to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:07 AM
Page 1
20th Anniversary
N I
*
1984-2004
RACTICE P a publication of the savory center
September/October 2004 * Number 97
www.holisticmanagement.org
A Score of Observations
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
by Peggy Sechrist
M
y introduction to Holistic Management came in 1986. I was a thirtysomething farm girl involved with the ranching community in Texas and hearing about farmers and ranchers going broke left and right. I loved growing up on a farm as well as my professional association with agriculture, and I was grieving about the loss of a culture and lifestyle diminished by the shrinking population of farm and ranch families. I began doing some research about a concept new to me called sustainable agriculture. I thought maybe I would find some answers. During this time, I was introduced to Dick Richardson, a Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Texas in Austin. He mentioned to me another new concept called Holistic Resource Management, and I had to know more. I learned about and became involved with a small group of ranchers just organizing what would become HRM of Texas, and I attended my first 5-1/2 day training course in Albuquerque. The rest is history, as they say. Initially I didn’t grasp all the facets of Holistic Management, but intuitively I believed that this process offered more hope for agriculture than any other method or practice I had learned about, so I had to learn more. I found a way to attend several more weeklong training courses during 1986 and 1987 while I began my tentative first steps at practicing the process. Guess what was the easiest part? The grazing chart! Fortunately I didn’t stop there like so many course participants did back then. Being ranchers, most of us just wanted to make our pastures and cattle perform better. We didn’t want to change our lives! But my life did change—a lot. And in
1991, I was offered a position as an Educator with what was then called the Center for Holistic Resource Management. My career positions have changed periodically since then, but one thing hasn’t changed. Whatever I am doing, I am trying to do it holistically. In addition to working as a Certified Educator, my husband and I operate two businesses that we manage holistically, and I am active with several non-governmental organizations, bringing Holistic Management to their table. From this variety of experiences spread over 18 years, I have made many observations about Holistic Management.
Beyond Paradigm Paralysis The easiest part about practicing Holistic Management is applying the tools. It’s also the most fun. It involves action and is relatively straightforward. For us ranchers, you can begin seeing results within one growing season, it’s done outside, and the activity closely resembles actions in the mechanical paradigm with which we’re familiar (i.e. rangeland and grazing). Of the various components of Holistic Management, most students I’ve observed most eagerly adopt the use of grazing, animal impact, living organisms, fire, and rest. They don’t do it perfectly right out of the chute, but they begin to see results relatively quickly. They want their pastures and cattle to perform better than before. That is their motivation. What they resist is goal setting, forward financial planning, and using the decision-making guidelines. When I first began in 1986, the first thing I did was sit down and, using the Aide Memoire, continued on page 2
Our appreciation to Dean William Rudoy, Ph.D. for his generous donation that has enabled us to redesign IN PRACTICE and print in color throughout 2004 in celebration of our 20th Anniversary.
The Savory Center has worked to improve people’s understanding of rangeland health and management for the last twenty years. This work ultimately comes down to how to better manage for soil health. Christine Jones provides further insight on this topic on page 12.
FEATURE STORIES A Score of Observations Peggy Sechrist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
A Island of Grass in a Sea of Corn Laura Paine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Investing in Your Grandchildren Peggy Maddox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Wonderland Ranch Chad McKellar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
LAND & LIVESTOCK Avalon Organics—Combining Organics and Holistic Management John King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 The Right Stuff—Cashing in on Genetics John King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Issues That Challenge Cattle Producers—How To Manage Holistically Terry Gompert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Beyond the Numbers— Managing Soil Life Christine Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
NEWS & NETWORK Savory Center Grapevine . . . . . . . . .14 Savory Center Forum . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Certified Educators . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:07 AM
Page 2
Savory
The
CENTER
AD DEFINITUM FINEM
THE SAVORY CENTER is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization. The Savory Center works to restore the vitality of communities and the natural resources on which they depend by advancing the practice of Holistic Management and coordinating its development worldwide. FOUNDERS Allan Savory
* Jody Butterfield STAFF
Tim LaSalle, Executive Director Kate Bradshaw, Director of Finance and Administration Kelly Pasztor, Director of Educational Services; Constance Neely, International Training Programs Director Ann Adams, Managing Editor, IN PRACTICE and Director of Publications and Outreach Brooke Palmer, Executive Assistant Donna Torrez, Administrative Assistant
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rio de la Vista, Chair Allan Savory, Vice-Chair Leslie Christian, Secretary Richard Smith, Treasurer Manuel Casas Judy Richardson Bruce Ward Terry Word
ADVISORY COUNCIL Jim Shelton, Chair, Vinita, OK Robert Anderson, Corrales, NM Michael Bowman,Wray, CO Sam Brown, Austin, TX Leslie Christian, Portland, OR Lee Dueringer, Scottsdale, AZ Gretel Ehrlich, Gaviota, CA Cynthia & Leo Harris, Albuquerque, NM Clint Josey, Dallas, TX Krystyna Jurzykowski, Glen Rose, TX Dianne Law, Laveta, CO Doug McDaniel, Lostine, OR Guillermo Osuna, Coahuila, Mexico Jim Parker, Montrose, CO Dean William Rudoy, Cedar Crest, NM York Schueller, El Segundo, CA Richard Smith, Houston, TX Africa Centre for Holistic Management Private Bag 5950, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe Tel: (263) (11) 404 979; email: hmatanga@mweb.co.zw Huggins Matanga, Director HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE (ISSN: 1098-8157) is published six times a year by The Savory Center, 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, 505/842-5252, fax: 505/843-7900; email: savorycenter@holisticmanagement.org.; website: www.holisticmanagement.org Copyright © 2004.
2
IN PRACTICE
*
A Score of Observations
continued from page 1
filled out a grazing chart. Then I began immediately following it. Today I find a lot of “students” not using the grazing chart the way we would like for them to, but doing a modified version that produces desirable results. One of the ranches that HRM of Texas has used as a good example (and it has looked great for over a decade) has never used the grazing chart as we think of it. But the rancher has improved his ecosystem processes. That is a success we all need to recognize. And from the grazing planning, Holistic Management gets tough. The rest of the process requires soul-searching, communication with others, full disclosure, researching information, planning processes, worksheets and/or software entries, and decision making with an additional set of new guidelines. All of this requires discipline, diligence, commitment, follow-through, patience, persistence, and perseverance. The point at which increased communication and creativity kicks in to help with these challenges varies with every individual. Not everyone feels motivated by more creativity and communication. In fact, I’ve observed extreme resistance to more communication. It takes time— sometimes a long time—for some to experience success in terms other than financial. So the key as a facilitator is to learn what the core values of each team member are and then to successfully demonstrate how all those core values are interconnected—so that the team member motivated by financial success understands that financial success is interconnected with successful expression of all the other team values. But that is not easily accomplished. No wonder the resistance can run high in some folks. The entry point to becoming a Holistic Management practitioner can feel like navigating a dimly lit tunnel. Will it lead to our desired destination? Is it really taking us down the right path? It seems to be separating us from many of our peers! It’s at this point, I think, that I have observed many beginners put down their planning charts and rejoin their crowd of peers. Paradigm paralysis is alive and well and very powerful. But paradigm paralysis isn’t the only reason we lose beginners. As a part of our own monitoring process, we need to ask ourselves the question, “What in our own behavior may contribute to the problem of losing practitioners?” One observation I have made
September/October 2004
pertains to beginners who connect to Holistic Management through one facet of the process. With land managers, that is usually the grazing planning. They make some progress with improving their grazing management, and just when they begin to think Holistic Management really has something to offer, they feel pressured to get busy and practice Holistic Management because the grazing planning alone isn’t Holistic Management. Many ranchers in Texas have “jumped ship” at this point and reverted to
In 1995, the Texas Department of Agriculture designated the Sechrist Ranch as the first certified organic ranch in the State ofs Texas. Tests indicate that chicken from Homestead Healthy Foods tested less than 2% fat, and beef, on average, is 40% leaner than USDA Choice. previous management practices. But I have also been fortunate to observe that when given time to build confidence and receive nurturing, a beginner can reach a point when they become committed holistic practitioners eager to learn how to embrace the full scope of holism. This observation has convinced me that no matter how a beginner becomes interested in Holistic Management, nurturing, patience, and flexibility can lead them through that initial tunnel and finally to a level of knowledge that will sustain them as they continue their learning journey. This could take months or years. It calls for us to practice patience and nurturing while letting go of judgements about what is correct
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:07 AM
Page 3
Holistic Management and what is not. As the community of practitioners grows, we’ll have even greater numbers of beginners learning at different levels and at different stages of understanding, practicing to the best of their ability and making lots of mistakes as a means of learning. The fundamental concept of Holistic Management suggests that every practitioner will be practicing differently without conformity. The vital thread through all this trial and error is a commitment to learning about holism and the art of managing holistically. With that commitment in place, people will grow through personal as well as shared experience with others.
expectations; declaring trust as a core value and then sharing private information with others; or imposing personal beliefs on another after stating freedom of opinion as a value. A second issue for incongruent behavior, I believe, is instances of beginners so out of touch with their values that they initially list values they get from someone else or values that they believe they should have but are not internalized. In this case, you will also see rampant incongruent behavior. This is where a good facilitator must find ways to help students identify their own true values. It is the old pattern of incongruent behavior that undermines our new commitment to practicing Holistic Management.
