Mountain & Prairie with Ed Roberson

Montana-based butcher, chef, and writer Anna Borgman discusses her passion for helping people understand the origins of their food. They talk about her childhood in Oregon, her devotion to skiing, her journey through culinary school, and her obsession with her work. They also discuss the importance of having a passion in life, the value of continuous learning and changing one's mind, and overcoming fear and embracing challenges. Borgman shares her experiences in culinary school, working at a butcher shop in Amsterdam, and her passion project Forage Fed.

Carrie Segil is the People and Culture Manager at The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, and Duncan Gilchrist is a Climate and Natural Resources Policy Associate at The Nature Conservancy in Colorado. Both Carrie and Duncan are deeply involved with TNC Colorado’s Catalyst Fund, a cutting-edge conservation funding initiative that supports forward-looking projects that enable innovation and rapid learning, both to test new ideas and to build greater capacity for innovation over the long term. - One of the Catalyst Fund’s most notable projects involves agrivoltaics, which is the simultaneous use of land for both solar energy production and agriculture. The project is called the Agrivoltaics Retrofit Partnership, and it’s a Boulder-based partnership between TNC, Jack’s Solar Garden, Drylands Agroecology Research, Boulder Housing Partners, and a conservation-justice / community outreach partner called FLOWS. The project aims to achieve multiple conservation and community objectives, including restoring degraded land, producing perennial plants with medicinal, economic, and indigenous cultural value, and providing a host of benefits to local marginalized community members– benefits that we discuss in this episode. - In this episode, we talk in detail about this specific agrivoltaics project, as well as some of the other innovative projects that are being pushed forward thanks to support from the Catalyst Fund. We discussed how and why TNC Colorado decided to create the Catalyst Fund in the first place, and the need to push boundaries and take risks in the conservation space. Carrie offers insights into specific Catalyst projects, such as virtual fencing for bison, and Duncan discusses all the details about this agrivoltaics project– including the genesis of the idea, the challenges of the projects, and why it has proven to be so successful and replicable. We also discuss how policy on the state and federal level is creating more opportunities for agrivoltaics, why it garners bipartisan support, and lessons learned from all of the Catalyst Fund projects. - I was so impressed with Carrie and Duncan’s enthusiasm, professionalism, and commitment to innovation, and I learned so much from this conversation. Be sure to check out the episode notes to learn more about everything we discussed, and please share this episode with any friends or colleagues who might find it valuable.  Thanks so much for listening, I hope you enjoy!   --- Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/catalyst/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - An overview of the Catalyst Fund 7:00 - Talking to funders about the Catalyst Fund 8:45 - How TNC evaluates what it is looking for regarding the Catalyst Fund 10:30 - Duncan’s agrivoltaics project 12:45 - Duncan’s job before his agrivoltaics project 14:45 - More on Duncan’s project and his site 19:00 - About Boulder Housing Partners, and how they reacted to Duncan’s idea 20:30 - How Duncan worked to turn the rocky land he is working into agricultural land 22:30 - The outlook for Duncan’s project, and how it stacks up against his expectations 25:00 - The federal and state (CO) push for more projects like Duncan’s 28:00 - Why agrivoltaics seems to garner bipartisan support 29:30 - Why everyone isn’t doing agrivoltaics  31:30 - The potential for grazing under agrivoltaics 32:30 - Other synergies between solar energy and agriculture 33:30 - Carrie’s outlook on Duncan’s project, and some other projects funded by the Catalyst Fund 36:45 - What it’s like for TNC to work with external partners 37:45 - Other projects funded through the Catalyst Funds 40:00 - Big lessons from the Catalyst Fund project 45:00 - The power of advocating for policy 47:15 - Where the Catalyst Fund is going 51:00 - Carrie and Duncan’s book recommendations 53:45 - Closing thoughts --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Renowned Montana novelist David James Duncan discusses his love for land, water, and wildlife at the Old Salt Festival. He reflects on the influence of wise women mentors and the Beguines communities, talks about writing powerful and extensive books, and finds hope in small actions. He also explores the journey of reflection and belonging in Montana.

