Spear-O-Wigwam
JUNE 17TH-20TH
SHERIDAN, WYOMING
Registration ends April 15th
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Registration ends April 15th 〰️
The Setting
Wake up in the Bighorn Mountains and breathe in the smell of trees and mountain air. For all of you prairie-dwelling ranchers, this will be an experience! Spear-O-Wigwam has a long and storied history and the facilitation team is creating an unforgettable experience tied to this unique landscape.
If you care about land, believe in the power of community, and can show up in support of female leadership, we welcome you at Women in Ranching.
Logistics
Arrival time is 5pm on June 17th. The location is accessed via a rough mountain road about a 1-hour drive from Sheridan, Wyoming. Do NOT underestimate the drive time! Rain or snow will make the drive longer; we suggest an all-terrain vehicle for the drive.
June 18-19th will be two full days of programming. We will wrap up and leave by 11am on June 20th.
Your registration covers lodging, meals and all educational programs.
Sample Agenda
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• This location is extremely remote, please review travel suggestions on our hosts website here BEFORE registering
• Arrival by 5pm
• Settle into cabins and enjoy supper
• Team-led Orientation and Introductions
ARRIVAL
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• Sunrise movement with Cheri
• Breakfast
• Partnering with the Horse Group A
• A Culinary Session: Culture + Community
• Group Lunch
• 1.5 hour Rest + Relaxation
• Belonging on the Land
• Supper
• Fireside Celebration
DAY 01
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• Sunrise movement with Cheri
• Breakfast
• Partnering with the Horse Group B
• A Culinary Session: Culture + Community
• Group Lunch
• 1.5 hour Rest + Relaxation
• Standing with Courage
• Supper
• Gourmet S'mores by the fire
DAY 02
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• Morning Gratitude walk
• Breakfast
• Closing Circle
• 11am Back on the dusty trail towards home
DAY 03
The Location
“The Bighorns were uplifted 70 million years ago, exposing some of the oldest rocks on the planet at 4.25 billion years old. Overtime, wind, glaciers, and water have carved out some of the most unique landscapes in the Rocky Mountain West. The Bighorns feel and look different than most mountains but their beauty is unrivaled.
The tallest peaks reach over 13,000ft, but aside from the awe-inspiring mountains, you’ll find that the little things may be equally impressive. From the incredible wildflower blooms in the spring, to our frequent moose sightings around the lodge, the Bighorns really have it all. Aside from Grizzly bears, which do not inhabit the range.
Beautiful untamed wilderness lies waiting for you, where the word solitude still has meaning, and we plan on keeping it that way. With that said, however, we do love sharing our public lands and welcoming everyone who wishes to explore our backyard.”
MEET YOUR
Facilitators
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My name is Beth Godbey and I am a mother, wife, rancher, irrigator, hay raker, goat chaser, cow feeder and home coordinator! I understand the importance of women on the land and I am passionate about supporting and empowering all of the many hats we wear. I love the circle gatherings and watching connections form and the beautiful growth that comes with being honored for our work, our dreams and who we are- women in agriculture!
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From my earliest childhood gardens and treetop sanctuaries, to the larger farming and ranching landscapes of my adulthood, the land has called me into a co-creative nurturing relationship to provide nutrient dense food and safe haven for myself and others. I know that empowering women to discover their voice and honor their vital role in agriculture today will have a huge impact on our ability to restore vibrant health to our land, animals, families, and communities.
Bio:
Kathy’s deep love of the land and enthusiasm for nutrient dense, traditional foods propelled her transition from technology into farming and ranching. Starting with just a small homestead and homeschooling her daughters, her land relationship experience includes managing a 250-acre ranch in Texas; developing infrastructure and enterprises for grass-fed beef, grass-fed lamb and native pecans; cow and goat dairying, pastured poultry for meat and eggs, honeybees, fruit orchards and vegetable gardens, composting, and many traditional skills and food preparation methods.
Kathy is a Professional Certified Educator in Holistic Management, Certified Coach, and Master Composter. She has provided support and professional development to regenerative ag educators and consultants across the world, and has personally consulted on both small and large scale farms and ranches across the US.
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What is your connection to land?
I belong to the land. More specifically, my life and livelihood is tied to the Colorado ranch where I raised my family and continue to serve my community. On the land, I have found a way to express my strongly held value of inclusion in ways that extend to people of varying abilities, backgrounds and beyond to livestock, wildlife, and diverse plant life. Within my connected relationship to the land, I have learned to trust myself.
Why do you want to support women’s leadership on the land?
When a women feels that she belongs and trusts herself, the depth and breadth of her impact on her community and the natural world around her are immeasurable. A women who feels seen can better show up to see and support other women, the livestock, the wildlife and the land that surrounds her. I believe the land heals, and we can heal the land, so I want to support women in their leadership on the land as a decision to choose healing and hope.
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As a Northern Cheyenne rancher and director/effector of the Wild Rose Center, a retreat and community resource center, I believe that Land has the power to heal us. I also believe that Food is medicine and I subscribe to the Native American philosophy that we are all related. I love meeting people who are making change- small ones and big ones and supporting their journey.
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Amber has been ranching in rural western communities for nearly 20 years with her partner and two children, stewarding Antelope Springs Ranch near Cohagen, MT, comprising 53,000 acres of native grassland. Her passion is rooted in building a future where rural families thrive and all people are empowered and supported in pursuing work that aligns with their passion and purpose. Her time working with NGOs in the Middle East, and six years as an Activity Director in a rural nursing home, have helped her develop a unique passion for creating spaces of dignity, joy, and acceptance. Women in Ranching allows her to center her work with people closest to the soil's surface, creating a network of peers who believe a better future is possible for us all.
