#127 In Practice, SEP/OCT 2009

Oh, The Places We’ll Go! 25th Anniversary Celebrationby Peggy Maddox

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2009 NUMBER 127 WWW.HOLIST ICMANAGEMENT.ORG

healthy land.sustainable future.

PBS Documentary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Annual Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17Reader’s Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Certified Educators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

NEWS and NETWORK

Achieving 50 Percent Planned Profit—Even on a Horse FarmELIZABETH MARKS WITH LILLY BECKER . . . . . . . .3

Closing the Gap between Research and PracticeFRANK ARAGONA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Beefing Up the Palouse—Cattle Grazing As an Alternative To CRPDOUG WARNOCK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

The Art of Holistic Management—Putting It All TogetherBETHANY LAYPORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Small Acreage Grazing on the RocksPEGGY COLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

LAND and LIVESTOCKGrazing Sheep in VineyardsKELLY MULVILLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Holistic Management Increases WinterStockpiling and ProfitGREG JUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Deep Land Massage Profit—Do the MathANN ADAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Achieving Balance—Soil Bacteria: Fungi Ratio PHILLIP DIPROSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

FEATURE STORIES

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E

SHEEP & VINEYARDS

Adding sheep to a vineyard can provide additional profit, improve soilfertility, and reduce tractor usage.

LEARN HOW KELLY MULVILLE IS INTEGRATING LIVESTOCK AND VITICULTURE ON PAGE 9.

Editor’s Note: Peggy Maddox adapted Dr. Suess’ Oh, The Places You’ll Go for herpresentation to Allan Savory and JodyButterfield in Abilene in March 2009 aspart of HMI’s 25th Anniversary Celebration.

We had brains in our headsWe had concern in our heartsBut we just couldn’t know what we didn’t knowUntil Allan Savory began to impart

Key # 1 Brought in something entirely newBrittle and non-brittleA new way for environments to be viewed.

Key #2 was animals By predators pursuedWill brittle lands Renew.

Key #3 had been there for all to see So Savory turned to Voison’s lineAnd learned that grazing and overgrazingHad to do with time.

Key #4 – the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

The whole is all that is real.The world is not a machine That you pick apart to heal.

Now we’re on our own And we know what we knowAnd Holistic Management decision making Guides us where to go.

We check into our values.Looking them over with care.Choose what life is to be And what to produce to get there.

With our heads full of dreams Of a world without despairEcosystems, people, communities With a future to share.

Our holisticgoal has been formed!Now we can choose any road to go downTest the action and, if it comes ‘roundTo pass all questions, then it’s sound.

But monitor, monitor So you are forewarned.Control, replan, And new action takes form.

But out there things can happen And frequently doTo people as brainy and knowledgeableAs me and you.

We will struggle And it will hurt.Because sometimes we’ll feel We’ve been left in the lurch.

We’ll come down from the lurch With an unpleasant bump.And chances are, then, That’ll we’ll be in a slump.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

2 IN PRACTICE � September / October 2009

Holistic Management International works to reverse thedegradation of private and communal land used foragriculture and conservation, restore its health andproductivity, and help create sustainable and viable

livelihoods for the people who depend on it.

FOUNDERSAllan Savory � Jody Butterfield

STAFFPeter Holter, Chief Executive Officer

Tracy Favre, Senior Director/ Contract ServicesJutta von Gontard, Senior Director / Philanthropy

Kelly Bee, Chief Financial OfficerAnn Adams, Managing Editor, IN PRACTICE and

Director of Educational Products and Outreach Maryann West, Manager of Administration

and Executive Support Donna Torrez, Customer Service ManagerMary Girsch-Bock, Educational Products

& Outreach AssistantValerie Gonzales, Administrative Assistant

BOARD OF DIRECTORSBen Bartlett, Chair

Ron Chapman, Past ChairRoby Wallace, Vice-ChairGail Hammack, SecretaryChristopher Peck, Treasurer

Sallie Calhoun Mark GardnerJohn Hackley Jim McMullan

Ian Mitchell Innes Jim ParkerDennis Wobeser Jesus Almeida Valdez

ADVISORY COUNCILRobert Anderson, Corrales, NM

Michael Bowman,Wray, COSam Brown, Austin, TX

Lee Dueringer, Scottsdale, AZGretel Ehrlich, Gaviota, CA

Dr. Cynthia O. Harris, Albuquerque, NMLeo O. Harris, Albuquerque, NMEdward Jackson, San Carlos, CA

Clint Josey, Dallas, TXDoug McDaniel, Lostine, OR

Guillermo Osuna, Coahuila, MexicoSoren Peters, Santa Fe, NM

Jim Shelton, Vinita, OKYork Schueller, Ventura, CA

Africa Centre for Holistic Management Tel: (263) (11) 404 [email protected]

Huggins Matanga, Director

The David West Station for Holistic Management

Tel: 325/392-2292 • Cel: 325/[email protected]

Joe & Peggy Maddox, Ranch Managers

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT IN PRACTICE (ISSN: 1098-8157) is published six times a year by

Holistic Management International, 1010 Tijeras NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, 505/842-5252, fax: 505/843-7900;

email: [email protected].; website: www.holisticmanagement.org

Copyright © 2009

healthy land.sustainable future. Oh, The Places We’ll Go! continued from page one

And when we’re in a slump, We’re not in for much fun.Unslumping ourselves Is not easily done.

But we won’t worry, We won’t stew.We’ll just go right alongAnd start happening too.

Oh! The Places We’ll Go!

We’ll be on our way up!We’ll be seeing great sights.We’ll join the high flyersWho soar to high heights.

