Healthy Land. Healthy Food. Healthy Lives.
®
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022
In Practice a publication of Holistic Management International
NUMBER 206
W W W. H O L I S T I C M A N A G E M E N T. O R G
HMI 2021 Annual Report Dear HMI Community, What is Holistic Management to you? Earlier in the year we had interesting conversations and feedback when we put this question to our Certified Educator community. We had about as many different responses as there were respondents. That is because what we do has relevance in many different realms. Everyone agrees that people, a Holistic Goal, weighing decisions toward that goal for adaptive management, and an effective feedback loop are central to what we accomplish. The outcomes and successes are as varied and diverse as the landscapes, communities, and individuals who use these principles and tools. IN PRACTICE, HMI’s bimonthly publication eloquently documents the stories and experiences of our community. Each issue showcases what people on the land and in rural communities are able to achieve through the practice and application of holistic thinking and management. It has documented the extraordinary accomplishments of our diverse and innovative community. Decisions drive change. Management is doing, engaging and taking decisive actions. We need action with informed decisions to function in complex environments. Monitoring, then interpreting and acting on the monitoring data to create balanced and sustained progress to improve ecosystem function, profitability, team performance and satisfaction, and whatever other component of the whole is important to the people involved. We are also pleased to report that with the help of our Certified Educators HMI educated 6,436 people in 2021. These people influence almost 6.8 million acres of land across the world. These statistics show the influence and reach of our Certified Educator community and underlines the significance of HMI’s Certified Educator program to support more Holistic Management educators. HMI is working hard to serve a diverse array of producers, from whatever community, environment or aspect of farming they are involved in. We have created different tiers of Holistic Management educators, realizing that various levels of educators and skills level can all contribute to spreading awareness, supporting practice, and mentoring. We provided 88 partial or full scholarships in 2021 worth $25,450. At least 30% of the scholarships went to people from historically underserved communities, and 63% of scholarships were awarded to women. We continue to work on refining both our learning and post-training support programs to maximize the 75+ days of training we deliver each year with the help of 143 collaborating organizations. HMI’s board has also allocated funds for us to develop and refine both mentor programs and online, self-paced learning programs as part of our efforts to reach more people and be 2021 Annual Report relevant to them with their current challenges. We are proud of what we have achieved and want to offer a special thanks to HMI’s dedicated and passionate staff. This is a great team doing crucial work. INSIDE THIS ISSUE We look forward to executing our plans in 2023 and building on our 2022 work. Read how HMI helped provide support to over These successes and unlocking the potential of HMI can only happen with your 6,000 people in 2021 in our Annual Report issue. support, interest, and participation. We look forward to joining you on your journey, and are grateful for all our students, supporters, donors, and funders. With gratitude,
Wayne Knight Exective Director
Walter Lynn Board Chair
2021 Report Financials Summarized Statement of Activities
Healthy Land. Healthy Food. Healthy Lives.
®
In Practice
Educational Programs Publications Partnership & Trust Mineral interests
a publication of Hollistic Management International
HMI’s mission is to envision and realize healthy, resilient lands and thriving communities by serving people in the practice of Holistic Decision Making & Management. STAFF
Wayne Knight. . . . . . . . . . . . . Executive Director Ann Adams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Education Director Carrie Stearns . . . . . . . . . . . . Director of Communications & Outreach Marie Von Ancken . . . . . . . . . Program Manager Dana Bonham. . . . . . . . . . . . . Program & Grants Manager Oris Salazar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Program Assistant
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
228,657
Realized gain(loss) on closely held stock
136,974
66,082
Realized Gain (Loss) on Investments
(5,860)
40,564
Miscellaneous income
68,178
42,850
Grants Contributions In-kind Consulting
361,100 55,307 22,179
359,000 50,266 34,366 6,650
Total Revenues Expenses
1,153,423
1,019,390
22,952
Program
492,159
464,574
General & Administrative
170,689
210,894
Fundraising
46,289
12,649
Total Expenses Change in Net Assets
709,137 444,286
688,117 331,273
4,962,491
4,631,218
$ 5,406,777 $
4,962,491
Cash and cash equivalents Investments – Mutual Funds Program Receivables Prepaid Expenses Inventory Total Current Assets Property & Equipment
814,915 3,353,333 11,725 5,728 4,782 4,190,483
821,610 2,777,397 55,910 6,916 4,782 3,666,615
Property & Equipment Less: Accumulated Depreciation Net Property & Equipment Other Assets Stock in closely held companies Mineral interests Less: Accumulated Depletion Net Mineral Interests Total Other Assets Total Assets Current Liabilities
75,738 (75,738)
75,738 (75,738)
751,055 2,022,236 (1,516,565) 505,671 1,256,726 5,447,209
756,915 606,783 [1,213,230] 606,783 1,363,698 5,030,313
9,292 28,340 2,800 40,432
30,039 36,199 1,584 67,822
5,224,908 181,869 5,406,777 5,447,209
4,873,314 89,177 4,962,491 5,030,313
Deferred Revenue Total Current Liabilities Net Assets
Without Donor Restrictions With Donor Restrictions Total Net Assets Total Liabilities and Net Assets
Holistic Management® is a registered trademark of Holistic Management International
LAND & LIVESTOCK
Boxgum Grazing— The Link Between Land and Consumers
NEWS & NETWORK Program Round Up................................................... 18
ANN ADAMS...............................................................................12
Grapevine................................................................. 20
Emond Ranch— Improving Rangeland in Montana
Certified Educators................................................... 21
HEATHER SMITH THOMAS.......................................................15
Charter Ranch— Evolving a Holistic Ranch
ANN ADAMS................................................................................. 9
2 IN PRACTICE
125,629
Accrued Benefits & Tax Liability
Copyright © 2022
JOEL BENSON............................................................................. 5
63,250 13,015 33,272 58,466
Unrealized gain(loss) on Investments
Accounts payable
505/842-5252, fax: 505/843-7900; email: hmi@holisticmanagement.org.; website: www.holisticmanagement.org
A Holistic Policy Case Study— Forming a Water Supply Strategy for Buena Vista, Colorado
$
Current Assets
(ISSN: 1098-8157) is published six times a year by: Holistic Management International 2425 San Pedro Dr. NE, Ste A Albuquerque, NM 87110
2021 Grants, Sponsorships, & Donations...................... 3
111,519 13,701 194,901 69,795
Net Assets at End of Year
HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT® IN PRACTICE
Annual Report Financials..................................................... 2
$
2020
Investment Income
Net Assets at Beginning of Year
Walter Lynn, Chair Breanna Owens, Vice-Chair Jim Shelton, Secretary Delane Atcitty Alejandro Carrillo Jonathan Cobb Ariel Greenwood Jozua Lambrechts Daniel Nuckols Brad Schmidt Kelly Sidoryk Casey Wade Brian Wehlburg Seth Wilner
FEATURE STORIES
2021
Revenue
h November / December 2022
Market Place............................................................. 22 Development Corner................................................ 24
2021 GRANTS, SPONSORSHIPS, & DONATIONS
HMI would like to thank all of our donors whose generous contributions help make our work possible. Stewards ($50,000+) Carroll Petrie Foundation Dixon Water Foundation Thornburg Foundation
TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation Tom and Deborah McDaniel Walter Lynn
Guardians ($10,000+) Anonymous L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation Martha Records & Rich Rainaldi Regenerative Ag Foundation Rick & Beth Schnieders Tecovas Foundation Wallace Research Foundation
Sustainers ($250+) Ann Adams Ann Beeghly Bre Owens Cameron Duncan Charles & Jennifer Sands Chris Grotegut Corey Stephens CS Cattle Company Dana Bonham Deborah Clark Drausin Wulsin Ellen Heath Erik Tucker George Rodes Jack & Zera Varian Jack & Teresa Southworth James & Geraldine Matthews James & Carol Parker Jim Shelton Kent Reid Larry Lempka Laura & Regan Velasquez Linda Meuth Louis Hagener Lowell & Mary Forman Mary Etta Johnston Mary N. Adams McKinley and Rachel Smoot Paul Ackley Peter & Helen Schulze Richard Teague
Protectors ($5,000+) Clif Bar Family Foundation Farm Aid Joy Law Leigh & Charlie Merinoff Lydia B. Stokes Foundation ISA Tantec
Patrons ($1,000+) Amy & Joseph Morel Armando J. Flocchini Ben Bartlett Betsy & Reeves Brown Charlotte Ekland Clint and Betty Josey $ % Christine Martin cation programs $ 111,519 9.7% Google ications $ 13,701 1.2% eral interests, Hilary net $ 194,901 16.9% Knight stment income $ 69,795 6.1% Joan Bybee ealized and realized gains $ 256,743 22.3% Nancy Ranney Levi ellaneous income $ 68,178 5.9% National Center for Appropriate nts $ 361,100 31.3% tributions $ 55,307 4.8% Technology nd 22,179 1.9% Pete Pulis $ Ron Chapman $ 1,153,423
2021 Income INCOM ESources Contributions 5%
In-kind 2%
Education programs 10%
Publications 1%
Mineral interests, net 17%
Grants 31%
Investment income 6%
Miscellaneous income 6%
Unrealized and realized gains 22%
Rob Rutherford Sterling Grogan Susan Bunnell Susie Hagemeister Tracy Litle Wayne & Roxanne Eatinger Wayne Knight Friends (<$250) Amy Erikson Anne Stilson-Cope Ariel Greenwood Art & Sally Roane Arthur Young Barbara Love Barbara & William Scaife Belva Locker Betsy Ross Bluesette Campbell Brenda Slack Carl Warrick Carol Richmond Carrie Stearns Casey Holland Catherine Fitts Catherine Koenig Chere Hartman Daniel Schuck & Sue Kacskos Dave & Karen Baker Dave Maxwell Denise Bostdorff & Daniel O’Rourke Derek & Kirrily Blomfield Donald and Lana Whitten Doug & Clare Barnett Eliza Walbridge Elke Burgstaller Hamilton Brown Jackie Davies Jackie Thompson James & Ann McCollum James & Carol Faulstich James Dudley Jason Klinge Jesse Silver Jimmy Garner Joan & Cliff Montagne Joe and Peggy Maddox Joe Williams Joel Salatin John C & Rosalyn G Phillips John Wernette Ken Gallard Kevin Fulton Laura Taylor Linda Pechin-Long Linus Meyer Lisa Ann Obanion Linda Pechin-Long Linus Meyer Louis Martin Lowry McAllen
