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J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 2 3
From Fear to Resilience BY ANN ADAMS
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n article titled “Pliocene-Like Monsoons Are Returning to the American Southwest” by author Jim Morrison on the Wired website, notes that because of climate change the monsoons that normally arrive in the U.S. Southwest in the summer months will now be on a magnitude of what those rains were like around three million years ago. That would seem like good news to an area that consistently struggles with drought and low rainfall. But, this article is all doom and gloom. Granted, there is some cause for concern given the lack of resilience in these Southwestern soils versus what it was like when this area had lakes and forests. Floods
Succession Planning INSIDE THIS ISSUE Succession planning can be challenging for all parties and is so essential to keep working lands working. Read how the Brown-Shaklees handled their succession planning experience on page 24 and learn from HMI Certified Educator Kelly Sidoryk on page 2 how she has worked with farm families on their succession plans using Holistic Management. Photo: Kim Shaklee playing sousaphone for the young stock. PC: Emma Brown-Shaklee
In Practice a publication of Holistic Management International
NUMBER 210
like the 1,000-year flood in Death Valley in the summer of 2022 and the flooding of the casino in Las Vegas that led people to call the summer of 2022 the worst monsoon in a decade have exacerbated that fear. I would think the worst monsoon would be the driest year, but that is not how rain is being perceived by people who have to deal with flood control systems in Southwestern cities. And this focus on city infrastructure to deal with the “problem” of too much rain becomes the focus of the article, as well as the other “problem” of too much plant matter growing because of too much rain, which could lead to more wildfires. The whole article left me a little flabbergasted that anyone would think what little rain we get as being a problem as well as the plant growth that follows. It reminded how far we are removed as a society from being excited about the abundance we might be able to harvest if we manage for it. Now more than ever we need to figure out how we might actually be able to appreciate this abundance and fecundity instead of dreading it because the good news is that they haven’t figured out how to adjudicate rain yet so we can use all of it we can get. In my neck of the high desert, 14 inches of rainfall is considered average. Based on the average amount of bare ground in this
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area, I would estimate that at least 90% of the rain that falls is indeed lost to flooding or evaporation. So, from an effective rainfall standpoint, we are really only capturing maybe a couple of those inches. What if we could capture more than 10% of that rainfall? In New Mexico alone we have 78 million acres of rangeland. If we could increase the soil organic matter by 1% across that landscape, we could capture an additional 20,000 gallons/acre or over 1.5 trillion gallons of water that can grow plants instead of causing flooding or evaporating. That would be like capturing the equivalent of gallons of water being held in the 10 largest reservoirs in New Mexico in the soil throughout New Mexico to increase soil resilience and water retention locally. In turn, the plants that would grow in that healthy soil, that had effectively captured the rainfall, could be grazed by more herbivores (wild and domestic) to increase soil health and financial prosperity for a state that is the third poorest state in the U.S. The water coming off that landscape would actually be cleaner as it flowed into streams, lakes, and reservoirs, improving water quality for the municipalities that use that water as well as the farmland irrigated by it. Rather than praying for poor rainfall and investing in urban infrastructure to deal with the onslaught of rains falling upstream on played out soils, let’s invest in creating resilience across the working and public lands we have that could be a wonderful carbon and water storage area along with all the other practical and aesthetic roles these landscapes play. Instead of investing in trying to control the catastrophic wildfires that are not caused by too much rain as much as governmental policies and programs that result in poor land management, let’s build our relationship with Nature in a way that brings prosperity and resilience to the rural communities that still depend on these working landscapes. Let’s CONTINUED ON PAGE 16
Holistic Succession Planning—
n the next 10 years there are many operations that will need to transition to the next generation. According to a recent study by Farm Management Canada, 75% of operations will need to transition and only 8% have a succession plan. And the asset base for these operations has grown significantly to multi-million dollars. Do you want to be proactive or reactive on how this transition happens? The tax and social implications are large if you don’t have a succession plan that doesn’t consider how to reduce tax liabilities and effectively address family interests and underlying assumptions about the farm/ranch assets and ownership and management of them. I come from a ranching family that is now moving into the third generation. I also work with ag families in this area of succession and Holistic Management. My hope is that my experiences lend authenticity to helping others. I also know that it is very difficult for us to see without bias what is going on in our own situations, and I think I can help provide that outside perspective to others. I know first hand what it is like to navigate the process of taking over, along with my brother, from our parents, to now being in the “senior” role. I have said many times, this transition is a process and will not happen overnight. We have to keep working on it and adapting as life changes. I want you to take a few minutes—you can write this down if you would like—in the following three areas how you would rank your operation on a scale of 1–10, with 10 being excellent and 1 being terrible: Rank the
following areas: 1) finances, 2) land/livestock, and 3) people. How do you feel about your ranking? This “people” work is also an area that few of us are skilled at. It is hard. But as my friend and mentor David Irvine says, “Farmers are good at producing. But with practice we can get better at the people side of things.” Another bias I have is that this transition work should start now, before we get technical on taxes, transfer of assets, and life insurance policies. We absolutely need those technical components, but I have seen many cases where families did not start with the important ground work and wasted a lot of money or hit a “wall” part way through the transition because they didn’t start with the people piece first. I feel very fortunate to do this work. Even though our father passed away suddenly almost six years ago, I will be forever grateful that he felt it was very important to get the transition going. It was by no means without some challenges, but he had adopted an inclusive management style with the decision-making being shared between the three of us for quite some time. Another point to consider is the assumption that just because we are related we will somehow work well together. That just isn’t true. In fact, in can be the opposite. If you think your family is the only one not getting along, remember that not all other families are doing a great job. Everyone has challenges and that is perfectly normal. Look at the Royals these days. We also need to remember that we often take those close to us for granted and will treat acquaintances better. How can we take that awareness day to day and give the same appreciation and thoughtfulness to our family that we would give to a co-worker in an office or outside business? The other thing to remember is that this process will be filled with ups and downs, just as life is. Knowing what you want the end result to be is important to help you get through those
FEATURE STORIES
LAND & LIVESTOCK
NEWS & NETWORK
Holistic Succession Planning— Successfully Transitioning the Farm to the Next Generation
Maple Edge Farm— Focusing Experimentation through Holistic Management
Program Round Up................................................... 16
ANN ADAMS...............................................................................10
Market Place............................................................. 21
Shaniko Wool— Proving the Value of Good Land Stewardship
Rob Davidson— The Value of Always Learning
Development Corner ............................................... 24
Healthy Land. Healthy Food. Healthy Lives.
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Successfully Transitioning the Farm to the Next Generation
In Practice 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 Dana Bonham. . . . . . . . . . . . . Program & Grants Director Marie Von Ancken . . . . . . . . . Program Manager Adelene McClenny. . . . . . . . . Instructional Designer & Office Manager Sarah Robertson . . . . . . . . . . Program Assistant
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Bre Owens, Chair Seth Wilner, Vice-Chair Delane Atcitty Alejandro Carrillo Jozua Lambrechts Daniel Nuckols Jim Shelton Kelly Sidoryk Casey Wade Brian Wehlburg
HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT® IN PRACTICE (ISSN: 1098-8157) is published six times a year by: Holistic Management International 2425 San Pedro Dr. NE, Ste A Albuquerque, NM 87110 505/842-5252, fax: 505/843-7900; email: hmi@holisticmanagement.org.; website: www.holisticmanagement.org Copyright © 2023 Holistic Management® is a registered trademark of Holistic Management International
KELLY SIDORYK........................................................................... 2
ANN ADAMS................................................................................. 6
A Carbon Conversation with John Talbott
ANN ADAMS................................................................................. 8
2 IN PRACTICE
BY KELLY SIDORYK
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HEATHER SMITH THOMAS ......................................................13
Certified Educators................................................... 20
ups and downs. That is why an integral piece to this process is to have the family come together and develop a common vision. This can fall under the strategic planning. We need to have clarity of the destination before we can ever start to plan the journey, getting everyone on the same bus so to speak. When going through the process we want to set aside challenges and go to the best-case scenario which will encourage us to use our creativity to get there. I use a series of questions to get families thinking. One question I ask is: “If you knew you would not fail. . . Or, if you had all the time and money in the world, what would you like your family operation to look like?”
Creating a Vision
A common vision does a number of things:
• Helps unite the family around a goal that is larger than the family • Functions to inspire the family during difficult times and motivates family members • Provides the family with a set of core principles and guidelines to follow • Informs the individual growth and development of the next generation • Provides a change model for both individual growth and business development —From The Family Business Doctor by John Fast, Ph.D. I also ask families to consider: “At its very best, what do you want your family and business to look like in 5, 10, 20 and more years?”
Management expert Simon Sinek explains that we must get to the why to successfully manage our businesses. These kinds of questions help families get to the “why.” Management expert Simon Sinek believes that the most effective leaders and organizations start at the center of the circle, “Why we do what we do?” I believe that is one thing that sets us apart in Holistic
Management as we do exactly that when we develop a values-based, three-part goal and vision. This is a valuable way to begin the succession discussions. A colleague of mine shares the story about the challenges he was having working with his father. They were having disagreements over the how and what. But the situation was vastly improved when they spent time talking about the why. That is often the case. If we have clarity on why we are doing things, the how and what are less of an issue. Of course, there are other dynamics involved with relationships. Our family has been involved with Holistic Management for years, and the visioning/ goal setting process has been integral to our operation as well as those that I work with. We have people answer the following questions used to create a holistic goal. • Why are you farming or ranching? • What do want as a Quality of Life now? (Think big picture) • What do we value? • Family/Personal Time • Financially • Quality of Production on your farm/ ranch • Connection to the Land • What Systems and Behaviors do you need to create those outcomes? • How do the people in your business and resource base have to perceive you? • What condition does your land have to be in? What does your land need to look like? • What do you want to pass on to your children or to future generations?
2. Relates to the family members who have no ownership in the business and who do not work in the business. 3. People in this category work in the business, but they are not owners or family members. They might be managers and other employees. 4. These people are family members who have an ownership, but are not employed by the business. 5. Relates to people who have ownership and work in the business but are not family members. 6. These are family members who work in the business but have not ownership rights in the business entity. 7. Relates to family members who have ownership rights and work in the business. 8. Other stakeholders who are not family members, have no ownership rights and do not work in the business, but have an interest in the business as in customers, suppliers, financiers, etc.