We have been given the tools,All there are And all we’ll ever need.Money and labor, Rest and create-vi-ty

Technology, living organisms,Grazing, fire and

herd effect too.How to use them

depends on us, Our holisticgoal, plus…

Changing the effects Of tools in handIs the scale of brittleness Of the land.

So test each action And results can be foretold.

With the new knowledge, we’ll pass the whole gang.

And we’ll soon take the lead.But we look behind and

no one seems to followSo it’s a lonely road we’re on,

when no one else seems to see the need.

We’ll continue on to plan each detail

Whether it’s dollars, grass,cattle, time, or nails.

Results are our prizePlanning is worth the wait –

We will never forget To be dexterous and deft.And we’ll never mix up Our right foot with our left.

And will we succeed!Yes! We will indeed!(98 and 3/4 percent

guaranteed.)


We’ll go right where weplanned

Because we have ourholisticgoal in our hand.

So, you, Jody and Allan took the lead,

And then HMI came along tomeet the ever growing need.

And people around the worldHave been inspired by your

Life’s work.

Spread the word, spread the word!

After 25 yearsCan it be possible that not

all have heard?

So, there is work to be done.There are points to be scored. There are minds to be won.

Oh, The Places We’ll Go!

Now listen, listen,Holistic Management

words ring trueThere is power in them When your heart shines

through.

The land is begging!

So as you, Allan & Jody, make your transition,

You have nothing to fear.Your message is strong.Your work will continue

to grow,

Because Holistic Managementhas more places to go!

Waiting for water to flowGrass to growCapped soil to breakLess silt in lakes

Waiting for families to healLoans paid offGovernment policy that

makes sense

Waiting for communitiesrevitalized

Biodiversity loss stoppedTime when less is moreAnd hope is restored.


So on we will go Though our enemies prowl.On we will goThough all our critics cry foul.

Onward up many a frightening road

Even when we have to carrymore than our load.

On and on we will hike.And we know we must hike farAnd face up to the world’s

problemsWhatever they are.

We’ll get mixed up, of course,As we already know.We’ll get mixed upWith many strange birds

as we go.

We must be sure when we stepStep with care and great tactAnd remember that life’s A great balancing act.

I told her about the concept of setting aside 50 percent planned profit. Many people feel that50 percent profit is impossible to achieve, yet Lillycomes close to that. I asked her how she did it.

Using Resources EffectivelyLilly said, “For me, it’s about the basic

principles of any successful business: set reachablefinancial goals, don't spend more then you make,only buy what you need, not what you want, andtrack your expenses. I own 11 school horses andtrack expenses and income for each oneindividually. I expect that each horse earn 50percent more income than its expenses. Forexample, every time I put a bag of shavings in astall I note for which horse. I can monitor howmuch each horse costs and what they earn. If ahorse continuously needs extra veterinary care,requires huge amounts of supplementation orfeed, or is unpopular with my riders and doesn’tget used, I work immediately to fix the problem.Some solutions are to sell the horse or partiallease them to a suitable rider, re-evaluatenutrition and turnout needs, and practicepreventative medicine and care.

“I also work hard to keep expenses low.Sometimes all it takes is a little creativity toachieve that. For example, I save labor, veterinary,and bedding costs by having my horses turned outall the time. They have shelters in their pasturesand get blanketed in bad weather. I do bring themin the barn twice a day to eat and so I can checkthem over for injuries. I have trained them to gofrom the pasture to their stalls by themselves. It takes about three weeks of initial training when a new horse comes, but it is worth it.

The Right Kind of HorseA key strategy for keeping expenses down for

Lilly is picking the right kind of animal from thebeginning. Livestock are like employees—youhave to be clear about what you need and why.Lilly says, “I search for horses that can easily carry

adults but are safe enough for kids. Many of myhorses have originally come from ranches outWest. In my experience these horses tend to behealthier, better mannered, less spooky, andstronger then horses from the East coast.

“I never look for a “pretty horse,” rather one that has thick skin and coat, kind eyes, and is older then 15. Horses that have strong teeth, are barefoot, have show experience and that have lived outside are a plus. My horses are easykeepers that like being turned out in a herd.

“I never acquire a school horse that has aspecific specialty. To me this means “watch out”because there is a chance they may have an injurywaiting to appear. They are like us: if you only runon the treadmill for exercise you will eventuallyget shin splints. All of the horses I take must beable to jump at some level, work safely on the flat,lunge, and be able to safely go on a trail ride.”

Because Lilly is careful about her selection ofhorses, she can keep them for a long time.“People joke that my entire herd is a retirementhome!” Lilly says. “I believe all horses are goodfor something, including older ones. When myhorses get old they transition into different jobs.They can be used for relaxing trail rides andlessons to beginners on the lead line or work in a

therapeutic lesson program where they are riddenat the walk. I was taught ‘never to throw animalsaway’ by my parents at a young age. Most of mylesson horses are in their late 20s or early 30s.Keeping older horses active helps them stay limberand healthy, secure mentally, and cuts back onveterinary costs. There does come a time when ahorse can no longer be involved in the programand this is when they become a danger tothemselves or clients. However, I try not to retirehorses until I feel they are at the end of their life.”

Low Cost NaturallyLilly’s selection and care of animals helps her

make a profit on each animal, but she also keepsher maintenance costs down by havingsurprisingly little infrastructure on the farm, suchas no running water in the barn and no indoorriding arena. Lilly notes that not only does thathelp with maintenance costs but it also keeps thehorses in a more natural environment.