Toward a Congruent Life I have also repeatedly observed the human challenge of practicing congruent behavior which if not in place can limit one’s practice of Holistic Management. I’m referring to matching our behavior choices to the values that we identify in our goal. Learning how to identify and clarify values has been a major contribution to our collective quality of life. Richard and I built our marriage on the values stated in our quality of life statement, and it has served us extremely well. Our personal successes do not necessarily make Richard and I good role models for everyone because that success is specific to our values and holistic goal. People who know us well know that we have had to struggle against paradigms to begin a new business selling a product new to the marketplace against the norms of the wholesale marketplace. Our success as a married couple also has specific meaning to us. We both like increased communication and creativity. We like to meet disagreements head on. We like to work hard shoulder to shoulder. Not everyone does. When people look at us, they don’t automatically see the goal setting process at work; they see what actions we’re taking, and those actions don’t always make sense to them. When the greater “we” (human species) attempt to re-program ourselves, we’re struggling against a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior. When under pressure, the vast majority of us will return to old patterns of behavior, and they will often be incongruent with the values we stated in our holistic goal. Some examples of this might include a member of a management team claiming full disclosure as a value and then operating with a hidden agenda; a person claiming respect as a value and then publicly criticizing someone for not complying with one’s
While Peggy originally was drawn to Holistic Management because of the promise of healthier land and more productive animals, she and Richard now see how Holistic Management has enriched their lives by showing them how to make decisions that make life more meaningful. So it would seem that one stumbling block to broad scale practice of Holistic Management has nothing to do with land management, but with the challenge of forming new patterns of behavior to bring us into congruence with our values. To compound this challenge is the fact that people change throughout their lifetime. What is a high priority value at 30 changes by the time you are 60. So we also need to learn how to adapt to this changing dynamic.
Nurturing Relationships You might be thinking at this point, “Heck, let’s just focus on the land. That’s what is important. We don’t have time to mess with the people and behavior stuff.” But a reality I’ve witnessed is “however go the people, so goes the land.” Allan Savory told us that during our training, and I know that to be true. It is one of the fundamental principles of holism. All life forms are connected. We thrive together or we
wither together. If we become serious about living holistically, whatever our motivation is, we must carefully consider how we treat each other. We must learn to nurture relationships and treat them with value as part of the fabric that makes the whole healthy. The theory of holism has been around since the mid 1800s. We still don’t understand it well or practice it effectively. Most of us practitioners just wanted to make our land better and become financially sustainable. Will we have the courage and fortitude to recognize that holism is much more than healthy land? Will we commit to building relationships? Will we accept that all life forms, including all people, are vital members of a greater whole? Will we have the perseverance to remain active life-long students of holism? Can we withstand the peer-pressure to conform to social norms? The challenge seems large and difficult at times. But after 18 years of study, practice, and observation (along with endless mistakes and replanning), Richard and I both often say to others that we would not go back to the old paradigm for anything. Holistic Management has enriched our lives beyond our expectations. Holistic Management has enriched our lives by showing us how to make decisions that make our life more meaningful. Our blended family has strong ties because we made it a high value. Our marriage is built on shared values and we re-visit that often. We face challenges with combined strength because our values serve as our yoke of synergy. Our work is more a vocation rather than occupation. Our time is carefully allocated to work and projects that are important to our lives (we just have too many important opportunities!). Holistic Management is morally and ethically imperative because we place high value on long term sustainability, because it is the only way we know of today to achieve a healthy future, and because we want our grandchildren (5 and counting) to experience the benefits of a holistic society. It is the best future that we can imagine. It is pioneering work, and I’ve always wanted to be a pioneer. I salute all you fellow pioneers in the Holistic Management movement as we explore this new frontier together. Peggy Sechrist is a Certified Educator and rancher. She and her husband, Richard, currently operate Homestead Healthy Foods, which you can learn more about at: www.homesteadhealthyfoods.com. She can be reached at: sechrist@ktc.com.
Number 97
*
IN PRACTICE
3
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:07 AM
Page 4
An Island of Grass in a Sea of Corn by Laura Paine
A
s a Certified Educator trainee, one of the things that I appreciate most about the Holistic Management global community I’ve joined is its diversity. I’ve enjoyed meeting many fascinating people and learning about land management in a broad range of environments. Our humid environment here in southern Wisconsin is very different from the brittle environments that gave rise to the Holistic Management land management principles, and my learning community is exploring the application of those principles to our lives and farms. The goal of this article is to share a little of that experience. For all of us, it’s an evolution—a shift in mindset—the manifestation of which can be fairly subtle. That’s not the case with my friend John, though, and it’s his story I’d like to tell.
A Land Ethic John and I share an admiration for the writings of Aldo Leopold, who gained insights from his work in environments across the brittleness scale from New Mexico to our own Wisconsin backyard. While on the faculty at
the University of Wisconsin, he wrote a series of articles about farming with a “land ethic.” “The landscape of any farm is the owner’s portrait of himself,” said Leopold, encouraging farmers to work with the unique qualities of their land to paint a picture that depicts a functioning ecosystem providing both economic and conservation benefits. Although he didn’t use the same terms, he was talking about optimizing ecosystem processes—energy flow, mineral cycling, water cycling, and community dynamics—in an agricultural system. For each of us, Holistic Management is providing a structured process for achieving and maintaining that balance. My Wisconsin community sits on top of some of the most fertile soils in the world. Plano silt loam is a deep, rich, forgiving soil formed under tall grass prairie. Although we’re on the northern fringe of the North American “Corn Belt,” farmers here are proud of their 200+ bushel/acre corn yields and equally proud of their high adoption rates of conservation practices such as no-till planting. That isn’t enough for John, though. He’s looked at his self-portrait and decided that
Investing in Your Grandchildren by Peggy Maddox
T
he New Year always brings the impetus to get things done that you have been putting off. With that additional motivation and the challenge of managing the Savory Center’s West Ranch, my participation in the Savory Center’s Certified Educator training, and family discussions over Christmas, Joe and I decided to give each of our grandchildren a gift of $400 that could be used to start their own business. And, we offered Holistic Management training as a part of the deal. Joel Salatin says in his book, Family Friendly Farming, “In a family farm operation, everybody has a niche to fill. We all have something different to offer, and every child’s talent is different. We have to appreciate their talents and create opportunities for children to express their natural abilities.”
M4 Livestock With our gift and the opportunity to create
4
IN PRACTICE
*
some changes are needed. In fact, you could say he’s chucked the old self-portrait and is painting a new one. As county Extension agent, I’ve had the honor of lending a hand as he defines what this new picture is going to look like. John and his wife, Dorothy, farm a 300-acre (120-ha) mosaic of rolling cropland, creek bottom, and marshes. Like most of his neighbors, John has been a cash grain farmer and, like them, he had invested enough in machinery that he needed to rent additional land and do custom work to make things pencil out economically. Dorothy worked offfarm. They were financially comfortable but something was missing. Inspired by Leopold, John wants to be what he calls “a good farmer,” one who manages his land in harmony with nature.
Raising the Bar When I had the opportunity to enroll in The Savory Center’s Certified Educator program a year or so ago, John and Dorothy were the first to join my learning community. They saw the potential of Holistic Management to bring their lives and their farming operation into line with their values. John and Dorothy have a vision for their operation that would engage them both in providing income from the farm while
Morgan, age 12, was to research hair sheep. Macall, age 10, was to bring the family holistic goal, and Mason, age 7, was to bring information on their sheep purchase, which she carefully wrote on blue construction paper. These children had participated in our family team meetings when Joe and I lived in Colorado City and were ranching partners with Dalton and Gretchen, their parents, so Holistic Management concepts were not
their own enterprise, the Texas grandchildren, Morgan, Macall, and Mason have gone together and invested in hair sheep—twenty ewes and one ram. Their business is called M4 Livestock Company, as new brother William will be a part of the company in few years. Joe and I invited them down for a weekend at West Ranch for a Holistic Management planning session. Each child was given an assignment to complete and Peggy Maddox with the executives of M4 Livestock Company. bring with them.
September/October 2004
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:07 AM
Page 5
supporting their quality of life and community. Exploring their values within the safety of our learning community has helped them clarify that vision and move themselves toward it. For starters, they’ve restored their large Victorian home and opened it as a bed and breakfast. The bed and breakfast allows John and Dorothy to share the beauty and fine craftsmanship that went into its construction, and for Dorothy, it’s an opportunity to share her love of cooking. Opening their home for meetings and fund-raisers has given them a means of contributing to their community. John and Dorothy relish their conversations with the host of interesting people who stay with them and enrich their lives. They also relish the challenge of improving the health of the land. The broader agricultural community where we farm is a long way from thinking about ecosystem health. In our county, an acre of cropland can lose five tons of soil per year and still be at “T” (‘tolerable’ soil loss). John has set the bar higher, shooting for T=0, to be achieved by covering every tillable acre with grass pasture. John realizes that, ecologically speaking, the best agricultural system is one that maximizes perennial plant cover. In addition to controlling soil erosion and runoff, a perennial plant community bestows stability on the soil biological community—
building ecosystem health, soil organic matter and fertility. Theoretically, he can harness this thriving biological community to improve the productivity of his farm and his profit potential.
foreign to them. However, I wanted to bring things down to their level. I did not change the vocabulary of any of the planning process, but we discussed the meaning of the words, then they chose words that meant the same to them to show they understood what we meant. I began by having them define their whole, the business they were going to manage, the people, the money and resources, those things available to help them. Next, they formed their holistic goal. With their permission I will share the holistic goal for M4 Livestock Company.
What we want the future to be: Land—provide plenty of food for the animals and good water cycle. People—to see us as good workers, good citizens, good livestock people. Community—safe place, good neighbors, friendly people, good environments.
M4 Livestock Co. Holistic Goal We want: Business to be stable (great, successful, not going down the drain); To be having fun; To be motivated to work; To be making money; To be raising healthy animals; To be happy. We will produce: A good attitude; A work schedule; More knowledge; Good relationships (getting along together).
