Courtney grew up on a wheat and barley farm smack dab in the middle of pretty much nowhere. It was there that her love of the written word, community, space, and growing food began. She has combined all of those things in what some might call a “portfolio” career of farming, teaching and writing. It’s all about connections for her.
As a teacher, Courtney’s an adjunct professor at the University of Montana School of Journalism, specializing in online instruction and design, feature writing, personal essay, legislative coverage (overseeing the Legislative News Service), rural journalism and online journalism. Before she made the leap back to rural Montana in 2009 to start a farm with her husband and children, she co-founded and was the editor in chief of the since sold regional online magazine New West. Previously, she worked as a newswoman for the Associated Press and covered the Montana Legislature for Lee Newspapers. When she’s not writing or editing, she’s helping her husband run and manage their on-farm bakery, Blue Truck Bread.
Her journalism has appeared in news outlets across the country and her nonfiction work has appeared in anthologies and magazines. Here are a few recent works:
“Parts of Us,” poem, “When Flowers Sing” anthology by a thousand flowers books.
“Surrender,” essay, 50 Dispatches From the New Farmers’ Movement
Essays, The Daily Yonder
Courtney Lowery Cowgill 