“I find that the more you can allow a horse tobe a horse, the healthier and saner they are,” saysLilly. “Also, a natural environment really cutsmaintenance and utility costs. My horses are notspoiled and must do things themselves such asdrink water from a pond. They ride in an outdoorarena all year round which allows them theproper exposure to different sights and sounds andprevents them from becoming ‘spooky.’ Plus, theydo not inhale dangerous dust or feel trapped in abox. This saves on vet expenses. I exercise andteach lessons in a combined training methodwhich also cuts down on injury and horsesbecoming ring sour. All of my horses have tasksthey enjoy, but they never do the same type oflesson in a row. On any given day they could bedoing dressage, trail riding, jumping, swimmingwith a rider, wearing a costume, round penning,or doing a lead line lesson. They are never bored.”

Business ReputationAlthough Lilly is only 25 she has been

generating income from horses for the past 13 years. She still even has some of the samestudents from when she started. She’s neverneeded to advertise because reputation is the key.“People want an honest person who understandsthem and will work to achieve their goals,” says Lilly. “If my clients are having a bad day, I’ll do something fun with them or take them on a trail ride. They like to know you aren’t just an instructor but also a friend.

“Advertising is much more effective via wordof mouth, especially when most of your clients arechildren. Moms and Dads discuss things at theplayground, parties, fairs, etc. and children talk to

Number 127 � IN PRACTICE 3

Elizabeth Marks and Lilly Becker

Achieving 50 Percent Planned Profit—Even on a Horse Farmby Elizabeth Marks with Lilly Becker

Recently, I was having dinner with a friend from a horseback riding club I belong to. LillyBecker runs a successful lesson and training program in a rural part of upstate New York. I was surprised to learn that despite the downturn in the economy and the fact that she only works 10 months out of the year, she is able to support herself and 11 horses. I had

just come back from a week of Holistic Management® Financial Planning training taught by Ann Adams, Phil Metzger, and Erica Frenay as part of a Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education grant. I began sharing what I had learned at the training and found that much of what Lilly does mirrors what I had just learned.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

each other at school, play dates, and more.They tell friends and relatives. If you are aknowledgeable instructor and make learningfun, provide safe lesson horses, are honest withyour clients, and get to know every individualrider personally . . . they will never leave.

“In the past few years, I have moved fromprimarily teaching children toward opening mybusiness up to riders of all ages. I have adults,especially men, who find it more therapeutic totake a trail ride with me than to visit theirtherapist’s office.”

Lilly’s main planned financial investmentat this point is fencing more pastures so shecan improve her grazing management andcapture more solar dollars. This will be a wayfor her to cut costs and to ensure that herhorses are getting good nutrition from grass.After we discussed the concept of setting moneyaside for depreciation costs, she decided shealso wanted to start setting money aside forthat as well as other investments like a newtractor, horse trailer, truck and more schoolhorses as well as retirement.

Talking with Lilly reinforced for me thatcreating profit can be done by anyone, if theattitude is there. Given the severe economicdownturn and the challenges of making aliving on a horse farm even in good times, itamazes me that Lilly can make a profit, letalone a 50 percent profit. Her success atachieving her financial goals makes me evenmore determined to achieve mine.

I learned a lot from the HolisticManagement® Financial Planning class. In fact, it was a life-transforming experience. I don’t know if I would have had theconversation with Lilly that I had if I hadn’tattended that class and begun to think aboutprofit and what that means for me as someonewith a salary. Ultimately, whether you use thatprofit to increase net worth or quality of life,profit provides greater opportunity for movingtoward your holisticgoal.

Elizabeth Marks works as the HudsonMohawk Resource Conservation andDevelopment Coordinator with the USDANatural Resources Conservation Service inGhent, New York. Lilly Becker is the owner/president of Skyfarm.net which operates out of Sky Farm, a lesson and horse trainingbusiness in Copake, New York.


Closing the GapBetween Researchand Practiceby Frank Aragona

The gap between research and practice isboth notable and of critical concern forthose of us involved in agriculture,conservation, and agricultural and

environmental education. This gap is notablebecause so many innovative practitioners haveexpressed their frustration about it, and criticalbecause it will be important to close this gapin the coming years to build the momentumthat needs to be built.

The gap between research and practice existsfor many reasons. Innovators are ademographic unto themselves, always tryingnew things, quick to pick up on what works andequally quick to discard what doesn’t. Inranching and agriculture, the innovativepractitioners are keen observers of the mostrelevant signals, from the behavior of insects tochanges in plant phenology. The innovator isable to discover a path forward by listening tothe senses and trusting intuition.

This ability has led to great advances in ourcollective knowledge and understanding, notonly of how nature works, but also how we canbe more effective stewards of our naturalresources. Grass farmers like Gene Goven havemet with great success by applying a “cocktailmix” of cover crops to loosen hard pan soils andbuild organic matter. Colin Seis and hiscolleagues in Australia have developed a pasturecropping system with extremely promisingapplications. Integrators like Abe Collins havebuilt a comprehensive land management toolkitusing a variety of practices, including GIS,keyline plows, and animal impact.

Implicit in all of this is the tremendouscomplexity of the ecosystems under manage -ment. Cocktail cover crops and pasture croppingare successful, in part at least, because theymimic and capitalize on natural complexity.

Most research, on the other hand, is simpleby design. Despite our cultural worship of

scientific achievement, the statistical tools ofbiological science are rather crude andunsophisticated in the face of naturalcomplexity. For hundreds of years, science hasbeen about the isolation of specific variables:What is the effect that x has on y? This is not tosay that scientists aren’t interested in describingthe complexity inherent in natural systems, butthe variability in nature is too great for moststatistical tools. Research design is an attempt to

limit confounding variables, while innovation isoften about maximizing complexity.