John & Dorothy Priske chose Scottish Highland cattle because they were well-suited to clear brush in marshy areas and restore them to open, prairie lands. The cattle also are a great draw for the bed & breakfast the Priskes run. His choice of Scottish Highland cattle was deliberate as well. The long-horned shaggy beasts on pasture are a draw for the bed and breakfast, but that’s not their only job. The
After a break, we were into Holistic Management® Financial Planning. With the livestock production worksheet before them, Joe took them through the next two years. When they understood how their herd and income could grow, their interest increased. We then planned for their first year’s profit, half of $280 income. The other expenses were planned as best we could estimate, and they were left to negotiate the pasture lease with their dad, which could cut into planned profit depending on their creativity in negotiating. Using the calculator helped Mason to stay involved. Morgan filled in the planning charts, and Macall, into creativity, enjoyed using the colored markers on the dry erase board to record the discussions. It was a good and
Highlands are well suited to do the work of clearing brush from the marsh areas and restoring them to the open, prairie landscape that once existed here. The grazing/browsing habits of this primitive breed produce a lean, high-quality meat for which John and Dorothy have found a market at local upscale restaurants and individual buyers. In this sea of cornfields and soybeans, John and Dorothy are swimming against the current. An acre of pasture is rare, let alone 300 acres, and seeding down all those fertile acres to grass has been hard to watch for some of John’s neighbors. I can hear some of my Extension colleagues saying, “That land’s too good to grow grass.” For many of these folks, John has gone from being a “real farmer” to a “hobby farmer” even though his hobby is huge and his potential profit per acre compares favorably to his cash grain enterprise. Through learning the basic principles of Holistic Management, John and Dorothy are successfully transforming their farm into a physical representation of their holistic goal— a true portrait of what they want. Laura Paine is a Cooperative Extension Agent for the University of Wisconsin. She is also currently in the Savory Center’s Certified Educator Training Program. She can be reached at: laura.paine@ces.uwex.edu.
productive day that left time for activities of origami, and searching for fossils with our interns from Mexico City. Sunday morning we reviewed all we had done and decided on a plan of action. After a discussion about how to see that the plan was working and how to monitor, Mason said she wanted to be in charge of putting work schedules on the calendar. (She will keep everyone on track.) Morgan would keep the books, and we set up a simple method for that. Joe taught Macall how to read the market report in the Livestock Weekly, and she would monitor prices and trends in the hair sheep market. They left for home with their folder of plans and instructions for their parents to take them to the bank to open a savings account as they were ready to get started. All in all, it has been a gratifying experience for Joe and me, and we hope for our grandchildren too. Peggy and Joe Maddox manage the Savory Center’s West Ranch. They can be reached at: westgift@earthlink.net. This article first appeared in the HRM of Texas newsletter.
Number 97
*
IN PRACTICE
5
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 6
Wonderland Ranch— Using the Bounty of the Land by Chadwick McKellar
M
and too few grasses. We have now managed y wife and I purchased the to change the picture with just the animal Wonderland Ranch 17 years ago, impact of several horses under tight pasture which came with a home, two management and fencing. ponds, a forest of 70 acres (28 ha), 13,000 plus Our original tax assessment schedule trees, and a business, all on top of what the locals call, “the Bermuda Triangle of Colorado.” Our elevation is 7,800 feet (2,600 metres), with 100 to 140 inches (250 – 350 cm) of snow and 12-14 inches (300-350 mm) of summer rain. The business side is a private picnic park for large corporations/ companies catering from 150 to 3,000 Using the timber from Wonderland for people. We flooring and cabinetry, Chad was able to provide the food save even more money on this strawbale and many of the barn/studio. He has also shifted from selling services, having the timber he thins (to control mistletoe fungus) fed over 150,000 as firewood to lumber whenever possible, people during increasing the overall value of the timber. our 16 seasons.
Obtaining Agricultural Status Before Holistic Management, we were like many who have started a business or have purchased an existing one. We went month to month doing what we thought was taking us toward our plans and dreams. In 1988 our eyes and minds were opened by a five-day course on Holistic Management taught by Allan himself. Our old dreams and plans slowly changed to our present day holistic goal for our family and a holistic goal for our business. And both have changed the way we do things. For instance, in the old way of thinking, I was going to disk under a back pasture because there were too many forbs
6
IN PRACTICE
*
classified us as residential and agriculture, and when doing our first financial planning, we saw that changing our status to agriculture (grazing) alone would save us several thousand dollars per year. We stayed with this classification for over seven years, at which time the county computers changed us back up to residential because of the housing developments surrounding our property lines. Thus, we applied for the Colorado Agriculture Forest Program. This program was designed by the Colorado State Forestry Service, which requires a minimum amount of acreage and forest.
September/October 2004
Having been accepted into the Colorado Agriculture Forest Program put us into the lowest property tax assessment level possible, plus it locked us into this status for ten years. Each year we have to meet with the state forester to see how we are following our written plan. We were told that our holistic goal, which comprised the first pages of our 30-page application, stood out as the most important section of the application.
Harvesting the Bounty Over the years, we have had to cut down over 3,000 trees, because of the dwarf mistletoe fungus, and climbed three times that amount to trim those trees that have had infected branches. Each year we test our decisions
toward our holistic goal and feel confident that we were moving in the right direction. In the beginning, we sold the wood as firewood, but that never set well with me as it was just “going up in smoke” even though it made more money. After checking back with our holistic goal and testing the firewood decision, we saw the option of selling lumber and how much better it felt knowing the wood is going to be used as building materials. Thus, any tree that is straight and long is skidded to an area and loaded on semi-trucks to be sold to a nearby lumber mill.
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 7
Desertifying a Pond So far we have sold four semi-loads, each darkness in the waters and desertification of We have two (2+ acre) ponds on the land, with 75 plus trees 30-feet-long. In 1999 through the sea grasses. In other words, it kills the sea and over the years we have had extreme weed 2002, we had a ponderosa pine beetle grasses. I realized that we could get the results problems in the water consisting of Eurasian infestation and had to cut down 85- to 95-yearof a no weed pond by creating that same Watermilfoil. The past owner used commercial old pine trees and skid them to a staging area phytoplankton or single cell algae. So each high nitrogen fertilizers, and this would leak where they are covered in clear plastic to year around mid-June, when the water into the ponds causing a single cell algae, thus allow the sun (solar) to cook the larvae. temperatures are high enough, I take a burlap making the water dark and not allowing In the summer of 2001, my manager and I bag and add fresh horse and chicken manure. photosynthesis to occur so there would be no built a two-story, 3,000-square-foot. (360- square Then, I heave the burlap bag into the water weeds. Yet, the commercial fertilizers did not meter) straw bale barn with a complete two and stake it to the shore. Thus, I’m building a pass our testing, so we went to an organic bedroom/kitchen/bath apartment upstairs. The pond full of phytoplankton and causing fertilizer that I formulated for our lawns. But, wood used (except the post and beam) came desertification (removal of plant life) at the in doing so we came up with a very thick from our pine beetled wood, which carries bottom of the pond. We wind up with a the prettiest blue/yellow stain. beautiful clean pond of amber I employed a portable saw mill green water and no “weeds.” operator to cut the logs into 14We use our two horses and to 16-feet long, 2 x 6 inch lumber, two goats to graze the 70 acres and stick dried them for five with a four-month grazing months, at which time I delivered season. I have eight pastures that the wood to a local wood milling under our current grazing plan operation. They turned the wood see the horses once per season into tongue and groove 3/4 x 5 figuring a 65-day recovery period inch floor planking. The 8,000 with the exception of my first board feet of this blue stain was two paddocks being grazed used for the upstairs flooring, again 95 days after they leave. cabinets, and paneling and all Our more open paddocks have turned out exceptional. The cost been seeding themselves with of the wood was $.63 a linear foot sapling pine trees, and after as compared to $1.50/linear foot testing our dilemma of pulling if we had bought it retail. The the saplings or letting them grow, Chad’s introduction to Holistic Management increased his ability to use remaining pine beetled boards we decided that Mother Nature nature rather than work against it. This pond is a great recreational designed this area as a forest and will be sold, as the demand far draw (fishing) for his company picnic business, so it pays to keep it not open pasture. Plus, the land exceeds the supply. free of weeds. With a little ingenuity, Chad produced a single cell algae We use the slash from the value will be greater as a forest to do his work for him. trees to build wildlife habitats and than pasture. to control erosion in our erodible So how has the impact of floating weed problem, so much so that fishing areas. This practice has produced amazing Holistic Management affected our business as was out of the question for the park area. Each results. Each spring we have a tremendous a whole? The three people that have worked summer we always had the dreaded job of amount of pine needles that have to be raked with us and helped to create our holistic goal manually raking the weeds out of the water in up in the picnic area, and instead of letting for over 10 years have taken ownership of order to have it open for fishing. This problem them pile up and decompose, we put them our business and our holistic goal. We meet had to have a biological weak link and I was down as our walkways and paths. Although regularly to discuss any changes or new ideas determined to find it without going to a we do not have an animal impact problem, about how the business is running and to chemical water weed killer. we do have human impact on the grass within test those decisions. They not only share our I am involved with a marine habitat the park. To control this, we have constructed holistic goal, but our profits as well; so foundation in Southwest Florida where we split rail fencing that allows us to designate much so, that they can’t afford to leave!! have tested and developed a floating habitat different fenced openings, which controls containing ocean crustaceans, which filter the Chadwick McKellar is a Certified Educator the flow pattern of the crowds. I just wish I bay/marine waters and clean the waters of who lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. could get the first 300 visitors to put on those the single cell algae. This same algae causes He can be reached at: cmckellar@juno.com spiked aerating shoes. Number 97
*
IN PRACTICE
7
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 8
LIVESTOCK
&
Avalon Organic— Combining Organics and Holistic Management by John King
A
seen great results in just 12 months,” says Allan. “We are seeing more clover in the pasture and timothy is returning.” It proved so successful that they will use it across 1,250 acres (500 ha) this season. Allan has observed that thistles are becoming less of a problem as the recovery times paddocks get allow the grass to out compete the weeds. Any patches of thistles are bruised with tractor and leveller and grazed two days later at 121 stock units (su)/acre (300su/ha). Although still renovating pastures, the Richardsons believe there will be less need for additional renovation work in the future because of the benefits of holistic planned grazing. They are planting low levels of ryegrass and high Renovating Pasture amounts of white and red clover, timothy, plantain, chicory, yarrow, and phylaris. The Richardsons own and operate The holistic planned grazing associated 3,250 acres (1,300 ha) of non-brittle with the weak link testing guideline has rolling hill country at Heriot, West helped them understand the role of animals Otago, New Zealand. They run two in developing the landscape. As a result, they operations, Avalon Organic, which have invested in fencing at their 1,235-acre covers 766 acres (310 ha) of their (500-ha) home block to reduce the average 1,235-acre (500-ha) home block, with the paddock size down from 25 acres (10 ha) to rest farmed conventionally under the 17. 3 acres (7 ha) in 18 months. They aim to name Bonnieview. Their property is have an average paddock size between aptly named as it reaches 1,350 feet 10-15 acres (4-6 ha) in the next two years. (450 metres) above sea level creating With smaller paddock sizes they can maintain great views of central and west Otago, The Richardsons are pleased with how they the land has higher stock densities and achieve greater eastern and southern Southland, and responded to holistic planned grazing. They have seen evenness in grazing pressure. Stewart Island some 90 miles (150 km) an increase in clover and a return of timothy to their Smaller paddocks are part of a strategy to southwest. The average rainfall is pasture and want to increase their ability to graze reduce gorse on their organic property. They around 34 inches (850mm) and the pastures more consistently to continue to reduce thistle plan to cut down the gorse first, then apply brittleness is below five. and gorse populations. burnt lime to alter soil fertility and oversow The Richardsons became involved with clovers. By raising the pH, they expect with Holistic Management after Allan the soil to become bacterial dominant and that will stimulate grass growth was asked to open the 2001 conference in Christchurch. They did a course to help out compete any re-emerging gorse seedlings. to learn more about the concept. Both were struck by the common sense it used and that it worked with nature. What made their learning easier On-Farm Research was that it involved many concepts they had used to farm organically. Holistic Management has built on Allan’s interest in on-farm research. Initially they thought Holistic Management wouldn’t work in their The cause and effect testing question has helped him research problems climate. “I thought it was only for farmers who didn’t get rain,” says Sonia. and try various options. For example, they no longer vaccinate for scabby They tried the holistic planned grazing with their organic unit. “We have llan and Sonia Richardson are using a combination of organics and Holistic Management to move from a farming focus to an agribusiness focus. In the next four years, they hope to reduce their running expenses from 55 percent of income down towards 35 percent. “This will happen from a number of changes,” says Allan, “including an increase in production of around 20 percent, and reductions in fertilizer, seed, weed control, supplementary feeding, and machinery expenses.” Allan acknowledges that Holistic Management has helped cut costs, increase production, and systemize their farming operation.