This is the 200th episode of Mountain & Prairie, so I decided to celebrate the milestone by bringing back the first-ever M&P guest, my good friend Erik Glenn. Erik is the Executive Director of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust, a statewide conservation organization that protects Colorado's agricultural land, heritage, and families for future generations by conserving working rural landscapes. Erik is also the President of the Partnership of Rangeland Trusts, a collection of nine ag-based, western land trusts who work together to “advocate for the conservation of working lands and western heritage for the benefit and wellbeing of future generations.” - When Erik and I spoke for episode number one all the way back in the spring of 2016, he was only about a year into his role as Executive Director. At that point, the organization had conserved just over 465,000 acres of land in Colorado. Fast forward seven and a half years to today, Erik and his team have added an additional 300,000 acres of conserved land, bringing the total to more than 765,000 acres. But most importantly, CCALT has served as a loyal and trusted partner for more than 400 agricultural families who are deeply committed to conserving Colorado’s western heritage and working landscapes. - I consider Erik a great friend and a wise mentor, and if not for his kindness, encouragement, and counsel, I doubt there would be a Mountain & Prairie, nor would I have ever worked in the conservation world. We sat down at his office in Lakewood and caught up on everything, including: how Erik spurs innovation without losing sight of the basics of land conservation; his thoughts on building culture and retaining the best team members; balancing his own intense work ethic with his desire set reasonable-yet-high expectations for his team; how having kids has changed him; the growth of PORT; his mentors; the evolution of the perception of conservation easements in the ag community; threats and opportunities; book recommendations; and much more. - A big thanks to Erik for letting me use him as a guinea pig for the first episode back in 2016, and for his willingness to join me again for episode 200. But more importantly, thanks to Erik for his leadership and commitment to conservation in Colorado, the West, and beyond. Hope you enjoy! --- Erik Glenn Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust Partnership of Rangeland Trusts Complete episode notes & links: https://mountainandprairie.com/erik-glenn-2/ Support M&P on Patreon -- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - What the Colorado Cattlemen's Agricultural Land Trust is 11:00 - How Erik balances innovation with the basics of conservation 15:30 - Implementing a culture in the workplace 23:30 - Balancing his work ethic with the desire to not set unreasonable work expectations for his team 29:30 - How having kids impacted Erik 35:45 - Discussing PORT 46:00 - Discussing whether or not good conservation tools have become good business tools for land owners  50:00 - Erik’s mentors 58:00 - The biggest threat and opportunity facing conservation 1:10:30 - Erik’s book recommendations 1:13:30 - Parting words --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

In this shed session, the host answers the common question of how to get a job in the conservation world. Topics covered include the importance of building relationships, networking, and understanding success metrics. The podcast also explores personal journeys and transitions into conservation, while discussing the pros and cons of working in the nonprofit conservation field. Book recommendations for personal and professional growth are also provided.