The research process is also a part of theproblem. Many years can pass from the time astudy is conceived, funded, conducted, written-up, peer-reviewed and finally published. By thattime, the perspective of the innovator has shiftedwith changing conditions: markets collapse, onespecies gives way to another, insect outbreaksoccur, wildfire runs rampant through part of theranch…life goes on.

These structural obstacles will not beovercome easily, but it is my belief thatengagement and communication are animportant first step. Researchers must engagepractitioners and vice versa. More important isthe need for open and ongoing dialog betweenthe two communities.

Finally, research design should reflectmanagement at its best. If an operation ismanaged holistically, then the research tooshould be conducted holistically. Byincorporating concepts and principles fromdifferent disciplines, including economics,biology, and anthropology, perhaps we can get abroader, more inclusive view of what really ishappening on the landscape as humans react and interact with nature.

To learn more about HMI’s Data &Documentation efforts, contact Frank at:[email protected].

Research design is an attempt to limit confounding variables, while innovation is often about maximizing complexity.

Achieving 50 PercentPlanned Profit

continued from page three

The project, called “Beefing Up The Palouse,”was begun in 2008 with the intent of finding a“management program that will equal or betterwhat CRP payments bring to land owners in thewheat producing area of eastern Washington,”said Don Nelson, WSU Extension Beef Specialistand project director. “The ultimate goal is to movethe management toward sustainability,” he added.It is funded by Washington Governor Gregoire’sAgricultural Pilots Program, which is aimed atpromoting profitability for agricultural producerswhile restoring or enhancing natural resourcesand rural landscapes.

Why is this project incredible, revolutionaryand so important? “Because it demonstrates everycomponent of sustainable agriculture, theenvironmental, economic and social aspects,”says Maurice Robinette, Co-Manager of theproject. “The land is being managed holisticallyand the project is attracting the interest of bothagricultural producers and the environmentalcommunity,” he added.

Grazing As an AlternativeThe CRP alternative study

is being conducted on G & L Farms near Benge, Washington that is owned by Gregg Beckley.

It could provide landowners with a viable alternative to leavingfarmland in CRP.

The initial advantage of takingland out of grain production andcovering the soil with perennialgrasses has long passed. It initiallyreduced soil and water erosion.However, over time the grass stand hasbeen degraded from invasion of weedsand the development of a heavythatch of old grass material that is noteffectively decomposing forintegration into the soil. The thatchand ineffective decomposition processreduces the effectiveness of theecosystem processes and generally reducesecosystem health.

Soils and the plant communities they supportare at their best when there are healthy, vigorousperennial plants growing and being harvested atthe proper intervals and in proper amounts bygrazing animals. The cycling of plant and animal

material into the soilthrough the proper grazingby livestock, supports andstimulates microorganismactivity and makes for ahealthy, more vitalecosystem.

Taking land out of grainproduction and putting itinto CRP did provide a wayfor farmers to receive amore stable income, but it had a negative effecton the nearby farmcommunities. The loss of farm activity reduced the economic activity inthose communities and resulted in less localbusiness being conductedand fewer jobs available.

Study ResultsResults to date have shown that the yearling

cattle gained about two pounds per head per daywhile grazing for 100 days on the study area. Theeconomic return on grazing was $45/acre($113/ha), which compares favorably with theCRP payments of $53/acre ($132/ha). As thispractice becomes more fine-tuned, the financialreturns may be increased. In addition, the landwill be receiving biological returns from theimproved ecosystem health that results from theplanned grazing.

A Sustainable ApproachA monitoring program is being conducted that

assesses the ongoing ecological impacts ofgrazing. Four permanent observation sites wereestablished using the Land EKG monitoringsystem. Over twenty ecological factors werequantified prior to grazing and will serve as abaseline from which to measure any changes thatoccur over time. In addition, soil sampling isbeing done to assess the project’s carbon footprintand measure potential carbon sequestration fromthis management. Other benefits from this type ofmanagement are that soil erosion is beingreduced, air quality is improved, and wildlifehabitat is enhanced. In addition, this approachrequires much less use of fossil fuels.

The project utilizes a holistic approach in theproduction of natural grass-fed beef. It implementsadaptive management, in that decisions on thepractices that are applied are based on informationfrom the monitoring. The aim is to select practicesthat lead to a healthy ecosystem, while creating aprofit for the manager.

Doug Warnock is a Certified Educator who lives in College Place, Washington. He can be reached at: [email protected] 509/540-5771.


Beefing Up the Palouse—Cattle Grazing As An Alternative To CRPby Doug Warnock

Incredible, revolutionary, and important are terms that have been used to describe a study thatevaluates the feasibility of converting Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land over to grazingby beef cattle. This praise for the project comes from John Reganold, renowned Washington StateUniversity (WSU) Soil Scientist, and Chad Kruger, Interim Director of the Center for Sustainable

Agriculture and Natural Resources at WSU. Progress reports indicate that financial returns fromgrazing beef cattle are competitive with the average governmental payments for keeping land in thePalouse Area of eastern Washington in the CRP Program.

Soil capping, plant pedestallingand erosion from too much rest on CRP land.

Left to right: Gregg Beckley (owner of G&L Farms), Don Nelson, Maurice Robinette and Terry Gompert.

Oxidized bunchgrassplants on CRP(rested) land showingsigns of overrest


Process & RelationshipsThe word “process” resonated strongly with

me. As an artist, I am accustomed to the conceptof process. Developing my eye, my ability to seeline, shadow, and color, is a continuous process.It's not something I do once and never revisitagain. I can draw the same thing a hundredtimes, and each time, it's different. Each time, Isee something different; a line comes into focusthat hadn't been there previously; a hiddenshadow makes itself known; I become aware of anew color. The more times I draw something, themore that thing becomes a part of me—it goesinto my hand, my fingers, my mind. My muscles(cells, even!) absorb that thing until it is fully inme, and I in it.