When people find themselves in different areas and in different combinations of these areas, they naturally see things from different perspectives, and it is these differing perceptions that can lead to conflicts within the family business. Although the areas represented by each of the circles might be regarded as separate, you cannot make decisions affecting one of these areas without that decision impacting on each of the other areas. So, what are the enterprises on your farm and who is in charge of them? Is there clarity about The different decision-making, roles we play in our communication, and family businesses process? What are add a whole other the expectations? dimension as they As Ernesto Sirolli often overlap, and pointed out in his not everyone wears book, Ripples From the same hat. The the Zambezi, there diagram shown here are three main areas is a popular model in any business: 1. used in families in Production, 2. Finance The different roles played in a family business. business arenas. and 3. Marketing. It is a helpful tool for the decision making/ Most people only have a skill set in maybe two communication process and can guide who of these areas so you need a strong team to should be involved in what decisions. address all these needs. Some businesses formalize these various 1. Relates to people who are involved in the jobs with job descriptions which can help with ownership of the business but who are transfer of management. Young people who not family members and not involved in have worked off the farm are likely used to this CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 the conduct of the business. N um ber 2 10
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Holistic Succession Planning
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approach and may welcome it.
Effective Communication
Communication throughout all of this is extremely important, particularly the art of listening. I think most of the time we are not that good at communication because we forget about the listening part—yet, we have two ears and one mouth. I saw an interview with Tom Hanks on his Mr. Rogers’ role and one thing he shared that he had learned from that experience was the acronym WAIT – Why Am I Talking? Consider that question each time you open your mouth. Effective communication is made up of many things: 1. Listen – to mindfully listen means to wait patiently for the other person to finish before we speak and keeping our mind focused on the speaker 2. Practice non-judgment – there are always two sides to the story and neither one of them is necessarily right or wrong, only different perceptions. 3. Show understanding – responding with “I understand or I see what you mean.” At the end of the day, we all want to be understood. You can demonstrate you understand someone by relaying their feelings to them in your own words. 4. Put yourself in their shoes – try to imagine yourself in the experience of the other person. 5. Be totally there – you all know what this means in the age of tech and business. 6. The first response should not be personal (feelings you have for the speaker or about what they said) – it needs to relate to the speaker. 7. Let go of the results – communication is not a competition 8. Don’t harm – try to remain kind and compassionate.
Dr. Jack Gibb’s Triangle shows how a foundation of trust increases the effectiveness of an organization. 4 IN PRACTICE
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All of these principles apply, but conflict can still emerge when there is difference of opinions and perspectives. That is why any meeting should include some ground rules. Likewise, making sure there are regular meetings keeps the communication open. Having an agenda for each meeting is good to have along with a chair or facilitator. You can even rotate this duty. Some simple techniques you can use is having a check in circle at the start of each meeting or use a talking stick to make sure everyone gets a chance to talk and help people not talk over each other. The way we communicate is an important part of the journey of working together and succession. One illustration I like to use is the Gibb’s Triangle. Dr. Jack Gibbs, an organizational development expert, had a theory that if there was a strong level of trust and acceptance within a family or organization then there was little need for control or rigid roles and responsibilities. The more trust and acceptance, the more people are open with each other and the better the communication. The best way to develop a deep trust environment is to trust oneself and one’s environment—to make the commitment to consciously creating that environment.
Intergenerational & Personality Styles
One is more likely to trust oneself and others if you understand that different people process information differently or have different personalities. It could be as simple as different generational cultures have different beliefs or, perhaps, we have beliefs about different generations. For example, do Baby Boomers think everything revolves around them? Are Traditionalists old fashioned? Are Millennials never on time? Do X-gens have no identity? These are just a few of the assumptions made about the different age groups. I have seen the ongoing struggle between honoring tradition and pioneering change playing out as Traditionalists and Baby Boomers try to maintain the family business values and guiding principles, while X-gens and Millennials seek more rapid change, particularly in the culture of the workplace. Simple things like timelines, work days, and time off must all be negotiated. We need to be taking the time to understand others’ perspective. What does success look like for them? How do they want to see things done? And there are also different roles we play in our families: the golden child, black sheep, etc. These roles have a huge impact on family
dynamics. Another role that gets attention is the daughter-in-law. It is important to remember that we all operate from what we learned in our families of origin, and everyone’s family of origin is different. In this way in-laws bring a totally different perspective. And, it is not bad to be asked “Why do you do it that way?” It reminds me of when the kids were little and they asked “why” so often. We should bring that question back to our conversations. We should also consider how do we welcome newcomers? Another lens from which to increase understanding is differing personality styles. There are a number of different tools and assessments out there from simple to quite in depth. One that I have used is the True Color assessment test (https://my-personalitytest.com/true-colours). There are simple questionnaires to fill out to discover your tendencies. I have found it helpful as a simple way to see how people process information differently and that they all have value. Greens are logical and analytical. Oranges are spontaneous, creative and outgoing. Golds like structure, order and pay attention to detail. Blues are the emotional ones who emphasize relationships. Of course, no one is purely one or the other, but there is great value in learning how to work together better if we understand where others are coming from. I am more of a blue/green with no gold at all. The details drive me crazy. I want to move onto the next big idea. But in family operations someone needs to pay attention to details. I get that, but it is not me. And not only that, but what are people’s skills and passions. A family enterprise is a fantastic vehicle for members to explore, develop and pursue those passions. There are many exercises we can work on as a family to develop the shared vision and mission and to help improve communication, at the same time building stronger teams. Many are reflective exercises that begin with an individual, then move to the couple and finally to the larger team. I often stress working on these key steps in this order.
10 Steps for Succeeding at Succession
Here are the 10 steps to getting organized and getting everyone involved in succession planning: Step 1 – Build an emotional bank account with your family Step 2 – Decide on how you will decide on your succession plan. Four ways for deciding as a group:
The Sidoryk family is now working on their third generation transfer plan using Holistic Management. • Command (one person in charge makes all decisions) • Consult (person in charge makes decision after consulting/getting feedback from others on team) • Consensus • Convenience (vote with majority) Step 3 – Appoint a succession planning leader—a quarterback—a person who has the willingness and commitment to lead the succession planning process: a person respected by most family members; a person who has a vested interest in the overall success of the operation; a person who will not let their position of being in charge as leverage for getting their way; a person who will be able to take a neutral position and be impartial to all parties involved. Step 4 – The succession planning leader must meet with each member or member couple of the family individually. Step 5 – Hold the succession planning family meeting at a time that is reasonable for everyone. Step 6 – Each person is given equal time to share their responses Step 7 – Allow time for dialogue, questions and comments Step 8 – Share the data with all professionals
and consultants that are involved in the process Step 9 –The parents use this data to draft a plan with the appropriate professionals. Step 10 – Continue meeting with the entire family and getting input as the succession plan develops It is likely that your process will be organic and evolve. Once it is completed it should be revisited and updated. One very valuable way to begin is the contingency plan discussion. What happens if tomorrow someone at this table is not here? Do we have plans in place? These are emotional and heart wrenching conversations that no one wants to think about. But, they are a million times easier to have ahead of time than after the fact. It is not a matter of if. It is a matter of when. In our culture we are so afraid to have this conversation, but we need to have them. There are many examples of people coming up with all sorts of creative ways to do their succession planning. One family actually allow the adult children to come up with the succession plan. In another family the kids all come together and each got a base amount. Those that wanted to stay involved had another procedure. When everyone realized they all had a base acreage they approached the situation differently. In yet another family, the
younger children shared their expectations and aspirations. One son had felt pressure, which surprised the father who had never intended to put pressure on him. Now the boys have been getting financial training, which they are going to bring back to the operation. Another family used sweat equity calculations as a way of determining a certain percentage of the asset base to be transferred each year before death to reduce tax consequences. Lastly, another family decided that ownership of the assets would stay with the family but that management transfer would happen outside the family. These are just a few examples of many different options available to families. I do believe that in most cases people are doing the best they can. It is important that we try to understand the other’s perspective. Remember, a succession plan is a work in progress. As the quote says, “Progress not perfection.” This work will be some of the most important work you do. But, by the same token, there will be circumstances that mean eventually that plan will be put into action. Be open to change, because as we all know, it will change. And it will take time.
To reach Kelly contact her at: Kellysidoryk.com; Kelly.sidoryk@gmail.com; 780-872-2585 N um ber 2 10
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Shaniko Wool—
Proving the Value of Good Land Stewardship BY ANN ADAMS
J
eanne and her late husband Dan Carver have been innovative producers for many years at their 32,000-acre Imperial Stock Ranch near Shaniko, Oregon. In the 1980s Dan started working with the NRCS on a conservation plan for the ranch. Also, at that time he was introduced to Holistic Management and attended many workshops and began to integrate those practices into their operation along with a host of other conservation practices.
The Rise of Responsible Wool
The Carvers have continued the heritage production activities of the Imperial Stock Ranch, which has been raising sheep, cattle, grains and hay for over 150 years. In the late 1990s, with processing infrastructure and demand for wool declining and lamb markets changing, they decided to market their sheep products in a new way. They found a USDA-inspected local meat processor which allowed them to market their lamb to high end restaurants that were interested in supporting their sustainable practices with a focus on animal welfare. They also shipped their wool to the closest mill that could process it into boutique yarns that they sold as part of knitwear kits to a national specialty product distributor, as well as to local yarn shops. With more requests, Jeanne also worked with local designers and
Jeanne Carver on the Imperial Stock Ranch. In 2005 they were part of a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) report that highlighted their Western SARE farmer/rancher grant to develop an innovative marketing concept for the wool they raised. That innovation has continued over the years to develop a much larger brand influencing millions of acres across the West as well as the US wool industry and the methods for measuring carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services to educate consumers about their role in supporting good land management practices. 6 IN PRACTICE
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fiber artists to create handmade woolen and lambskin clothing that was sold at boutique shops in resort towns. With this business model the Carvers estimated they cleared 30% more on their lamb price than on the conventional market. That innovation continued over the years and led to the watershed moment where Imperial Stock Ranch wool was used in the Ralph Lauren designed Team USA winter uniforms for the 2014 Winter Olympics (a choice that has continued through the 2022 Winter Olympics). Following quickly on that success
was Patagonia reaching out to Jeanne in 2015 to rebuild their wool supply after having some issues sourcing in their sustainable wool program in South America. “I said to them ‘Why don’t you give us a chance in the US to be part of your supply chain?’” said Jeanne. “With that involvement, we began working with Textile Exchange in their final development of a new sustainable wool standard that includes strict criteria for the handling of sheep stock, land conservation, and worker safety. In reading the draft of their standard, we saw that our practices already matched their requirements. We became a pilot audit site in the final phase of development of the global Responsible Wool Standard (RWS).” The RWS had broad stakeholder involvement including Nature Conservancy, animal rights groups, producer groups from around the world, as well as many brands like Patagonia. She knew what the potential for being involved in this marketing could yield to the wool industry in the U.S., and felt it was a real opportunity to show good practices for land and animal care and de-risk wool brands given more consumer concern about agricultural practices. When the Responsible Wool Standard officially launched in 2016, Imperial Stock Ranch became the first ranch in the world to be certified. As demand continued to grow for RWS wool, Jeanne launched Shaniko Wool Company in 2018 to scale the supply of U.S. wool meeting this prestigious standard. Shaniko Wool became the first farm group in North America certified to this sustainable wool standard with their combination of Merino and Merino/Rambouillet sheep. It is fitting that in 2023, Jeanne received the American Sheep Industry (ASI) Innovation Award for her lead in bringing wool produced in the U.S. under RWS certification, a voluntary third-party standard that is leading the world in protocols that are changing the industry.