8
Land & Livestock
*
Sepember/October 2004
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 9
mouth in lambs because they apply zinc to their pastures. “It costs 22 cents/su for the vaccination and that doesn’t include the labor,” says Allan. “The zinc is less than 3 cents/su, and we don’t have to apply it every year.” Growing lambs on an organic unit is challenging. What made the initial move into organics easier was Allan’s interest in worm resistance. As drenching options are limited with organic meat production, the Richardsons have looked hard at the causes of the many ailments and diseases to which lambs are susceptible. They have found that selecting for worm resistance has resulted in sheep that are more tolerant to facial eczema and grass staggers, and possibly footrot as well. The facial eczema and staggers connection was confirmed in their Perendale stud using the Ramguard F.E. test. Allan believes that as his animals become more in tune with their mineral status, they will balance their own diets and not overeat to compensate. Animals have the capacity to overeat by 40 percent to correct a mineral imbalance meaning a lower carrying capacity and greater stress on growing animals. The Richardsons currently run 30 su/acre (12 su/ha) on their organic land, the same as on their conventional area. Observing the grazing behavior of animals is key to understanding animal welfare. Animals that are lying down chewing their cud are more likely to be content than those marching up and down the paddock, or continually gorging themselves without a rest. Because of their efforts, the Richardsons’ organic lambs reached an average carcass weight of 32.5 pounds (14.8 kgs), a kilo less than their conventional farmed lambs at 35 pounds (15.9 kgs) in the 2002/03 season. The overall animal performance of their organic property is influenced more by the weather than stock health. Poor springs and dry autumns have seen their lambing percentage jump from 130 percent two years ago down to 112 percent last year to an expected 120 percent this year. As they get on top of their production issues, they plan to invest in strategic shelterbelts to help reduce the effects of the weather. However, at around NZ$90/lamb
(US$56) and all the reduced expenses, the organic unit certainly pulls its weight. (See sidebar below).
Making the Transition It’s not just on the farm where they have seen results. Both Allan and Sonia feel that Holistic Management has helped ease Sonia into the farming operation. “It has certainly helped with understanding more about agriculture and getting involved with the farm,” says Sonia. The Richardsons have been married five years and now have Grace (3) and James (1). Sonia’s background of city living and nursing has meant farming is a completely new lifestyle. “Holistic Management is similar to the concept of nursing,” says Sonia. “Its helps us identify causes of problems while addressing the symptoms.” Their holistic training has enhanced their understanding that many of the business and lifestyle decisions they make have an influence beyond the farm boundary and their own family. As Sonia observes, “Allan is looking beyond the farm to benefit the wider community. Researching and experimenting for worm resistance wasn’t just to benefit Bonnieview.” Both Allan and Sonia act as if educating farmers and consumers about the link between human health and healthy land is as every bit as important as deciding which paddock the ewes should be in today. The Richardsons realize what it means to have an agribusiness focus rather than just concentrating on their own farm. They are excited that balancing time, family, and new marketing challenges is becoming easier as they develop greater confidence with their practice of Holistic Management. With their quiet, steady approach, they are building on their reputation, both nationally and locally, for their contributions to the farming industry and their community. John King is a Certified Educator in Nelson, New Zealand. He can be reached at: succession@clear.net.nz.
The Right Stuff—Cashing in on Genetics
A
llan Richardson’s research into disease resistance is starting to pay dividends. “The problem with most organic operations is that no chemicals can be used,” he says. “This puts strain on young growing animals and is where most organic operations struggle to compete with conventional farms.” By leading the research, Allan Richardson is not only making money from his prime stock, but also selling his genetics to an increasing global market. For 15 years, the Richardson family has been selecting livestock for worm resistance. The upshot of their program has been an increase in resistance to multiple diseases. Research links worm resistance with resistance to both grass staggers and facial eczema. Recent tests revealed that 40 percent of this year’s rams from the Avalon Organic stud here in New Zealand are resistant to facial eczema despite it not being a problem on the property. There is also research to back up Allan’s claims about a link between internal parasite resistance and external parasites. “Lice are not as much of a problem as we thought they’d be,” says Allan. “We wouldn’t have the production we’ve got if lice were a problem here.” As Allan points out, “Most organic farms fail because they don’t have the right genetics. Therefore, they have to drop the stocking rate significantly to get the production they want from each animal.” What is making this journey more satisfying is that the research agenda in New Zealand is focusing on treating symptoms of internal worm burdens rather than identifying their causes. Despite there being enough data to back up Allan’s claims, he has had to do most of the work himself and is now at the forefront of multi-disease resistance. In the next 10 years the Richardsons
will continue to refine and grow their genetics business by expanding their export markets in the UK, USA, and Australia. —John King A Profitability Comparison between Organic and Conventionally Raised Lamb Conventional /stock unit $72.43
Organic /stock unit $81.94
$1.66 $0.72 $5.80 $3.00 $4.00 $1.50
$0.24 $0.04 $3.02 $2.58 $3.07 $1.65
-85 -95 -49 -14 -23 +10
Other expenses are the same Total farm expenses $44.55
$38.42
-14
$30.48
$43.51
+30
Income Expenditure Animal Health Weed + Pest Fertilizer Feed Vehicles/fuel Administration
Farm Surplus
% +9
Based on a 8,670 stock units (su) sheep and beef property, both organic and conventionally stocked at 11.36su/ha Organic average lamb price $75; Conventional average lamb price $63 su = stock unit = the annual requirements to feed a single 55kg ewe raising a lamb
Number 97
*
Land & Livestock
9
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 10
Issues that Challenge Cattle Producers— How To Manage Holistically by Terry Gompert
M
ost cattle producers I know love the land and their livestock and want to do the best they know how to enhance the health of both these resources. Their efforts, however, often go awry because of various issues that surround the industry. These issues are still a challenge for those who want to manage holistically. I am enrolled in The Savory Center’s Certified Educator Training Program, and working with learning groups that are part of my requirement in this training. I am working with a total of 44 people in three different learning groups. Two of the groups are cattle producers and the other is a university learning group whose members often works with cattle producers. To consistently manage holistically is a struggle for everyone in my learning groups, and their issues are the same issues that affect all cattle producers. I would like to discuss five of the issues that often inhibit my learning group members from managing holistically: 1) weaning self from government programs; 2) evaluating reductionist research; 3) understanding soil life; 4) addiction to technology; and 5) really understanding plants. I suspect if my learning group members continue to be persistent holistic managers they will overcome these inhibitors.
return on your investment. There usually, however, is some potential investment that will return double your money like fee hunting.