Lorelei Cloud is a member of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council. Lorelei’s commitment to conservation, leadership development, and Ute language, traditions, and culture is evident by the staggering number of leadership roles she holds– she is Co-Chairman of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network, a Board Trustee for the Nature Conservancy, and serves on the Colorado River Basin’s Water & Tribes Initiative. Earlier this year, she was appointed by the Governor of Colorado to serve on the Colorado Water Conservation Board, making her the first-ever Tribal member of the board. - Lorelei was born and raised on the Southern Ute Reservation, which is located in the far southwestern corner of Colorado. From the very beginning, water has played a central role in Lorelei’s life– much of her childhood was spent without running water and access to drinking water continues to be a challenge on the Reservation to this day. Much of Lorelei’s early career was spent working in various businesses, including banking and energy, all while being a mother and raising four children. In 2015, she was elected to the Tribal Council, which began this new phase of her life and career– a phase devoted to serving her Tribal Community, as well as the communities, landscapes, and natural resources of the American West. - I’ve been hearing such great things about Lorelei for years, so I was honored to have the opportunity to chat with her on the podcast. We enjoyed a wide-ranging conversation about her upbringing on the Southern Ute Reservation, the history of the Southern Ute Tribe, her recent appointment to the CWCB, why she decided to devote herself to public service, the goals of the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network, her work with the Nature Conservancy, the need to elevate Tribal voices on issues of water and land conservation in the West and beyond, advice for aspiring leaders, her favorite books, ways the listeners can get involved and support the work of the Southern Ute Tribe, and much more. - Be sure to check out the episode notes for a full list of topics discussed and links to everything. A huge thanks to Lorelei for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk with me and for her deep commitment to doing such impactful work in Colorado and beyond. Enjoy! --- Lorelei Cloud Southern Ute Indian Tribe Colorado Water Conservation Board Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/lorelei-cloud/ --- This episode is brought to you in partnership with the Colorado chapter of The Nature Conservancy. Guided by science and grounded by decades of collaborative partnerships, The Nature Conservancy has a long-standing legacy of achieving lasting results to create a world where nature and people thrive. On the fourth Tuesday of every month throughout 2023, Mountain & Prairie will be delving into conversations with a wide range of The Nature Conservancy’s leaders, partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, highlighting the myriad of conservation challenges, opportunities, and solutions here in the American West. To learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s impactful work in Colorado and around the world, visit www.nature.org/colorado --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:30 - Lorelei’s youth on the Southern Ute Reservation 6:15 - How Lorelei’s family would get water 8:15 - Lorelei’s childhood personality, school years, and early jobs 13:30 - Whether or not Lorelei wanted to stay on the reservation 15:30 - A brief Ute history 19:00 - How Lorelei’s appointment as the first Indigenous representative on the CWCB 22:15 - What the CWCB does 27:30 - How Lorelei decided to pursue public service 30:15 - About the Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network 34:00 - Lorelei’s advice for aspiring leaders 36:15 - Lorelei’s mentors 40:30 - About Lorelei’s role as Vice Chairman of the Southern Ute Tribe 43:00 - How Lorelei became involved with TNC and how she evaluates whether or not to pursue a professional opportunity 48:15 - Whether or not Deb Haaland has elevated Tribal voices through her work 52:00 - Lorelei’s book recommendations 55:00 - How you can help Lorelei’s work 56:00 - Lorelei’s words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Christy Sing Robertson is a hatmaker and the founder and owner of Sing Hat Company. Based in Jackson, Wyoming, Christy has evolved rather quickly from making a few hats for herself and several friends into becoming one of the most popular and sought-after hat makers in the West. Whether she’s hand-shaping palm leaf hats for hundreds of people at events such as last month’s Old Salt Festival or creating a custom felt hat for a 5th generation rancher or celebrity musician, Christy’s humility, curiosity, and commitment to the craft have allowed her to stand out in the crowded field of custom hatmakers. - Christy was born and raised in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, and she stayed there for the first half of her career, working as a high-performing salesperson in the insurance industry. But despite her success in the conventional and lucrative world of sales, she felt called to the West and decided to uproot her life and move to Jackson, Wyoming. Even though she moved to Jackson without knowing a soul, she managed to establish roots and build a fulfilling life centered around motherhood, hard work, and leading a thoughtful, intentional life. And along the way, just as she felt a calling to move to Wyoming, she felt called to make hats– so she went all-in. Today, Christy’s hats– and her long list of customers– demonstrate the amazing success she’s achieved in a relatively short amount of time. - I’ve been following Christy’s work for many years now, so I was thrilled to finally have a chance to chat with her on the podcast. Her story is amazingly inspiring and speaks to the importance of grit, risk-taking, working hard, humility, and trusting your gut. We covered a lot during our hour together, including: her upbringing in Arkansas and her success in the insurance business; the spiritual event that led her to move to Wyoming; how motherhood changed her; the focus and hustle required to make ends meet as a single mother; hunting big game for food; balancing the artistic