Early Monitoring Pays Off
As the issues of monitoring protocols and third-party verification continue to be discussed and increasingly important in agriculture and industry, Jeanne and Dan (who passed away in 2021) are in the enviable position of having some tools already in place. Since 1989-90 when Dan collaborated with the NRCS and Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to evaluate their operation, they had species counts, yield data, agency testimony and observations of changing trends. “Dan was an engineer by training and was always looking at this ranch as a system,” says Jeanne “and we were seeing the results on the land of our
infrastructure investments.” As a result of his Holistic Management training and collaboration with the NRCS and SWCD, Dan put in miles of fencing to control grazing pressure and allow for adequate plant recovery. The Carvers also developed water infrastructure and built 150 sediment catch basins and spring developments, creating off stream watering points which caused springs to flow again and beavers to return, as well as perennial grasses to repopulate. Dan also controlled herd movement through strategic salt and mineral supplement placement. The Carvers also looked at how they were managing their 4,000 acres of dryland crop ground, where traditional summer fallow farming methods were being used with every other year planting. The result was that 2,000 acres were then left bare and susceptible to erosion and weeds/invasive species. They knew that more trips with tillage to control the invasive weeds meant you were losing soil moisture to evaporation. In 1996 Dan parked the plow. “We decided we were never going to plow again,” says Jeanne. “We invested in a no-till drill and converted entirely to no-till. We used our livestock to graze the crop residue and
species counts,” says Jeanne. “For example, we had salmon counts in the streams running through our property. In 1990, ODFW (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife) reported only two salmon had returned to spawn in Buck Hollow Creek. Buck Hollow used to
approach, we had record numbers of salmon returning to spawn, and that cooperative project was a forerunner of the Oregon Plan with each watershed across the state creating a group of stakeholders to work together protecting Oregon’s waters.”
Lots of biomass doing the hard work of pulling atmospheric CO2 along the liquid carbon pathway and storing it in the soil of the Imperial Stock Ranch, bringing along a host of attendant ecosystem benefits like increased water infiltration and improved mineral cycling.
John Talbott and his team have collected over 350 environmental samples on rangeland and cropland for the Shaniko Wool ranches to empirically prove how Shaniko Wool is carbon negative by sequestering more carbon than they are emitting on their ranches. create a mulching effect. Then, we seeded in the next crop. We’ve done annual plantings or perennial grasses. We rotate different crops like barley, wheat, and triticale. We also have a standing cover crop with all the stubble, and have eliminated the bare ground which made us susceptible to erosion.” Jeanne and Dan also looked at how their land management practices were affecting wildlife habitat. “We’ve had our yield data as well as data from our agency partners including
be a tremendous fishery. Knowing only two salmon had come home to spawn was such a huge wake up call for us. Dan became a leading voice among neighboring ranchers about our responsibility for water quality on our ranches. We became part of the Buck Hollow Watershed Project created by the local Soil and Water Conservation District which developed a 10-year plan with all 27 landowners in the basin as well as other agencies. In 20 years of working together with a whole watershed
Increasing Importance of Data and Measured Impacts
When the Carvers took their harvest direct to market beginning in 1999, it was logical to pair their heritage and sustainable practices with the product. The Imperial Stock Ranch became the face of sustainable American wool. Shaniko Wool continues that legacy, bringing more family ranches under certification and leveraging their collective work of land CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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Shaniko Wool
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stewardship. Jeanne says, “In 2019, when a potential brand customer asked me if we destroyed the land by raising livestock, it was very upsetting. Since the day I ever met Dan, he worked to see the land win. He knew that the healthier the resource, the healthier your business, and the greater chance you had for the future.” Jeanne continues. “We knew we had made a difference. But we hadn’t yet measured it. When I was asked that question, it showed me we needed to take the next logical
(24 inches). We know that the first 20 cm (8 inches) is what we impact with our activity. We also take biomass samples at each monitoring site and sample twice each year—early growing season and after the growing season. We look at soil type, vegetation communities, slope, elevation and use to determine where to site our sampling points, and establish more than the recommended number of monitoring sites to ensure our protocols and data are credible. We’ve added the use of soil moisture probes to support water holding capacity and infiltration. We use the leading computer models to account for our inputs and help us
Guardian dogs protect the Imperial Stock Ranch sheep. step and actually measure the impact of our ranching practices.” Jeanne set out to bring evidence of their work on the land. She started asking around to find the scientists who could work on the project and found Dr. John Talbott (see sidebar) of Oregon State University. John had worked for the U.S. Department of Energy in designing and deploying carbon capture technologies. He had a great deal of expertise in land management and resulting ecosystem impacts including carbon sequestration, as well as an understanding of carbon markets. “I told him I wanted to measure the ecosystem impacts of our ranching operations; and if we were capturing carbon on a net basis, I wanted to know how much,” says Jeanne. “John put together the research model we are now using. We do soil testing down to 60 cm 8 IN PRACTICE
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get to net values. I tagged this the Shaniko Wool Company Carbon Initiative and we began measurements in the spring of 2020.” They established their research model at the Carver ranch in north central Oregon, and now have three years of data. “We’ve also moved our research protocols across the other nine ranches in our farm group who supply Shaniko Wool (with a wait list of other ranches who want to join), collectively managing 2.6 million acres and producing 500,000 tons of sheared wool every year. This data is also allowing us to work with Agoro Carbon Alliance as we build quality carbon credits for voluntary markets.” “John has brought in PhD post-docs working on this monitoring and research full-time as well as GIS consultants,” says Jeanne. “We have laid down more than 350 sampling points. For the first time in my life, we know exactly what
we have been able to achieve in terms of both carbon emissions and carbon sequestration on our ranch. The computer models account for our inputs like fertilizer, electricity, equipment, fossil fuel use and methane emissions of livestock. “The net impact on our ranch (the one with the most data) for the last three years in the high desert with less than 8 inches of annual precipitation is that we capture about 60,000 tons of carbon/year in the soil on our 32,000acre ranch while producing beef, lamb, and wool. That means we draw down more than 218,000 Tons of CO2! We have a negative greenhouse gas emissions total because we are increasing our biomass and feeding the soil which, in turn, grows more biomass. The next generation now managing the Imperial Stock Ranch is also holding a 10-year contract for that carbon capture. This continues Dan’s legacy. What’s also interesting is that wool is 50% carbon, and that carbon is permanently stored. “The concept of ecosystem service markets is more developed in Europe than in the U.S. I believe in working landscapes that help communities and the planet at the same time. Grasslands are incredible carbon sinks, and I want us as livestock managers, grazers and land stewards to have the opportunity to be rewarded for measured and verified ecosystem deliverables. This work gives us the opportunity we need to support well managed grazing and its importance to the human community and the planet. We need grazing animals on the land and to show that managed grazing can return positive results. “We also have a new opportunity to earn economic value on voluntary carbon registries as long as the results are measured and verified. We have to meet the required criteria for approved management plans and the required reinvestment in the land itself, but those are things we do as ranchers already. Now, in addition to selling wool to brands who will pay a premium for good land stewardship and animal husbandry through third-party audited standards like the RWS and more recently, our dual certification to NATIVA Regen, our work with Agoro Carbon Alliance is bringing a framework for deeper investment by brands. Companies who wish to move toward their 2030 sustainability targets can make an investment into regenerative agriculture at scale through the purchase of carbon insets with a project like Shaniko Wool.” Jeanne says, “This is the greatest work I’ve even been involved with. Being able to sell the ecosystem services we provide is a game changing opportunity for family ranches.”
A Carbon Conversation with John Talbott BY ANN ADAMS
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ohn Talbott has over 35 years of experience dealing with the issues and innovations surrounding natural resource management, research, and policy and was the Director of the Sun Grant Western Regional Center and Associate Director of the Agriculture Experiment Station in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University. He played a key role in the development of the Big Sky Carbon Sequestration project in north central Montana to determine the viability of storing carbon in the soil by evaluating a host of tillage, cropping, and grazing practices to increase carbon sequestration. He has also developed a number of “in the field” monitoring, measurement, and verification processes for cropland and grazing land. It is for these reasons that Jeanne Carver reached out to John to help her verify her carbon sequestration and ecosystem benefits she has been able to deliver on her ranch as well as her collaborative partners’ ranches. “We wanted to develop a comprehensive monitoring protocol with scientific validity to look at soil health and residual biomass,” says John. “In particular, Jeanne wanted to take the next step and look at both her carbon emissions and how much carbon she was capturing. Then we added in the additional monitoring of biomass clipping pre- and postgraze which gives us a productivity metric, as well as looking at stubble height which is critical for wildlife habitat for sage grouse, plovers, and other birds. Those numbers also gave us information about how much carbon is being added to the soil and what gets incorporated from the standing biomass. Next, we are going to look at soil moisture content with control area information from similar soils and determine the difference of soil moisture content on our ranches versus those control areas. We also want to see the soil aggregation and water infiltration improvements from that data. “We try to make this testing as inexpensive as possible so producers can do this type of testing as well. We use a soil probe for our soil organic carbon readings and we have Oregon State University (OSU) run the samples at
“In this way, carbon brokers will begin working with companies to invest in insetting carbon rather than just focusing on offsetting their carbon footprint. For insetting, they are actually paying for some of the necessary infrastructure improvements upfront. Some brokers are offering 5 to 25-year contracts. Some new brokers will even accept 3rd-party verified documentation of previous good management so those who have been doing this all along don’t get penalized. “We are also doing an experiment on interseeding her wheat with annual legumes which eliminates nitrous oxide emissions that would happen with fertilizer, while also sequestering carbon with the legumes. We are trying this on 100 acres and will measure the carbon and nitrogen content in soil. This practice is in lieu of a chemical fallow and will outcompete weeds. Plus, the livestock can graze these areas and improve body condition. “Right now, Jeanne is covering all costs to this research. But, once we are able to document all this monitoring to Verra (the verifier), it will be up to the carbon broker to come in and do the sampling from here on out. That monitoring is supposed to be part of their cost.” OSU has also been researching how to determine the point of soil equilibrium which is where soils reach the maximum level, they can hold in soil carbon over time. They Imperial Stock Ranch Soil Carbon Data received some the no-till and nominal fertilization on her wheat funding from the Oregon Legislature to look at land she avoids 800 tons of emissions because old samples that were pulled from certain soils and then looking to see what the current carbon of those farming practices. A carbon broker deficit is for those soils now. For example, if the gives some money up front for a sign on bonus soil carbon is currently at 2.5 tons/ha and they and then they usually pay during the 1st, 3rd or have determined from old samples that its 5th, and 10th year when monitoring happens. potential is 5 tons/ha, then the producer can They reserve 20% of the contract that has to look at the value of that increased carbon be put back to the land through infrastructure sequestration and determine if they are willing or land improvements. The producers do their to invest to reach that higher level with current own accounting and they get reimbursed from payment options. that money.
