance of having a writing studio 44:00 - Struggle of staying on task 48:30 - Dealing with self-doubt 54:30 - How to read poetry 1:00:30 - Lessons learned from Jim Harrison 1:05:00 - Background on "Ragged Anthem” 1:08:30 - In-depth conversation on podcasts 1:12:00 - Favorite books about the West 1:19:00 - Favorite rivers in the West 1:21:00 - Words of wisdom 1:25:15 - Connect with Chris
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Mar 4, 2019 • 58min

Auden Schendler - The Optimistic Pragmatist

Auden Schendler is Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Aspen Skiing Company, where he focuses on finding large-scale solutions to climate change, specifically through clean energy and activism. Aspen Skiing Company has long been at the forefront of sustainable business practices, and Auden is one of the main forces behind the scenes driving those efforts-- efforts that have positively influenced the ski and outdoor industries at large. In addition to his daily work in Aspen, he’s a well-known author and speaker, and he wrote the amazingly impactful book Getting Green Done: Hard Truths from the Front Lines of the Sustainability Revolution. For a guy who spends his days deep in the trenches fighting the forces of climate change, Auden is surprisingly upbeat, energetic, and funny-- as you’ll hear, we spend quite a bit of time laughing. But he’s far from naive or overly idealistic-- he is quick to call out “greenwashing” when he sees it and is unapologetically focused on achieving specific, measurable results. Through trial and error and a lot of hard work, Auden has managed to find the balance of the optimism needed to pursue audacious initiatives with the pragmatism required to succeed in a competitive business environment. From a personal perspective, Auden’s work and writing have been especially impactful on my career-- I read his book a few months after earning my MBA, and it provided a much different perspective from the profit-at-all-costs philosophy that was the norm in business school. So it was obviously an honor to meet him, and I appreciate his letting me hassle him with questions for an hour. We had a wide-ranging and fun conservation, discussing A work at Aspen Skiing Company and how he got his start in sustainability. We talked a lot about reading and books, specifically how the works of Cormac McCarthy and Jack Kerouac affected his outlook and approach to work. We chat about his daily routine and how he manages to fit so much into a single day, as well as how he wraps his head around pursuing a goal as overwhelming as solving climate change. We also talk about his expedition to Denali, how his kids have changed his outlook, and the importance of daily exercise. And as usual, we discuss favorite books about the West, favorite films, and his favorite location in the West. This is an excellent episode, and I can’t thank Auden enough for making time in his busy schedule to chat. Links to everything are in the episode notes. Enjoy! http://mountainandprairie.com/auden-schendler/ TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:10 - How Auden began his career in sustainability 4:15 - Transition from theoretical sustainability to the business world 7:10 - Balancing patience with action 8:45 - Work as a practice 11:30 - Understanding the need for big challenges 12:45 - Mentors 16:00 - First visits to the West 17:30 - Republicans and the history of conservation 18:45 - On the Road’s influence on Auden 20:00 - Favorite failures 22:00 - Influence of Pat O’Donnell 24:30 - Publicly traded versus private companies 26:00 - Companies as political levels 29:00 - Dealing with climate change deniers 31:15 - Dealing with criticism 33:00 - Basalt fire and community 35:30 - Why does Auden choose to stay in the trenches? 37:15 - Auden’s daily routine 40:15 - How kids change his perspective 42:20 - Favorite books about the West 45:50 - Favorite films 47:50 - Most powerful outdoor experience 51:00 - Favorite location in the West 52:45 - Best advice he’s ever received 54:40 - Request of the podcast listeners 55:50 - Connect with Auden
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Feb 22, 2019 • 1h 15min