Margy Rogers Maria Rosa Solis Mark & Wendy Pratt Mark Cortner Mary Ellen Gonzales Melanie Kirby Myra Mcpherson Nathan Aaberg Network for Good Nijole Cijunelis Oris Salazar Pamela Howard Pat Pacheco Peter Wizinowich Reyna Banteah Richards Ranch Rick Kaesebier Robert Martinez Rod Parr Sage Hagen Shannon Hayes Shawn Howard Sims Cattle Co LLC Stephen Williams Steve & Leslie Dorrance Susan Brook Susan Stropes Susy Vieux Parry The Benevity Community/Impact Fund Tom & Darla White Tom & Irene Frantzen Tom Henslee Tyler Eschleman Vail Dixon Virginia Dierker Vivianne Holmes A special thanks to the following organizations and individuals who have graciously supported our programs. 11th Hour Foundation 3R Ranch Agricultura Network AgRisk Advisors AIRE Allen Williams American Grassfed Association Ariel Greenwood Arriola Sunshine Farm Audubon NM Audubon Rockies Badger Creek Ranch Bernalillo County Extension NMSU Bernalillo County Open Space Biological Capital Bird Conservancy of the Rockies
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Donors & Supporters Birdwell & Clark Ranch Boudro Enterprises Boulder County Open Space Brad Schmidt Brett Gray Ranch Bytable Cactus Feeders Casey Wade Casper Farms Center of Excellence for Hazardous Materials Central Colorado Conservancy Chispas Farm Coldharbour Institute Coldharbour Regenerative Network Colin Nott Colorado Carbon Fund Colorado Cattlemens Agriculture Land Trust Colorado Cattlemens Association Colorado Coalition to Enhance Working Lands Colorado Collaborative for Healthy Soils Colorado Conservation Tax Credit Transfer Colorado Conservation Tillage Association Colorado Department of Agriculture Colorado Department of Agriculture Conservation Services Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association Colorado Land Link Colorado Open Lands Colorado Section of the Society for Range Management Colorado State Forest Service Colorado State Land Board Colorado State University Extension Colorado Water Center Colorado Water Conservation Board Community Consensus Institute CrossRoads Ranch Consulting Cruces Creatives CS Cattle Company Cuidad Soil and Water Conservation District David Phillips Deborah Clark Del Cielo Farm Dixon Water Foundation Don Campbell Dry Creek Livestock Ducks Unlimited EcoAgriculture Partners Elizabeth Marks Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance Farm Credit of NM Farm to Table NM Flower Hill Insitute 4 IN PRACTICE
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Flying Diamond Ranch Gabe Brown Gerardo Bezanilla Globetrotter Foundation Grandin Livestock Systems Graze the Prairie Greg Judy Green Spark Ventures Ground Up Consulting Grow the Growers Program Guidestone Colorado Gunnison Climate Working Group Hand for the Land Indian Nations Conservation Alliance Inside-Outside Management Institute for Applied Ecology Interbasin Compact Committee Kelly Sidoryk Kinsey Ag Services Kirk Gadzia Larry Dyer Lauri and Dave Celella Lewis Family Farm LLC Log Cabin Livestock Farm Mad Agriculture Mantere Farm Markegard Family Grass fed May Ranch Merrill Lynch Michael “Storm” Casper Mirr Ranch Group National Bison Association National Capitalism Solutions National Center for Appropriate Technology National Young Farmers Coalition Natural Resources Conservation Service/Grazing Lands Coalition Initiative New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts New Mexico Coalition to Enhance Working Lands New Mexico Department of Agriculture New Mexico Farmers Marketing Association New Mexico First New Mexico Forest & Watershed Restoration Institute New Mexico Game & Fish New Mexico Healthy Soils Working Group New Mexico House of Representatives New Mexico Land Conservancy New Mexico State Land Office New Mexico State University Extension NMSU Institute for Sustainable Agricultural Research
h November / December 2022
2021 Funding Expenditures
Noble Research Institute No Regrets Initiative North Central Texas College Northern Water Not Forgotten Outreach No-Till Texas Ollin Farms Ogalalla Commons Paicines Ranch Partners for Fish and Wildlife Pasture Map Phil Metzger Poetry Dorpers Preston Sullivan Pueblo of Santa Ana Department of Natural Resources Ralph Tate Ranchlands Chico Basin Ranch Ranney Ranch Regen Ag Lab Resource Management Services Rio Grande Agricultural Land Trust Rio Grande Joint Venture Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Rough Stone Ranch Round River Resource Management San Juan Ranch San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition San Luis Valley Soil Health Group Savory Institute Seth Wilner Silver Sustainability Strategies Soil for Water Soil Health Services Southwest Energy Institute Southwest Grassfed Livestock Alliance Stockman Grassfarmer
Succession Sustainable Growth Texas Sweet Grass Coop Taos Land Trust Tecovas Foundation Tesuque Pueblo Farm Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Texas Land Conservancy Texas Parks & Wildlife The Brett Gray Ranch The Citizen Science Soil Health Project The Grants Collective The Nature Conservancy The Quivira Coalition The Regen Ranch Thornburg Foundation Three Sisters Kitchen Tierra Sagrada Farm Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation Trainor Cattle Company Twin Mountain Fence University of Colorado Boulder University of New Mexico Sustainability Studies Program United States Department of Agriculture USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service United States Forest Service Upper Arkansas Conservation District Utah State University Vermejo Park Ranch West Texas A&M Western Landowners Alliance Whole New Concepts William Burnidge Will Harris Zia Queen Bees
A Holistic Policy Case Study—
Forming a Water Supply Strategy for Buena Vista, Colorado BY JOEL BENSON
T
wo significant issues face nearly every community in rural Colorado: limited water supply, and a housing shortage. The Town of Buena Vista has been working to deal with these issues that could easily overwhelm the small community. The approach adopted brings important discussions and seemingly sound policy that would generate social and economic capital while positively impacting ecological functionality. This article is a quick discussion about the efforts that the Town has taken to address water and housing. While the specifics are for a small local government, the policy approach can be applied to any organization. Over the past decade and a half, staff and policymakers in this small community have had intentional conversations about the collective vision of the community with varying degrees of consistency. Significant attention has been given to framing issues that crop up as they relate to this community vision so that staff implement the right policy at the right time, and for the right reasons. The sticky wicket is how a government can effectively work to accomplish this lofty goal. The Town has adopted policies that appear to be sound, but potential success will not be known for some time; policy implementation must be monitored carefully and future political strength will be necessary to make adjustments over time. For the past decade, the Town has generally used a holistic approach to policy design, yet staff and trustee changeover made the process go in fits and starts. In this article, I introduce specific steps that facilitated conversations and provided the basis for a water supply strategy coordinated with housing needs. Two examples illustrate some of the detailed thinking that contributed to the strategy. Much of the article comes from my experience serving 12 years as Trustee and Mayor and being directly involved in visioning, problem-solving, and both policy design and implementation. All records on water, water court cases, and water planning documents since 1984 were reviewed along with all official planning documents and economic reports since 1996. A full econometric analysis of strategies
the Town has already employed would be interesting, however, at this point claims in the article can only be supported through anecdotal evidence provided by Town staff, elected officials, and residents who have lived in the community for 15 or more years. Hopefully, this will provide insight to the application of ‘holistic policy’ and give others ideas on the importance of giving context to problemsolving and forming policy that matches its intention.
Steps for Developing the Strategy
Step 1: Provide a context for any policy. Step 1a: Who are affected by various decisions, what are the dynamics of power and equity, what resources are available, what are the potential necessary conditions of those resources well into the future in order to maintain a desired community? Researchers have analyzed democratic theory and how people interact to accomplish what they intend. There are individuals and groups with various agendas, having to do with ego, power, altruism, and other motivations. People flow in and out of policy processes as interest representatives or entrepreneurs for economic, social and environmental reasons. It is important for policymakers to seek to recognize who is involved and when and how “stakeholder engagement” may provide unintended bias in a process if not equitable. Buena Vista took care to analyze its community through planning documents and related public engagement, but avoided intentionally engaging specific people because of their economic status or political influence. It is also critical to understand what raw resources are available and under what conditions. Among the inventory of resources, the Town calculated how much water could be converted to municipal use in a dry-year as opposed to an average year, which had been the modus operandi until the Town’s most recent water resources master plan. Knowing who should be involved in what types of conversations and what resources are
available now and into the future, is the first part of setting a stage for policy discussions.
Joel Benson Step 1b: Through public processes, establish an overarching community vision that incorporates how the residents want their lives to be. Some components of this vision are outside the sphere of control of the governing body but are within a sphere of influence. Identify key strategic objectives as guardrails and guideposts that represent this vision and lie within the sphere of control. Over the course of multiple public input meetings for comprehensive planning processes, statements from community members about how they wanted their lives to be were woven together into a description of their desired community. The in-depth statement is used as a magnetic north to bring policy decisions in line with the community perspective and reduces a lot of emotion and reactionary impulses that can dictate policy deliberations. This collective vision serves to contextualize various portions of a comprehensive plan that can be used to support or oppose virtually any policy proposal when viewed in isolation. This statement has framed the discussions about how remaining water can be used as a tool to encourage the overall desired community as a whole. Step 2: Understand that—with rare exception—a policy is intended to solve an existing problem or prevent a potential problem. Acknowledge the complexity of all situations and that we cannot account for all variables and, therefore, must be aware that we can diagnose incorrectly. So often in a governmental setting there is a declaration of a problem followed by an CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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A Holistic Policy Case Study
problem related to water supply.