$16/sample. We take samples at 20, 40, and 60 cm (8, 16, and 24 inches).” John and his team do the sampling. He has an OSU faculty member who is participating in the study who does the biomass weighing and determining species composition. They take approximately 21 samples twice a year at the pre- and postgraze. It takes one person for a day to take soil samples and they usually use a post-doctorate PhD. For Jeanne’s 32,000-acre ranch that means two days of work for $600. “Some of the other ranches are on grazing allotments of 250,000 acres,” says John. “We are making decisions about the number of monitoring sites based on soil types, vegetative covers, slopes, and aspect. Sometimes we have to do the soil classification because it hasn’t been done in that area. We only go to 60 cm (24 inches) because that is the maximum depth for soil carbon influence that most carbon brokers want. “Jeanne had 20 years of great records, and that provided a wealth of data on the COMET farm model that we use to determine her carbon sequestration. Jeanne is now sequestering 1.86 tons carbon/acre on an annual basis. Also, with
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Maple Edge Farm—
Focusing Experimentation through Holistic Management BY ANN ADAMS
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any people who have taken Holistic Management training have struggled to implement the concepts and practices once they return home. Usually, the challenge of explaining these new ideas, which can sound risky or just too different, can make even the most ardent Holistic Management practitioner stumble. If family or management team members aren’t supportive, then many people choose to practice “secretly” on their own, infiltrating the decision-making process and concepts as best they can. If these scenarios sound all too familiar, then you can sympathize with Jon Bakehouse of 600-acre Maple Edge Farm near Hastings, Iowa.
For the Love of Soil Health
Jon wasn’t even sure he wanted to farm as a young adult. He studied journalism and started work in the city. It was only when he was stuck in traffic in the city with his first job that he realized he wanted to be back on the farm that his grandfather started. “I was 23 when I made that decision and I was looking for a doable plan B,” says Jon. Returning home he knew there were some practices he really wanted to change given his interest in soil health and conservation. As Jon wrote in a blog for Practical Farmers of Iowa, that interest led
Jon is using a small herd of cattle on 8-acre trial areas to see how he can utilize stockpiled forages. 10
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Jon estimates that this stand of cereal rye yielded 7 tons/acre and has helped increase organic matter to 4%. It also means that a living root is in the bean rotation for an additional 5.5 months. him to Holistic Management. “For my part, as I’m approaching midway in my farming career, serious doubts are popping up: I love no-till but loathe chemicals; I love farming but hate being an importer/exporter; I grew up with Roundup Ready technology and love auto-steer, but am increasingly alarmed by how technology is numbing creativity and innovation; I am steeped in agriculture but know dangerously little about the soil that sustains us. “At the same time these doubts started to arrive, I heard Gabe Brown speak for the first time and was blown away that he had already addressed these issues. It seemed the answer to my ‘how did Gabe do that?’ question kept coming back to Holistic Management. So, despite its brutally mind-numbing title, I bought Allan Savory and Jody Butterfield’s tome, Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making and its slightly slimmer companion, Holistic Management Handbook: Healthy Land, Healthy Profits. “Amazingly, after reading 75% of the former, I discovered Holistic Management does exactly what its title says: provides a framework to address issues exactly like the ones described earlier. The main problem, however, was wrapping my mind around 600 pages of a new way of thinking. While there are straight-forward ‘how-tos,’ there are also many abstract concepts, the central ones being nature functions in wholes and the importance of understanding our environment.”
Getting a Helping Hand
Jon acknowledges that he struggled with putting Holistic Management into practice because the learning curve is so steep at the beginning. After 18 months of on and off reading of the textbook, in 2015 he decided to take HMI’s Distance Learning 1-on-1 course and was assigned his mentor, HMI Certified Educator Craig Leggett from New York. Jon then was assigned the Introduction to Holistic Management manual and
into its framework. How do we know if we are moving toward our holistic goal? By implementing monitoring protocol. How do we address specific problems on our operation? By running through the seven testing questions. How do we create a healthier landscape? By studying and understanding the tools available for managing ecosystem processes, and the list goes on.”
Jon has a mobile shelter for his goats to run through areas for weed control and to graze crop failures. As you can see from the fence line contrast picture, the goats do a good job of utilizing forage.
The Motivation to Implement Change was assigned the tasks of creating his management inventory and Jon felt inspired by that training, but it was still tough to put the holistic goal as well as practicing testing decisions with HMI’s Decision principle and practices into action. “A lot of what Gabe Brown talked Testing Matrix and learning how to analyze the health of the ecosystem about doing, I wasn’t able to make it work. Actually doing these things processes on and making it pay and improving soil health is tough, especially his farm. when you are surrounded by the mentality of fencerow to fencerow. It “These doesn’t seem possible, but he made it seem possible,” says Jon. learning But Jon also made changes in his own way that in hindsight has outcomes profoundly affected the soil health on the land and the profitability of guided my his business, and he has influenced friends and neighbors. He may experience, but not be a Gabe Brown, but Jon realized that Holistic Management the strength of helped him to keep focused on the goal of integrating more this program regenerative practices in their business and share what he knew with lies in the his community in the ways he could. That is why he has participated one-on-one in numerous field trials and field days—to help producers in his area conversations make the transition to with a Holistic no-till or cover crops Management and reduce tillage expert,” says and pesticide and Jon. “There is Jon is using field trials to experiment with different fertilizer use. nothing quite termination dates for his covers to improve yields “When I think back like being able for his cash crops. about how Holistic to ask specific Management has questions about how to form a holistic goal or how to look for influenced me, I am specific evidence that indicates where on the brittleness scale our reminded of how much operation falls. Craig and I talked almost weekly for a few months, of what I’ve learned is during which time we not only investigated the learning outcomes, buried in the back of but talked about how Holistic Management can apply to almost any my mind,” says Jon. “I area of life. Some of our conversations even wandered in and out may not consciously of the philosophical realm. Jon experimented with bringing the roller crimper in use it, but it influences “Beyond those basics, Craig turned out to be a champion for for a second treatment during a field trial to terminate me. I never got a lot of thinking differently as well as understanding that changing one’s this cover and reduce herbicide use. buy in from the rest of way of thinking is a scary and daunting process. He was always the family, but all the quality of life statements that we did write together, I able to bring me back to earth when I skyrocketed into the atmosphere have always used that in my decision-making.” of fear and timidity, reminding me that Holistic Management provides CONTINUED ON PAGE 12 answers in almost all cases if we are disciplined enough to step back N um ber 2 10
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“Our organic matter continues to creep up. When I first came back in the mid- to late-90s our organic matter was 2.5–3%. Now we are at 3–4% with no-till. A 4 is now becoming more common with reduced Jon acknowledges it took some time to begin integrating the practices herbicide and having living root in the soils more days of the year and he wanted to try. “We adopted cover crops on cereal rye after corn and reducing nitrogen and herbicide. All of these have been adding up. In let it grow through the fall and spring,” says Jon. “We plant into the killed the past we only had a living root for 4 months with our corn and beans. rye and started that practice five years ago after doing some 30-acre When we do cereal rye for our cover, we get an additional 5.5 months trials. We bought a roller crimper in 2022 and have moved of living root. The biomass away from herbicides as well. The cover crops are now as on top really helps protect important to us as planting a cash crop. We found that the the soil until the beans can cover crops really make a difference on the waterhemp. It take over. had been a wet year and the areas where we didn’t have “We’ve used an Iowa State cover crops, the waterhemp was knee high. Where there University app that helps you were covers it was only ankle high. look at your nitrogen use “In December 2021 we were pre-paying for fertilizer and and calculate your expected chemicals and we knew prices were going to be high, but yield and the cost of nitrogen/ it was 150% higher that year with the COVID supply chain lb and then it gives you the issues. It was the first time we heard, ‘When and if it arrives.’ nitrogen rates for maximum That experience drove home how reliant we were on all return for your money spent. these inputs. I wanted the freedom and independence from I used that app as a jumping those inputs and cost. The $40,000 investment in a 30-foot off point. We started reducing roller crimper seemed worth it for our 600 acres.” our nitrogen rate and not seeing yield drops that much. In the past, we were putting on an average of 160–180 lbs/acre, but we are down Jon is standing in a hairy vetch cover that he mostly down to 120 lbs. and then planted no-till corn into. in some cases, 80 lbs. “What keeps me up at night is wanting to learn more about soil health and regenerative agriculture. I want to figure out how I can contribute on our farm and how our community can follow suit. I have become more community-minded as I’ve gotten older. I want to make sure my soil is healthy so the air and water is healthy downstream. I want to show that cover crops are a no brainer, to help my neighbors at least see that it can be done. And it’s happening. A high school friend of mine is planting Field Trials Are Key cereal rye after corn harvest and he was doing it as forage to make it pay With the roller crimper they have been able to eliminate one pass and right away. I felt like we were moving the needle. they are on a trajectory of paying it off in 10–15 years. They are planting “I’m in my mid-life now so energy is an issue. I need more livestock soybeans into cereal rye and Jon hopes that at some point to have an and I’m starting to think seriously about partnering with someone organic soybean and corn system. “Organic no-till beans are possible who has more livestock to help with labor offload. I haven’t gotten the for us,” says Jon. “Organic no-till corn is a whole other beast. We really sense yet about people interested in winter grazing. We have a lot of need to learn a flexible rotation to make that happen, but the markets infrastructure like fencing that is gone so that is part of the problem aren’t there yet. with getting someone to bring their livestock on. We also need to have “Our yields have been less with the covers and crimper. We did a field water in place. Once we get the infrastructure in place, we can move the trial with soybeans planted at the regular time versus two weeks earlier needle on that practice as well. to get a better yield. We’ve been getting 6 to 7-bushel yield reduction “Our profit per acre has increased because we have been able to in dry years. That’s been the fly in the ointment. In some of our poorer take some risks and trial new practices that have helped us reduce fields we normally get a 38 to 40-bushel yield. With dry years it is less. inputs. My enjoyment of my work has increased. I hate herbicides so We found that the decreased costs of not using herbicide didn’t make up having the roller crimper makes me happy. I don’t have to worry about for that decreased yield, but we got other soil health benefits. drift and handling poison. I really like growing grass instead of beans and “We are also doing 8-acre pilot field trials trying a flexible rotation with corn, and perennial ground cover is a no brainer. cows and goats and use them to graze any crop failures. We use the “Holistic Management really started me thinking about other things Haney tests to decide what kind of covers to grow. The soil tests show we can do with the operation. I continue to use it, not just formally. It’s we have nutrients but they are locked up so we are working on reducing been so integrated in my mindset that I don’t realize how much I our fertilizer use and we are down to 80 lbs/acre of nitrogen. use it.” “My dad has always been an experimenter, but Holistic Management To read Jon’s blog on Practical Farmers of Iowa go to: https:// helped me focus my experimentation. We have made some pretty farmpracticalfarmers.org/2015/11/guest-post-jon-bakehouse-on-holisticwide serious changes over the years and have seen soil improvements. management/ We’ve been focused on farm trials to help us figure out the changes. 12
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Rob Davidson—
The Value of Always Learning BY HEATHER SMITH THOMAS
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ob Davidson grew up in a small city but always had the feeling he wanted to be a rancher. His father was a lawyer and Rob grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. “We had a cottage in Waterton Lakes National Park, which borders Glacier National Park in Montana. I spent every summer of my life there growing up, and then worked as a Park Warden. At the Park I met my first wife, who was a rancher’s daughter,” Rob says. “We spent a lot of time on her family’s ranch. I was still in Forestry School when we bought our first chunk of land. I had a huge opportunity to learn about ranching, and my father-in-law was an outside-the-box thinker. He had farmed half his life with horses and knew a lot about how things were done in earlier times. This was an awesome beginning for me. When we did the ranch work, he led me through it and taught me to do everything we needed to do. He was having fun because I did the work! “This was huge for me, because I wanted to do it all. We were buying yearlings and would run 200 to 1,000 yearlings each year. We bought them as bulls and with horns so we did a lot of dehorning and castrating. We moved them to new pasture every week or two, and at that time I didn’t realize that this was a start at rotational grazing. This was in the early 1970s,” Rob says. At that time, most ranchers in the area were still doing seasonlong grazing in the same pastures and hadn’t learned the value of giving plants time for recovery. “Since I had no prior ranching experience before I worked with my father-in-law, I had no previous concept about ‘this is the way you do it,’ so what we were doing made sense to me. We moved the cattle a lot and did all the necessary tasks like branding and roping. I had a keen interest in learning; I hated school, but took every agricultural short course available,” Rob says. This was the start of a lifetime of learning that continues to this day.
