never an end to the honey-do list inside or in the barn, but the list isn’t assigned to either one of us. We just keep a running list, and we each tackle what we can, when we can. It is a joy to have such a supportive husband who is helping bring this educational farm dream to life. I could not do this without him or our two children who also help out immensely as well.
Overwhelmingly, folks tell me they just want to come be on the farm, experience it, volunteer, work, get dirty, plant gardens, care for the animals, and live the life of a farmer for even just a little bit. Every time I hear someone tell me that, I get the chills. That is how I feel about the farm every day, and I get so excited when I hear people tell me that’s what they crave too. Getting the Word Out We are not currently able to In the beginning of marketing offer ‘open’ hours on our farm for the farm, I created my website people to just come by and visit, Amy has a herd of Nubian and Alpine goats that are part of her grazing after learning how to do so on but we hope to get to that point plan to improve soil health. She uses guardian dogs to protect them my own. I created a social media someday. In the meantime, we and integrates the goats with her other enterprises, including teaching following, and work hard to provide hope to meet people at one of people how to make goat’s milk soap. relevant connections for people the many workshops we offer that to make with the farm from afar. are taught by me, or an expert in This requires a lot of time, and I where I am invited to set up a booth to advertise the community. Or, we hope folks look forward to handing off the marketing task the farm. If the clientele at the function will be will join us for one of the many other programs someday so that I don’t have to choose whether my ideal customer, I love to set up booths and we offer on the farm, including film screenings of to plant more tomatoes or fill social media with talk to people and invite them to get involved on relevant documentaries related to small scale photos and stories about farm happenings. I the farm. When the media contacts me about farmers. And, lastly, we hope to inspire our love providing the connection for folks, but in writing a story for a local magazine, or the news community to support local farmers by buying order for the farm to actually work, I have to wants to interview me for a broadcast, or a radio their food from farmers they trust. We will work have time to actually farm. show invites me as a guest, I do everything I hard to earn that trust, and in turn will provide HMI’s Beginning Farmer Training Program can to say yes because that is free marketing! nutrient-dense fruits, veggies, nuts, eggs, meat does provide helpful insight into marketing I recently won a $7500 grant from the and honey for our community while also creating decisions. The holistic goal plays a big role Austin Food and Wine Alliance to be put toward an inclusive place for us all to learn from each here as well. This is my current challenge. It’s summer camps and the teaching gardens at other. Come visit us at Hills of Milk and Honey an issue of creating balance so that quality of Hills of Milk and Honey. Not only is this funding the next time you find yourself in Central Texas. life doesn’t take a hit. Marketing can take up from this incredible organization an absolute We look forward to meeting other Holistic so much time if we let it, so I am working on blessing, it has also provided opportunities to Management practitioners! rereading and supplementing my learning on continue to spread the word about the farm and how to create efficient marketing strategies that everything we are offering to our community. To learn more about Hills of Milk and allow for more time outside doing the farming. Now that the farm is about one year old, Honey contact Amy Milliron at: One way I have learned to get the word out I have again asked the community what amy@hillsofmilkandhoney.com or and market the farm easily is to attend functions they crave from Hills of Milk and Honey. 512.829.1003.
Being Without Prejudice BY TONY MALMBERG
P
rejudice pervades every pore of our existence. We have prejudice concerning race, sex, social status, culture, experience, inheritance, learning and who knows what other influence? If aware and receptive to others, we may be aware of some of our prejudice, but we most likely have some lurking beneath our conscious thinking. We must constantly delve into our core being and behavior, peeling back our callous layers of indifference, justification and excuse protecting our prejudice, if we are ever to
empower decisions at the soil surface. The practice of Holistic Management asks us to propose actions “without prejudice.” Ideally, the process of selecting tools, proposing actions, and using the context filters, or testing questions will help us mitigate our prejudice. However, in my experience, most practitioners pay simple lip service to this critical step in the Practice of Holistic Management. We need assistance from people outside our clique, if we are to effectively smoke out our prejudice.
Are You a Racist?
When I think of prejudice, my first thought
is racism. Thirty years ago, I was confident in my opposition to affirmative action. I was eating lunch with my hired hand, Pee Wee, and a friend of ours, Leslie, after we finished working some cattle. We were discussing what we wanted to be after we grew up. I started off with a story about wanting to be a game warden just because an older boy I went to school with wanted to be a game warden. But I never seriously thought about anything other than being a cowboy. Leslie followed and she could never remember wanting to be anything other than a cowgirl. CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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