effort to design policy to address that problem. Sometimes staff or elected officials will develop policy directly. Other times a facilitator will engage stakeholders to find commonalities and then recommend policy to accommodate interest groups and personalities. There is a spectrum of democratic involvement, following top-down approaches, deliberative processes, adaptive governance, policy governance, collaborative governance, and so forth. No matter the approach to governance, a common starting point is the identification and contextualization of the problem itself. Often, the actual problem is assumed; it has been my experience that people tend to either jump ahead to policy design or give a cursory look at a problem definition that inevitably mismatches the true need. It is easy to state “this is a problem” and accept it as so, or for individuals on a governing body to assume that they all know what the problem is. Discovering the intent of a policy to match a specific problem gives credence to the discussion. Issues inherent in simply stating a problem and diving into a presumed policy design can be mollified simply by asking, “what does the problem prevent the people in the community from achieving?” This turns the question away from a problem definition to connecting an issue to the desired community. Doing so leverages decision-making to create solutions to achieve that vision rather than seeking to stop a problem without also filling the niche in which the problem had arisen. Numerous economic and workforce analyses aimed at helping Buena Vista recover from the Great Recession identified a lack of workforce housing as the primary issue affecting the region. Mostly relying on data from qualitative surveys, elected officials embarked on an effort to diversify housing stock. Simultaneously, an increasing awareness of Town’s water supply highlighted that a large increase in development through robust incentives would inevitably intersect with a firm limit of water supply. An increasing housing supply cannot outpace demand and bring down prices due to this limit. The twin problem of a water shortage and housing shortage creates a dilemma: How can Town shape policy to encourage needed housing that contributes to the collective vision, including economic vitality, a small-town feel, clean air and water, and so forth, while also limited by raw resources? Policy must be created to address this complex situation, partly addressing the existing problem of housing shortage and proactively building in safeguards for a future
Step 3: Seek the root cause of any problem so that policy addresses the root as close as possible. Can the Town truly understand the “problem” of water and housing? All economic and demographic trends point to a macro issue of housing shortages throughout the West. This may be out of our control or influence. Water is also difficult to address and requires collaboration on how water is allocated and used, and/or an acquisition of vast new supplies. With new water, the Town may build itself out of the housing issue, yet probably steer away from the small-town character and quality of life that the community wants. In any case, understanding as much about the situation can inform policies that mitigate the problem. Concern about water supply has existed for decades but only recently have resources been seriously devoted to addressing a longterm strategy. From 1984 through 2006, water planning documents recommended a blanket pursuit of additional water rights and water storage opportunities without any accompanying strategy. Only in the 2006 Water Master Plan was a connection made to population growth. Yet, this plan incorrectly assumed the amount of available rights and established false security about long-term availability. The Board of Trustees commissioned the 2008 Comprehensive Plan shortly after this water plan largely due to statutory requirements. The adopted plan contained 64 pages of policies and goals, with recommendations about how to successfully implement the plan. However, the plan was entirely silent about water. When asked about the rationale for omitting such an important topic, then Town Administrator stated that water was naturally included in the section on “infrastructure” where it referenced replacing waterlines. The combination of poorly developed planning documents and their apparent disconnect to water acted as catalyst for incoming Board members that forced water into the rhetoric. Specific attention was given to challenging assumptions feeding both the 2015 Water Resources Master Plan and the 2015 Comprehensive Plan. A concerted effort was launched to understand the nexus of water and housing, specifically drilling down on how various types of development used water. Trustees began to demand sound practices that linked water to growth and sought to create policies regarding water supply. The competing issues of a housing shortage and limited water supply have
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been discussed for the past few years, as an integrated conversation. Step 4: Identify the economic weak link that slows progress so that resources can be dedicated to strengthen this link. Be cognizant if an issue may halt progress and divert resources to adjust circumstances as soon as practicable. Annually, the Board discusses how the Town can be supported most effectively, viewing governmental activity as beginning with raw resources and iteratively moving through a chain of production toward the fulfillment of the collective vision and the accruement of additional resources with which to carry out business. Between 2010 and 2017, the Town focused on smoothing development processes, strengthening relationships, and encouraging more efficient land-use. More recently, the Town recognizes that primarily focusing on this “product conversion” link that benefits the housing shortage cannot be effective if attention does not shift to interface with water. The Town presently puts additional funds and time to strengthening its resource base to more efficiently use its water resources and earnestly seeks additional water security. Step 5: Develop policy that solves/ preventsa problem while leading toward the Collective Vision. Researchers who study patterns and trends in policy processes recognize that elected officials will often make small, incremental shifts rather than implementing sweeping and dramatic policy changes. This avoids shock to a system and allows for self-correction as needed. Without careful monitoring, if one policy has some negative unanticipated consequences, subsequent incremental policy can build upon the first and continue to unwittingly promote undesired effects. It is important to contextualize problems and the intent of a specific policy as it relates to a community as a whole. Even if incremental changes are proposed, adopted, and implemented, contextualizing the problem they seek to address can highlight potential external effects on social, economic, and environmental factors so that a future policy iteration can relieve negative consequences. It is also important to remember the tendency of a government to endorse these incremental changes, keeping in mind that major change may be needed at times in order to effectively deal with a problem. With this frame of mind, strategy can be developed that incorporates small steps of transition. A small change is easier for the public, business entities, interest groups and others to accept. In this case, the
Town has sought a balance of incremental change and a shift in paradigm that directly links water to housing in municipal planning and knows it cannot build its way out of a supplydemand conflict. Ideally, proposed policies match the problem at hand and the problem is sufficiently understood in order to appropriately devote a community’s resources to implementation. Within the assessment process, the Town uses a set of filtering questions to double check policy direction toward the collective vision. These are found on the Town’s website along with the vision. With these questions, the Trustees can prioritize for wealth generation, and have public discourse about marginal reaction and marginal effect, tie to the weak link, social logjams, long term resiliency, and potential sources or uses of money and energy.
Strategy
Two renown political scientists, Weimer and Vining, note that “the public-sector goal of social cost minimization can conflict with private-sector goal of profit maximization” (2017, 230). There is a natural trade-off in how the Town can continue to promote development while securing longterm viability of a community that requires a safe and reliable water supply. Data show that there is plenty of water for existing uses and enough water rights to support new development for 7-9 more years. If the Town is not able to diversify its water portfolio, it needs a strategy that has democratic support for collaboratively aligning housing in the Town’s interest alongside prudently using its available water resources. A water strategy and policies work session was recently held. This facilitated meeting
served as a culminating event that provided direction for developing water policy aimed at addressing the pending water supply issues and trying to balance repeated demands from the public for more governmental intervention in the housing situation. Reducing transaction costs incentivizes development and eases red tape but jeopardizes current allocation of water rights. There must be a mechanism to accommodate future generations since the finite resource cannot be borrowed from future reserves nor is it susceptible to changed interest rates or other means to manipulate the market. Water is a finite, common good subject to enormous unpredictability with a changing climate and its shifting associated weather patterns.
Two Policy Examples
Two specific policy changes are explored in greater depth to highlight the Town’s approach. It is important to devise unique policy and not to mimic anything specific since each policy is so situational. These policies detailed include: 1) how development could pay its own way and 2) how known water supply can promote desired types or locations of development. 1. Development Paying its Own Way As part of a solution, the Town has created a Water Dedication Fee that prices water as a public good assuming that it will cover foreseeable costs of additional water rights, storage, and general augmentation. This forcing contract is assessed on any new development. A charge for water now is a necessary trade-off designed to do two things. First, it continues targeted policy incentives that encourage a diverse housing stock. Second, it adds a demand-incentive to gain the benefit of a
secure, dedicated water supply. This slight increase in transaction costs and short-term reduction in profit margins produces communitywide savings and fiscal equity through a revenue stream now instead of deferring the cost to a later date. Furthermore, the financial burden of new water is placed on new residents rather than existing residents. The timing of implementation is critical. A trade-off implies that, in pursuit of maximizing the total utility of a good, a person is willing to exchange a certain amount of that good for another good. Public acceptance associated with such a trade-off would change depending on the marginal rate of substitution. The curved slope in Figure 1 illustrates how the rate changes as housing gains give way to contributing smaller amounts of money to water diversification. At a certain point, requiring larger development fees may not be politically palatable. The implementation of this policy occurs at a time when the “instantaneous slope” is relatively low (Figure 2) as opposed to several years from now when the same slope is much steeper (Figure 3). Because the fee provides security for financially creative solutions to expanding the water portfolio, distributes the responsibility of new water away from existing residents, and buffers future political calamity for enacting a larger policy change, the policy was enacted. Thus far, there has been zero pushback from the development community and the financial security has allowed the Town to move forward with two efforts that would not have happened otherwise: necessary capital projects and purchasing a new senior water right.
The curved slope in Figure 1 illustrates how the rate changes as housing gains give way to contributing smaller amounts of money to water diversification. At a certain point, requiring larger development fees may not be politically palatable. The implementation of this policy occurs at a time when the “instantaneous slope” is relatively low (Figure 2) as opposed to several years from now when the same slope is much steeper (Figure 3). CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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A Holistic Policy Case Study
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2. Targeting Water Supply to Town Desires After thoroughly understanding how much water was left in the Town’s portfolio and the time horizon until development would exhaust that supply, the Town contextualized its housing needs. Based on the collective vision, elected officials prioritized higher density, historic town lots, and deed restricted housing for much of the remaining water supply. This allows for continued development of desirable properties and leaves the door open for developers to seek their own source of water to bring into the portfolio. The Town set aside water specifically for infill after weighing the economic benefits regarding infrastructure, traffic, maintenance, waterlines and roads, and the sense of community that comes with higher density. Water is also set aside for urban agriculture, a government sponsored housing project, and a needed child-care facility.
Framing
The Town took care to frame these policies for public support and to collect critical feedback on the policies themselves. The first policy was aimed at ensuring financial resources would be available if needed. The second was particularly cognizant of the community look and feel and the use of money and energy well into the future. Government officials received zero pushback despite the increased cost of development and potential limitation to individual development of property. While a direct causal relationship cannot be established, it appears that the absence of resident pushback is related to the processes outlined above. An educational component was key: media were involved; in local government, local and social media are the primary or only source of information about policy issues for citizens. Additionally, a policy entrepreneur, in this case a particular elected official, was necessary to effectively utilize the political process toward problem contextualization and to lead by example. Lastly, I have included all recent policies related to water that have been discussed in Buena Vista. Most have been adopted and staff have received direction to bring others back for review. These may give some ideas to those readers pondering similar intertwined issues. • Assume conservation measures yield ‘bonus’ water and are not consistent for long term residential needs. • Establish accurate water accounting including useable water rights, water in use, and leftover supply. Base use 8 IN PRACTICE
• •
•
• •
on peak demand and dry-year water availability. Base availability on ‘wet water’ and historic calls on water rights. Set aside water as a reserve below the dry-year water right supply. Set aside water for infill that promotes density, uses existing infrastructure leading to potentially lower cost of housing, and encourages accessory dwelling units on existing lots. Institute a water-dedication fee for any new development for new water rights acquisition, storage development, augmentation, and other growth-related water needs. Require that any major subdivision include a percentage of housing that targets longterm needs. Develop a conservation plan and
Buena Vista Filtering Questions:
related code. • Revisit the collective vision statement with the public to provide additional or confirmatory guidance on how the community wants to be. Even with new water rights, there may be a limit to the desired growth and development of the community.
