Registration Open for UW Extension’s 2024 Ranch Camp Program

The University of Wyoming Extension is now accepting applications for the fourth annual Wyoming Ranch Camp, to be held at the Padlock Ranch Monday, June 10, through Friday, June 14.

man wearing baseball cap, long-sleeved button-down, and jeans holds a lamb at the side of a pen. An older gentleman also wearing a cap and jeans holds its feet. In the background are a group of young people also participating in the docking process. — UW Extension educator Micah Most holds a lamb during the Camino Ranch tail docking and processing that took place during the 2023 Wyoming Ranch Camp program. Photo by Chance Marshall.

Open to applicants ages 18 and older, Ranch Camp combines hands-on learning opportunities with team problem-solving and practical lessons in ranching economics, diversification, soil and range science, livestock genetics, and more. Workshops and activities are led by UW Extension educators, university faculty and local producers.

While the program is open to individuals of all backgrounds, it’s not just for those who are new to ranching. Past participants range from recent high school graduates who grew up on family ranches to UW students and mid-career professionals looking to start their own business. Current ag professionals, including ag teachers, are also encouraged to attend.

Ranch Camp graduates have gone on to launch their own businesses, diversify their family operations, and pursue careers in the ag industry, including as extension educators.

“In March of 2022, I started my own LLC and began my own farming business, mainly focused on quality hay production,” a 2021 participant reports. “I know it [Ranch Camp] for sure helped me prepare for all I am doing now.”

The program balances seminar-based learning and discussion with hands-on activities like cattle branding, sheep docking, and ranch tours. Throughout the week, teams of participants collaborate to create business plans for their host ranch. On the last day of the program, each team presents their plan to ranch managers and educators.

“As an educational team, we feel like we have knocked this class and curriculum out of the park,” says Hudson Hill, UW Extension educator and co-founder of Ranch Camp. “The producer partners that we have worked with have been spectacular.”

The program’s success is also a testament to participants’ engagement and willingness to learn, he notes. “They have simply been ready to work at such a high level with educators, specialists, and ranch contacts for the things they want to do in their lives and businesses.”

To learn more and register for this year’s event, visit https://bit.ly/wrc-2024. The cost is $200 per participant, meals and lodging included. Scholarships are available.

Contact Hill at hrhill@uwyo.edu or (307) 885-3132 with questions. Inquiries about sponsoring a scholarship or hosting future Ranch Camp events can also be directed to Hill.