Russ Schnitzer - A Life Devoted to Western Landscapes

Russ Schnitzer is a Colorado-based conservationist and professional photographer whose love for the landscapes and people of the American West shines through in all aspects of his life. Russ is the Senior Program Officer for Natural Resources at the Gates Family Foundation, one of Colorado’s most effective and generous conservation funders. As a photographer, he’s worked with some of the biggest names in the flyfishing world, including Patagonia, R.L Winston Rod Co., Orvis, The Drake Magazine, The Flyfish Journal, and more. And to top it all off, Russ is a former hotshot wildland firefighter and smokejumper, and, as you’d expect, he has some amazing stories from that period of his life. Russ grew up in the midwest, but he headed to Idaho for college and has never looked back. During and after college, he fought fires throughout the West, and through that challenging, intense, dangerous work-- and at least one devastating tragedy-- he learned lessons that he still applies to his life today. Russ’s entire career has focused on protecting Western landscapes, and prior to the Gates Family Foundation, he worked for such notable organizations as Trout Unlimited and the Nature Conservancy. In his current role with Gates, he is laser-focused on finding community-driven conservation solutions for threatened landscapes, and during this episode, we go into great depths discussing his philosophies around effective conservation in the West. Whether you’re interested in the nitty-gritty details of large-scale land conservation or lessons learned from a life of hardcore adventure, there’s something in this episode for you. Russ and I were on a tight schedule, but we still managed to cover a lot... and left plenty of room for a part two at some point in the future. We discuss the value of private land conservation in the West and the need for community buy-in and ownership for all conservation initiatives. We talk about the importance of agriculture from an ecological and economic standpoint, with some very specific examples from eastern Colorado. Russ also shares some stories from his time as a hotshot and smokejumper-- the life-long bonds he formed with his teammates, the impact of these intense experiences on his life, and how he pushed through a terrible tragedy early in his firefighting career. There is so much wisdom and valuable information in this episode, so listen closely and check the episode notes for links to everything. Thanks again to Russ for taking the time to chat. Hope you enjoy! http://mountainandprairie.com/russ-schnitzer/ http://schnitzerphoto.com TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:55 - How Russ describes his work 5:10 - Background in photography 7:00 - Growing up in Minnesota 9:00 - Intersection of photography and conservation 11:00 - Importance of community in conservation 14:40 - Conservation in southeast Colorado 20:30 - Ecological diversity in southeast Colorado 21:30 - Importance of grazing for grassland health 27:00 - Favorite conservation books 29:00 - Importance of aggression in conservation 33:00 - Water in Colorado 38:20 - Greater Sage Grouse discussion 41:10 - Tips for those who want to get into conservation 47:30 - Career as a smokejumper and hotshot 55:00 - Hard work and teamwork in firefighting 56:40 - Enduring tragedy in firefighting 59:00 - Joining the smokejumpers 1:00:15 - Remembering life as a smokejumper 1:03:00 - Lessons learned from firefighting 1:08:00 - Importance of self awareness 1:12:00 - Connect with Russ online
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Feb 8, 2019 • 1h 16min