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Anica is a first-generation Chinese American. Her family immigrated from Hong Kong to the US in 1992—just shy of her sixth birthday. In the years of growing up in Kansas, where Asians were the minority, food was a means for her family to keep traditions alive and celebrate their Chinese culture. Her love for food, especially meat, led her to the realization that Good Meat was mostly absent from Chinese grocers in America. In 2018, Anica started training as a whole-animal butcher and began her journey into the regenerative meat industry. Learning this craft has helped her to realize just how much work is required to get meat on our plates. It made her think about ingredients differently, the experience of eating food differently, and she was empowered by the control small farmers had over how the animal and land was treated. As a woman working in a male-dominated industry, Anica has found a deep sense of belonging within Women in Ranching. Her hope is to be able to share her butchery skills with other women, and help grow the support system for women in food and agriculture.
Experience
Belonging on the Land. Dig deeply into your relationship with self and connection to the land with facilitator Kathy Frisch. This grounding session will explore land stewardship from a life-nurturing perspective with themes of soil health, personal value-based goals, financial well being, long-term resilience, risk management and confident decision making.
A Culinary Session: Culture + Community. Adventure into new culinary territory, exploring culture, community, and self in a butchery/meat-centered group cooking workshop with facilitator Anica Wu.
Mindful Movement Practice. Cheri Trousil has a background in physical therapy and Qigong, and will lead us in movement to discover our center and ground ourselves in the landscape
Standing with Courage. Work with April Martin on skills like self-trust, self-acceptance, self-love and standing confidently in your self-worth….plus a livestock auction?? It’s not what you think but will be a lot of fun!
Partnering with the Horse. Guided, non-mounted work with horses to empower meaningful relationships that you will carry on in your community and out to the broader world, led by Beth Godbey and Cheri Trousil, trained in equine-based coaching and development.
Rest + Relaxation. This time is exactly what you would expect! Go take a walk, sit under a tree with a new friend, nap in the cabin, eat a snack, journal, go take a hot shower, you do YOU!! As women we are often doing for others, take this time and do something you enjoy for yourself.
Fireside Celebration. Amber Smith will lead us in conversations to elevate what each woman is most proud of in her life. These are small group exercises that deepen our skills in active listening and learning how to reflect upon and celebrate the journeys of our peers.
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We have a tiered structure for our tickets. Once you arrive at the ranch all food, lodging, education and programming are covered with your ticket. This is an all-inclusive gathering.
All sales are final.
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We fairly compensate our facilitators and educators, including their travel to and from the gathering and pre/post gathering planning sessions. Because we believe that leadership is best highlighted when shared amongst a compassionate team, our facilitator to participant ratio is incredibly low, often 3 participants per facilitator. All food and catering is paid for by Women in Ranching, allowing our participants the privilege of arriving and focusing on their own growth and learning. And typically, our stay at the ranch is generously donated by our hosts. Gathering in person is a costly endeavor, but the community built and the lives changed is worth every effort!
Ticket Structure
Flight information: Sheridan, WY airport closest option.
*By purchasing a ticket, you are agreeing to the Women in Ranching community guidelines, Community agreements & Liability waiver.
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Scholarship $250.00
If you are a beginning producer or actively working to find a place in agriculture, we welcome you to apply for a scholarship here.
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Reduced Price | $525
Reduced price for working ranch participants facing drought, low-market prices for their livestock, loss of employment, or other hardships. We understand the reality of agricultural work and we want YOU to join us.
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Base Price $750.00
This is the price for participants who are paying their own way to gather with us. If you are living on and caring for land and looking for a community of supportive peers, please choose this option.
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Supporter $1,250.00
This option covers the actual cost of these gatherings. If you can afford it, please consider this tier.
FAQs
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It takes a lot of time and cost for us to put together these events (food, facilitators, lodging, travel, etc.) we are currently not giving refunds, if you have outstanding circumstances please reach out and we can evaluate. We reserve the right to use your ticket as a donation to Women In Ranching.
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Part of building community is creating boundaries and supporting one another to show up fully. Please find good caretakers for your loved ones so you can arrive and be fully present.
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Our participants arrive at many different levels of experience. Whether you are a seasoned rancher at the management level, are in a more supportive role, or are just getting started, we welcome you to Women in Ranching.
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If you care about the land, are deeply engaged in rural communities and believe in the power of a supportive community of women, we welcome you.
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We are building a community of peers, and it is necessary for all participants to arrive at 4 pm on day 1. We will leave by 10 am on day 4. The timing is not negotiable. If this gathering doesn’t work for you, keep on the lookout for the next Circle!
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Depending on the location, there are times when beer or wine is available to complement a supper meal. We ask that you not bring alcohol or any illegal drugs with you. Those would be grounds for removal from the gathering.
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Our work with horses is building partnerships, learning about ourselves and learning how to communicate with and be a part of a team. All of this work occurs on the ground only and is non-riding.
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A tremendous amount of growth occurs when you step into a community of other incredible folks who you’ve not yet met. If you choose to encourage friends to register, it is likely you will not be staying in the same cabin and you will be sorted into different groups for educational sessions throughout the day. Come with a heart to learn and a mind willing to grow and stretch and be challenged.
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