Reductionist Research
“Most scientific research tends to be reductionist in that it seeks to reduce phenomena to a simple form for study by controlling most variables. It does this to show that one factor and not another contributes to a given result. Management, on the other hand, deals with innumerable variables and cannot ignore any of them without adverse consequences.” This quote is from Chapter 49, “Making Research Relevant,” from Holistic Management: A New Framework for Decision Making by Allan Savory with Jody Butterfield. This may be the most important chapter in the book for me, and I suggest that every student, teacher, and cattle producer read this chapter a couple more times soon. Most of the research (university, industry, or private foundation) available to cattle producer reflects information to address one specific issue and not the whole. This is where the problem lies. Using this type of research leads the cattle producer to be reactive, not proactive. Examples may include: 1) how to kill a noxious weed, rather than discovering the cause of the weeds Government Programs being there in the first place; 2) how to substitute rather than supplement pastures (substitute feeding Grants, low interest loans, price support, feed is buying and feeding harvested feeds versus assistance, EQIP, cost-share programs, Conservation grazing existing range, pasture and crops); 3) how Reserve Program, disaster programs, and more are to kill grasshoppers rather than manage for tempting to the cattle producer. All of these grasshoppers; and 4) how to build calving barns programs have some purpose and some value. Often, versus calving later in pastures. There could be however, these apparently “free” dollars are paying many other examples. A holistic manager will see the cattlemen to practice viewpoints that “the the limitation to reductionist research and only government” believes in. They, “the government,” apply that which is appropriate. are buying your decisions. These decisions don’t This is an especially difficult challenge for me, necessarily move the cattle producer toward his or working for the University for more than twenty her holistic goal, and that is where the problem lies. years and having spent most of that time in Oh, how important it is to test every government research-based education. I’m continually inundated program to see if the program moves us closer or with reductionist research and Holistic Management further away from our holistic goal! Is there such a has been very valuable to me in sorting it out. thing as a three wire, hot, electric fence to wean us Every bit of research needs to be tested, and if it from government programs? Once weaned, just does not move me toward my holistic goal, it needs looking through the fence, we may do even better Terry Gompert with his oldest to be rejected. With this type of thinking, the without that “milky” government check and move grandson, Josh, going out to check interesting outcome for most cattle producers is toward our holistic goal quicker. the cattle. that they most often reject technology-supported Free dollars usually come at a cost. Our share of research. Once tested, these cattlemen tend to use the cost, even though relatively small, may be very low or no-cost options—just by observing nature and following it. poor use of our few available dollars that could be used for a true Several in my learning group have said that the biggest outcome of wealth generating activity. An example might be a government cost share their practice of Holistic Management is that they do nothing more of the program that pays 50 percent of the construction costs of a dam. The time. One person in my learning group no longer worries about insects rancher’s share might still be $5,000. The marginal reaction test may cause and disease. He just lets nature give itself balance. Now a neighbor of this you to reconsider that investment. While the dam may move you toward learning group member recently asked, “Why don’t you ever treat for your holistic goal, the return on the dam might be less then 5 percent
10
Land & Livestock
*
Sepember/October 2004
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 11
weeds or spray for insects?” The learning group member replied, “I continually have less and less pest problems from doing nothing.”
living items and give back to animals, other plants, soil and us. They do all this for just the right to live and reproduce in that spot. The cattle producers’ challenge here is to understand, monitor and be proactive in Soil Life their plant management. We are getting better at evaluating production, Most cattle producers do not understand, or manage for, soil health. understanding growth rate, and determining stock density. We are, It is just dirt they own or use. Managing and creating an environment for however, having difficulty knowing the plants, knowing their purpose or beneficial fungi, bacteria, and other microorganisms is really a challenge value and just knowing their best use. I recently heard Allan Savory say for most cattle producers, including me. Habit is the issue. Maybe we that all plants have a purpose—they have value. This is a better viewpoint mentally focus on the animals and the plants and not what they depend than having a best plant or worst weed plant knowledge. We need to on. Basically because of ignorance, many of us are wearing blinders and know its best use. are going around thinking, “soil life . . . what is that?” Some indicators I notice that most people do not plan their grazing, do not monitor of soil life that we are learning about their pasture growth, do not put out include: dung beetles, litter, earthy smell, three or more permanent monitoring and diversity of plants and animals. The sites, and are not proactive. This lack of study, the understanding and allowing monitoring and observation is a major community dynamics to progress is our limiting factor for those cattle producers assignment for the future. I am finding wanting the most from Holistic that creating habitat for soil life is most Management. Again, it takes time to important. In my teaching, I have tried to manage holistically. It takes habit! One emphasize the importance of litter and learning group member told me that that a healthy soil provides the habitat Holistic Management grows on a person. needed for soil life. One learning group The longer I try to practice it, the more member has found feeding hay on excited I get using Holistic Management sandy cropland has more than doubled without knowing that I am using it. future crop yields. The interest in grazing and monitoring Learning groups or management clubs can provide is high, as seen from the attendance at support when ranchers are trying new management Technology pasture walks and educational grazing techniques. Members of Terry Gomperts’ learning group Most cattle producers are addicted events. Practice will come. Therefore, I do have found such support helpful, such as John McGlynn, technology users. We consider have optimism that knowledge of plants Jr. (left) and Reg Green (right), who come together to learn technology our main tool. An easy fix is and what they do will increase. It just takes from each other. to spray it, treat it, feed it, build it, till it, understanding that “grass is what I grow, buy it and more. I am learning that most and cattle is what I harvest it with.” My technology gives returns on investments of less than 10 percent, and often goal in my teaching is to create a support group of holistic managers it does not address actually improving the functioning of the ecosystem so they learn from each other to do just that. processes. For example, using a growth implant gives about a 7 percent I am finding that cattle producers who believe in and want to increase in feed efficiency and makes a small gain advantage. To sell nonpractice Holistic Management face many issues, but these issues are implanted cattle as drug free, an additional $4 per hundred pounds is really no more than old habits that keep coming to the surface. To needed to make up the difference for not giving implants. If tested toward overcome these issues, it is going to take developing new and better a holistic goal, they often fail in cause and effect, weak link, marginal habits. Several in my learning group have found great benefit in doing reaction, , energy/money source, and sustainability. Even at that, it is very nothing when that’s what the testing questions reveal. Once the testing difficult for cattle producers to use only appropriate technology. We may question gave fun answers and results, the habit for testing became break away from excessive technology for a short time only to find peer easier. These habits will be easier to develop if other positive, likepressure, stress or not testing toward one’s holistic goal leading us back minded individuals surround them. The learning communities greatly into addictive uses of technology. help in supporting each other to change those habits and begin to With animals and plants to graze, cattle producers have many tools manage holistically. available to solve problems, such as rest, fire, grazing, and animal impact. Therefore, I have great hope in the future for proper use and appreciation Terry Gompert has deep roots in Nebraska. Someone in the Gompert for technology if cattle producers can test against their holistic goal. This family has been raising cattle in Nebraska since 1886. He is a veteran hope will be accomplished by receiving support and encouragement Extension Educator with emphasis on grazing education and is from grazing groups and learning groups. Support groups help encourage working to manage his cow herd and land base near Center, Nebraska others as well as keeping accountability upfront. holistically. Terry is also an advocate and producer of grassfed beef and presently is participating in the Holistic Management® Certified Plants Educator Training Program. He can be reached at: Plants can do amazing things. They take from the air, soil and other tgompert@unlnotes.unl.edu.
Number
97
*
Land & Livestock
11
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 12
Beyond the Numbers— Managing Soil Life
in vegetation, productivity, crop health, animal health, landscape function, watershed function, and eventually a loss of vitality in rural communities. The never-ending list of problems is served by a plethora of expert opinion and a surfeit of technological fixes. But, have you noticed, despite the time and money spent, the tank is still rusty? New leaks continue to appear? Alarmingly, many of what are termed “improvements” corrode the tank’s very foundations. Someone forgot to ask “does nature approve?”
by Christine Jones Editor’s Note: This talk was first presented at the South African Holistic Management Annual Conference, Tiger Kloof, Vryburg. 30 March – 1 April 2004
W
e want our soils to be magnificent: full of energy, brimming with life that we can hear, see, smell and “feel.” Life with which our senses can hold a conversation. When we manage soils with purpose, passion and pleasure, soil life responds in kind. As above, so below. As below, so above. When you look at your soil, you see your management reflected. We all want the whole to be healthy. But where do we start?
As Marcel Proust noted, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Our thinking about soil is restricted by the words we use. We talk about things like pH, phosphorus and calcium. What do those words mean? We add some numbers. Soil pH 5.8, available phosphorus 2 ppm, or 20 ppm or maybe 200 ppm. What do those numbers mean? We search for more and more detail. Meanwhile, our soils are shouting, speaking in whole sentences, speaking in whole books. When we stop, look, and learn to read the soil, we see decades of history before our very eyes. Communication with our soils occurs on many levels. In matters of soil management, we need to learn to avoid the “rusty tank syndrome.” This term was coined in Appropriately managed relation to corporate structures. The grazing also stimulates the livelihood of microbial production of a individuals within corporations is wide range of plant growth dependent on them stimulating substances in soils, maintaining the corporate image and including natural hormones, preserving the enzymes and vitamins. corporate structure. If the structure begins to deteriorate, experts are called in from outside to find where the tank is losing water and to “fix the leaks.” There’s always someone with a solution to the “problem”— at a price. A rusty spot can be patched up, but soon another will develop, and the tank will again begin to lose water. Another expert is called in. More money is spent. The pattern continues. What is really required is a new tank, but there are too many vested interests in maintaining the old one. The rusty tank syndrome applies equally well to soils. When soils become dysfunctional, that is, not achieving what we’d like them to achieve, we tend to call the experts in to “fix the leaks.” The rusty patches manifest as symptoms ranging from compaction, erosion, falling pH, salinity, low fertility and low water-holding capacity through to declines
12
Land & Livestock
*
Sepember/October 2004
PHOTO CREDIT: THE LAND
The Voyage
Christine Jones told the crowd at Vryburg, South Africa, “When your soils talks, listen . . . Extraordinary things happen to plants, animals, and people when soils are renewed.”
