She went from suburban SoCal to humane cattle ranching in West Marin

By ,

June 6, 2019

“He would drive over to the ranch some weekends and was on the board of the MALT and would help his dad on the ranch,” Lisa said, referring to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, started by Ellen Straus, matriarch of the Jewish dairy family. “Eventually, he realized that if he didn’t try, he might regret it.”

More stories like this:

Portrait of Scott Dunbar - MALT

MALT Strengthens Stewardship with New Rangeland Certification

August 15, 2025

We’re excited to share that MALT stewardship team member, Scott Dunbar, has earned his certification as a Certified Rangeland Manager from the State of California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection in partnership with the Cal-Pac section of the Society for Range Management. This achievement highlights the dedicated professionals who make up MALT’s Stewardship Team—…

Read More

Portrait of Jenna Coughlin, Marin County shepherd.

Meet Jenna Coughlin: The Indigenous Shepherd Revolutionizing Prescribed Grazing

August 11, 2025

Jenna Coughlin is revolutionizing land management in Marin County, using prescribed grazing to turn her sheep into precision tools for wildfire prevention and ecosystem restoration.

Read More

Cowboy in Marin County looking for cows on Mount Burdell.

Why Some Ranchers Still Use Horses

July 10, 2025

Why ranchers still use horses: first cattle roundup experience reveals the science behind cowboy tradition.

Read More