The same is happening for me with this class.The first time a concept was introduced, it feltforeign, and I didn't know how to handle it. Forexample, the first time we learned about aholisticgoal, I didn't quite know what to do withit. I had made goals before, planned, workedtowards them, and successfully accomplishedthem. This, however, felt odd. It was a differentway of looking at life: actively identifying thequality of life you want (What would you livefor?), identifying how this would beaccomplished, and determining a future resourcebase. With repetition, however, it has begunincorporating itself in my mind.

The more times I grapple with it, the more I see and understand. Nuances I previously overlooked come more readily to mind,and I feel like it is more fully in me than before.The exciting fact, though, is that it will continueto morph as I do, and I will continue to absorbthese concepts more. The creation of aholisticgoal isn't a project, it's not something youdo once and then are done with forever. Instead, itis a process that develops over time. Yourholisticgoal is something you continuously revisit.It morphs and develops as you yourself (or in thiscase, as I) develop. Such a goal isn't static;

instead, it is a beautiful reflection of who you areand what you want to be.

Holisticgoal = BullseyeThe same goes for every other aspect of

Holistic Management. Rather than revisiting theindividual points of each “part” (or in this case,whole), I rather want to focus on therelationships between all aspects. Thefundamental concept here is illustrated best bythe bullseye. The central circle, the holisticgoal, isthe foundation of Holistic Management, the basisfor all actions. Every decision, every action isimplemented to bring us closer to fulfilling this.The next circle, ecosystem processes, is essentialto the holisticgoal. These processes deal with theliving systems, and look in depth at not just howthey cycle, but what they actually do in eachstage of a cycle. For example, water cycleseverywhere, but the actual process of water in soilinvolves the ingestion of water by microbes, theexcretion thereof, the uptake of water in roots, etc.

Directly connected to this cycle are theminerals that cycle with the water, movingthrough the microbes, the plants, and any otherorganisms present in the soil. The desire foreffective ecosystem processes is often incorporatedin the quality of life statement, and is completelyessential to the development of the futureresource base. I find the term “ecosystem process”quite interesting. It indicates a progression ofactions, rather than one single event, andperpetuates my belief that every whole withinHolistic Management is essentially a process.

The next ring out, tools, include any and allmeans by which you (or I) could manipulate theeffectiveness of the ecosystem processes in such away as to move you towards your holisticgoal.Understanding what tools to use involves aprocess of developing human creativity andcareful monitoring. While no tool is specificallybad, some work more effectively than otherswhen manipulating ecosystem processes in a

given area, especially depending on where thearea lies on the brittleness scale.

Monitoring allows us to assess whether or notthe tool being used is carrying us towards thequality of life we desire—or away from it. Whilemoney and human creativity are consideredtools, they are unique in that they really onlywork in conjunction with other tools. Theintroduction of living organisms as a tool is alsounusual in that this is the only tool that becomesa part of the ecosystem—and so incorporatesinto the community dynamics of that ecosystem.

Decision testing is a critical process in HolisticManagement. Once again, the key here is thateach decision tested is assessed relative to itsimpact on your quality of life and future resourcebase. The decisions are assessed for other things,too, but essentially lead back to bringing youtowards your holisticgoal (notice a pattern?). Thedecision testing questions allow you to effectivelyuse the tools we have available to manipulate theecosystem processes to further us in our pursuit ofour holisticgoal. In direct connection with thetesting questions, the management guidelinesenable us to mobilize all the information wehave—from our formal education, personalexperience, books read, research, and any othervaluable information we may acquire—andapply it when testing decisions.

One of my favorite aspects of holisticmanaging is monitoring. The fact that weconsciously make decisions to bring us towardsour holisticgoal, and then keep track of them,assess their success, and evaluate them. I lovethat there is room for change, the ability to go a different direction, admit that something isn'tworking. So often in conventional management,we don't want to admit that something isn'tworking. In holistic monitoring, we can admitwhen something isn't going well, and trysomething else without judging the tool as“good” or “bad.”

A Way of LifeI realize that I do not fully understand Holistic

Management now, nor is it fully in me. However,my understanding is actively growing, and I fullyenjoy the process. I have observed my ownoutlook changing. When the class first began, wewould learn a concept, attempt to understand it,and dismiss it. Slowly, though, the conceptsbegan to seep into me and incorporate themselvesin my thought processes. Instead of just lookingat an area and say, “oh, how pretty,” I beganlooking for perennial grasses and signs ofbiodiversity. Next, I found myself considering howbrittle a given area might be.

Now, I constantly notice bare ground, erosion,

The Art of Holistic Management—Putting It All Togetherby Bethany Layport

When we first began this journey, most of us had no idea what Holistic Management was. It was a class we took like any other, a checkmark on our graduation evaluation. For me, at least, I was curious about Holistic Management, but didn't really have a clearunderstanding of what it involved. I did look forward to learning more though, and

so spent the quarter attempting to absorb a completely different outlook on life and management.Towards the end of the quarter, the words "project" and "process" began to arise more often. And the more I heard them, the more I thought about what they actually mean.


check for the presence of plant litter, or signs ofeffective ecosystem processes. When it rains, myfirst thought is wondering where each raindropfalls, where it lands, and what happens to it after. Ican see myself beginning to apply HolisticManagement to my life, my decisions, and amstarting to genuinely see my life through myholisticgoal. Even through this, I can see there arethings I need to change in my holisticgoal.