Joel Benson is a teacher, policy advisor, water resource specialist, and HMI Certified Educator. He lives in Colorado where he has worked to demonstrate Holistic Management in non-land based businesses and through work with the Town of Buena Vista as a former Mayor and Trustee. He can be reached at: joel@paratuinstitute.com. To read the Town of Buena Vista’s Community Vision go to: https:// buenavistaco.gov/2467/Community-Vision
These would be questions through which to pass potential strategies, policies, etc toward our Collective Vision for Buena Vista. If they generally pass these questions, we could approve them with a fair degree of certainty, acknowledging that we cannot account for every possible variable. Cause/Effect: 1. Is the proposed action/strategy/policy in reaction to something? If so, what? Does it address the root cause of whatever we are reacting to? For a Policy: what is the problem this policy is addressing/preventing and why does this problem exist: Ask ‘Why?’ 5 Times. What does the problem prevent the citizens from achieving? Social Logjam: 2. Will this negatively affect the quality of life of others? Will this so offend neighbors, the County, our constituency, etc that we will stop progress toward our Vision? Marginal Reaction: 3. If you have to chose between various options, which will take you toward the Vision most effectively? Energy/Money Source/Use: 4. What is the source and use of energy needed for this action, if any? Is it the best fit for our Vision? 5. What is the source and use of money needed for this action? Is it the best fit for our Vision? Economic Contribution: 6. Will this contribute to our sales tax? (or: Will this enhance our local economy?) 7. If this is a new enterprise what is its potential gross profit and how does that compare with other enterprises the Town has? Financial Weak Link: 8. If we plan to spend money, will we be channeling our resources in the most appropriate way, according to what we presently need most as a town: 1) Capitalizing on/enhancing staff’s capabilities and/or our current resources 2) Enhancing our “brand” as a town, or 3) actually marketing ourselves to potential tourists, new residents and/or businesses? Sustainability: 9. Will this enhance, or degrade the overall natural, social and economic resources that we need in the future to sustain our desired quality of life? Final Check: 10. Now that you’ve answered the other questions will this particular action/strategy/policy take us toward our Vision?
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Charter Ranch—
Evolving a Holistic Ranch BY ANN ADAMS
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teve Charter, third generation rancher and patriarch of the Charter Ranch in Roundup, Montana, was one of the founding members of what was once known as the Center for Holistic Resource Management (now Holistic Management International). He heard Allan Savory present in Montana in 1981 and was also involved in the Montana Branch for Holistic Management. From these early beginnings he and his family have continued to evolve their management practices and marketing in order to provide opportunity for the fourth and fifth generations that now reside on the ranch.
The Early Days
In the early days Steve was working with the Soil Conservation Service/NRCS and was taking over management of the family place. “I was looking at the grass and the economics and it didn’t look good,” says Steve. “I wasn’t sure what to do. Our house was where the land had been plowed and the NRCS advised us at the time to plow and plant crested wheat. But that area, which is very sandy soil, was 80% bare ground because it had been plowed and planted to crested wheat. “I didn’t know what else to do. But, the
NRCS was holding a school with Allan, for government agencies and they invited two ranchers—I was one of them. When I heard some of these ideas, I thought that there was maybe a way forward. I was blown away. I went to a few more schools and went to Albuquerque for a school down there with my wife, Jeanne, and a neighbor. “Then I did everything wrong because I started building fences and upping my stocking rate. There was a long period of trial and error. Being pretty slow to figure out what I was doing wrong, I kept making adjustments and I could see I was still making improvements. From then on, it’s been a life-long learning process. “Initially we had the family ranch which was three times larger than what I got through my inheritance after my parents died. The original family unit was an economical unit, but now we only have a third of the land base. That’s my big challenge; to make 8,000 acres in this country an economical unit. It’s been a real struggle and continues to be. We’ve just come
The Charter Family Photo credit: Charter Ranch
Steve Charter Photo credit: Charter Ranch out of a three-year drought. We’re finally getting some timely rain and grasses have bounced back. It’s never been easy. “Our winter range averages 10–12 inches of rain and the summer range in the Bull Mountains averages 14 inches and has better soil. Our land base goes from 3,300 to 4,800 feet elevation. We can really see progress in the high country because it was never farmed and plowed. “Now the area around the house is still predominantly crested wheat, but it is more palatable, and the sagebrush is mostly gone. I have mixed emotions about the sagebrush as I didn’t want to get rid of it, but the cows trampled it out. We fed in that area and used livestock concentration to change the soil biology. Before we were told crested wheatgrass was the hero and now it’s the enemy. We know now that we don’t want monoculture. What we really want is diversity. We are glad to see the native grasses coming back like Western wheatgrass. And, our bare ground is now CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
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down to 20%. It hasn’t been a concentrated effort, but we keep doing what we can. When we started there was no top soil left and now when we dig into the soil we can see brown. We had a couple of fantastic years and did some seeding of cover crops, but then we had three years of drought years and grasshoppers. This year we’ve had some timely rains and the grasses are looking great.” Steve notes that the NRCS rating for forage production in that area is 40–50 ADA. “We’ve
2019, Steve and his daughter, Annika, were selling 12–15 head a year through direct sales. The Charters then got involved in the startup of a Yellowstone Valley Food Hub by Northern Plains Resource Council. The hub is a cooperative of about 15 producers predominantly selling beef, but with a variety of foods offered in the summer months. Once a week they aggregate product and customers come and pick it up from the hub. Steve said the hub was struggling to get started, but the pandemic gave it a boost. There is one full-time employee and the Charters can sell meat cuts through the food hub that they normally
ever since. “We got some red wigglers and started making vermicast,” says Steve. “We’ve been fairly successfully at making and selling large quantities. The enterprise is reasonably profitable, although it is a lot of work and there is a learning curve.” Steve experimented with a bio-stimulant recipe that Nicole gave him after the workshop and when he sprayed 80 acres with the biostimulant, his horses broke through a barbedwire fence to graze the grasses. Next, the dung beetles came in and buried the horse dung in a day (something that usually doesn’t happen here). Steve experimented with raising the worms in shallow trenches filled with straw to make the vermicast. He fed the worms kitchen scraps, coffee grounds, dried weeds, wood chips, horse manure, sugar-beet tailings from a nearby refinery, pulp from juice bars in town. He then used the vermicast as a spray and has used it on 2,000 acres of the ranch. While Steve is excited about what can be obtained with these practices, he’s also cognizant of the economics that must be considered when experimenting with different practices. “Everything you do to stimulate the biology costs the same as for someone on higher rainfall or pasture so it will pay better there,” says Steve. “I’m not sure that compost is the best solution on semi-arid rangeland
Bull Mountain is the summer range for the Charter Ranch. Photo credit: Charter Ranch been able to do more in better years and have even been able to double our stocking rate, but we were pushing the grasses and not giving them enough rest,” says Steve. Steve notes that if they do severe grazing in dry years in a given area then they might give those areas a couple of years of rest. Now with adequate recovery and reduced grazing pressure, they are grazing most of the ranch once a year. Steve is down to 80 cows and 120 yearlings which is about a third of the normal stocking rate.
Experimenting with New Practices
One of the ways that the Charters are adapting to this reduced carrying capacity is to direct market their beef and gain more value for their product. They started direct marketing three years ago. Jeanne, Steve’s wife who passed away in 2011, had started a small grassfed beef business 30 years ago with hamburger made from their cull cows. Prior to 10 IN PRACTICE
can’t sell directly from the ranch where the Charters sell quarters, halves, and wholes. Now the Charters have been slaughtering and marketing 50 head of fat cattle for the last three years. There has been some challenge with getting the cattle processed as the new packing plants had inexperienced workers which meant quality inconsistency, but overall these arrangements have been working well. Another way the Charters have continued to evolve their ranching was really diving into soil health. Steve worked on an educational The summer range in Bull Mountain in a good year. event to bring Nicole Masters Photo credit: Charter Ranch to the area for a workshop and she did a ranch tour of the Charter Ranch. She because of the cost. We’ve played with gave them some guidelines on how to build the stock density and use polywire to get more soil biology and Steve has been experimenting concentration, and we have seen a difference.
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But, the time and effort is a lot. With a lease cost of $6/acre here, you can’t do something that will cost less than that to make economic sense. Cows are the best tool we have. Anything we can do by fence or herding will give us the best return. Those skills are the direction we need to be going in.” Steve notes that they have a lot more paddocks (trying to keep them under 100 acres) than they used to, but it’s a challenge with wildlife to keep the fences hot. He says if he had to do it over, he’d concentrate on herding. One place where Steve feels they’ve had success on the range is with kochia as a forage plant that has high protein and maintains protein levels through the winter. The NRCS has made recommendations to cultivate and plant it. Steve didn’t initially have success, because the seed
son, Ressa, also helps on the ranch. Steve enjoys the mentoring and finds the quality of the people is fantastic in this program. “The apprentices don’t have much ag background, but they have the desire and interest and have
While things never change as fast as I’d like to see, I think we are on a steady line of people understanding these concepts and applying them. This work has been very worthwhile. I believe cattle are our best tool and we just need
Having the grandkids involved in some of the ranch work is a real perk for Steve. Photo credit: Charter Ranch been willing to work,” says Steve. “The mentor is expected to make it a learning experience and that takes time and puts pressure on the mentor to make the apprenticeship into a learning experience. I think it’s a great program and graduates are getting ranch jobs.” Steve enjoys teaching his children and grandchildren, as well as the apprentices, about the land. He’s excited to have the grandchildren around and they are beginning to be old Some of the Charter ranch crew taking a enough to help with some of rest in good forage. the work. He wants to share Photo credit: Charter Ranch his experience with others as he continues to learn new is hard to germinate. But he started to put some techniques and practices. seed in prairie dog towns and all of a sudden “It was a total life changing experience the kochia took off. He now has more forage to learn about cattle and grass, and to have in prairie dog towns than on other areas of the my whole mind set changed and relook at range. He has found that livestock and wildlife the way we did stuff,” says Steve. “I’m totally both love it and it is the first thing they go to in grateful to have been exposed to all the ideas a pasture. I have learned. Way back in the day, when the neighbors did the Holistic Management The Next Generation management club, that was really helpful to Steve is also participating in the Quivira meet other people to get that support. I can’t Coalition’s New Agrarian Program and is overemphasize how grateful I am for having mentoring an apprentice. Annika does the been presented to Holistic Management and the books, financial planning, and marketing, while structure that went along with it. Since then a lot her husband helps with the equipment. Steve’s of people have been doing different innovations.
to learn how to manage them to restore this degraded rangeland. “We are slowly building the soil. We’ve been able to keep the ranch going despite being a third of the original size, and that has been tremendously satisfying. We are figuring out how to make a living and have a place for the family to be and making the ranch work. I’m still an optimist and I think we can figure out how to manage these semi-arid rangelands. We are also figuring out ways to pass this knowledge forward and pass on some of the land. The kids are very engaged and interested and have been able to help with the ranch part-time. They will need their regular job to support their families, but maybe the grandkids will figure out a way to use the ranch as a base. “We know that consumers, especially with the pandemic, are realizing the fallibility of these concentrated food systems. That system is a huge thing to overcome and such a part of how things work. But, people are starting to appreciate that we need to have people on the land and they are supporting us. “There is big money behind the plant-based food movement that is supposed to save us from animal agriculture. We need to get the message out there that we need people and animals on the land, not chemicals. We need the consumers and environmentalists out on these places where they can talk with the farmers and ranchers first hand. They need us and our animals to care for the land.” Num ber 2 06
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Boxgum Grazing—
The Link Between Land and Consumers BY ANN ADAMS
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am Johnson and his wife, Claire, have had a long commitment to the land and to creating healthy food. While both of them come from grazing properties, they also have a background in Permaculture and have worked in other agricultural operations. Today, they are transitioning their business, Boxgum Grazing in Murringo, New South Wales, Australia, to their children after successfully creating a “Paddock to Plate” enterprise for beef, lamb, and pork on their 1,500-ha (3,750-acre) property called “Windermere,” a mix of alluvial flats and unproductive granite rises.