If we begin at the beginning and build a new tank, we no longer have to continually run around patching up holes. We can manage soil life in such a way as to rebuild the building blocks, that is, to rebuild soils with sound structure, neutral pH, high natural fertility, high water-holding capacity and so much more. From the soil, all else springs. In our mechanized, technologically oriented world, we tend to overlook this extremely significant fact. The common view is that if we somehow renew “landscapes,” our problems will be solved. It is certainly true that habitat begets living things. It is equally true that living things beget habitat. The extent to which this happens depends on the behavior of the living things. In the agricultural context, behavior is determined by how we manage all of the living things in our care. Not just the four-leggeds, but also the life we can’t see. The microscopic workers on the leaves of plants, in the litter on the soil surface and in and around plant roots. The more leaves, litter and plant roots there are, the larger the workforce of nature’s helpers, and the faster we can potentially build new soil. In this unseen world there are thousands of symbiotic relationships and feedback loops. Change one factor, and we change them all. All are connected. Every management decision counts. What are the communication pathways in soil? In what way do living things below ground respond to changes above ground? What are the
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 13
triggers? In particular, how does soil life respond to grazing? How can we incorporate the soils needs into grazing management?
The Crew Grazing animals, grasslands, soil biota and soils have co-evolved for over 20 million years. It is hardly surprising that the inter-relationships between animals, plants and soils are complex and very sensitive to change. There are four broad categories of change in grasslands in response to grazing: 1) physiological changes within plants and the effects of these changes on plant community dynamics 2) effects of changes in plants on soil biota 3) effects of changes in soil biota on soil health and soil forming processes 4) effects of changed soil conditions on plants and animals (completion of the feedback loop) For today’s presentation on Managing Soil Life, we will concentrate on the effects of grazing management on soil biota. Levels of biological activity in soils vary enormously over space and time. They are affected by soil moisture, temperature, pH, oxygen concentration, and the availability of a carbon source (energy). All of these factors are strongly influenced by the way plants are grazed. Of particular interest to this discussion is the supply of energy (food) to soil organisms, in terms of timing, quality and amount. In a green grass plant, there is generally more nitrogen in the leaves than in the roots, and more carbon in the roots than in the tops. When the leaves are removed by grazing, the plant responds immediately to re-adjust this balance. Some carbon (in the form of soluble carbohydrate) is mobilized to the crown for the production of new leaves, some is lost to the soil as pruned roots and some is actively exuded into the rhizosphere (the soil surrounding plant roots) where it can have profound stimulatory effects on soil biota. If plants are grazed more-or-less continuously, they will have poorly developed root systems, and there will be very little carbon available for injection into the soil at each grazing event. The animal-plant-soil ecosystem will decline to a steady-state equilibrium where not much happens other than further deterioration. Many leaks develop because the soil “tank” is not robust.
The Results The good news is that when grazing is optimized by ensuring that the most desirable plants (from the animal’s perspective) have recovered sufficiently for their root systems to be well established before re-grazing, the net effect of grazing is an increase in soil carbon (energy) levels. This stimulates many positive feedback loops in the animal-plant-soil ecosystem, resulting in improvements in: ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔ ➔
biomass of soil organisms diversity of soil organisms rate of nutrient cycling macronutrient (N & P) availability trace element (Cu, Zn etc) availability proportion of beneficial soil organisms
Monitoring groundcover and soil surface condition are an important part of managing soil life.
➔ disease suppression ➔ size and number of soil pores ➔ soil aggregate stability The carbon exuded from the roots of grazed plants stimulates the rhizosphere flora involved in the acquisition and transfer of nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients, assisting rapid regrowth of leaves. This enhances energy and nutrient flows. Appropriately managed grazing also stimulates the microbial production of a wide range of plant growth stimulating substances in soils, including natural hormones, In a green grass plant, there enzymes and vitamins. The optimization is generally more nitrogen in of the grazing the leaves than in the roots process helps to synchronize nutrient and more carbon in the mineralization with roots than in the tops. plant demands. This reduces losses from the soil ecosystem. Under continuous grazing, particularly in seasonal rainfall environments, the supply and demand for nutrients such as nitrogen rarely match, leading to imbalances and contributing to “problems” such as soil acidity. It is one of nature’s paradoxes that increased levels of soil biological activity not only improve nutrient availability, but also minimize soil nutrient losses and stabilize soil pH. Extraordinary things happen to plants, animals and people when soils are renewed. In any business it’s good business to give the customers what they want. When your soil talks, listen. This isn’t just about Managing Soil Life. It’s about all of us, including you and me. We’re all in this boat together. Let’s build a good one!! “The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common” Ralph Waldo Emerson Christine Jones is a grass ecologist with a PhD in Agronomy/Botany from the University of New England and over 30 years’ research experience in the plant sciences. She can be reached at: christinejones22@aol.com.
Number 97
*
Land & Livestock
13
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 14
T he
GRAPEVINE n ews f ro m t h e s a vo r y c e n t e r * p e o p l e , p ro g ra m s & p ro j e c t s
A Letter to The Savory Center Network (posted June 22, 2004 to The Savory Center’s Electronic Conference)
Dear Savory Center Network:
T
he arrival of spring heralded many things, including healthy amounts of rain at the David West Station for Holistic Management in west Texas. On an early morning in June, The Savory Center’s Board of Directors witnessed firsthand thick grass growth during a tour of the ranch with Joe & Peggy Maddox, Ranch Managers, and Steve Nelle, wildlife biologist from the Natural Resources Conservation Service of San Angelo, Texas. We extend our gratitude to Joe and Peggy for hosting this visit to the West Ranch, and giving the Board a taste of Texas-style hospitality during the June 3-4th Board Meeting in Ozona.
West Ranch Educational Programs The Savory Center remains committed to the educational focus of the West Ranch, and we are greatly appreciative of both the outstanding educational work of Peggy Maddox and the development of the West Ranch as a learning site by both Peggy and Joe. Thanks to their hard work, the ranch is already beginning to generate a positive cash flow. Peggy’s work with the youth in the community, acting as a liaison in our collaboration with HRM of Texas for field days at the West Ranch, and her steady work with the interns in our intern program have advanced our educational mission in Texas, and we plan
La Semilla Project Update
A
s the Savory Center has begun to prioritize projects and programs to increase leverage on our work, Board and staff made the strategic decision to not renew our lease for the La Semilla Field Station. We recognized that our other two educational learning sites, Dimbangombe Ranch in Zimbabwe and The West Ranch, already had established funding sources that allowed us to focus on our work there. While we had hoped to develop additional funding sources for La Semilla, our development
14
IN PRACTICE
*
for this to continue. However, the intern program is being put on hold while we explore methods and sources to make it sustainable. We have greatly appreciated the enthusiasm and support of the West Ranch by the Texas community and Dr. Manuel Casas from Chapa de Mota for supplying us with the majority of interns to date. In particular, we would like to especially thank Janice Ramirez Castro, from Mexico, our most recent intern, for her special dedication, enthusiasm, and strong presence at the West Ranch. Her desire to learn and contribute to the work of the West Ranch is an inspiration to us all, and we look forward to re-developing the intern program so that it builds on the strength of young people like Janice for years to come.
Albuquerque Headquarters Spring also brought changes to the office in Albuquerque and news of the departure of Shannon Horst, Senior Director of Strategic Projects. In late May, Shannon Horst announced she would be leaving her position as The Savory Center’s Strategic Projects Director at the end of June. Shannon has served The Savory Center well over the last 13 years, beginning with her appointment as Public Awareness Director in 1991. The next year she took on the role of Executive Director following the sudden death of her predecessor, Hal Norris. Her contributions since then have been substantial in terms of the funds she raised, the projects she initiated and the partnerships she created. Her energy and commitment to furthering The Savory Center’s
research made it clear that the full complement of funding sources was not present to continue developing the field station. However, we are extremely excited about the partnerships and working relationships Shannon Horst and Lee Johnson developed in the local community as part of our work with La Semilla. We will continue to look for other environmental education and rangeland projects and programs to collaborate on with these partners as we work to more effectively fulfill our purpose and mission.
September/October 2004
Tim LaSalle efforts knew no bounds. But in 2003, she realized the Center had reached a point in its development that called for new leadership, and she was also anxious to curtail her work hours to spend more time with her family. Thus, she stepped aside and welcomed Tim LaSalle on board. Over much of the past year she focused her efforts on developing the La Semilla Field Station and education programs at the West Ranch. In both cases, she brought many new partners to the table and greatly enhanced awareness of The Savory Center in our own community. Shannon says she’s not sure what she will do next, only that it will include bringing Holistic Management into the settings in which she works. She would like to volunteer some of her time to The Savory Center and may also work occasionally on contract, but first she’ll be making a trip to Zimbabwe to re-visit the Africa Centre for Holistic Management, near Victoria Falls. The Savory Center’s staff and board raised the funds among themselves to cover all the costs of this trip. It was our way of saying thanks to Shannon for her commitment, dedication and her many contributions to the organization and the movement at large.
Tim LaSalle Executive Director
Staff & Advisory Council Changes
A
s noted in Executive Director Tim LaSalle’s letter, there have been a number of changes at The Savory Center. Two such changes not mentioned in his letter is the departure of two staff members—Lee Dueringer and Lee Johnson (known affectionately as Lee D. and Lee J.). In June we bid a fond farewell to Lee Johnson, Project Assistant at La Semilla, as he headed east to Kripalu Yoga Center in Massachusetts. He was hired as Director of Staff Development for Kripalu, and we wish him the
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 15
best of luck. Lee brought an incredible enthusiasm, commitment, and sense of humor to his work with us. We know Kripalu is lucky to have him on board. In May, Lee Dueringer, Development Director, returned home to Phoenix at the end of his twoyear tenure at The Savory Center. Lee’s job was to secure five-year pledges from our top donors and complete development research begun by Durkin & Associates. He has now taken a job with ChildHelp, USA as Development Director. We will miss his enthusiasm for our work, his sense of humor, and his encouragement to look at new ways of approaching development. However, Lee has agreed to serve on our Advisory Council so we are glad to have this opportunity for continued contact. In July, Alicia Schell, our Finance Coordinator, announced that she and her children would be moving back to Oregon to be closer to her family. We would also like to thank Trudy Healy for the energy and talents she has shared with us as an Advisory Council member. Trudy is heavily involved in water policy issues in New Mexico, and her increased workload with the Water Board resulted in her resignation from our Advisory Council in June. We are glad to know that we have someone of her caliber in that important work, but we will miss her presence on our Advisory Council.