Innovation & Exploration
As part of his continuing education, Rob took a course in beef cow nutrition from one of the leading ruminant nutritionists at that time, at the Lethbridge Research Station. “This opened the door to more learning,” says Rob. “You don’t just feed hay; you feed a least-cost ration and balance it, to make your enterprise more profitable. Back in those days, it could be fairly profitable to ranch. The cost of equipment and expenses were not anywhere close to being as big a percentage of the budget as they are now.” Then he took a farm management course in farm business accounting. “That was huge, for me, also. I was a young farmer with a degree, and we looked at how to manage our money and make things profitable. No other farmers were going to do that, because they already knew it all! These were some of the things that opened doors for me and helped me stay open-minded to new things,” he says. “I read something about Charolais cattle and asked my father-inlaw about them. He told me there were a few of them coming into the
country and people were using them for crossbreeding. There was a lot of talk back then about crossbreeding and hybrid vigor and even today people say this is the most effective thing you can do to increase weaning weights and cow fertility. So, we looked around and bought a Charolais bull. We were amazed at his calves; they were way bigger than what we’d had earlier. All the Hereford breeders were bragging that they got a cent or two more per pound when they sold their calves, but my calves were 100 pounds heavier and brought a lot more money per calf. “Those ranchers were hanging onto their tradition and I was looking at making ranching profitable. I realized this breed was going places so decided to get into the purebred Charolais business. I had a neighbor who had some percentage cattle and over the next few years we imported and bought more cattle and built a Charolais herd. We showed some of them at the big shows, just to see where we were at with our genetics and get the hang of things. “We did that for almost 10 years and then I left that business and moved from the foothills up into northeastern Alberta, near the small town of Two Hills (85 miles east of Edmonton). We bought a place with an indoor arena and good pasture. I still had the Charolais cows at that time, but had lost interest in pursuing them. We leased them out for a while and eventually sold them.” Rob ran a lot of feeder cattle, partly because he and his Rob Davidson. wife used them for sport in the horse world—for roping, team penning, etc. “This all fit in because we were still in the cattle business,” says Rob. “I furthered my knowledge of rotational grazing when Bob Kingsbury came through our area giving seminars. This introduced me to some of the names I needed to become more familiar with, like Allan Savory, the Stockman Grass Farmer publication, Gallagher electric fencing, etc. “Then in 1990 I took a five-day session in Holistic Management. All of these things kept me rolling in the direction I wanted to go because I wanted to better everything and do a better job and be profitable. This is the whole idea of Ranching for Profit; it’s all the same thing except for quality of life. Allan Savory wanted some quality of life in his plan for Holistic Management, while Stan Parsons felt that if you didn’t have your economic plan going first, you were not going to have quality of life. At any rate, it all went together for me, and in 1990 I went to the grazing conference in Jackson, Mississippi.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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Finding a Place in Agriculture
At that time, Rob met people like Joel Salatin, Bud Williams, Allan Nation, etc. and became acquainted with Laura’s Lean Meats. “You won’t find out about these things if you don’t leave the farm,” says Rob. “I was not opposed to going to grazing conferences and seminars on farm management, grazing, genetics, etc. I ended up meeting all kinds of good people like Greg Judy and David Kreider with PowerFlex Fence. I actually worked for him, handling his fence business in Canada. “We were selling electric fencing material, educating people about
teeter-totter a bit. You might take a little too much grass at one time, but then you give it a little more rest the next time. You can be very flexible, because Nature is that way; it’s no different than having a drought and having monsoon rains. You have to be flexible.”
The Power of Electric Fence
As someone who has worked with and sold electric fence for over 40 years, Rob has heard all the reasons why electric fence doesn’t work and how people need a “good” fence that will hold cattle. “Many times I’ve heard people say that they might try electric fence, if it works, but we do know that it works because we’ve been using it for 40 years,” says Rob. “I do see some electric fence now when I drive through the country, but it’s still not common. People use the excuse that they want a good fence. But what is a good fence? “Some years ago, my cowboy friend and I were going to rope and treat a heifer out in a paddock. We chased her down the length of the paddock and came to the end where there was an electric poly-wire across it and the heifer came to a screeching halt. We tried to rope her and missed on the first try. So, she took off again toward the far end and we turned around and headed back. At the other end of that paddock was a four-wire barbed-wire fence. That critter didn’t even break stride; she crashed right through that fence!” If an animal really wants to go through a barbed-wire fence, it can; that kind of fence won’t stop a determined animal. That’s the difference between the ‘power’ of an electric wire and a physical barrier. It’s amazing what you can do with electric fence and use
Note the before and after graze heights as the cattle work through this diverse stand of forage. using electric fence for their grazing. This was part of my quest for knowledge and learning, and getting better at whatever we were doing. I think a person works their whole life trying to do that. It’s always a work in progress and you never actually get there! You also make your life better all the time; if you see something that works better than what you are doing, you give it a try, rather than just thinking it won’t work because you haven’t done it. “We sold our machinery because we could buy hay cheaper than we could make it. I also worked about 15 years as a consultant for a feed company because they needed someone who could go out and talk to ranchers. Many of the PhDs for some reason can’t get their vocabulary level down to the farmers, and it’s hard for them to communicate. “I got along great with the farmers because I learned a lot from the PhDs but did most of the talking to the farmers Rob has used hot wire as a tool for feeding cattle hay with greater control. and ranchers. I would go and visit with them to make portable electric fence for sorting, loading cattle, etc. Once cattle are sure everything was working out and that they were happy with the trained to an electric wire they don’t question it. When moving cattle equipment. I had the best of two worlds—being educated by the best along a road or through a barnyard, a person can even use a simple and dealing with the farmers because I was familiar with the farming baling twine “fake fence” to block a driveway or some other area you culture. don’t want the cattle to enter and they won’t even try to go through it. “You keep learning a little more about managing the grass and An electric fence works better than any traditional fence when whether you can leave more, or less, when you go to a new pasture. You 14
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weaning calves and fence-line weaning. Calves that grow up around I just used examples from my own experiences and when I met Bud electric fences have great respect for it and are afraid to touch it. “When Williams. I would go out to various farms and ranches and design their doing fence-line weaning, however, I have never heard anyone explain systems. They would buy it because it made so much sense. why it works so well to wean with electric fence, “says Rob. “People “Selling livestock equipment, I just about made a million dollars one never say that it’s about the nursing, and not nursing because of the year in sales. That was in 2002 and in 2003 we were on track to do even fence. People talk about calf comfort and say that the cattle are more better, and then BSE hit Canada and that was brutal.” comfortable if they can lie next to one another—the cow and her calf— Still Learning After All These Years just through the fence. But the cattle we weaned with electric fence do Rob’s take-home message to anyone is don’t quit learning. “I not lie right next to the fence.” know one person whose favorite saying is that when you get up in The calves sleep a little distance away from it because they are the morning, don’t forget to go to university. Each day is part of your afraid of that thing that “bites” them. It’s the nursing that the calves were school—a learning experience. This has been part of my motto and I am thinking about when they approached the fence to get to the cow, and very comfortable promoting what I feel confident about,” Rob says. if they get shocked, they associate that nasty experience with nursing “But my successes were all the result of learning from good people. and don’t want to try to approach mom that closely again. It’s a mental I was visiting with Temple Grandin and we talked about a lot of things. association that dissuades them from wanting to nurse. I told her that Bud Williams helped me a lot and she said that if I knew “It’s similar to what would happen if you went to your favorite coffee Bud Williams I didn’t need her, but my advantage was that I knew both of shop and they put something different in your coffee that tasted terrible; them and learned a you wouldn’t want to lot from both of them. try that again,” says There are many Rob. “Yet no one has people in my life ever really discussed who have influenced or let people know me and I feel very that it’s not the blessed to have comfort of being with had the opportunity mama. Mama teaches to learn from them. the calf to graze and They’ve all been what to eat, where people who went out to go for water, etc. of their way to show because they travel me how to do it. together and the calf “When I first mimics mom, but the started rotational desire to nurse can be grazing, some folks altered with an electric told me I could never shock.” The deterrent, have that many cattle however, has to be on one pasture. We applied when the had 150 head on 160 animal is thinking acres and ended up about nursing— haying 15 acres of coming to the fence to it in addition to the get to mom to nurse— Even horses can be grazed at higher density with electric fence. grazing. The cattle so that the two things did very well, and a few years down the road, some of those same guys are associated and connected in the calf’s mind and memory. This is how animals learn to avoid something that gives them a bad experience. said they were amazed at how well it worked. “If you never leave your own farm, you never see anything “I feel that I am one of North America’s most knowledgeable electric different. Seeing is huge. I’ve been connected with a number of forage fence people,” says Rob. “I learned from some of the best, and had a associations and often sponsored things for them. I went all over great opportunity when Gallagher took me to New Zealand. I wanted to Canada doing field days where we would go out and tour other people’s promote rotational grazing and be a Gallagher dealer--and one of the Gallagher reps in Canada talked to a feed store in Grand Prairie to see if places. This is huge—to be able to see what other people are doing. “I love agriculture and feel disappointed that there are so many they wanted to hook up with me to sell fencing equipment for them. That people in the world right now thinking we don’t need farmers. I think it worked out, and the guy I worked for said he would split the margin with will change when there are more empty shelves in the grocery stores. me and told me to go at it. In 1991 just before I started, they only sold “It’s like a river. You can’t stop the river without it overflowing. The about $2,000 worth of fencing per year, and by 1999 when I went to New grocery store needs that delivery truck every day. If the truck can’t come, Zealand they told me we were the largest independent Gallagher dealer the store is out of groceries. If the person who fills the truck can’t do in the world. So, in about seven years we went from next to nothing to that, that supplier is backlogged. Most people don’t realize that if there over $100,000 in sales of fencing equipment. is a disruption in the flow, suddenly there is a backlog. Food is the only “Through all of that I never sold anything; I just educated people thing we can’t do without; we need to have it every day. You can do about the value of electric fences. They would understand, and ask me without a lawyer, doctor or anything else, but you can’t do where they could get it and I would tell them we had it at the store, and without food.” that was how it worked. The same with livestock handling equipment; N um ber 2 10
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Land & Livestock
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PROGRAM ROUND UP HMI’s 6-Day Regen Ag School at Texas Leo Ranch a Huge Success!