Experimenting on a Large Scale
Sam came across Allan Savory’s book, Holistic Management, in the mid ‘90s and found Australian Holistic Management® Certified Educator Bruce Ward’s information. He contacted him and Sam organized a training day at a local technical college in 19951996. Later, Sam and Claire did a formal course Sam watering the butchery compost. with Bruce. Sam learned about Holistic Management when he was working in orchards as a pruner and grafter. “When I read Allan’s book it was a bit of an epiphany,” says Sam. “Lots of things dropped into place. I realized the way we were managing the land, not the animal, was what was destructive to the land. It was quite a revelation. I thought the opportunity to regenerate the land with these practices was just fantastic. We were on a smaller property, about 30 ha (75 acres), at the time and we were doing orchards and chickens and taking a polyculture approach.” But, they began experimenting with some of the practices they had learned on this smaller scale. “In 2002 we came back to the family property where I’m the third generation to manage the land,” says Sam. “It is a larger grazing property and we focused on sheep and cattle grazing. It was a great opportunity to put Holistic Management into practice on a much bigger scale. In those early 12
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years, we were producing for commodity markets and trading stock. In 2012 we started direct marketing with Boxgum Grazing. “We knew from our previous experiments how to create a plan and manage the grazing and bunch the stock. We got great results on the small property. On the new land we bunched the stock but didn’t add fencing. We had a mob of 5,000 sheep compared to the 20 head of cattle we had on the small place. In the early years we worked on improving the water system. There was a lot of infrastructure development needed because of the previous set stocking model. This was a time of below Sam Johnson and crew. average rainfall. We saw that we had native grasses where animals couldn’t get to them until we developed more water. We also saw improvement in the animal health, and the neighbors were blowing dust from their property and we weren’t. “Initially there were flatweed, annual grasses, and some lower successional perennials like wire and spear grasses. The front part of the place had some pasture improvement, but the quickest response was in non-arable native country, which came back quite quickly. Once we started getting ground cover the flatweeds diminished and then we saw improvement in the water cycle and the livestock.” The Johnsons now
Claire Johnson moving the weaner cattle.
The pigs are provided portable shelter to help them handle the heat. average 5 DSE/ha (2 DSE/acre). “We are growing an awful lot more feed now with continuous succession of higher perennial grasses where you wouldn’t expect them to be,” say Sam. “We have more diversity in both introduced and native species coming down to former farmland. We have been able to make sure that if we get rain at any time of the year we can turn it into some growth, so we are far less concerned about dry periods. “We sold off some of the land for the family succession plan, but we’ve seen productivity improvements in the land. In areas where we had very little yield initially, we are now harvesting four to five times more grass than we did before. We can even do this with our lactating cows as well. We never ran breeding cows up on the hill, but now we run them there with no issues. We don’t treat them for anything or supplement them. We did some mineral supplements early on, but once we got diversity in the pasture we didn’t need to give supplements anymore.” Originally Boxgum was 2,500 ha (6,250 acres). After the land sale it is now 1,500 ha (3,750 acres). They have the property divided into approximately 25–30 paddocks and then subdivide further with polywire. If it’s a dry season they can tighten up the herds with temporary wire and make over 100 paddocks or more. Average rainfall is 625 mm (25 inches)
Sam acknowledges that there were some initial challenges with water development because most of the dams they relied on became ineffective once they started holding water on the country and growing more grass. Now they water everything off of pipes and troughs. “We probably put in 40 km (24 miles) of pipe,” says Sam. “We have three portable troughs and we only run two mobs. We have the main mob and we run a small mob of growers for the market in front of them for a couple of days. We market all year round. Our grower mob is 50 finishing cattle (2-year steers and heifers). The main mob is 300 cows calving and 260 yearlings, 500 ewes, and 300 lambs. With the leader mob we focus on livestock performance. Claire does all the planning and managing the mob. She moves the mob every day and they get 2–15 ha (5-38 acres), depending on the season and production levels. “Our quick recovery is 40–45 days and our longer recovery would 90150 days. We were experimenting with long recoveries and tried 150-200 days, but we are not doing that anymore. We get better landscape health and animal health with our recovery period not being longer than 150 days. Our grazing is much more flexible now. In the earlier days we had a bit of a set pattern.
Boxgum Grazing pigs foraging on their weekly allotment. “Claire likes to keep the plants lower in the growth curve during the growing season. She focuses more on grazing before the seed head sets, when the potential is there. We make the plants work a little harder, and we are getting better response in plant health and livestock performance; the landscape is more alive. We are getting less bare ground now because we are getting more green plant material. We still have a lot of cover on the ground and productivity has increased. With longer recovery periods we missed the benefits of certain species, and more of the plants were moribund. We weren’t getting enough disturbance. Claire increased the density of grazing mob and the high level of impact created a lot of benefit with germination and establishment of diverse plants.” This focus on high quality forage results in a low-cost production model that requires minimum input. The Johnsons add no fertilizers and do not drench or vaccinate the animals, with little need for medication. Their cattle’s dressed weight is 220kg–300kg (485–661 lbs).
Paddock to Plate
The Johnsons deliver to Canberra 160 km away using an online ordering system to pre-sell all product.
In 2011 Sam and Claire decided to breed their own livestock and market them. “That decision was very much based around our holistic goal,” says Sam. “We were dissatisfied with the trading and producing stuff for the commodity markets. We got no recognition for the quality we CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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were producing or the results we were achieving on the land. We had done ‘Paddock to Plate’ before and enjoyed the interaction with the consumers. We knew from previous experience that free range pork really stands out in the marketplace. So we started with pigs to build our brand. We used a local place to cut and bag and marketed to Canberra which is 160 km (96 miles) or two hours away. We produced about 400 pigs per year at the start and we have cut back to 300 per year as the lambs have increased. We added beef and then when our son, Sid, came back we added the lambs. “The trouble with pigs is they have to be supplemented so you are tapping back into buying in feed, whereas lambs and cattle can be grown from grass. So, from a sustainability standpoint, cattle and lambs win. Pigs require more work and can’t handle a hot summer. There is more work to get them through heat waves. We’ve moved out of breeding pigs and are Boxgum’s mob on the move. now just finish pigs here. We butcher them at 24 weeks old when they dress capacity is two to three cattle, 10 lambs and a dozen out at 65–90 kg (143–198 pigs. If we want to expand, we would have to build lbs). Not having the breeding a new facility in the local town. We have enough means we have a network demand that we could expand our market particularly of free range growers, and with the lambs and beef. it allows them to tap into our “We do a big farmers market each week in market.” The pigs are moved Canberra and also do delivery to restaurants and door each week to approximately to door delivery to households. Our deliveries are half a hectare (1.25 acres). pre-sold through online ordering, and any un-ordered Sam notes that Boxgum is material goes to the farmer’s market.” at capacity with the butchery Currently labor includes Sam, Claire, and Sid and smokehouse so they along with help from other family members and four can’t run a bigger operation full-time employees and a couple of part-timers and unless they go outside their people who help them in Canberra at the market or area with a larger facility. doing delivery. Altogether there are a dozen or so Having this value-added people involved. component to the business Sam and Claire are continuing with their was a key succession succession planning as Molly, their daughter, has also planning decision. “Sid came moved back to the property and they have another back home and was keen on daughter Annabel living and working in Sydney. being involved,” says Sam. Sid and Molly have completed training in Holistic “We have a boning room, but Boxgum processes about two lambs a week and Management and all the family is involved in the because of our power, we are there is demand for more. planning for Boxgum and the succession plan. “We limited in the size cooler we are working on keeping the structure together and can run. Our current weekly moving in the direction Boxgum is already going,” says Sam. “We’ve given the children the reins. I think they will all see Boxgum as the vehicle and the land base to live on and enjoy. It is up to them as to how to develop it. We intend to stay living on the farm, but are passing over control of land and Boxgum to them. “We’ve definitely found having a holistic context, where all the people are involved in making a decision, to be a helpful tool. Holistic Management has also given us insight about landscape health and how to use animals to improve it. The strength of Holistic Management is the integration of the financial planning, encouraging good communication, and developing human relationships. “We’re excited about being part of the continuing development of the regenerative agriculture space and figuring out the role we can play in it and being the link between land health and food health. We are the link between the land and our customers. I enjoy having that link to our customers and that’s why we got involved in the Land to Market program and have been verified with that program. It’s also great to have the grandchildren around.”
Boxgum cattle grazing in the red gums. 14
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Emond Ranch—
Improving Rangeland in Montana BY HEATHER SMITH THOMAS
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usty Emond is a 4th generation rancher on land that his greatgrandfather homesteaded in 1918 between Malta, Montana and the Missouri River Breaks in north central Montana. Dusty grew up on the ranch and then went to Dawson Community College in Glendive, Montana for two years on a rodeo scholarship, then went to Montana State University in Bozeman for a degree in Ag Business and Economics. “After graduating from MSU in 1986 I worked for Farmers Home Administration until 1990 as an assistant loan officer. I started leasing the ranch in 1990 from my folks and I am now buying it on a contract,” Dusty says. Over the years he has learned various grazing management practices to improve land health and productivity and has experimented with them on large landscapes.
coming in, and a better mix of plants. If we can have faster moves with bigger herds, I think we can increase the stocking rate by 50% to 100%— at least on the home place. Then if I lose some leases or decide to slow down, I can still run roughly the same herd on fewer acres.” The ranch is run by three people—Dusty, Margaret Demarais, and her daughter JayAnn Demarais. “JayAnn is my fulltime employee and Margaret works here and is also self-employed doing cleaning and seasonal cattle work for neighbors. Those two gals and myself are the entire crew here on my ranch except for some day help certain times of the year.”