Collaboration with Heifer Project
T
he Savory Center recently signed a contract with Heifer Project International as part of Heifer’s ongoing work with the Navajo Nation. Heifer provides livestock for specific projects, and they are interested in having some of their field staff receive Holistic Management training. Likewise, they want participants in the project to
ranch looking at changes since last year and the progress being made in implementing the land plan. After a catered chuck wagon meal, groups could choose from a variety of sessions, including creating successful producer partnerships, advantages of multi-species grazing, value added livestock production, maximizing your use of federal programs, or “Holistic Mexico Efforts Management, What is it?” Many had arrived early to enjoy the bird walk with birder, Peg Wallace of the University of Texas/Austin. Janice Ramirez Castro, West Ranch intern, also conducted nature walks on the newly developed nature trail. Managers, Joe and Peggy Maddox, 2003 Mexico Certified Educator Trainees in Tlaxcala, Mexico along with Jennifer Lanier of The Humane s part of The Savory Center’s 2003 Mexico Society, Rigo Delgado from Heifer Project Certified Educator Training Program, International, Margaret Krome of Michael Director of Education, Kelly Pasztor, and Field’s Agriculture Institute, and Dr. Bob Steger International Training Programs Director, of Steger Ranch Services enjoyed presenting Constance Neely, meet with officials from the to the enthusiastic group. Mexican Ministry of Agriculture in an effort to secure additional funding for Holistic Management Training in Mexico. They also met with Dr. Manual Casas at Chapa de Mota, Mexico to explore options on how we can further develop the intern opportunities for veterinary students from UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico) at the West Ranch. also receive Holistic Management training so they are better able to improve the land resources while earning income from livestock. The training will be completed by 2006 and will include decision-making, financial planning, grazing planning, biological monitoring, and low-stress livestock handling.
A
West Ranch Field Day
H
RM of TX and The Savory Center hosted a field day at the West Ranch on June 12. Thirty-five participants enjoyed a misty, cool morning out on the
Savory Center Forum
I
continue to enjoy IN PRACTICE and to learn of the progress that is being made in Holistic Management. In reading the article by Guy Glosson on his visit to Zimbabwe (“Ruminations on Herding, Handling and Africa, Issue #95), I was reminded of livestock management applied by nomadic cattle herders in Southeastern Ethiopia when I worked there a few years
ago; 45 years to be exact. In the Ogden plains, a semi-desert, very brittle environment, cattle, in the dry season, grazed for a day and a half out from the water points and, of course, a similar time back to water. I saw young boys controlling small herds of cattle, who had been without water for three days and that were in full sight of the watering troughs, with the area surrounded by various
Bob Steger presenting to West Ranch Field Day participants
herds. The herd did not approach the water until the herder signaled them to do so. They then moved to the troughs in a calm manner with no pushing or shoving. The watering system was also quite unusual. The wells, about 30 feet deep, hand dug, had platforms placed at intervals of about six feet, Water was supplied by wooden buckets with a capacity of two to three quarts. These containers were thrown up to the next level until reaching continued on page 16
Number 97
*
IN PRACTICE
15
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 16
Savory Center Forum continued from page 15 the surface. As a full container was thrown, the individuals in the well caught an empty container from above. I have often wondered if new technology eventually reached the area. Another interesting observation related to housing for the nomad families who lived near the wells in the dry season and moved out with the herds during the short rains. Shelters were a structure of arched bamboo poles covered with straw mats, as were the floors. A house, with its limited contents, could be taken down and loaded on a camel in a very short time. What an example of prefab and refab housing. John Glenn Daphne, Alabama
My Attitude Adjustment— How Holistic Management Has Changed Everything By Stephen Ritz
I
provide technical assistance in natural resource management to landowners for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). I work in a field office that is located in the Potomac Highlands Stephen Ritz area of eastern West Virginia. Our main work product is a conservation plan for land-based operations, many of them agricultural. NRCS conservation planning policy considers soil, water, air, plants, and animals in working with those who manage natural resources. The resulting conservation plan can address all aspects of an operation. Learning the holistic decision-making process through my participation in the 2001 Northeast Region Holistic Management® Certified Educator Training Program has shown me the distinct difference in how most people make decisions and the holistic decision-making framework. I’ve learned that if a person makes a decision based on the best possible outcome for the social, financial and environmental aspects of a situation, there is a much better chance that lasting benefits will be realized.
16
IN PRACTICE
*
Deeper Discussions I’ve provided this type of assistance in natural resource management to clients for over twenty years. Often we are asked to design a specific solution to what is perceived as the main problem facing an agricultural operation such as addressing an animal waste management situation or a limited livestock watering system. While listening to the client and inventorying their resource concerns, I am now able to better discuss possible root causes of these concerns. For instance, the distribution of precipitation in our part of the world is limited in the growing season by frequent dry periods. This prompts many landowners to pursue building more ponds to catch surface runoff or to drill a water well. While these measures will improve water quantity in the short-term, often they don’t address the root cause of an ineffective water cycle. Increasing organic matter levels in our soil through improved management, as well as slowing down potential water runoff, always addresses the root cause of this problem rather than a symptom. Understanding who the decision makers are in an operation at the beginning of the planning process has saved much time by determining the parameters of what potential changes are possible. Everyone must be “on-board” for successful management of most family operated farms. Realizing that those of us involved in natural resource management are all in the sustainability business, I now ask questions of farmers such as “How do you want this farm to look when your granddaughter or grandson is managing this farm?” This can provide powerful insights for both them and their planner. I routinely engage farmers in discussions about the effectiveness of the water and mineral cycles on their land as well as the plant and animal interactions and the efficiency of solar energy. These ecosystem processes, which are vital to all life, are of a major daily concern to those who farm and make a living from the land, but in the past I didn’t spend as much time talking to farmers at this level. Often, however, farmers must be motivated to make decisions with the short-term financial considerations foremost in their minds. Having a holistic perspective now leads me to bring the social and environmental considerations into the picture. Having a holistic perspective while working within a bureaucracy can be challenging. At times we all tend to have professional differences
September/October 2004
of opinion. Learning about the holistic decisionmaking framework and its effect on policy has taught me not to question someone’s motives for their decisions. Conventional decision making does not simultaneously address the social, financial, and environmental aspects of a decision. If the results of decisions made without this perspective don’t provide the desired results, I’ve learned to focus on how the decision was made rather than to question the expertise or motivation of the person. Using the Holistic Management® model as a framework for diagnosing problems and finding solutions has brought new emphasis to the consequences of natural resource decisions and the application of what most consider to be “best management practices.” Applying such practices to the land, while failing to see the interconnectedness of resources, can lead us away from where we hope to go in land-based operations. Anyone who is learning to practice Holistic Management and understands the concept that the world works in wholes is forever changed. The conventional decision-making process becomes incomplete. Initially learning to live the life one values most takes desire and discipline. I can say, after the first trials of learning to make decisions by this process, it becomes easier. As we have learned in our training, learning improves greatly with practice and vice versa. I value my work as a professional in natural resource management with the NRCS. Learning to teach Holistic Management has enriched my work and allowed me to see that even small steps taken are valuable if they move us toward the environment we describe in our holistic goal. That is why I have introduced this decision making process to the management team of the USDA-NRCS in West Virginia, and I have been asked to continue to train other employees in the future. It has been my privilege to have been chosen to participate in the 2001 Northeast Region Holistic Management® Certified Educator Training Program. Sharing this important information with those who make decisions on the land will continue to challenge me in my work and will allow me to contribute to making our part of the “whole” world a better place. Steve Ritz is a District Conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Romney, West Virginia. He can be reached at: Steve.Ritz@wv.usda.gov. This article first appeared in Improving Whole Farm Planning Through Better Decision-Making.
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 17
Certified
Educators
To our knowledge, Certified Educators are the best qualified individuals to help others learn to practice Holistic Management and to provide them with technical assistance when necessary. On a yearly basis, Certified Educators renew their agreement to be affiliated with the Center. This agreement requires their commitment to practice Holistic Management in their own lives, to seek out opportunities for staying current with the latest developments in Holistic Management and to maintain a high standard of ethical conduct in their work. For more information about or application forms for the U.S., Africa, or International Certified Educator Training Programs, contact Kelly Pasztor at the Savory Center or visit our website at www.holisticmanagement.org/wwo_certed.cfm?