B
y combining seasoned instructors and facilitators, motivated participants, case studies, real ranching scenarios, on-site visits, and practical observation of Holistic Planned Grazing in action HMI and the Dixon Water Foundation hosted an outstanding 6 days of community building, learning, and sharing. Held at Dixon’s Leo Ranch near Decatur in north Texas the event is one to be remembered. HMI Certified Educator, Kirk Gadzia, led the team of educators including Joshua and Tara Dukart, Christine Martin, and Wayne Knight. Casey Wade and Casey Wade of Dixon Water Foundation exPhilip Boyd, Dixon plaining Dixon’s grazing planning to workshop Water Foundation’s participants. President and Vice-President of Research, provided illuminating perspective, data and practical implementation examples of Holistic Management in action. A diverse group of ranchers and farmers from all over the US, enthusiastically participated in the practical learning, case studies, and conversations as we covered a broad range of Holistic Management principles and practice. A total of 47 participants from all over the US attended the event, influencing over 2.88 million acres across the US. Evaluations showed that 100% of participants would recommend the training to others and 97% rated the program Excellent. Thanks to our sponsors and hosts, the Dixon Water Foundation for a memorable event!
Holistic Financial Planning Workshop at Alabama A&M In early April 2023 HMI Certified Educator Phil Metzger and HMI
From Fear to Resilience CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
invest in the people and labor pool necessary to manage and nurture these landscapes the same way we are investing in labor forces for the demand for renewable energy like wind and solar power. If we harvest the tool of human creativity and passion for a
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Programs Manager Marie von Ancken traveled to Alabama to facilitate an in-person Holistic Financial Planning workshop in collaboration with the Small Farms Research Center at Alabama A&M University’s 2023 Small Farms Conference. This collaboration is part of a grant funded by the USDA NIFA Beginning Farmer/Rancher Development Program. This annual conference convenes small farmers, landowners, agribusinesses, community gardeners, extension agents, and concerned citizens for five days of pre-conference workshops and plenary sessions at the conference. This year 175 folks from Alabama and Mississippi attended. 34 of those attendees participated in a two-day pre-conference workshop led by Phil Metzger. This group manages/influences 1,654 acres in Alabama/Mississippi. Over the two days, Phil took the group through the nine steps of Holistic Financial Planning with lectures and interactive small group work. These exercises helped them prioritize their expenses and their investments, plan for profit, improve profitability, determine net worth, develop a gross profit analysis for an enterprise, and developing a financial monitoring system. A huge thank you to E’licia Chavarest and the rest of the team at the Alabama A&M University Small Farms Research Center.
HMI Online Courses Offer Great Learning! HMI offered a suite of online courses in the first trimester of 2023. We started out with our Holistic Management Foundations Course where participants learn how to make effective on-farm/ranch decisions through creating a draft holistic goal and management inventory to test decisions toward. This course was taught by HMI Professional Certified Educator Tony McQuail from Ontario, Canada. There were 26 participants in this course from 5 countries influencing 24,173 acres. Evaluations showed that 100% of the participants were satisfied with the quality of the course and would recommend the course to others. Next up was the Holistic Cropping Planning Course Participants at the Alabama Financial Planning which helps Workshop.
rewarding relationship with Nature, rather than a relationship of fear, we are better able to utilize and appreciate the abundance and miracles of sunshine, rain, photosynthesis, symbiosis, germination, and so much more.
Read the full article by Jim Morrison on Wired at: https://www.wired.com/story/pliocene-like-monsoons-are-returning-tothe-american-southwest/.
producers to plan their crop systems and rotations to address natural resource and soil health issues while making a profit. This course was taught by HMI Certified Educators Elizabeth Marks (NY) and Preston Sullivan (MS). There were 18 participants from 4 different countries in this course influencing 3,432 acres. Evaluations showed that 100% of the participants were satisfied with the quality of the course and would recommend the course to others. The next course was the Holistic Grazing Planning course with participants learning how to assess forage quantity and quality, develop pasture maps, and work on draft grazing plans and discussing grazing strategies. This course was taught by HMI Professional Certified Educator Linda Pechin-Long from Kansas. There were 45 participants from 18 states and 3 countries influencing 36,291 acres. Evaluations showed that 89% of the participants were satisfied with the quality of the course and would recommend the course to others. Late in the first quarter HMI Certified Educator Phil Metzger from New York taught the Holistic Financial Planning course. Participants learned the 9 steps to Holistic Financial Planning and how to complete a gross profit analysis on one of their enterprises as well as identify their profit margin and the best areas of investing in their businesses to get maximum ROI. There were 15 participants from 3 countries influencing 42,144 acres. Evaluations showed that 100% of the participants were satisfied with the quality of the course and would recommend the course to others. HMI works hard to find scholarship support for those interested in taking these online courses who wouldn’t necessarily afford all the registration fee for these courses. Here’s a sampling of some of our scholarship recipients and what they got out of these courses. Thanks to the L&L Nippert Foundation for funding the Regenerative Agriculture Scholarship Fund that helps people like Ethan, Kyler, and Skye as well as our other funders who provide scholarship support! Ethon Pawlaczyk, Holland, Ohio, www.blackswampcattle.com I am a fifth-generation farmer, but a first-generation grazer. I started helping my family row crop farm when I was 10 years old. After seeing Allan Savory's TED talk, I learned about Holistic Management and I looked into training options to continue to learn more about how to apply Holistic Management. Currently we focus on producing high quality pasture raised foods that help regenerate soils, restore ecological function, and is enjoyable to eat. Holistic Management has been a tool to help us achieve our goals while also improving our land that we manage on. Through the financial planning Ethon Pawlaczyk. training I learned to set your goal of profit that you would like to earn ahead of time and then plan out your possible and available expenses from what is remaining. I will be implementing this in my business and personal life to better manage money so we can maintain a viable and profitable business.
Kyler Nottveit, Manitoba, Canada “I grew up on a conventional cow/calf operation doing the traditional chores and hay making. It was not for me and through a decade of different professions, I began to get into cattle again in a different way and that led me into custom grazing. I’m quickly becoming more of a grass man and am trying to grow more grass and build soil to stock more cattle. Kyler Nottveit. What I learned from the onlinve grazing course was the relationship between graze period and recovery period. Step by step each year I will implement strategies to better learn my environment and its strengths and weaknesses. I also learned how to utilize stock days as a unit of forage production and data recording. It will be extremely helpful in determining stocking rate for the grazing season.” Skye Priesz, Minnesota, USA “In December 2022, we woke up to the sheriff at our door telling us our barn was fully engulfed in flames. The building was a total loss with 20 years of equipment, tools, and building all burned to the ground. In my desire to find direction to focus toward as we faced not just the losses, but how and what we needed to rebuild or replace. I knew I needed to streamline the priorities and workload for the future. Sleepless nights of Google searches about sustainability, and land management that could be profitable, yet also in harmony with the environment, led me to HMI’s Holistic Management program. As I read through the available offerings, a spark ignited in my heart. I knew I had found a direction to take the recovery of the farm. Taking the Foundations for Holistic Management class impacted my decision making and thought processes almost immediately from the first week. I found a lot of comfort learning there was a guided way to make choices Skye Priesz. that started to feel as if there was a big picture goal and not just a series of reactions based on immediate need and emotions. There were some pretty tough questions that needed honest answers. Participation in the weekly live group discussions ended up being extremely helpful to me in expanding my mind to different ideas about how problems, or opportunities, could be addressed. One of the most profound lessons my instructor, Tony, gave me, was that sometimes to do nothing could be the best plan of action. This was such a gift to me, when at the time, I was wasting a lot of energy feeling overwhelmed. By the end of our class, I felt significantly more prepared to move our farm forward in a way that made sense for me, my family, the animals in my care, our land and our local community.”