Caring of the Land
The home ranch is about 15,000 acres. “With our additional leases we run the livestock on anywhere from 60,000 to 80,000 acres each year. It is primarily grazing land; we have a little bit of hay ground but don’t own farming equipment. I am trying to get away from haying! I have some old, worn-out equipment and I am not going to replace it. I’ve reseeded about one-third of the hay ground. We grew cover crops for a few years, and then for the past several years we’ve been reseeding it back to native grasses. We used electric fence to divide those hayfields into five permanent pastures and are trying to rotate the sheep and goats through those,” he says. The ranch is mainly rangeland and it takes a lot of acres to run a cow. “Three years ago, which was a fairly normal year (before the drought), we ran 600 pairs, 600 yearlings and 400 sheep. This is relatively
Margaret Demarais moving the sheep and goat herd.
The operation runs cow-calf pairs, breeding heifers, stockers, sheep and goats. The goal is to utilize regenerative practices which they have learned through many sources including Holistic Management and Ranching for Profit. “Growing up, I went to a country school— through 6th grade—and thought I knew all there was to know about ranching. Then I started going to seminars on regenerative agriculture and realized I didn’t know all that much! I learned more in the past couple years than I did in my entire college career. The more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know!” Nicole Masters also came to this area and did four different seminars in 2021 in Montana. “We went to all of her seminars here last summer and it just amazed me how little I actually knew about soil—in terms of microbes and fungi ratios, etc,” says Dusty. “I was barely aware that we had microbes and fungi, let alone ratios! It was an eye-opener and makes me believe that there is a lot of potential to improve this ground. We’ve been slowly working our Dusty uses a solar powered pump to fill a water tank for cattle to drink from way to becoming more regenerative, attending various seminars. while keeping the pond fenced off to protect the water quality in the pond. We are trying to pay attention to soil health and trying to improve poor ground and the grass is not that great. Some of it we graze a little bit our grazing management and rotations. during the growing season and again in the dormant season, but about “Some people tell me I am wasting my time and money trying to do 80% of it only gets grazed once a year for not much more than 10 days this, but we will continue to ‘waste’ some time and money and see if it and is then rested again until the next year,” Dusty explains. actually improves. I am pretty confident that it will, because we are starting With this type of management, he has seen a lot of improvement. to see it. The pastures that have been getting some rest are showing “Without actually knowing what we were doing, the change has made a more diversity. We now have quite a bit of green needle grass, which for difference in recent years. My folks grazed season long. With most of the our environment is kind of an indicator that the soils are improving. I don’t pastures, they would put 50 head in there for the entire grazing system, remember seeing much green needle grass when I was a kid; we mainly so we’ve now made a lot of improvements. Unfortunately, I don’t have it had lots of blue gramma grass and shorter species that can withstand CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 documented, but we have definitely seen some more desirable species Num ber 2 06
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Winters are variable; some winters have a lot of snow but the past two winters there was no snow. “We are working toward year-round grazing and I’ve accomplished that with our late-calving cows that we send down to the breaks next to the National Wildlife Refuge. We haven’t fed that group much hay at all in the past 7 years. Up here, however, it’s flatter and windier and we generally have to feed somewhere between a half ton and a ton of hay per cow,” he explains.
higher intensity season-long grazing. So we are getting some more desirable species, even though we still have our share of undesirables. We are slowly reducing those, and I think adding the sheep and goats will be a benefit. “We have some greasewood and other shrubs and the sheep have Maximizing Profit with Sell-Buy Marketing nearly eliminated those; they will eat the greasewood and sagebrush that The late calving group of cows calve from mid-May through June. the cattle normally don’t each much of. Cattle will eat some cheat grass, at “We were calving mid-April through June but we are now trying to move certain times, but the sheep will really mow it down.” it toward eventually just calving in May and June. We lamb and kid in late Given the landscape and size of the ranch, it has been impossible to April or May. The sheep and goats are pretty much out on their own. We accomplish daily moves, at this point. “We’ve gone from doing 45-day bring them in for a while after we shear the sheep in March or April and moves to 10 or 15 day moves with the cattle, and we are working on that feed them for a while, but they generally graze out on pasture until March with the sheep also. We are trying to shorten our moves and increase our or April, depending on the weather. We haven’t had any really bad winters, rest periods.” however, for about 6 or 7 years,” says Dusty. This area has been in a 2 ½ year drought, with grasshoppers. These The cattle on the ranch have changed dramatically over the years. conditions have diminished some of the forage resource and there’s been “My dad used AI a lot and bred a lot of exotic-cross cattle for the club calf a shortage of water for the cattle. “We’ve been spending a lot of time market and show ring. I did that, too, when I first came back to the ranch. building fence, putting in pipelines and digging reservoirs. We’re making We won some major shows with our cattle and those genetics. Then I went some headway on the fences and water developments,” Dusty says. to Bud Williams’ marketing school, which changed my thinking on how to With the current drought the normal water sources have dried up make money with cattle,” Dusty says. or don’t have enough water, or have become unsafe for cattle to drink Bud taught sell-buy marketing, which is a little different than the because the reservoirs have dried down to mud and a high concentration traditional view of marketing. Most people in the livestock business think in of salts and bacteria. In order to use those pastures on dry years, it was terms of buy-sell--buying cattle to increase in weight or number of animals necessary to develop alternative water sources. or value, and then selling them, The cattle are now fenced out to make a profit. In sell-buy of those reservoirs with electric marketing you determine what fences. “We had to keep them is overvalued and undervalued out because they were either in the marketplace, and only bogging into the mud or getting buy animals that you can sick from drinking that poorincrease in value. quality water,” Dusty says. “I started buying sale barn “We bought some solar cattle. So I went from breeding pumps, and on those reservoirs what we thought were the best that we’ve fenced off, we are cattle in the U.S. to buying pumping the water out of them undervalued cattle and adding for the cattle. Even though it’s value to them. I’ve made a poor quality water, at least the lot more money in the past cows are not down in it, making 10 years doing that than I did it into mud. We are using a during earlier years. It works, couple of those pumps and have if you buy the right cattle,” also put in at least 15 miles of Dusty explains. You buy cattle water line. We hauled water to that might be thin or for some some of the cattle for about two reason not the most desirable months this summer, and that’s Dusty uses the Sell-Buy Marketing method taught by Bud Williams to buyers, and put weight on not economical. We’ve strung to improve cattle profits. them or breed the heifers or many miles of electric fence and in some other way add more value to them and resell them for more than put in some permanent fences, trying to reduce pasture sizes so we can enough to pay for the feed and the time. You just want to make sure they increase movement. are healthy and you don’t bring home a problem. “We’ve tried to consolidate the cattle into bigger herds. On whichever “So far, I have been lucky, and have not brought home any diseases. ranch or lease, wherever feasible, we try to run just one herd per ranch Right now we have mostly Black Angus cattle and some crossbreds; we unit. We run all the cows in one spot and all the yearlings in another.” are not fussy on what we buy as long as it’s a decent animal. We are trying Most of the land is relatively flat. This region gets an average of 10 to increase the stocker program—the spayed heifers and the steers. My to 12 inches of annual precipitation, but the last few years it’s only been plan right now—though the drought is setting it back a bit—is to sell every about 8 inches. The forage is mainly native species on most of the land, cow by the time she is five years of age and just run young cattle. This will but there is some crested wheat that was planted years ago during the homestead days, and utilized for spring grazing because it grows earlier in help minimize depreciation, and there is always a good market for 5-yearold cows because they still have many productive years ahead of them; the season than the native plants. 16 IN PRACTICE
h November / December 2022
they are often worth within $200 of a bred heifer and haven’t depreciated dogs to accept cattle. So far they herd the sheep away from the cattle. very much,” Dusty says. “The coyote problems are sporadic. Some years we’ve lost almost “We’ve only been doing this for a couple years now, but I think it will no sheep or goats to coyotes, and we’ve had other years where they’ve work out well for us. After going to some of those marketing schools, this gotten into us pretty good. Once the coyotes start eating sheep, if the dogs type of program made sense—and now because of the drought we had don’t get those coyotes they just continue to be a problem. to get rid of some of the cattle so we went ahead with this plan. Right “Last year I think we only lost one sheep to a coyote, but by August now all the cows on the ranch are mainly 2 or 3-year-olds. Due to the this year we’ve already had five or six confirmed kills. We have a coyote drought and the shortage of grass and water—mostly water—we are down that needs killed but we just haven’t gotten him yet. We had four guard to about 36% of normal on our livestock inventory. We’ve cut numbers dogs and I recently got two more to help with these new sheep so we now dramatically.” have six. The heifers are bred to Angus “If you run enough dogs and bulls, but Dusty is interested in keep the sheep in tight enough getting some Wagyu bulls to groups, the coyotes can’t really breed the heifers, for greater get the sheep. The main times calving ease. This will save we have problems is when the labor and the heifers can be sheep spread out into two or calved out on the range without three groups and get spread assistance. “We moved the cow over a mile or more and some herd to calve in May and June, are too far away for the dogs to mostly to save hay and labor protect them all. If we can keep in the winter, so we can graze them fenced into relatively small more. The calves can be weaned areas like a quarter section late in the year. We’ve been or less, we usually don’t have weaning in October; I contracted problems. If they are in a bigger the larger end of the steer calves pasture consisting of two or for October delivery this year,” three sections we usually get Dusty says. a few sheep picked off. So “I have quite a bit of grass we either need more dogs or in some pastures and if there smaller pastures.” Dusty has worked to improve pasture quality and diversity which has also is some snow this year I can Dusty also notes that the resulted in increased wildlife diversity. leave some of the cows out in Nature Conservancy has a those pastures that don’t have water (they can utilize snow for water). I am grazing group near his ranch. “I send 90 yearlings over there—heifers hoping to leave the heifer calves and the later-born steers on their mothers for breeding. The group runs 1,100 heifers in common on that pasture. a little longer—maybe into February. This works really well for a lot of We take turns moving the cattle, and on doctoring days and preg-check people and there’s really no reason we couldn’t do that, but by the time I days we all show up to help. It gives us a chance to network with 11 other learned about doing this and decided it was a good idea, we got into this ranchers. It’s a little bit like a grazing association but it’s not. The Nature drought and were short on grass.” Conservancy gives us some discounts for the grazing if we do some Dusty has sent heifer calves in years past to feedlots to have them fed environmentally-friendly things on our home ranch; we get a reduced through winter, but he would prefer to leave them on the cows instead. grazing fee in exchange,” Dusty says. They seem to become better cows. “We’ve wintered a few calves with “I always appreciate the extra grass but I also enjoy the interaction with their mothers down in the breaks with that late-calving herd, and they did the other ranchers to see how they do