Chandra Brown - Fostering Creativity Through River Adventures

Chandra Brown is an educator, writer, and river guide who has worked on the West’s most iconic rivers, including many seasons below the rim of the Grand Canyon. She’s also the founder of the Freeflow Institute, a unique Montana-based program that offers multi-day river trips for writers and creatives that combine immersion in the natural world with instruction from some of the West’s most well-known, prolific outdoor writers. By combining creativity with adventure in some of the West’s most spectacular landscapes, Freeflow helps to "eliminate the barrier between artist and environment," resulting in creative inspiration and an increased desire to preserve our wild places. Growing up in Alaska, Chandra has always had close connections to the land and life in the outdoors. It was during a family trip to Montana during high school that she fell in love with rivers; since then, rivers have played a foundational role in both her personal and professional lives. She attended college in Bozeman, studied in Ecuador as a Fulbright Scholar, and spent extensive time on rivers in both places. Currently she burns the candle at both ends-- teaching high school Spanish during the school year and guiding rivers in the summer, all while working as a freelance writer and building the Freeflow Institute from the ground up. Thanks to her love of books, writing, adventure, and conservation, Chandra is a perfect guest for this podcast. We cover a lot in just over an hour, including the genesis of the idea for the Freeflow Institute and how she turned that idea into reality. We discuss some of the well-known writers who teach on Freeflow trips, including Hal Herring, Chris Dombrowski, and past podcast guests Alexis Bonogofsky and Brendan Leonard. We talk about lessons learned from her time in Ecuador, her creative process for writing, and her own writing heroes and mentors. We discuss conservation, adventure, and, of course, favorite books, films, and locations in the West. Chandra is an amazing woman who is pursuing her passions with an inspiring amount of focus and determination, and she’s created something very special in the Freeflow Institute. Check out the episode notes for links to everything, including a short film that gives an excellent overview of the project. Enjoy! http://mountainandprairie.com/chandra-brown/ https://freeflowinstitute.com TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:40 - Chandra describes her work 5:00 - Freeflow Institute explained 7:00 - Taking Freeflow from idea to reality 9:15 - Hal Herring 11:30 - Importance of open-mindedness 14:00 - Wilderness breaking down barriers 17:40 - Growing up in Alaska 19:00 - Outdoor experiences as a kid 22:00 - Falling in love with rivers 23:30 - College in Montana 26:30 - Fulbright Scholar in Ecuador 28:00 - Lessons learned from international living 35:40 - Writing as a focus of her life 38:40 - Life in Missoula and teaching 40:50 - The Grand Canyon 42:40 - Lessons from guiding 44:15 - Talent versus hard work in writing 47:30 - Chandra’s writing routine 52:00 - Heroes and mentors 57:30 - Conservation challenges 1:02:30 - Favorite books 1:05:00 - Favorite films 1:06:00 - Hobbies 1:07:50 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:10:30 - Favorite location in the West 1:11:15 - Best advice ever received 1:12:00 - Request of the listeners 1:13:10 - Connect with Freeflow online
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Jan 24, 2019 • 1h 20min

Jesse Womack - Land Stewardship is in His Blood

Jesse Womack wears many hats, but at his core, he is a rancher. He is the fifth generation to operate his family’s ranch near Victoria, Texas, a large-scale cattle operation that uses progressive land management techniques in a very unique landscape. Jesse also works closely with Texas Christian University’s Institute of Ranch Management, traveling far and wide to teach sustainable agricultural techniques to ranchers and farmers around the world. And on top of all of that, he is also a cofounder of Explore Ranches, alongside past podcast guests Jay Klebergand Allison Ryan. Responsible land stewardship is in Jesse’s DNA, and it is the foundation of all of his professional ventures. And as you’ll hear, he’s an open-minded, independent, and critical thinker who is able to speak eloquently on a wide array of sometimes-controversial issues surrounding agriculture. When you combine those traits with his rock-solid work ethic and focus, you will understand why he has been able to establish himself as such a leader in agriculture, both in Texas and abroad. Whether you're deeply involved in agriculture or you’ve never set foot on a ranch, you’ll glean a great deal of value from Jesse’s perspective—his knowledge, passion, and worldly perspective are applicable for any type of endeavor. Jesse and I went to high school together, and even after knowing him for more than 25 years, I still learned a lot from this conversation. We talk about his work with TCU, and he shares some success stories from his time teaching in Panama, Ghana, Nigeria, and Brazil. He explains the importance of community buy-in and how focusing on commonalities and shared goals can help overcome cultural divides. We talk about his family’s history in Texas, and how he is raising his two sons to love and respect the outdoors. Jesse give a few updates on Explore Ranches, and talks about some exciting events they will be hosting soon. We also chat about his involvement with the Texas Agricultural Land Trust, and how conservation easements can be a useful tool for ranchers in Texas and beyond. And as usual, we discuss favorite books and movies, and Jesse shares the best piece of advice he’s ever received, which I especially appreciated. Thanks so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy this conversation with Jesse Womack! Episode Notes: http://mountainandprairie.com/jesse-womack/ https://www.exploreranches.com TOPICS DISCUSSED 3:30 - Funny story about Jesse’s son 5:00 - How Jesse describes his work 6:30 - TCU Institute of Ranch Management explained 8:30 - Experience in Brazil 10:00 - Countries where Jesse works 12:45 - Adjusting to different landscapes and cultures 14:00 - Success stories from TCU 17:45 - Importance of community buy-in 20:15 - Challenges of ranching in Brazil 23:30 - Misconceptions of ranching by environmentalists 30:30 - The need to be open-minded and consider other viewpoints 34:30 - Climate change and ranching 38:00 - Jesse’s family history in Texas 41:30 - Jesse’s family’s commitment to conservation 44:30 - Pressure of multigenerational ranch ownership 46:00 - Jesse’s career 47:30 - Surprises of running a ranch 49:00 - Texas Agricultural Land Trust 52:30 - Easements as a tool for agricultural 55:30 - Updates on Explore Ranches 57:30 - Mentors and heroes in ranching 59:30 - Our shared experience at Woodberry Forest School 1:02:00 - Lessons learned at Woodberry 1:05:30 - Favorite books 1:08:15 - Favorite films 1:08:45 - Hobbies 1:09:30 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:14:15 - Favorite location in the West 1:14:45 - Best advice ever received 1:16:45 - Connect with Jesse online
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Jan 11, 2019 • 1h 6min

