by Jim Bret Campbell, Executive Director
For more than a year, we have been working on the exhibits, content and games for the Cash Family Ranch Life Learning Center, featuring Hank the Cowdog. Julie Hodges, the National Ranching Heritage Center Helen DeVitt Jones Endowed Director of Education, deserves our tremendous gratitude for putting in countless hours compiling and writing the content, including more than 200 signs for this transformative addition to the National Ranching Heritage Center.
Of course, the basis for the story we will tell through the new center are the five Ranch Life Series of books written by rancher and beloved author John R. Erickson. John masterfully, artfully and authentically wove a story of modern ranching into the five books as told by his famed character, Hank the Cowdog. Much of the content for the exhibits came straight from the books or the activity guides that accompany each one of them.
In addition, Julie has worked to gather resources from Texas Tech University Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Beef Council, Farm Bureau, National Grazing Lands Coalition and many others. In addition, our photographer friends like Peter Robbins and Emily McCartney have been invaluable in working with us to get the right imagery.
I also want to thank Betsy Bellah, who chairs the Ranch Life committee, and has been a valued resource to review many aspects of the exhibit—oftentimes on short notice! She has been joined by some of our Ranching Heritage Association members Patti Sikes, Johnna Weatherbee and Sandy Williamson.
Betsy took over as chair of the Ranch Life committee for Don Cash after Don’s health declined. I think Don and Kay saw the opportunity in the Ranch Life books before almost anyone with the exception of Julie. Their generosity and commitment in the early years of this project made it possible, and that was followed by the commitment of Clay and Ashley Cash to supply the lead gift and name the Cash Family Ranch Life Learning Center.
It took the commitment of all the donors to make it a reality. Thank you!
The Challenge
One of the greatest challenges in developing the content has been to be in-depth enough that we can share the intricacies and sophistication—the art and the science—of ranching in digestible chunks. We want the exhibits, game layers and video to be informative, educational and engaging, while keeping the attention of children and adults alike. We don’t want visitors to walk away with just numbers and knowledge either; we want them to have a sense of the lifestyle of ranching and the values that cow country demands.
John’s books have served as our north star on this trail. Every time we started darting down too many rabbit holes, John’s words reined us back in the right direction.
I can’t understate the value of our partnership with John, Maverick Books and Hank the Cowdog Productions. Sharing Hank with us gives the Cash Family Ranch Life Learning Center an added dimension from anything we could have done on our own.
Because of Hank, Julie had the opportunity to present to the National Ag in the Classroom Seminar in Syracuse, New York, this past year, and we are on the cusp of a wave of legislated agriculture education mandates for the Texas Education Agency that is being copied by other states.
This partnership with Hank is opening new doors that we couldn’t have imagined eight years ago when this Ranch Life journey began. ★
This article appears in the Spring 2023 issue of the Ranch Record. Would you like to read more stories about NRHC and ranching life? When you become a member of the Ranching Heritage Association, you’ll receive the award-winning Ranch Record magazine and more while supporting the legacy and preservation of our ranching heritage. Become a member today.