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Development Corner
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24
The youngest of 16 grandchildren, and the only grandchild with plans to farm, I felt a great responsibility to promote the well-being of the family, the farm, and the farming legacy in the family, interests that are sometimes in conflict with each other. Family relations slowly improved after that meeting, but the LLC and the Colorado farm still lack a shared vision and continue to fuel uncertainty. To work toward my individual holistic goal, I used a small payout from LLC oil revenue to buy four sheep and some portable electric netting in
my mom, Janice Brown, hosted a series of Dairy Grazing Apprentices and Journeymen through the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program. Also, during this time, Kim and Janice put the farmland into a trust to protect the assets. In the event of a land sale, I was contractually given the first option to buy. Some of my siblings were named as Trustees while others opted out. This new development, in some ways, added to family and farm complexities.
Finding a Path Forward
I went back to college in 2018. I felt like I could make a wider positive impact in rural areas if I had a higher degree behind my name. I pursued a childhood dream of going to music school but soon found my academic home in gerontology, the study of aging. In my three years at Ithaca College, I explored aging in rural areas and aging in agriculture. Holistic Management and the people back home were my inspiration. Through my research in classes like Sociology of Aging, Aging and Social Policy, and Biology of Aging, I discovered that my family and my rural community were not alone in their challenges; the shared experiences were common enough that researchers before me studied intergenerational farm dynamics and identified rural residents as an underserved population. I tried to bring that knowledge back to my family. When my dad read my paper on intergenerational farm transitions, he said, “This is us.” Facing these realities is not always The Brown-Shaklees have shared their knowledge over the years with a host of producers easy, but doing so began a paradigm including these beef, sheep, and dairy producers who came from several counties throughout shift in the family, away from blaming a New York State in the fall of 2022 for a field day at Birds All Dairy Farm. person or a generation for failing to meet expectations, and toward recognizing larger forces at play, like society, individual and collective trauma, 2014. In the two years that followed, I apprenticed with a sheep shearer, generational needs, and interpersonal dynamics, and toward practicing grew my flock to 35 head, grazed "circuits" on some of my parents’ greater individual and collective accountability. farmland, practiced reclamation grazing in the neighborhood, farm-sat In my last semester at Ithaca College, I encountered HMI's Farm & for neighboring farms, milked cows and tended pasture for my folks, and Ranch Succession Planning manual, which brought together my interests taught private music lessons in town. of gerontology and Holistic Management. The manual inspired me to During those years with my flock and my folks, I heard stories design a summer internship and propose it to numerous farm-related from local farmers of all ages about the challenges they were facing agencies; NY FarmNet welcomed me aboard. FarmNet serves every with generational transitions on their farms. My parents' peers were contemplating retirement, and I'd frequently hear them say at farm picnics, county in New York State, helping people in the agriculture industry through crisis and transition. The program is free and confidential. “The kids aren't reliable, and they won’t commit.” And the adult “kids” Consultants work in teams of two: a social worker addresses personal lamented that the older generations “just won't give up control.” These stories resonated with me, as my family had faced similar challenges for at and interpersonal challenges like substance abuse, mental health, relationship issues, etc., and a financial consultant, often retired from least three generations within my lifetime. Extension or NRCS, helps farmers get their books in order and explore I decided to sell my sheep in 2016 and take some time away from enterprise options. my parents' farm. I expanded my farm-sitting clientele, worked in rural Through interviewing consultants and administrators of FarmNet, homecare, released an album of original music, and taught songwriting at I learned of even more shared experiences among farmers and farm Alfred University. It was meaningful and formative work, and I had a niche families and learned how these professionals assist them. I drew on my in my community, yet it did not put me in a good financial position to buy training in Holistic Management and gerontology to write open-ended a farm. questions that could help farmers and consultants identify what they In the time that I was away from the farm, my dad, Kim Shaklee, and
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value and what gives their life joy and meaning, as these questions unanswered can leave us without a compass when facing life transitions. In our discussions, I portrayed retirement as a social construct, carefully crafting my questions so as to not pigeon-hole consultants or farmers into conforming their views of retirement to align with societal norms. Retirement is something society created, so it’s up to a person to decide what they want it to look like, or if they want to retire at all. Many gerontological theories and principles align with Holistic Management. Gerontology examines how a person throughout their life course impacts, and is impacted by, opportunities, decisions, and the environment in which they live. Gerontology and Holistic Management taught me to see aging as a lifelong process, life as a series of transitions, continuity as the stability amidst change, and well-being as a balance of many personal and interpersonal domains. A farm goes through transitions just like a person or family goes through transitions. This includes the family farms in New York and Colorado.
Paying It Forward
of holistic grazing on that land, and the life in agriculture they gave me and my four siblings. Seeing as how their grazing practices were inspired by Allan Savory, I felt compelled to make a donation to the organization he started. I want the farm, the cows, my folks, and our time together to be remembered. I visit my parents and the farm almost every weekend. We celebrated the Winter Solstice with a fire to burn away farm and family "baggage" and recently played a concert together just over the hill from the farm. We look forward to observing together the balance the Equinox brings, and considering how we can reflect that balance in our lives. Mom and Dad are adjusting to life on the farm without cows, adjusting to life without all the concerns that can come along with a dairy farm. There is still plenty to do, like keeping the wood stove burning, planting the garden in the spring, harvesting fruits and veggies in the summer, putting food in the freezer, and maintaining infrastructure. Mom provides Respite for her friend whose husband needs care at home, and Dad tends to one remaining steer and the barn cats. Penny, the dog, has retired from herding and enjoys going on daytrips with Kim and Janice. My donation to HMI was about paying it forward. I was a scholarship recipient, and the Beginning Women Farmer program was formative for me. Supporting family farming and beginning farmers is a way of
In the fall of 2021, my parents announced they were going to sell the cows in the coming year. I was concerned how my parents would adjust to this transition, and with the contractual first option to buy the land, I felt like I needed to move closer to the farm and prepare for a possible land sale. I requested that our family use the New York State Agricultural Mediation Program to help us navigate some of the conflict around this big transition for farm and family. As a family, we learned some skills to communicate more empathetically with each other, and we established shared values for the family. As a case manager at a rural Office for Aging, I do similar work with clients and their families while coordinating their home care and other community-based services. I help clients identify strengths and "weak links" in their biological, psychological, social, environmental, financial, and spiritual health, then collaboratively set goals that could lead a client closer to their desired Quality of Life. I never imagined having this kind of job, spending so much time at a desk and Emma and Penny with the dairy cows before Emma and the cows left Birds All Dairy Farm. on the road, but I can see how it is leading me closer to my holistic goal. I pursued honoring my family's legacy while also building my own. As someone this field of study because farmers as a people, and rural areas as a trying to enter agriculture again, I know how challenging it can be to get a whole, are aging. I knew these services were needed in the community I envisioned, and I trusted my degree would improve my chances of having foothold. I see the value of putting some of my financial resources into HMI's work around the world. When I tell folks how Holistic Management a salary that could help me buy a farm. Holistic Financial Planning helps shifted my perspective on life, I say, "It's not just what I do, but how I do me "plan for profit," putting 42% of my biweekly earnings into savings before paying my living expenses. I use my holistic goal to reorient myself it, how I feel when I'm doing it, and what impact it has on those around me." Holistic Management helped me see the importance of during life transitions and identify what I can offer to my community. that distinction. When my parents sold the cows, I donated to HMI. I've heard grief defined as "love unexpressed." I loved the cows and grieved when they Emma wants to promote rural resilience through intergenerational left. Donating to HMI helped me express that love. I wanted to honor the programming that provides cultural enrichment, education, and social dairy's legacy by investing in other farmers who love their ruminants and engagement for rural people of all ages. co-create greener pastures. I also wanted to mark my parents' 30 years
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Certified
Educators
NEBRASKA
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.
Joshua Dukart
Ralph Tate
Randal Holmquist
Hastings 402/463-8507 • 402/705-1241 (c) pswanson3@unl.edu Papillion 402/250-8981 (c) tateralph74@gmail.com NEW HAMPSHIRE
Seth Wilner
Newport 603-543-7169 (w) • seth.wilner@unh.edu
U N I T E D S TAT E S
NEW MEXICO
Ann Adams ARIZONA
Tim McGaffic
Christine C. Jost
Silver Springs 773/706-2705 christinejost42@gmail.com
Cave Creek 808/936-5749 tim@timmcgaffic.com
Lee Altier
MARYLAND
CALIFORNIA
College of Agriculture, CSU Chico 530/636-2525 • laltier@csuchico.edu
Owen Hablutzel
MICHIGAN
Larry Dyer
Petoskey 231/881-2784 (c) dyer3913@gmail.com MISSISSIPPI
Preston Sullivan
Los Angeles 310/567-6862 go2owen@gmail.com
Meadville 601/384-5310 (h) preston.sullivan@hughes.net
Richard King
Petaluma 707/217-2308 (c) rking1675@gmail.com
MONTANA
Roland Kroos (retired)
Doniga Markegard
Half Moon Bay 650/670-7984 doniga@markegardfamily.com
Kelly Mulville
Paicines 707/431-8060 kmulville@gmail.com
Bozeman 406/581-3038 (c) kroosing@msn.com
Cliff Montagne
Montana State University Bozeman 406/599-7755 (c) montagne@montana.edu
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
Dolores 808/936-5749 tim@timmcgaffic.com IDAHO
Angela Boudro
Bonners Ferry 541/890-4014 kregandangie@hotmail.com KANSAS
Winfield 316/322-0536 info@grazetheprairie.com
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Kirk Gadzia
Bernalillo 505/263-8677 (c) • kirk@rmsgadzia.com
Jeff Goebel
Belen • 541/610-7084 goebel@aboutlistening.com NEW YORK
Erica Frenay
SOUTH DAKOTA
Mitchell 605/730-0550 • randy@heartlandtanks.com
Deborah Clark
TEXAS
Henrietta 940/328-5542 deborah@birdwellandclarkranch.com
Kathy Frisch
214/417-6583 • kathytx@pm.me
Guy Glosson
Snyder 806/470-6857 • glosson@caprock-spur.com
Wayne Knight
Holistic Management International Van Alstyne 940/626-9820 waynek@holisticmanagement.org
Tracy Litle
Orange Grove 361/537-3417 (c) • tjlitle@hotmail.com
Brooktondale 607/342-3771 info@shelterbeltfarm.com
Peggy Maddox
Craig Leggett
Christine Martin
Chester 518/275-5484 • craigrleggett@gmail.com
Elizabeth Marks
Chatham 518/567-9476 (c) elizabeth_marks@hotmail.com
Phillip Metzger
Hermleigh 325/226-3042 (c) • peggy@kidsontheland.org Oakwood 936/245-9505 • christine@theregenranch.com VERMONT
John Thurgood
Stowe (1/2 year in Oneonta NY) 802/760-7799 • thurgood246@gmail.com WISCONSIN
Norwich 607/316-4182 pmetzger17@gmail.com
Laura Paine
Ralph Corcoran
Philipp Mayer
Columbus 608/338-9039 (c) • lkpaine@gmail.com
AUSTRALIA
Coolatai, NSW 61-409-151-969 judi_earl@bigpond.com
Graeme Hand
Mt Coolum, QLD 61-4-1853-2130 graemehand9@gmail.com
Dick Richardson
Tim McGaffic
Linda Pechin-Long
Judi Earl
Warwick, QLD 61-4-1878-5285 hello@decisiondesignhub.com.au
Dolores 970/739-2445 cadwnc@gmail.com
Holistic Management International Albuquerque 505/842-5252 ext 5 anna@holisticmanagement.org
Hazen 701/870-1184 • joshua_dukart@yahoo.com
I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Helen Lewis
Cindy Dvergsten
NORTH DAKOTA
Paul Swanson
Langbank, SK 306/434-9772 rlcorcoran@sasktel.net
Blain Hjertaas
Redvers, SK 306/452-7723 bhjer@sasktel.net
Brian Luce
Ponoka, AB 403/783-6518 lucends@cciwireless.ca
Mt. Pleasant, SA 61-4-2906-9001 dick@naturesequity.com.au
Noel McNaughton
Jason Virtue
Tony McQuail
Cooran QLD 61-4-27 199 766 jason@spiderweb.com.au
Brian Wehlburg
Mid North Coast, NSW 61-0408-704-431 brian@insideoutsidemgt.com.au CANADA
Don Campbell
Meadow Lake, SK 306/236-6088 • doncampbell@sasktel.net
h July / August 2023
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
Pirkanmaa 358-409306406 mayer_philipp@gmx.at NAMIBIA
Usiel Seuakouje Kandjii Windhoek 264-812840426 kandjiiu@gmail.com
Wiebke Volkmann 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
Holistic Management International, Quivira Coalition, and the American Grassfed Association collaborate each year to convene ranchers, farmers, conservationists, land managers, scientists, and thought leaders to share knowledge, build community, and create a culture of resilience and regeneration. We hope you’ll join us this year in Santa Fe on Nov 1-3, 2023. Registration coming soon. www.regenerateconference.com
Making Money with Regenerative Grazing Using Holistic Management® June 30, 2023 8:30AM – 3:30PM $30 (includes lunch) Greenacres Foundation Art Center of Cincinnati, OH Greenacres Foundation raises a variety of animals using humane and low-stress handling techniques, producing grass-finished Black Angus cattle and lamb, woodland-raised pork, pastured poultry, and vegetables that are free of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Join us at this farm field day to see how working with nature can improve your land and generate more wealth. www.holisticmanagement.org/greenacresfd
HMI’s Online Courses
Scholarship funding support comes from the L&L Nippert Charitable Foundation.