things, and having a meeting once fine. We had a handful down there last year, and they are looking good a year to discuss what we should do in the next grazing season for health as yearlings now. That’s a long-term goal of mine, to leave the heifer protocols or breeding season. It’s always interesting, and mentally fun.” calves and late steers on their mothers for the entire winter. We haven’t Dusty, Margaret and JayAnn use four-wheelers sometimes when accomplished that yet, but that’s on our to-do list,” says Dusty. checking and managing pastures and cattle, but also use horses quite a The sheep on the ranch have always been wool sheep, until recently. bit. “We do a lot of our cattle work horseback, which most guys up here “I just brought in a semi-load of hair sheep (about 350) and 50 Spanish don’t do. Many of them don’t even own horses. In large pastures with nannies, which I’ve never run before, so I will be experimenting with them. stockers, however, it’s helpful to have good horses. If you are going to These are Spanish nannies that I bought from a guy in Nebraska who is have stockers, you can just figure on doctoring some of them, and it’s also in a drought and needed to de-stock,” says Dusty. easier for us to just rope them to doctor them, when they are out in big So far Dusty has been running the cattle separate from the sheep and pastures,” Dusty says. goats. “I would love to get them to where I could run them all in one herd Dusty is thankful to the many people and groups who have but so far my guard dogs like to harass cattle. It also takes a little different helped him in this journey to improve his land—providing financial and/or fencing for the sheep and goats and I only have certain pastures electriceducational help including the NRCS, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife fenced for sheep, so at this point I am running them separate,” Dusty says. program, Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, Montana Aquatic Resources “In the winter we let them run together, but they usually stay separate, Services (they bought Dusty a well in exchange for some wetlands), the in their own little groups. The dogs usually keep the sheep about a half Nature Conservancy, Soil for Water, and Ranch Management Consultants. mile from the cattle; they are very protective of their flock. I don’t know if He hopes to continue improving his soil and vegetation on this ranch we’ll have to get different dogs to run them all together, or if we can get our through thoughtful management. Num ber 2 06
h IN PRACTICE 17
PROGRAM ROUND UP Colorado Beginning Farmer/ Rancher Program
I
n the spring of 2022 the Valley Food Partnership (VFP), Holistic Management International (HMI) and the Colorado State University’s (CSU) Food Systems Department hosted a learning series for the Cultivating Farmers and Ranchers that Thrive Program (CFRT) participants in Montrose, Colorado. The goal of the program is to support new and beginning farmers/ ranchers in the Western Slope region. Cindy Dvergsten, a long time Holistic Management Certified Educator and mentor out of Dolores,
business modeling. A business needs to fly, just like the paper airplane. Most participants wanted to go back and redesign their airplanes to fly better. Like any model, farm and ranch businesses will be a continuous work in progress as it adapts to change and make improvements. Caleb Valdez and Brittany Duffy started Uncompahgre Farms three years ago. They run a herd of beef cattle on leased lands. Caleb’s goals are: to provide a better way to buy beef, one which is healthier for the cows, the consumers, and the community, to reconnect folks to their food and each other, and to improve the land through regenerative agriculture Thank you to the USDA Beginning Farmer/Rancher Program for funding this training and to the Valley Food Partnership and Colorado State University for collaborating and making this possible.
James Ranch Grazing Planning Workshop
T
he James Ranch is widely recognized as an operation providing delicious, nutritious food to residents and visitors through their ranch shop and restaurant north of Durango, Colorado. The ranch produces 100% grass-fed and finished beef, raw milk and artisan cheese, whey-fed pork, and an abundance of vegetables and flowers, while providing a market for 50 local farmers and ranchers produce. Dave James kicked off the two-day HMI grazing planning workshop, held August 16–17, 2022, providing the group of 25 attendees with the history of this iconic operation and how he and his wife Kay, were inspired to keep the property as a working farm after attending a Holistic Management event with Allan Savory. Julie (James) Ott joined her father in talking Cally Hale, the program manager for Cultivation Farmers and Ranchers that Thrive through various aspects of the business (CFRT) discusses program details with participants. Cally, a fourth generation farmer/ journey, and how the clarity and purpose rancher, is also participating in the training. provided by their joint Holistic Goal has motivated, guided and informed many of the Colorado, facilitated the Introduction to Holistic Management, family’s collective work from humble beginnings to the thriving, the Holistic Financial Planning as well as the Holistic Marketing inclusive and collaborative operation that it is today. & Business Planning courses with in-person and online trainings “Maintaining a Holistic Goal is so important. We revisit it annually spread out over four months. to make sure everyone is still in agreement and revise if necessary. The project is funded through a USDA Beginning Farmer/ That Goal has kept this family on track and supported us to achieve Rancher grant with a goal of supporting the development of up to the many enterprises you see here today,” said Ott. 72 new farm operations in the region over the next three years. Jenn (James) Wheeling joined her father and sister in providing Cally Hale, CFRT Program Manager said, “VFP aims to give background on how the overarching ranch management team and these farmers and ranchers a strong foundation of regenerative business structures support the separate enterprises operated by agricultural practices, hands-on experience, and to foster a strong the various family members. The structure is a key to ensuring the community of new and experienced farmers and ranchers as they creativity for each individual to express their ideas, while ensuring start their agricultural journey. This year’s cohort is a diverse group the mission guides the whole of the team. of students with a wide range of experience and locations.” Family members from three generations talked animatedly about Participants line up to see who’s paper airplane model flies synergy and autonomy within each business unit. Each enterprise is the best and furthest as an introduction to the concept of farm operated by a separate family with autonomy to run their enterprise
18 IN PRACTICE
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or enterprises as they see fit, but within the rules and framework laid out by the landholding entity on and around which they all operate. Joe Wheeling, who along with his wife Jenn runs the beef operation, outlined how the family conducts effective quarterly meetings that further their day-to-day efforts. Joe has a 20-year corporate background, which helps him understand the challenges of meetings and working together. Joe explained how the family strategically utilizes team events to enhance cooperation and offered use of the Delegated Meeting process as a positive
anticipated rainfall cycle. Wayne introduced methods for assessing available forage and determining if stock numbers match the available feed to the time, and how the accuracy of these estimated can be monitored as the plan is in action using a Holistic Planned grazing chart. Differences between targeted animal performance and forage utilization and grazing moves must be changed according to variables such as prevailing growing conditions, animal actual performance, shortfalls or excesses in anticipated growth rate and forage quality, unforeseen events or activities such as disease, poisonous plants, and family issues.
Dave James explaining the James Ranch story to workshop participants. alternative for families or teams who work together. Joe explained that the Holistic Goal provided the motivation and the direction, while the meeting structure and shared and rotated meeting responsibility engender the supportive and empathetic contributions and participation from the entire family, both those involved directly in the business and those who are not. The aim is to create autonomous enterprises that complement all other enterprises. Rules and planning ensure that enterprises can stand alone, succeed and fail without negatively impacting the land holding and viability of the other enterprises. Joe explained how the Ranch entity had not allowed debt and that it had taken significant family discussion and planning to shift to investing in the Ranch Store and Restaurant. This step has transformed not just the James Ranch businesses, but also had a significant role in supporting the regenerative farmers and farm-totable restaurants in the region. Gunther Ott, the fourth generation of the James family involved on the ranch, explained the monitoring of insect, bird, amphibian, mammals and reptiles on the property. Gunther also explained how the increase in diversity on the ranch has led to the disappearance of swarms of mosquitos, and how the introduction of a Canadian thistle fungus has reduced their thistle problems. He also highlighted how bird life is thriving and game numbers are increasing. Wayne Knight, HMI’s Executive Director and Certified Educator discussed how a key component of reducing risk is measuring available forage and balancing animal numbers relative to an
Day 2 started with a pasture trip where Joe introduced the consideration for fulfilling grass fed beef demand of the ranch store and restaurant through grazing management and adequate processing condition of the finishing steers. He showed how he selects and judges covering on the steers to ensure fat content, tenderness and ultimately customer satisfaction. The afternoon session was focused on learning how to trial the interaction of animal density, plant recovery time and depth of graze using Graeme Hand’s Safe-to-Fail Trials. Lastly, the workshop introduced participants to simplified techniques to monitor the impact of management over time to ensure that desired results are being achieved. Results of the Workshop Evaluation indicated that: • 100% of participants indicated a knowledge increase in understanding how to manage the intersection of animal performance, forage availability, and ecosystem health • 100% of participants were satisfied with the workshop and would recommend it to others HMI is very grateful to the James family members for hosting this event. Thank you to the James Ranch team, with a special nod to Dave, Julie, Jenn, Joe, Gunther, and David for helping with presentations and to Cynthia and Robert for the fantastic meals. We want to thank Martha Records and Rich Rainaldi for funding this learning opportunity.
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GRAPEVINE The
N E W S F R O M H O L I S T I C M A N AG E M E N T I N T E R N AT I O N A L
HMI Hiring an Assistant Editor for IN PRACTICE
A
re you excited about Holistic Management and supporting the Holistic Management community? Do you love writing and telling stories? Come work for HMI as Assistant Editor for HMI’s journal, IN PRACTICE. The Assistant Editor position will support the Managing Editor in all aspects of the production of IN PRACTICE excluding the art production/ layout and mailing which is already contracted. The position will include pitching story/article ideas, interviewing, writing, editing, advertising support, subscription management, theme development, gathering information from HMI staff and network to include in the publication, archiving files on HMI’s system and website, and other tasks as assigned by the Managing Editor. To learn more about this position, go to: https://holisticmanagement. org/featured-blog-posts/hmi-is-hiring-assistant-editor/.
Free Forage Assessment Spreadsheet
O
ne of the easiest ways to make sure you are improving your rangeland or pasture is to match your stocking rate to your carrying capacity. That may seem like an obvious statement but is it amazing the number of producers I have talked to who say their neighbors don’t do this calculation and are often overstocked with devastating consequences for their landscape. Likewise, they also say that taking a Holistic Grazing Planning course helped them better determine their carrying capacity and learn how to more evenly utilize that forage to improve animal performance and land health. HMI teaches a simple forage assessment process called the STAC Method (Sole, Toe, Ankle, Calf). You simply walk across various parts of your land using the Sole, Toe, Ankle, Calf, Thigh, or Pocket heights as a measure for forage productivity as measured in Animal Days per acre (ADA). HMI has now made this process even simpler. We’ve created a spreadsheet to do all the math for you. Just enter in an “S” for sole (or whatever your reading is) and it will calculate the ADA for you. Then you can enter your different readings to quickly determine the total Animal Days of forage you have. You can also enter your animal numbers to see if you are overstocked. Download your FREE copy today by going to: https:// holisticmanagement.org/product/stac-spreadsheet/.