I like this concept of process. It allows forerror, but also allows for growth. It alsoacknowledges that Holistic Management isn't aproject that you do once, and then it just goesaway. Instead, it is a critical process—a way oflife, even. When you truly embrace the concepts ofHolistic Management, you realize that theseconcepts become a part of you, saturating your

considerations for everything.Holistic Management is not just about

managing a piece of land, it's about truly seeingthe world from a different angle. HolisticManagement, too, is a process. It is not somethingyou can simply learn about, be exposed to, and bedone with. Paradigms are often so deeply heldthat they take an incredible act of dynamic will tooverthrow. Because of this, Holistic Managementisn't something embraced instantaneously. It isinstead a process of experimentation, experience,compassion, and open-mindedness. It allows for aunique expression of human creativity, and ratherthan judging ideas, allows each person to find hisor her path or way, bringing the desired quality oflife ever closer.

Relationships. Processes. The two work

together in an intricate dance. To truly manageholistically, the dance continues on a broaderlevel: one by which economics, social justice, andecology commune. Balance must exist betweenthe three for true, sustainable success. HolisticManagement involves an awareness that eachdecision made, or each change in anenvironment, broadly affects all other variables inthat environment. It then aims to supportdecisions that are sustainable economically,socially, and environmentally.

Bethany Layport participated in a Holistic Management class taught by RobRutherford at California Polytechnic StateUniversity in San Luis Obispo, California.


Many people from HMI Texas helped me in thefall of 2005 to learn land planning on my newplace. It was a big field day with indoor talks, ahayride after lunch and teams of land plannerslearning and offering advice. I have taken muchof that advice to heart and am systematicallyworking through the land plan. The little cabin is complete and now home to someone who also loves this place and helps me afford it.

But the grazing has proved to be the biggestpuzzle. The first year I created small electricpaddocks that needed weekly moving. Being aone-woman operation and having a very full timejob, I found I was either leaving the paddock inplace longer than I wished or just not using itsince I had to halter and lead horses into it eachmorning after they had their grain in their stalls.

in. I had to haul water every day by hand. That got old in a hurry.

So I adopted a practice of fencing them out of what they had just grazed. I took advantage of their need to be close to home (just in caseanyone showed up with a bucket of grain or anice, fresh carrot) by systematically fencing themout of the area closest to the barn, then a bit more of that area, then a bit more.

Hauling water being no longer an option by virtue of the quality of life clause, I created a channel between fences that always led back to the barn. No matter how far down that channel they had to go for the allowed grazing,they could always bolt back to the barn for water and the comfort of loafing in the shed.

By this method I was able to just open the

fences, so I use the portable, step-in posts. Much of this land is solid rock and the posts won’t step in. Debbie Davis taught me to step the post into the roots of a bunch of littlebluestem. This works pretty well with the pigtailtype posts with their double pin step and sturdyconstruction, but they are for single strand only.

I have learned to use the trees as the reallysturdy fence posts, and the step in posts as sagprevention between trees. I started by getting thewood post insulators and nailing or screwing theminto the trees. Now I use simple bits of rope to tiethe electric rope to the trees in a way that it nevertouches the tree and so is not affected by the waterin the tree. To do this I must zig and zag so thepull is always away from the tree. I tie a simpleshoe bow so that when the time comes to move the fence, I can untie the rope with one hand.

I use the multiple strand step-in posts to createindividual “stalls” out of rope so when we are eatingin the field, each can eat at his own pace withoutfear of bullying, while I sit for my meditation.

Little by little I have created brush-free paths forthe rope fencing and my paddocks are beginningso show real benefit from the grazing (and thesubsequent rain). Learning is a process that neverstops. I am thrilled to find a way to put horses andland together in a way that pleases all of us.

Peggy Cole lives near Weatherford, Texasand can be reached at: [email protected]

Small Acreage Grazing on the Rocksby Peggy Cole

Since buying my little paradise of rocky hill country land in 2005, I have been struggling with finding a way to graze three horses on 15 acres without compromising my quality of life, which includes their quality of life, and without damaging the vibrant diversity of grasses that attracted me to this land in the first place.

Using simple bits of rope to tie the hot wire to a tree, Peggy can minimize the amount of step in posts she has to put up in rocky area.

Little by little I have created brush-free paths for the rope fencing and my paddocks are beginning so show real benefit

from the grazing (and the subsequent rain).

Peggy has learned to fence her horses out of areas they havealready grazed toreduce overgrazingand create a lane to her barn so shedoesn't have to haulwater to the horses.This technique allowsher to have the qualityof life she wants while improving land health.

Now these are not ranch horses, but pamperedpets who would live in the house with me if wecould all find a way.

I found that when the paddock moved too farfrom the house, the horses paced and whinniedand got upset enough for some mild colic to set

barn gate and not worry about their needs for theday. They could romp and graze and hang out inthe barn. The grass could be protected when it wastime for them to move on.

My quality of life includes enjoying the look of a natural, healthy landscape without a lot of

Number 127 � 9Land & Livestock

&Grazing Sheep in Vineyardsby Kelly Mulville

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Good fortune (or perhaps simply a preference for beer over wine inmy younger years) resulted in my learning and practicing HolisticManagement before I became captivated by the world of winegrowing. Although I had studied ecological horticulture in

California, it wasn’t until a decade later, and back home in the Southwest,that I developed a strong appreciation for wine—which naturally led to adesire to grow grapes.

Coming at grape growing with a cerebral hangover from trying to grapplewith holism and a formidable amount of ignorance encouraged a littledifferent perspective in my farming approach. Admittedly, a bit ofgeographical isolation from the major wine growing regions, as the firstvineyard I designed and managed was in Southeast Arizona, also played arole, for better or worse, in my learning and methodology.

