Registration Open for UW Extension’s 2024 Ranch Camp Program

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

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 and livestock genetics. Workshops and activities are led by UW Extension educators, university faculty members and local producers.

While the program is open to people 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 midcareer professionals looking to start their own businesses. Current ag professionals, including agriculture teachers, also are 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 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 such as cattle branding, sheep docking and ranch tours. Throughout the week, teams of participants collaborate to create business plans for their host ranches. On the last day of the program, each team presents its 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, a UW Extension educator and co-founder of Ranch Camp. “The producer partners that we have worked with have been spectacular.”

The program’s success also is 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,” Hill says.

To learn more and register for this year’s event, visit www.wyoextension.org/fremontcounty/agriculture-natural-resources/ranch-camp/. The cost is $200 per participant, meals and lodging included. Scholarships are available.

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

About University of Wyoming Extension

Since 1914, UW Extension has provided lifelong learning opportunities to Wyoming citizens across the state. With roots in agricultural education, UW Extension supports rural communities facing contemporary challenges and changes. UW Extension brings the university’s resources to each of the state’s 23 counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation. To learn more about UW Extension, visit www.uwyo.edu/uwe or call (307) 766-5124.