side of hatmaking with the all-important need to earn a living; the increasing wealth inequality in Jackson; the importance of friendships with other artisans and makers; why imposter syndrome can be a good thing; techniques for keeping an even keel; favorite books; and much more. - If you haven’t checked out Christy’s website or followed her on social media, I recommend that you do– there are links in the episode notes to all of that and everything else we discussed. But in the meantime, I know you’ll enjoy this inspiring and motivational conversation with Christy Sing Robertson. --- Sing Hat Company Sing Hat Company on Instagram Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/sing/ SUPPORT M&P on Patreon Visit the M&P SHOP --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 4:30 - Christy’s childhood 9:00 - Christy’s life post high school 10:45 - When making things clothes came into Christy’s life 12:00 - How Christy came to the Rocky Mountains, and how it changed her 23:00 - What Christy’s work and life was like after moving to Wyoming 25:15 - When hatmaking entered Christy’s life 27:30 - How Christy’s life changed after she had kids 32:00 - How Christy became self-sufficient in hunting 35:30 - Back to hats  39:00 - Whether or not Christy ever reconsidered her decision to make hats 40:55 - When Christy felt she was good at making hats 42:45 - How relationship building impacted Christy’s business 44:15 - How it went when Christy went full into making hats for a living 46:45 - How Christy manages the prices of Jackson, WY 50:15 - How Christy keeps an even keel 51:30 - How a community of makers has impacted Christy’s journey and career 55:15 - Reflecting on how Christy got where she is in her craft and career 58:45 - Christy’s advice for aspiring makers 1:01:15 - Christy’s vision for Sing Hats 1:05:00 - Christy’s book recommendations 1:07:00 - Christy’s parting words of wisdom --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts  

This is a special live episode that was recorded in late June 2023 at the first-ever Old Salt Festival, which was held on the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville, Montana. The Old Salt Festival is a three-day celebration of ranching, land stewardship, and wild places that features live Western music, wood-fired cooking, products from some of the West’s most renowned artisans, readings and interviews with Western authors and poets, and in-depth discussions about conservation and land stewardship. The festival was a resounding success, so I’m thrilled to share one of the many conversations with you here. - The episode is a panel discussion titled "Rebuilding a Resilient, Regional Meat Supply Chain," featuring several of the West’s leading voices in sustainable meat production and regenerative agriculture. In order of their appearance in the episode, you’ll hear from Cole Mannix, President of the Old Salt Co-op; Kate Kavanaugh, owner of Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe and host of the Mind, Body, and Soil Podcast; Dan Miller, Founder of Steward; and Wyatt Nelson, President of Wild West Local Foods. As you’ll hear, each panelist is deeply immersed in a different aspect of the meat production supply chain, and each of them brings a unique and wise perspective to the challenges facing producers and small businesses involved in meat production. - Many of you may already know, but the Old Salt Festival is a part of the Old Salt Co-op, a new, purpose-driven company that “provides meat raised with integrity from Montana landscapes its customers know and care about.” The Old Salt Co-op is working to rebuild the meat business in Montana, creating a sustainable business model that is beneficial to local ranchers, local consumers, and local economies– all while responsibly and effectively stewarding the lands that support agriculture. Rebuilding Montana’s meat supply chain is no small feat, but with smart, purpose-driven people like Cole, Kate, Dan, and Wyatt working to find solutions, I think you’ll be both inspired and encouraged. - To learn more about the Old Salt Co-op, you can go back to my first podcast conversion with Cole from February of 2023. And be on the lookout for another live Old Salt Festival episode, which I’ll be releasing on August 8, 2023– that one will feature a conversation with famed western author David James Duncan followed by a reading from his new novel Sun House. - A huge thanks to Cole and the Old Salt team for inviting me to the Festival, and a huge thanks to the Mannix Family for sharing their stunning ranch with all of us. Thanks to Cole, Kate, Dan, and Wyatt for sharing their wisdom. And last but definitely not least, thanks to the one and only, always hilarious and energetic Bex Frucht for the amazing intro. Hope you enjoy. --- OLD SALT FESTIVAL OLD SALT CO-OP Cole's first M&P episode Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/old-salt/ --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 2:45 - Introductions 6:15 - The challenge and opportunity that Cole saw, leading to the development of Old Salt Co-op 9:00 - What Kate sees as major potential challenges for Old Salt Co-op going forward 12:15 - What attracted Dan to finance regenerative agriculture, especially given that industry’s tight margins 15:00 - Wyatt’s introduction, as well as the roadblocks that Wyatt sees to a more resilient food system from the distribution side of things 17:15 - How the panel members go about getting people’s attention 24:45 - The work Cole’s family and neighbors have done to protect the local landscape, as well as trends in young people getting involved with agriculture 32:15 - What Kate is seeing on the retail side of meat production, and how to address it 38:15 - What Old Salt Co-op is working on right now 41:15 - What we can do that would help build a resilient meat and food system --- ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts

Rob Addington, Director of the Forest and Fire Program with The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, discusses collaborative solutions for increasing forest restoration and promoting landscape resilience. Topics include the 2020 wildfire season, land management's impact on wildfires, pine beetles, water quality, beavers' role in fire mitigation, and post-fire land management strategies.