Melissa DiNino - Building a Unique Life in Big Sky Country

Melissa DiNino is a biologist, artist, and designer who currently lives and works in Montana’s legendary Tom Miner Basin. A native easterner, Melissa moved West soon after college to work as a range rider-- a job that involves monitoring livestock on horseback in an effort to encourage the successful coexistence of livestock and apex predators in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In her role as a range rider, Melissa developed a deep appreciation for Montana’s spectacular landscapes, the challenging relationship between people and predators, and the importance of compassionate communication between all stakeholders. • Melissa grew up in Connecticut, and developed an early love of adventure and the outdoors while spending time at her family’s cabin in Maine. She’s also a committed athlete and played competitive basketball from age five through college. As you’ll hear, Melissa is humble and soft spoken, but she has a track record of pushing herself hard, both in academics and athletics, as well as in her present-day professional work and art. Although only in her mid-20s, Melissa is wise beyond her years and is committed to doing meaningful work in a place that she loves, surrounded by a supportive community… and she’s making it happen in an inspiring way. • I know regular listeners will really enjoy this conversation, but it will be especially valuable to anyone who is in the early stages of their career, looking to do work that is meaningful and fulfilling. Melissa and I discuss her path to Montana, as well as some of the challenges and funny mishaps of adjusting to life in the West. We talk about the realities of piecing together a variety of different jobs and artistic endeavors, while remaining focused on the big picture of doing work that matters. We chat about lessons learned from athletics, the value of being competitive with oneself, and importance of being willing to “put yourself out there” in creative pursuits. We also dig into some details around wolves, grizzlies, and the importance of civil discourse when discussing emotional subjects like wolves. And as usual, we talk about favorite books, films, and places in the West. Links to everything are in the episode notes. •Thanks so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy this conversation with Melissa DiNino! ••• Notes: http://mountainandprairie.com/melissa-dinino/ https://www.melissadinino.com ••• 3:30 - How Melissa describes her work 4:50 - Range riding explained 9:30 - Balancing grazing and predators 11:15 - The human element of range riding 13:00 - How Melissa started range riding 14:45 - Transition to Montana 16:15 - Embarrassing Montana story 19:45 - Growing up in Connecticut 20:30 - Adventures in Maine 21:30 - Parents’ influence 24:10 - Basketball 25:55 - Competition and lessons learned from sports 29:00 - Why she chose to study wolves 32:25 - Tips for having tough conversations 36:00 - Stories of collaboration 37:30 - Crazy stories from range riding 38:45 - Books about wolves 42:00 - Background in design 43:15 - Art and watercolors 46:10 - Artistic mentors 48:00 - Future plans 50:00 - Mentors 51:20 - Favorite books 53:00 - Favorite films 54:00 - Weird hobbies 55:20 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:01:00 - Favorite location in the West 1:02:00 - Request of the listeners 1:02:50 - Connect with Melissa online

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