The memory of my first pilgrimage to California wine country ten yearsago is still vivid. Coming out of the drought-plagued Southwest, I was nearly

as awe-inspired by the sight of lush cover crops between vine rows as I wasattending a co-ed high school after three years of confinement at an all boysboarding school. For a few minutes I imagined how happy the livestock backhome would be to see this feast. Snapping out of my ungulate culinaryfantasy, I quickly realized that this crop was destined not for grazing butwould be mowed, sprayed, and disced back into bare soil for the summer. But the seed had been set: the potential for using grazing animals as amanagement tool in viticulture was blatantly obvious.

Tapping the PotentialThe use of livestock (especially sheep) in vineyards is not a new idea,

but even to this day I have yet to come across anyone (including myself)managing grazing animals in vineyards at the potential that seems possible.Vineyard management practices in general have become increasinglymechanized throughout the world. A typical year on a California vineyard(organic or conventional) can require anywhere from twelve to twenty-fivetractor passes down each row (roughly 26-34 rows per square acre) for pre-pruning, mowing, disking or spading, spraying, under-vine cultivationand in-row cultivation, fertilization, harvesting and seeding. Organicviticultural practices often require more tractor passes than conventionalbecause mechanical cultivation, as opposed to herbicides, tends to be the tool of choice.

Before, during and after grazing in a block of young vines. The tractor row had previously been cultivated leaving a mass of weeds around the vines in the grow tubes. The vineyard crew was delighted at not having to cultivate this area by hand.

10 � September / October 2009Land & Livestock

Based on the quality of life I was working towards it was apparent that themechanical domination in both conventional and organic viticulture wouldhold little attraction to me. I got into agriculture to creatively and effectivelywork towards solar-based biological management practices. In order to growgrapes and stay true to my desired quality of life, I needed to create or developfarming practices that reflected these values and produced a triple bottomline. Upon my return back to the Southwest I immediately decided to makethe row spacing on the vineyard I was planting too narrow for the farmtractor. This was an important breakthrough in my introduction to the powerof design: there hasn’t been a tractor in that vineyard for ten years and ratherthan reducing options it was great incentive to develop creative alternatives.

Large portions of the world’s wine growing regions are located inMediterranean climates. This means that virtually all of the annual rainfallcomes during the winter and early spring months with summer and earlyautumn being almost completely dry. This unique pattern allows for anincreasingly popular practice of seeding annual cover crops each fall orsimply allowing the native vegetation to grow while the grapevines aredormant. This helps keep soil in place during the wet season and can aid inmaintaining soil fertility.

Regardless of a vineyard’s location and what season rains occur, the areas between and under vine rows need to be managed. Keeping in line with my quality of life focus on biological (rather than mechanical)management practices, I have experimented grazing vineyards with cattle,chickens and geese, but sheep have been my main focus for both contractgrazing (for clients) and grazing of vineyards that I manage throughout the year. For the past five years I have been grazing and managing vineyardsin the coastal areas of central and northern California.

Dealing with ComplexityGrazing vineyards can be a fairly complex process with a number of

factors to plan for while managing the tool of livestock. Elements to considerwhen planning include: carrying capacity, vine/cover crop vigor in specificareas, reducing erosion potential, coordinating with winter cultural practiceslike pruning, grafting and spraying, problem plants, water availability,avoiding browse damage at bud break and allowing for flowering of covercrops (especially beneficial insect hosts). With a little modification theGrazing Plan and Control Chart works very well for both planning livestockmoves and recording factors such as pounds of manure and quantity of urinedeposited per block and acre. Information is then converted to estimatedpounds of elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Manyvineyards/wineries pay close attention to their soils and how managementpractices affect wine quality. Providing accurate and relevant information isboth an aid to winegrowing practices and broadens awareness to thebiological and economic benefits of livestock grazing.

The grazing season for vineyards in the north coast region of California isdependent upon the weather (rainfall timing, amount, and temperature),but can start anytime from November through January and runs until thegrapevines start to bud out, which can be from the middle of February untilthe first of April. In order to keep things simple and avoid overstocking,animal numbers are determined based on an early bud break date (time ofstock removal), total acres to be grazed, assume slow growth for the entiregrazing period, type of cover crop being grown, forage estimates and pastexperience. Stock densities of 150 to 400+ sheep per acre (375-1,000sheep/ha) and grazing periods no longer than three days provide effectiveanimal impact and reduce the undesirable tendency for sheep to chew on thedormant vines. Generally each paddock receives only one grazing during thegrazing period unless it is desirable to reduce vigor by overgrazing.

Controlling sheep in most vineyards is fairly simple using electrified netfencing, polywire or a combination of both. Having sheep trained to a whistlemakes the moves impressively fast. Sheep don’t particularly like to beconfined to a single vine row (usually six to eight feet or two to three meterswide), and can damage hanging plastic drip hose by running underneath toaccess forage between rows. Disconnecting drip lines at T’s or elbows tends toreduce the likelihood of serious damage. As for varieties, I primarily usehair/meat sheep such as Katahdins, St Croix, and Dorpers, but suspect thatthere are many other suitable types out there.

So what are the advantages of grazing vineyards as opposed to the moreconventional approaches of mowing, herbicides, tilling, etc.? Following is alist of some of the benefits I’ve experienced over the past few years:

Grazing Sheep in Vineyardscontinued from page nine

Overview ofsheep grazingin the vineyardshowing electricnet fencingused to createtemporarypaddocks.

Lambs grazing in early spring.


Economic:• Reduction in tractor/labor use for mowing, cultivation and fertilization (3 passes), approximate savings of $134/acre ($335/ha) each year in labor, equipment, and fuel costs.

• Provides interesting story and draw for marketing and publicity.Ecological:• Improved soil structure through reduction in tractor use (compaction) and beneficial effects of planned grazing.

