Tysdal recognized as the heart of agriculture
Bri Weigel
NLJ Correspondent
A rural way of life, a tight-knit family and strong friendships fill the days of Weston County resident Dana Tysdal. Her peers recently recognized Tysdal’s contributions to the community and Wyoming agriculture with the 2021 Heart of Agriculture Award. Tysdal is one of 17 women in the state to receive the award this year.
According to email correspondence with Scott Cotton, “The Excellence in Agriculture Symposium is one of the signature events of the UW (University of Wyoming) Agriculture/ Horticulture Team, which we started three years ago. As part of it, we work with the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association, Wyoming Woolgrowers Association, Wyoming Farm Bureau and others to identify and recognize one female agriculture producer from each county with the Heart of Agriculture Honoree Award.”
Cotton is a senior University of Wyoming extension educator in agriculture, rural living and disaster resilience.
Cotton said that Tysdal’s nomination read, in part, “Dana can be found spending days on a swather, moving, gathering and vaccinating cattle. A primary ‘gopher’ for her family running for parts, she also has been known to feed chickens, cats and dogs as well as helping clean houses or driving sick neighbors to the doctor. Active in many Newcastle organizations she loves her role in the Weston County Cowbelles, including providing the ‘thought for the day’ at meetings and being active in demonstrations at 4th Grade Ag Days. Stepping up into any role needed, Dana is the ‘heart’ of agriculture.”
Cotton explained that nominations focus on active engagement in agricultural and exemplary community engagement. The nominations are largely solicited by the aforementioned organizations and other female producers for each county. Cotton said that if counties receive more than one nomination, a committee of previous winners and representatives from the organization select the county’s winner.
While Cotton kept the name of the nominator private, Tysdal revealed that Nancy Darnell submitted her nomination. Darnell won the award in 2020, so she chose to pass on the recognition to her good friend this year. She spoke highly of Tysdal’s work ethic on the ranch, as well as her dedication to the Weston County community.
“I considered the title of it, The Heart of Agriculture Award, and first off I thought, well that’s a really meaningful thing of women in ag (agriculture) because they are the heart of the family, the heart of the ranch or farm,” Darnell said. “I could think of no one that had a bigger heart and a bigger heart for agriculture than Dana.”
Tysdal said the award surprised her, but she joked that she’s not shocked to find Darnell behind the nomination.
“(I’ve) always known that way of life. (I) don’t know anything different. It’s just what we do!” Tysdal said of her life on the ranch.
Tysdal said she’s lived on a ranch in Weston County since she was 5 years old, when her parents bought a ranch and the family moved from Newcastle. She grew up on Beaver Creek, and her children still live on that same ranch with Tysdal’s mom. Tysdal and her husband now run their own ranch where they have a cow-calf operation and raise hay. While the altitude limits Tysdal’s gardening, she is still active in the garden club, and she enters flowers and house plants in the Weston County Fair flower show. Darnell said Tysdal is also a leader in the local Methodist Church, as well as several other community organizations.
“Most farm and ranch wives are very big-hearted people, but I thought Dana epitomized that,” Darnell said. “People up in her area, when they have something they need help with, they think of Dana, and she does it for them.”
Tysdal said her favorite thing about living and working on a ranch is the versatility and freedom. She cherishes being her own boss, running the ranch as a family affair. Tysdal said she can’t imagine being stuck indoors, and she likes living at 6,000 feet, even in the winter. She walks 2 miles a day, no matter the weather, a routine she’s maintained for almost 30 years, she said. Despite a busy life on the ranch, Tysdal said she found friendship in her rural community by socializing through the clubs and organizations she’s passionate about.
“Those people are much more important than any job or dollar,” Tysdal said.
Tysdal will be honored for her contributions to the Weston County community and Wyoming agriculture on Aug. 20 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Ruthe Williams Conference Center on the Wyoming State Fairgrounds. Mary Flitner, author of “My Ranch Too” will be the keynote speaker at the event, according to Cotton.