The Old Salt Kinship Program
Gathering the Next Generation of Agricultural Leaders
The Kinship Program is part of the Old Salt Festival, an annual gathering every summer Solstice in Montana's Blackfoot Valley. The Old Salt Festival is grounded in land stewardship, food systems, and regenerative economies, but also full of great food, live music, talks, demonstrations, and the kind of conversation that only happens when you get the right people in the same place. The Kinship Program brings together students and early-career folks to be part of it, and our aim is to cultivate a community of people who will shape the future of this work.
The program was inspired by a couple of Cornell students who came to the festival in 2024 and each found inspiration for their next career step. So we ran a pilot cohort in 2025, and it made for good conversations, useful connections, and a clearer sense of how different people are approaching this work. One of those Cornell students is now a key member of the Old Salt team! We then welcomed 17 participants to the program in 2026, and we’ll be opening up the application process again in January 2027 - stay tuned!
As for the best applicants and participants, think students, early-career folks, or anyone searching for where they fit in this work, from land stewardship, food systems, conservation, regenerative agriculture, ag finance, and rural economies. People come from different backgrounds and sectors, but what they share is a deep care for our relationship to land and a belief that care for land is care for neighbor.
The program includes virtual sessions from March through May, then the festival itself in June on a working ranch outside Helmville. Participants get mentorship from our 2026 cohort, turning a single experience into something longer-lasting. They’ll also find themselves spending time with ranchers, conservationists, investors, policy folks, and others thinking seriously about this work from across the West.
Participation in the program includes festival access, accommodations, meals, and travel support—so there's no cost to participate other than getting yourself there.
Some words from past Kinship Program participants:
“It's quite rare to experience a gathering so rich in down-to-earth people who have devoted their lives and careers to creating better food systems, better care of our lands and waters, and who demonstrate honorable and true leadership.” - Rachel Newcomb
““The Kinship Programme offers a unique opportunity to play a part in something truly exciting, a movement towards a better way of life for both people and planet, grounded in our connection to the land. The programme gave our cohort unfiltered access to some of the most important conversations happening right now about the future of our nation. We weren’t just observers, we were participants in helping shaping the depth and direction of those discussions.” - Izzy Eames
“The program gave me more than just knowledge. It gave me inspiration that has stuck with me ever since. From the incredible food to the atmosphere, the music, and especially my fellow cohort members, every element came together to create an unforgettable experience. I left feeling more energized and committed to this work than ever before.” - Liv Heller
“Each conversation, often outdoors and around a shared table or hay bale, carried stories of who people are, what they fight for, and why they stay rooted in this work…Being on the land changes the kinds of conversations one can have, and the Old Salt Festival embraces that.” - Galit