New Educators HMI is excited to announce our newest educators who have just graduated from our Educator Training Program. To learn more about our program go to: https://holisticmanagement.org/ce-training-program/.
20 IN PRACTICE
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Linda Pechin-Long lives in Southeast Kansas where she and her husband Keith Long raise cattle, and sheep on native tallgrass prairie using Holistic Planned Grazing. With the planned grazing they can consistently improve the tallgrass prairie, soil health, animal productivity and wildlife habitat. Linda has years of experience direct marketing her products both wholesale and retail and can help you build a business/marketing plan. Also, with over 25 years in the hospitality sector, Linda is uniquely positioned to address leadership, personnel, team dynamics, and management systems issues. Linda has been involved in Holistic Management since 2008. As a Linda Pechin-Long Certified Educator, Linda has facilitated workshops and coached clients in improving their quality of life, their finances, and their land. Linda works to help others learn to manage their resources in a way that keeps the business profitable, as well as land, family, and community thriving. Raven Lukehart manages her own local farms, Avila Valley Barn and Gopher Raven Lukehart Glen Organic Apple Farm. She successfully managed the farm’s succession from her in-laws to her, her husband and brother in-law. Raven earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental management and protection, with a minor in sustainable agriculture, as well as a master’s degree in agricultural sciences, with a specialization in plant protection from Cal Poly. Raven Lukehart served for 6 years as a part-time lecturer in the Animal Science Department, teaching Holistic Management and supervising the Swanton Stocker Enterprise. Congratulations, Linda & Raven!
people programs projects
Research Highlights Benefits of Holistic Planned Grazing
A
recent research article titled “Adaptive multi-paddock grazing management’s influence on soil food web community structure for: increasing pasture forage production, soil organic carbon, and reducing soil respiration rates in southeastern USA ranches” written by David C. Johnson, Richard Teague, Steven Apfelbaum, Ry Thompson, Peter Byck highlighted how adaptive planned grazing can increase soil organic carbon by 20% and 46% more standing crop biomass, as well as providing a host of other benefits. But, even more telling, was that the average Animal Units (AU)/ha carried on the Adaptive Multi-Paddock (AMP) sites was 1.88 vs. .844 on the conventionally grazed (CG) sites for a 123% increase in stocking rate. The research was performed on five different pairs of ranches in the southeastern US, with one ranch using some form of AMP management (defined as short grazing events with planned, adaptive recovery periods) and the other ranch utilizing CG management (defined as continuous grazing at low stock density). Measurements were taken on pasture productivity, soil food web structure, soil organic carbon and soil microbial respiration efficiency.
Certified
Cliff Montagne
Educators
The following Certified Educators listed have been trained to teach and coach individuals in Holistic Management. On a yearly basis, Certified Educators renew their agreement to be affiliated with HMI. This agreement requires their commitment to practice Holistic Management in their own lives and to seek out opportunities for staying current with the latest developments in Holistic Management.
Tim McGaffic
Cave Creek 808/936-5749 tim@timmcgaffic.com CALIFORNIA
Lee Altier
College of Agriculture, CSU Chico 530/636-2525 laltier@csuchico.edu
Rhoby Cook
Hoopa 530/625-4222 RCook.ktrcd@gmail.com
Owen Hablutzel
Los Angeles 310/567-6862 go2owen@gmail.com
Richard King
Petaluma 707/217-2308 (c) rking1675@gmail.com
Doniga Markegard
Half Moon Bay 650/670-7984 doniga@markegardfamily.com
Don Nelson
Red Bluff 208/301-5066 nelson-don1@hotmail.com
Rob Rutherford
San Luis Obispo 805/550-4858 (c) robtrutherford@gmail.com COLORADO
Joel Benson
Buena Vista 719/221-1547 joel@paratuinstitute.com
Cindy Dvergsten
Dolores 970/739-2445 cadwnc@gmail.com
Tim McGaffic
Dolores 808/936-5749 tim@timmcgaffic.com IDAHO
Angela Boudro
Moyie Springs 541/890-4014 angelaboudro@gmail.com
SOUTH DAKOTA
NEBRASKA
Paul Swanson
Randal Holmquist
Ralph Tate
Deborah Clark
Mitchell 605/730-0550 randy@heartlandtanks.com
Hastings 402/463-8507 402/705-1241 (c) pswanson3@unl.edu
Linda Pechin-Long
Latham 316/322-0536 info@grazetheprairie.com MARYLAND
Christine C. Jost
Silver Springs 773/706-2705 christinejost42@gmail.com MICHIGAN
Larry Dyer
Petoskey 231/881-2784 (c) dyer3913@gmail.com MISSISSIPPI
Preston Sullivan
Meadville 601/384-5310 (h) preston.sullivan@hughes.net MONTANA
Roland Kroos (retired) Bozeman 406/581-3038 (c) kroosing@msn.com
TEXAS
Henrietta 940/328-5542 deborah@birdwellandclarkranch.com
NEW HAMPSHIRE
KANSAS
Seth Wilner
Wayne Knight
Newport 603/863-9200 (w) seth.wilner@unh.edu
Holistic Management International Van Alstyne 940/626-9820 waynek@holisticmanagement.org
NEW MEXICO
Ann Adams
Tracy Litle
Holistic Management International Albuquerque 505/842-5252 ext 5 anna@holisticmanagement.org
Orange Grove 361/537-3417 (c) tjlitle@hotmail.com
Peggy Maddox
Kirk Gadzia
Hermleigh 325/226-3042 (c) peggy@kidsontheland.org
Bernalillo 505/263-8677 (c) kirk@rmsgadzia.com
VERMONT
Jeff Goebel
John Thurgood
Belen 541/610-7084 goebel@aboutlistening.com
Stowe (1/2 year in Oneonta NY) 802/760-7799 thurgood246@gmail.com WISCONSIN
NEW YORK
Elizabeth Marks
Larry Johnson
Phillip Metzger
Laura Paine
Ralph Corcoran
Philipp Mayer
Chatham 518/567-9476 (c) elizabeth_marks@hotmail.com
Madison 608/665-3835 larrystillpointfarm@gmail.com
Norwich 607/316-4182 pmetzger17@gmail.com
Columbus 608/338-9039 (c) lkpaine@gmail.com
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Kelly Mulville
Paicines 707/431-8060 kmulville@gmail.com
Hazen 701/870-1184 joshua_dukart@yahoo.com
Papillion • 402/250-8981 (c) tateralph74@gmail.com
U N I T E D S TAT E S ARIZONA
NORTH DAKOTA
Joshua Dukart
Montana State University Bozeman 406/599-7755 (c) montagne@montana.edu
Judi Earl
AUSTRALIA
Coolatai, NSW 61-409-151-969 judi_earl@bigpond.com
Graeme Hand
Mt Coolum, QLD 61-4-1853-2130 graemehand9@gmail.com
Helen Lewis
Warwick, QLD 61-4-1878-5285 hello@decisiondesignhub.com.au
Dick Richardson
Langbank, SK 306/434-9772 rlcorcoran@sasktel.net
Blain Hjertaas
Tony McQuail
CANADA
Don Campbell
Meadow Lake, SK 306/236-6088 • doncampbell@sasktel.net
Windhoek 264-812840426 kandjiiu@gmail.com
Ponoka, AB 403/783-6518 lucends@cciwireless.ca
Jason Virtue
Mid North Coast, NSW 61-0408-704-431 brian@insideoutsidemgt.com.au
Usiel Seuakouje Kandjii
Brian Luce
Noel McNaughton
Brian Wehlburg
NAMIBIA
Redvers, SK 306/452-7723 bhjer@sasktel.net
Mt. Pleasant, SA 61-4-2906-9001 dick@naturesequity.com.au Cooran QLD 61-4-27 199 766 jason@spiderweb.com.au
Pirkanmaa 358-409306406 mayer_philipp@gmx.at
Wiebke Volkmann
Edmonton, AB 780/432-5492 • noel@mcnaughton.ca Lucknow, ON 519/440-2511 • tonymcquail@gmail.com
Kelly Sidoryk
Blackroot, AB 780/872-2585 (c) kelly.sidoryk@gmail.com FINLAND
Tuomas Mattila
Pusula 358-407432412 tuomas.j.mattila@gmail.com
Windhoek 264-81-127-0081 wiebke@afol.com.na
NEW ZEALAND
John King
Christchurch 64-276-737-885 john@succession.co.nz SOUTH AFRICA
Jozua Lambrechts
Somerset West, Western Cape +27-83-310-1940 jozua@websurf.co.za
Ian Mitchell-Innes
Ladysmith, Kwa-Zulu Natal +27-83-262-9030 ian@mitchell-innes.co.za
Num ber 2 06
h IN PRACTICE 21
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HMI Grazing Planning Software • User-friendly excel-based interface • Let the computer do the math while you plan • Easy SAU and ADA calculations • Account for multiple herds • Grazing Manual hyperlinks • Livestock and Land Performance Worksheet • And many more features
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— Arnold Mattson, Agri-Environment Services Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
TO LEARN MORE or TO ORDER: Call 505/842-5252 or visit us at www.holisticmanagement.org/store/
Rangeland can provide an abundance of plant varieties for livestock nutrition. But what about the more “developed” pastures and hay meadows? Soil tests from all types of livestock producers show 95+% of all such soils do not have the correct nutrient levels to provide the best nutrition for livestock. You can change that! Choose an area, split it and soil test both sides separately. Test your hay or forage from both sides too. Treat one side as normal. On the other side, correct the fertility based on soil tests using the Kinsey/Albrecht fertility program. Test feed quality from both sides again next year. Take soil tests again and treat accordingly. Depending on nutrients requirements it may take two or three years to achieve the top potential. Test each year and, as fertility needs are met, feed value and yield tend to increase for all three years. Increased yields will more than pay for the investment with increased feed quality as a bonus. Prove it for yourself!
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Healthy Land. Healthy Food. Healthy Lives.
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2021 Impact Report In 2021, HMI and our Certified Educators helped the regenerative agriculture community by achieving the following:
6,436
Land Managers Trained
Almost 6.8 Million Acres Impacted
88 Scholarships
Awarded Totaling
$25,450
143
Collaborations
30% of Scholarships Provided to Underserved Communities
76
Days of Training
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