David Gessner is no stranger to Mountain & Prairie listeners– he’s joined me for many episodes and is the author of many of my favorite books, including "All the Wild That Remains," "Leave It As It Is," "My Green Manifesto," and more. His newest book is "A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World: Tales of Fire, Wind, and Water," which once again showcases David’s unique ability to combine humor, travel, and memoir in service of connecting the reader with the natural world. - "A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World" chronicles David’s journeys around the country, where he finds himself in the middle of an unsettling number of climate disasters– from historic forest fires in the American West to hurricanes on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Eschewing the ubiquitous facts, figures, and policy debates that often dominate climate-focused books, David does what he does best: he tells stories. Specifically, he tells impactful, insightful stories from the front lines of the climate crisis– stories that will stick with the reader for years to come. - As has been our tradition for several years now, David and I met up in Boulder, Colorado, where he and his family visit each summer. We obviously talk a lot about the book, but as is the case whenever we get together, the conversation flows into many fun and unexpected topics. You can check out the episode notes for a full list of everything we discussed, but some of the topics include: David’s recent writing workshop at the Zapata Ranch with his friend, author Craig Childs, the importance of momentum and dailiness in writing, how David’s daughter was the influence for the new book, optimism vs. pessimism when reporting current events, thoughts on death and loss, David’s good friend, the late Mark Spitzer, the next generation of conservation-minded writers, some book recommendations, the idea of being a “polygamist of place,” and much more. - I’m always happy to have the opportunity to sit down with David for a conversation, so I greatly appreciate his carving out the time. I hope you can check out "A Traveler's Guide to the End of the World," and I hope you enjoy this episode. --- A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World by David Gessner David Gessner Full episode notes and links: https://mountainandprairie.com/david-gessner-4/ Support Mountain & Prairie Sign up for Ed's Book Recommendations --- TOPICS DISCUSSED: 3:15 - David’s Zapata Ranch retreat 6:45 - Discussing the power of “dailiness” 7:45 - Whether or not teaching helped in David’s practice of writing 9:00 - How many books David has written in the past 18 months 10:30 - How David knows when an idea becomes a book in his mind 16:45 - David’s goal for "A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World," including how he balanced stories with statistics and humor with the weight of the subject 20:45 - Evaluating how the news of the West is reported 27:45 - What David means when he identifies as a “polygamist of place” 33:15 - David’s relationship with Mark Spitzer 39:30 - How David feels about entering a stage in life where his friends are beginning to pass away 43:45 - Discussing David’s daughter, climate change, and how they figure into "A Traveler’s Guide" 50:30 - David discusses the various tools he would like to use to face climate change 52:45 - Who David thinks will continue the work of the Doug Peacocks of the world 56:45 - Discussing the political alignment affiliated with climate change work 1:01:30 - David’s book recommendations ABOUT MOUNTAIN & PRAIRIE: Mountain & Prairie - All Episodes Mountain & Prairie Shop Mountain & Prairie on Instagram Upcoming Events About Ed Roberson Support Mountain & Prairie Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts