April 7 – UM Western – Swysgood Technology Center Great Room

April 8 – Field Trip Ruby Valley – Gilman IH Cattle Co and 5L Ranch

Schedule:

April 7 – Tuesday -Workshop 8:00 – 4:30

8:00 – 8:30 Coffee, pastries and networking

8:30–9:00 Welcome – Introductions

9:00–10:00 Megan Nasto: Soil Health on Western Rangelands: What to Measure, How to Measure It, & What it Means for Grazing Management

10:00–10:45 Dave Scott: Your Direct Sell Advantage: Nutrient Dense Meat Plus Ecological Service

10:45–11:00 Break

11:00–12:15 Chuck Petersen: Innovative approaches to fall/winter uplands grazing.

12:15–1:30 Lunch

1:30–2:30 Agee Smith: Winter Grazing Experience in the Cold Desert

2:30–3:30 Glenn Elzinga: Sagebrush Ocean: Wasteland or Breadbasket?

3:30–3:45 Break

3:45–4:30 Panel Q&A; sharing by participants; Wrap up!

April 8 – Wednesday – Field Trip Ruby Valley 9:00 – 1:00

8:30 – 9:00 Meet at Twin Bridges Rest Area to carpool – Coffee provided

9:30 – 10:30 Gilman IH Cattle Co. – led by Charlie Gillman

11:00 – 12:00 5L Ranch – led by Donnie Engelhardt

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch and wrap up

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Biographies of Speakers

Dave Scott

Dave has been practicing multi-paddock adaptive grazing with dairy cows and sheep on irrigated pasture near Whitehall, MT since 1982. He also worked as a grazing specialist with National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) for eight years. Dave and his wife Jenny direct-marketed lamb under the Montana Highland Lamb label for fifteen years into the Bozeman, Helena and Missoula markets. Their efforts culminated in selling 300 lambs annually to Montana State University’s Miller Dining Hall, restaurants, grocery stores and private individuals.

Chuck Petersen

Chuck Petersen is a retired NRCS conservationist who resides with his wife Jennifer in Spring Creek, NV. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Range Management from Humboldt State University (1991) and a masters degree in Range Science from Utah State University (2012). Chuck’s work with Fred Provenza (Utah State University) and Agee Smith (Cottonwood Ranch, Elko County, NV) involving cattle feeding behaviors represents his contribution to the ongoing discussion regarding livestock use of alternative forages that result in a variety of ecological and economic benefits.

Agee Smith

Agee is a partner in a family-owned ranch which sits in the O’Neil Basin on the east side of the Jarbidge mountains in northeast Nevada.  He is a 4th generation rancher and has been part of the management team since 1977.  The ranch is a cow/calf operation that holds permits on both BLM and USFS managed lands.  The ranch has a Hunting and Guest Ranch business also.  Agee has a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science.  Additional education includes Ranching for Profit – Dave Pratt; Holistic Management – Tommy Martin and Steve Rich; Low Stress Stockmanship – Budd Williams; Lost River Grazing Academy – Jim Garrish; Integrity Soils – Nicole Masters.  Agee is also a Marine Corps Veteran.

Glenn Elzinga

Glenn Elzinga, with his wife Caryl, 7 daughters and several solid ranch hands ranch full time in Idaho’s Pahsimeroi Valley. There, they raise black cattle on 49,000 acres. They are first generation, starting 32 years ago with no inherited equity on 60 irrigated acres and 7 cows. Now they run a 7-figure direct marketing beef, lamb and pork business that sells all that their ranch produces. They have started transitioning their profitable ranch to the next generation, capitalizing on the living soils and vibrant ecosystems that now exist as a result of their hands-on grazing management.

Megan K. Nasto, Ph.D. – Soil Biogeochemist & Agroecologist, HNH Ecology

Food has a way of bringing people together. It’s a shared human need, it’s how we gather, it carries culture and identity, it’s a simple way to care for one another, it provides us with a sense of place, and it sparks conversation and camaraderie. And it – ultimately – all comes from the ground beneath our feet. The living, teeming, thriving world of soil. Soil – without which we would have nothing and be nothing. This is precisely why I work within the fields of soil biogeochemistry and agroecology.

I believe a healthy and respectful understanding of the properties and processes of soil, and how we alter them through various land management practices, is of absolute necessity to care for the land that cares for us. I’ve been working towards building and communicating this understanding for over 15 years with a portfolio of producer-centered, applied research within croplands, pasturelands, and rangelands at the landscape-scale. I focus on turning real-world research into practical, decision-ready insights that actually help land managers. I absolutely love collaborating, building trust, and doing applied science that supports both working lands and the people who depend on them.  So let’s break bread and work together!

Donnie Engelhardt

Donnie Engelhardt is an experienced agricultural consultant with a deep-rooted commitment to advancing soil health, plant vitality, livestock well-being, and water quality. With a diverse background spanning in regenerative land management, and sustainable farming systems, he brings an integrative perspective to every operation, large or small.  Driven by the belief that nutrient-dense food is the foundation of health—for both animals and humans. Donnie works to connect the dots across the entire agricultural ecosystem. From improving soil biology and crop resilience to enhancing forage quality and animal performance, his approach is grounded by field experience and centered on long-term ecological and economic viability.

Whether consulting with producers, land stewards, or food system stakeholders, Donnie is dedicated to helping clients build healthier, more productive systems that deliver real nutrition from the ground up.

Charlie Gilman – Gilman IH Cattle

Gilman IH Cattle is a family-run ranch located in Alder, Montana, which has operated across multiple generations. Initially, the ranch was a modern-traditional cow/calf operation. In 2007, the ranch shifted its calving season from February to May. This change was made to reduce operational inputs and improve efficiency. The ranch purchases yearling cattle to fill mountain leases, leaving the cow herd to rotationally graze on irrigated land in the valley. During the winter, the cows graze on dormant grass. Gilman IH Cattle is committed to improving land health. The ranch employs effective management practices and utilizes livestock as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance its profitability and the quality of its pastures and rangeland.

Larry Mehlhoff – 5L Ranch

Larry Mehlhoff is an eighth-generation farmer and rancher whose roots run deep in American agriculture. Raised on his family’s farm in North Dakota, Larry learned early that diversification and hard work are the backbone of a successful operation. From chickens to pigs to cattle, along with crop farming and the daily responsibilities of ranch life, he gained hands on experience that shaped his lifelong commitment to agriculture.

In 1979, Larry’s family moved to Livingston, Montana, continuing their agricultural journey in the West. After several years in Livingston, they spent time ranching in eastern Montana before Larry ultimately settled in Sheridan in 1991 with a vision and clear goals for the future. What began as a dream has grown into 5L Ranch, a diversified operation in southwest Montana focused on raising cattle, growing crops, and stewarding the land for future generations.

Larry believes ranching is not defined by set working hours. Sunup to sundown does not dictate the workday. Getting the job done and finishing the work is what matters. Through many trials and tribulations, his philosophy has remained steady with one guiding principle, no quit.

Throughout his career, Larry has served on numerous agricultural boards spanning both cattle and crop sectors, sharing hard learned lessons and practical insight with producers across the country. His experience reflects decades of adaptation, learning, and commitment to improving both land and livestock management.

Today, the next generation is deeply involved in the ranch, with grandchildren already coming along and learning the values of agriculture. At 5L Ranch, stewardship is more than a philosophy. By integrating regenerative practices, thoughtful planning, and intentional management, Larry works to ensure the land remains productive and resilient for years to come. Every tool and every decision is part of a long-term vision to grow crops, raise cattle, and sustain the ranch for future generations.