www.holisticmanagement.org/training-programs
Holistic Grazing Planning Sept 6 - Oct 18
Holistic Management® Foundation Sept 12 - Oct 24
Holistic Financial Planning Oct 3 - Nov 14
Holistic Cropping Planning coming soon
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THE MARKETPLACE
S i n c e 1 947 We’ve stood the test of time, and so do our fences!
Electra-Lock Electric Agriculture (800) 527-0990 www.twinmountainfence.com
Resource Management Services, LLC
CORRAL DESIGNS
Celebrating 20 Years
Kirk L. Gadzia, Certified Educator PO Box 1100 Bernalillo, NM 87004 505-263-8677 kirk@rmsgadzia.com www.rmsgadzia.com
How can Kirk help you? On-Site Consulting:
All aspects of holistic management, including financial, ecological and human resources.
Ongoing Support:
Follow-up training sessions and access to continued learning opportunities and developments.
Property Assessment:
Land health and productivity assessment with recommended solutions. Pasture Scene Investigation
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KIDS ON THE LAND Mission: Kids On the Land is a unique STEM environmental program designed to teach children about the region where they live, connecting them to the land and a more sustainable future.
By World Famous Dr. Grandin Originator of Curved Ranch Corrals The wide curved Lane makes filling the crowding tub easy.
Includes detailed drawings for loading ramp, V chute, round crowd pen, dip vat, gates and hinges. Plus cell center layouts and layouts compatible with electronic sorting systems. Articles on cattle behavior. 27 corral layouts. $55.
Kids On the Land’s Executive Director, Peggy Maddox, was recently named the 2023 Conservation Teacher of the Year for Region V Soil & Conservation Districts of Texas. Kids On the Land is also proud to report that we are back out on the land with our students and teachers. Check us out on our website www.kidsontheland.org
Low Stress Cattle Handling Video $59. Send checks/money order to:
GRANDIN LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS
2918 Silver Plume Dr., Unit C-3 Fort Collins, CO 80526
970/229-0703 • www.grandin.com
325/226-3042 peggy@kidsontheland.org www.kidsontheland.org peggyhermleigh@gmail.com
Order online www.acresusa.com or call toll-free 1-800-355-5313
• New Livestock and Land Performance worksheet
THE MARKETPLACE
Phil Metzger
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
HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT® CERTIFIED EDUCATOR
Over 35 years of hands-on experience Over 30 years farms, of hands-on with individuals, small experience businesses with individuals, farms,and small businesses, and groups of all types sizes, including and groups of all types and sizes. facilitating workshops, training, and one-on-one teaching. • Goal setting Improved decision making •• Goal setting Financial planning •• Improved decision making Grazing planning •• Financial planning Land assessment assessment •• Land Biological monitoring monitoring •• Biological Group&Facilitation •• Land Infrastructure Planning
$150
O $40 TDE A UPGR
“This tool has already given us a many fold return beyond our initial investment and we have just begun to use it.”
— Arnold Mattson, Agri-Environment Services Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Let me help you maximize profits, regenerate your land and improve your quality of life. Freeinitial initial phone phone consultation. consultation. Free Contact Phil Phil at at 607-334-2407 607-316-4182 or Contact or pmetzger17@gmail.com. pmetzger17@gmail.com.
TO LEARN MORE or TO ORDER: Call 505/842-5252 or visit us at www.holisticmanagement.org/store/
Kids On the Land, Inc. A unique environmental program designed to teach children about the region where they live, connecting them to the land and a more sustainable future.
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Kids On the Land is ready for an appearance in your school district. Peggy Maddox can come help your host landowner and school get started. • Make a donation • Offer your land as a site for a KOL program • Become a volunteer Executive Director – Peggy Maddox 325/226-3042 peggy@kidsontheland.org http://kidsontheland.org
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Be Your Own Scientist True science begins with observation, but in these times whose observations can you safely trust? Why not consider observing the basic requirements for improving feed production and nutrition for yourself, on your own land, and most likely for a lot less money than it costs for someone else to do it for you? In seven years of randomized, replicated research on the Bradford Research Farm, University of Missouri/Columbia correcting soil nutrients based on the use of soil chemistry has been shown as a necessary influence before the soil has the greatest possibility to attain the necessary soil structure, and particularly the ability to hold needed amounts of water and air. Soil biology alone does not insure that needed environment – shelter, feed, water and air. All four must be adequately provided to encourage the proper abilities and activities of the living organisms for soil biology to thrive. What farmer or rancher thinks their livestock can always fend for themselves and without any help provide the utmost in possible production and income? At times adequate feed, water or shelter can mean the difference between profit and loss, or even worse – life or death. Why would anyone consider needed livestock in our soil would be any different? Should optimum benefits provided from biological life in the soil be expected to provide the utmost results without the proper living conditions? Correcting soil chemistry is the key to correcting soil porosity. Soil porosity is not just there to supply air and water; it is the science that enables the soil to bounce back when the effects of too much water come from rainfall, flooding, etc. and extreme amounts of air when soil dries out from lack of adequate moisture. It provides resilience or the ability to make any needed adjustments more quickly once conditions exist to permit recovery. By measuring the needs of the land, using soil testing based on optimum mineral content as shown through soil chemistry, optimum feed value can be achieved and measured. Have your soils and feedstuffs tested and evaluated before and after applying the nutrients shown to be necessary to reach the best levels for the needs of each particular soil, and ask the following questions: 1) How much rainfall do you normally receive per year. 2) How would you rate the productiveness of the soil you intend to use for this experiment? 3) What is the greatest need concerning this land that you would like to solve? Be your own scientist and learn the truth for yourself!
For consulting or educational services contact:
Kinsey Agricultural Services, Inc. Charleston, Missouri 63834 • www.kinseyag.com • info@kinseyag.com • Ph: 573/683-3880, Fax: 573/683-6227 N um ber 2 10
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DEVELOPMENT CORNER Addressing the Issues of an Aging Agricultural Community BY EMMA BROWN-SHAKLEE
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grew up on Birds All Dairy Farm, a 50-head dairy in Birdsall, New York. My parents explored numerous regenerative practices, including rotational grazing. This upbringing in land and animal husbandry led me to explore a life in agriculture as well.
have a legacy of keeping a farm in the family for generations. I grew up with an awareness that my parents and older siblings left the family farm in Colorado; It didn’t go well out there for them. My parents wanted family relationships and farm transitions to be better with the next generation, so they set out on their own. Farm and family transitions continue to be difficult, and now two farms in the family find themselves at a crossroads, each with the oldest generation at the helm. My paternal grandmother put the Colorado farm and its mineral rights in an LLC for her 4 children and 16 grandchildren. Some family members joked, "Grandma couldn't get us together when she was alive, so she required it by contract." There were a lot of unaddressed hard feelings that made me nervous about the LLC meeting following Grandma's death in 2015.
The Challenges of Succession
In Spring of 2014, I was studying agriculture at Alfred State College when I met Diane Cox, an art professor, shepherd, and an HMI Beginning Women Farmer Program alum (The HMI Beginning Women Farmer Program is funded by the USDA in the Northeast US). I graduated with an Associate’s Degree Emma and Penny bringing a sheep, Noelle, back to the barn to lamb in in May 2014 and received 2016 when Emma had her own flock. a scholarship to attend HMI's program that fall. I enjoyed the community of women and the I had learned about mediation and empathetic communication in supportive atmosphere of the program, with participants all learning HMI’s Beginning Women Farmer program, so I requested a mediator from each other and from the instructors. It was a great opportunity to help us with family and farm discussions in Colorado. I created a set of think about what I wanted in my life and my community, and how to open-ended questions that could help each person identify what they make decisions that would lead me closer to that vision. It was also value before we tried to identify shared values and chart the course quite a paradigm shift! of the farm and the LLC together, just like I learned through HMI's My family has been farming in the US for about three centuries. Beginning Women Farmer Program. They have a legacy of improving land and infrastructure, but do not yet CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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