* These educators provide Holistic Management instruction on behalf of the institutions they represent. UNITED STATES ARIZONA Kelly Mulville 2884 W. Hilltop, Portal, AZ 85632 jackofallterrains@hotmail.com CALIFORNIA Monte Bell 325 Meadowood Dr., Orland, CA 95963 530/865-3246 • mbell95963@yahoo.com
Byron Shelton 33900 Surrey Lane, Buena Vista, CO 81211 719/395-8157 • landmark@my.amigo.net GEORGIA Constance Neely 1160 Twelve Oaks Circle Watkinsville, GA 30677 • 706/310-0678 cneely@holisticmanagement.org IOWA
Julie Bohannon 652 Milo Terrace Los Angeles, CA 90042 323/257-1915 • JoeBoCom@pacbell.net
Bill Casey 1800 Grand Ave., Keokuk, IA 52632-2944 319/524-5098 • wpccasey@interl.net
Bill Burrows 12250 Colyear Springs Rd. Red Bluff, CA 96080 530/529-1535 • sunflowercrmp@msn.com
LOUISIANA
Richard King 1675 Adobe Rd., Petaluma, CA 94954 707/769-1490 • 707/794-8692 (w) richard.king@ca.usda.gov
MAINE Vivianne Holmes 239 E. Buckfield Rd. Buckfield, ME 04220-4209 207/336-2484 • vholmes@umext.maine.edu
Tim McGaffic 13592 Bora Bora Way #327 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 310/741-0167 • tim@timmcgaffic.com Christopher Peck P.O. Box 2286, Sebastopol, CA 95472 707/758-0171 ctopherp@holistic-solutions.net
Tina Pilione P.O. 923, Eunice, LA 70535 phone/fax: 337/580-0068 • tinamp@charter.net
MASSACHUSETTS
* Christine Jost Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine 200 Westboro Rd. North Grafton, MA 01536 508/887-4763 • christine.jost@tufts.edu
COLORADO
MINNESOTA
Joel Benson P.O. Box 2036, Buena Vista, CO 81211 719/395-2468 • joel@joelnlaurie.com
Terri Goodfellow-Heyer 4660 Cottonwood Lane North Plymouth, MN 55442 763/559-0099 • tgheyer@comcast.net
Cindy Dvergsten 17702 County Rd. 23, Dolores, CO 81323 970/882-4222 info@wholenewconcepts.com Rio de la Vista P.O. Box 777, Monte Vista, CO 81144 719/852-2211 • riovista@rmi.net Daniela and Jim Howell P.O. Box 67, Cimarron, CO 81220-0067 970/249-0353 • howelljd@montrose.net Chadwick McKellar 16775 Southwood Dr. Colorado Springs, CO 80908 719/495-4641 • cmckellar@juno.com
MISSISSsIPPI Preston Sullivan 610 Ed Sullivan Lane, NE Meadville, MS 39653 601/384-5310 • 479/442-9824 (w) prestons@nwaisp.com MONTANA Wayne Burleson RT 1, Box 2780, Absarokee, MT 59001 406/328-6808 • rutbuster@montana.net Roland Kroos 4926 Itana Circle, Bozeman, MT 59715 406/522-3862 • KROOSING@earthlink.net
* Cliff Montagne Montana State University Department of Land Resources & Environmental Science Bozeman, MT 59717 406/994-5079 • montagne@montana.edu NEW MEXICO
* Ann Adams The Savory Center 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 505/842-5252 anna@holisticmanagement.org Amy Driggs 1131 Los Tomases NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 505/242-2787 adriggs@orbusinternational.com Kirk Gadzia P.O. Box 1100, Bernalillo, NM 87004 505/867-4685 • fax: 505/867-0262 kgadzia@earthlink.net Ken Jacobson 12101 Menaul Blvd. NE, Ste A Albuquerque, NM 87112 505/293-7570 kbjacobson@orbusinternational.com
* Kelly Pasztor The Savory Center 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102 505/842-5252 kellyp@holisticmanagement.org Sue Probart P.O. Box 81827, Albuquerque, NM 87198 505/265-4554 • tnm@treenm.com David Trew 369 Montezuma Ave. #243 Santa Fe, NM 87501 505/751-0471; trewearth@aol.com Vicki Turpen 03 El Nido Amado SW Albuquerque, NM 87121 505/873-0473 • mvt9357@aol.com NEW YORK Karl North 3501 Hoxie Gorge Rd. Marathon, NY 13803 607/849-3328 • northsheep@juno.com NORTH CAROLINA Sam Bingham 394 Vanderbilt Rd., Asheville, NC 28803 828/274-1309 • sbingham@igc.org NORTH DAKOTA
* Wayne Berry University of North Dakota—Williston P.O. Box 1326, Williston, ND 58802 701/774-4269 or 701/774-4200 wayne.berry@wsc.nodak.edu OKLAHOMA Kim Barker RT 2, Box 67, Waynoka, OK 73860 580/824-9011 • barker_k@hotmail.com
Number 97
*
IN PRACTICE
17
to pdf #97
8/5/04
9:08 AM
Page 18
PENNSYLVANIA
INTERNATIONAL
Jim Weaver 428 Copp Hollow Rd. Wellsboro, PA 16901-8976 570/724-7788 • jaweaver@epix.net
AUSTRALIA Helen Carrell “Hillside” 25 Weewondilla Rd. Glennie Heights, Warwick, QLD 4370 61-4-1878-5285 • 61-7-4661-7383 helenc@upfrontoutback.com
TEXAS Christina Allday-Bondy 2703 Grennock Dr., Austin, TX 78745 512/441-2019 • tododia@peoplepc.com Guy Glosson 6717 Hwy 380, Snyder, TX 79549 806/237-2554 • glosson@caprock-spur.com Jennifer Hamre 316-A La Grande Ave., Austin, TX 78704 yosefahanah@yahoo.com
* R.H. (Dick) Richardson University of Texas at Austin Department of Integrative Biology Austin, TX 78712 512/471-4128 • d.richardson@mail.utexas.edu Peggy Sechrist 25 Thunderbird Rd. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 830/990-2529 • sechrist@ ktc.com
Graeme Hand “Inverary” Caroona Lane, Branxholme, VIC 3302 61-3-5578-6272 • 61-4-1853-2130 gshand@hotkey.net.au Mark Gardner P.O. Box 1395, Dubbo, NSW 2830 61-2-6882-0605 gardnerm@ozemail.com.au Brian Marshall “Lucella”; Nundle, NSW 2340 61-2-6769 8226 • fax: 61-2-6769 8223 bkmrshl@northnet.com.au
Liz Williams 4106 Avenue B Austin, TX 78751-4220 512/323-2858 • evwilliams@austin.rr.com
Bruce Ward P.O. Box 103, Milsons Pt., NSW 1565 61-2-9929-5568 • fax: 61-2-9929-5569 blward@holisticresults. com. au Brian Wehlburg c/o “Sunnyholt”, Injue, QLD 4454 61-7-4626-7187 • ijapo2000@yahoo.com
WASHINGTON Craig Madsen P.O. Box 107, Edwall, WA 99008 509/236-2451 madsen2fir@centurytel.net
CANADA Don and Randee Halladay Box 2, Site 2, RR 1, Rocky Mountain House, AB, T0M 1T0 403/729-2472 • donran@telusplanet. net
Sandra Matheson 228 E. Smith Rd. Bellingham, WA 98226 360/398-7866 • smm1@ gte.net
Noel McNaughton 5704-144 St., Edmondton, AB, T6H 4H4s 780/432-5492 • noel@mcnaughton.ca
* Don Nelson Washington State University P.O. Box 646310, Pullman, WA 99164 509/335-2922 • nelsond@ wsu.edu
Len Pigott Box 222, Dysart, SK, SOH 1HO 306/432-4583 • JLPigott@sk.sympatico.ca
Maurice Robinette S. 16102 Wolfe Rd., Cheney, WA 99004 509/299-4942 • mlr@icehouse.net
Kelly Sidoryk Box 374, Lloydminster, AB, S9V 0Y4 403/875-4418 • hi-gain@telusplanet.net
Doug Warnock 151 Cedar Cove Rd., Ellensburg, WA 98926 509/925-9127 • warnockd@ elltel.net WISCONSIN Elizabeth Bird Room 203 Hiram Smith Hall 1545 Observatory Dr., Madison WI 53706 608/265-3727 • eabird@facstaff.wisc.edu Larry Johnson W886 State Road 92, Brooklyn, WI 53521 608/455-1685 • lpjohn@rconnect.com WYOMING Tim Morrison P.O. Box 536, Meeteese, WY 82433 307/868-2354 • mcd@tctwest.net
Steve Hailstone 5 Lampert Rd., Crafers, SA 5152 61-4-1882-2212 hailstone@internode.on.net
MEXICO Ivan Aguirre La Inmaculada Apdo. Postal 304, Hermosillo, Sonora 83000 tel/fax: 52-637-377-8929 rancho_inmaculada@yahoo.com Elco Blanco-Madrid Cristobal de Olid #307 Chihuahua Chih., 31240 52-614-415-3497 • fax: 52-614-415-3175 elco_blanco@hotmail.com Manuel Casas-Perez Calle Amarguva No. 61, Lomas Herradura Huixquilucan, Mexico City CP 52785 52-558-291-3934 • 52-588-992-0220 (w) iconquiahua@att.net.mx
Jose Ramon “Moncho” Villar Av. Las Americas #1178 Fracc. Cumbres, Saltillo, Coahuila 25270 52-844-415-1542 • fmholistic@att.net.mx NAMIBIA Gero Diekmann P.O. Box 363, Okahandja 9000 264-62-518091 nam00132@mweb.com.na Colin Nott P.O. Box 11977, Windhoek 264-61-228506 canott@iafrica.com.na Wiebke Volkmann P.O. Box 182, Otavi, 264-67-234-448 wiebke@mweb.com.na NEW ZEALAND John King P.O. Box 3440, Richmond, Nelson 64-3-547-6347 succession@clear.net.nz SOUTH AFRICA Sheldon Barnes P.O. Box 300, Kimberly 8300 Johan Blom P.O. Box 568, Graaf-Reinet 6280 27-49-891-0163 johanblom@cybertrade.co.za Ian Mitchell-Innes P.O. Box 52, Elandslaagte 2900 27-36-421-1747 blanerne@mweb.co.za Norman Neave P.O. Box 69, Mtubatuba 3935 27-084-2452/62 norberyl@telkomsa.net Dick Richardson P.O. Box 1806, Vryburg 8600 tel/fax: 27-53-927-4367 judyrich@cybertrade.co.za Colleen Todd P.O. Box 21, Hoedspruit 1380 27-82-335-3901 (cell) colleen_todd@yahoo.com ZIMBABWE Mutizwa Mukute PELUM Association Regional Desk P.O. Box MP 1059 Mount Pleasant, Harare 263-4-74470/744117 • fax: 263-4-744470 pelum@mail.pci.co.zw Liberty Mabhena Spring Cabinet P.O. Box 853, Harare 263-4-210021/2 • 263-4-210577/8 fax: 263-4-210273 Elias Ncube P. Bag 5950, Victoria Falls 263-3-454519 rogpachm@africaonline.co.zw
For a list of our affiliate networks, please visit our website at: www.holisticmanagement.org/asc_net.cfm 18
IN PRACTICE
*
September/October 2004