Buckin' Babes+ Chainsaw Workshop Recap: By Erin Sheridan
Interviewed by Sophie Tsairis
In April 2025, we hosted our first-ever official educational event at Redwing Ranch in Gardner, Colorado: the “Buckin’ Babes+” workshop, a full-day chainsaw training designed for women and LGBTQ+ participants seeking land-based skills. With support from the Women in Ranching Regrant Initiative, Young Farmers Coalition, my amazing Redwing Ranch team, and the generous sponsorship from STIHL, the day was more than just an introduction to chainsaws. It became a celebration of self-reliance, community care, and resilient land stewardship.
Over the course of the day, 12 participants learned the basics of safe chainsaw operation, maintenance, and application. Each was outfitted with a complete STIHL PPE kit, and we spent time not just on saw stands but out in the field applying those skills: bucking fallen logs, limbing, and addressing noxious weeds. We closed the day with a walkthrough on creating defensible space and understanding fuels management in the context of wildfire resilience including an introduction to basic fuel modeling.
What happened that day was nothing short of incredible. The transformation in just a few hours actually brought tears to my eyes. Women who began the day hesitant and afraid to start the saw, were confidently bucking logs and asking where to buy their own chainsaw by the end of the day. One woman said she signed up just to face her fear. Another told me she never imagined herself doing this, and now felt like she could start tackling fire mitigation on her own land. That kind of shift is exactly why I care so deeply about creating spaces like this.
The energy was electric. The group was so connected; it felt like we’d all known each other for years. Shared meals, casual laughter, honest questions, and real encouragement flowed naturally. It reminded me how powerful it is when you create spaces for people to be brave, be messy, and be loudly supported all at once. This event affirmed everything I believe about place-based learning, regenerative stewardship, and the kind of inclusive future we can build when we learn and work together.
The setting itself added to the power of the day. We kicked things off with coffee in hand and the mountains waking up behind us: crisp air, the smell of two-stroke smoke, and that quiet kind of focus that settles in when people are really there for something. The chainsaw practice unit was staged below the cottonwoods, and folks stepped into a space that felt serious but welcoming. We started and ended the day on the “runway” of our flatbed trailer—learning saw assembly and maintenance on the trailer deck, while also admiring our STIHL models (instructors) in the middle of the trailer as they demonstrated how to use PPE safely and effectively. The day was a mix of intention and ease, which is what made the transformation possible. Everyone showed up open and ready to learn, and the land held us through it.
I currently serve as Programs Coordinator at Redwing Ranch, and it’s been an honor to help launch our growing education program here. The landscape, the people, the culture of support and stewardship make this the kind of place that makes hands-on, transformative workshops like Buckin’ Babes+ possible. It held us through the whole experience, and we are already dreaming up what’s next.
Buckin’ Babes+ was just the beginning! Thank you for making this possible, Women in Ranching!
June 16th, 2025
Tell us about the idea you pitched for the WIR Regrant Initiative.
A: Similar to many of the skills I’ve developed over the last 5–10 years, I had to ask someone to show me what to do- and starting out didn’t always feel possible. It could be awkward, intimidating, or just hard to know where to begin. I heard from so many women that they do all sorts of amazing work, but still felt nervous about running a chainsaw. I saw a real gap in access to confidence-building, hands-on training for women and queer folks in rural communities. Buckin’ Babes+ was designed to change that, to create a welcoming, educational space to learn, make mistakes, laugh, and grow.
Walk us through the process—from idea to execution.
This workshop was rooted in my own journey (from working on a college logging team to doing fuels work after undergrad) and inspired by Red Ants Pants and the women’s skills workshops they lead. I’d been organizing informal fuel days, but I knew I wanted to create something more intentional and accessible. Once I got the green light from Christy at Redwing Ranch and casually floated the idea at the WIR x AgNext Sustainable Ranching event at CSU, it began to take shape.
From there, I dove into planning: creating budgets, contacting my STIHL connections, designing materials in Canva, and reaching out on Instagram to people I admired and wanted involved. A call facilitated by Hannah with Red Ants Pants helped guide the workshop structure, and the team that came together seemingly organically really made it shine. From there I developed Chainsaw 101 guides and worked with RwR team to build out a chainsaw ops unit.
The truth is, I couldn’t have pulled this off without the years I’ve spent developing my own skills, and the trust of the partnerships that have grown along the way. It was equal parts personal growth and community collaboration.
Q: Looking back, what worked well and what would you do differently?
The pre-event communication, workshop structure, and strong instructor/facilitator team were huge wins! Next time, I would want to budget for a two-day version to allow more field work and time on the saw “in the wild.” It was also key to include the defensible space and fuel modeling components, to really hone in on the why behind the chainsaw, and also highlight tools participants could use to start on their own work, even if they don’t own a saw.
Q: What could Women in Ranching have done differently to better support you or other grantees?
A: Honestly, the support was fantastic! The structure and clarity WIR has on providing sponsorship and communications set a high standard for what collaborative support can look like. I loved the autonomy of getting this whole thing going, while also knowing I had full support from WIR when needed before, during and after the event. The day-of facilitation support from Hannah was invaluable, and her insights on event structure helped strengthen the overall experience.
Q: What advice would you give to future applicants or grantees about how to set themselves up for success?
A: Start early, build a strong team, value your time, add some extra “unknowns” into your budget, and trust your gut! Be intentional with every detail, from how people are welcomed and what you want them to walk away feeling. Let your mission be the anchor. This is about building confidence, community, and real skills. Let that guide everything you do.
Q+A With Erin Sheridan