• Improved nutrient cycling by converting vegetation into an effective fertilizer on site.

• Lower pollution levels through reduced tractor use.• Sheep tend to attract birds including turkeys and blackbirds.• Reduced impact on beneficial insects and habit over conventionalpractices.

Social:• Improved neighbor and community relations due to less noise andpollution (this depends, of course, on the flock being well controlled!).Neighbors have become clients after observing the process.

• Aesthetically pleasing to see sheep grazing contently in the vines.• More enjoyable form of management for myself.• As opposed to tractors, sheep are self-replicating, can be completely anddirectly powered by weeds, aid in carbon sequestration, and pair wellwith red wine.

Contract GrazingContract grazing on vineyards is usually charged on a per head basis.

This rate is determined by terrain, distance from home, layout, amount ofassistance provided by the vineyard crew, and a number of other factors. Thispast winter my rate varied between $.78/sheep/day to $1.60/sheep/day plus ahauling fee. As part of the contract, I meet with the vineyard manager orforeman and work out a grazing plan based on the particular needs of eachvineyard. At the end of the season, a completed grazing plan is provided withthe actual moves, management notes, and manure and urine estimates perblock. Most of the moves are done alone or with an assistant, although I havetrained onsite staff to do these moves as well. The grazing season (in thevineyard itself) can be as short as 45 days and as long as 100 days or more.

Lessons LearnedFor the most part my experiences with grazing vines over the past five

years have been positive and very educational. During that time I have onlylost one sheep to a predator (mountain lion) and one to the electric fence(got tangled up during the night). In addition to the occasional brokenirrigation tube, at times sheep will chew on young grapevine spurs and canes.This seems to be indicative of a lack of dry matter in their diet and has onlybeen a problem for a couple of weeks in one year. I have lambed out in thevines with very few problems in spite of the cold and wet conditions that tend

to prevail in January and February. I raise sheep without the use of any commercial wormers to avoid any

negative effects on the mineral cycle (and the sheep!) and only grazevineyards that use organic or biodynamic practices. Some of the mainchallenges are economic and design issues. As one might expect these aredirectly related.

Although I consider the rates for my grazing services to be veryreasonable, they can still cost the vineyard more than their normal practices.Most clients feel the overall benefits outweigh this discrepancy. For long-termviability, however, this issue needs to be addressed. The obvious weak link inthis scenario is that just as cover crop growth starts to pickup as the weatherwarms, the sheep are removed from the vineyard to avoid grazing the tendernew growth of the vines. It’s not uncommon to see late spring cover crops twoto four feet tall destined for mowing and discing. Ultimately this is a designproblem—vineyards are engineered for machines rather than designed forgrazing. In addressing these issues I have found the principles of HolisticManagement to be invaluable in developing and guiding a design processthat can lead to a much more sustainable approach to wine growing. Howwe go about designing existing and new vineyards to be managed moreeffectively and economically with livestock will be the focus of my nextarticle.

Kelly Mulville is a Certified Educator who lives in Valley Ford,California. He can be reached at: [email protected] or 707/431-8060.

Vineyardgrazing inearlyJanuary atthe start ofthe rainyseason.

Shortlyafter sheephave beenremovedin latewinter.

Sheep grazing in vineyard.Sheep quicklyadapt to theobstacles oftrellis wires anddrip tubing,movingbetween rows with relativeease.


Holistic Management Increases Winter Stockpiling and Profitby Greg Judy

We just finished our third year of what we call Holistic High DensityManaged grazing on Judy farms. This past winter 2008-09 hasbeen by far the best in our grazing operation. We are beginningto reap the benefits of the increased grazing density and long

recovery periods. We have changed our mindset about how we winter grazeas well. We are now building soil and winter grazing at the same time.

Selection is KeyTo give you some background first, we live in central Missouri where our

average rainfall is 38 inches (950 mm) per year. Last year was the first greengrowing season that we concentrated on trampling more forage and allowingthe cows to select a diet out of the fully recovered sward. We stayed in animalperformance mode the whole year. By allowing the cattle to select a qualitydiet out the dense sward, they performed great and we never doctored ananimal for anything.

The key here is selection. The cow can select a perfect diet if she is giventhe opportunity to do that on a daily basis from a recovered sward of freshgrass. We don’t give cow’s enough credit; they are the best at knowing whichplant is best. They can select them at lightning speed by pulling them intotheir mouth with their tongue and ripping them off the stem. I love to watcha cow do this particular exercise. This past grazing season we approached theend of July with nearly all of our pastures recovered. We had a good growingseason with lots of moisture.

The pastures exploded from all the animal impact, litter, manure andurine from the high density grazing. This was free grass, folks, just from achange in management. By the time we held our Mob Grazing schools withCertified Educator Ian Mitchell-Innes last fall, our farms were lush in fallstockpiled grass.

Winter Stock PileIn our grazing school we teach folks how to calculate out how many

animal days of stockpiled forage they have on their farm for the upcomingwinter. We did this on our own operation.

We stocked our farm accordingly going into winter so that we hadenough grass for the winter and 30 days of drought reserve insurance (extrastockpile just in case). Well, what we didn’t realize was how thick andmassive our stockpiled sward was as a result from our high density grazingsystem. We immediately realized that we had underestimated the number ofanimal days that we had stockpiled for our herd as the winter grazing started.

During the winter, we normally only move the cow mob once per dayunless weather conditions get extremely wet. We go to 12-hour moves inrainy periods to prevent extreme pugging. The huge eye opener right fromthe start of winter grazing was that the mob was not consuming all the grass,but trampling about 50% of it because it was so thick.

My first inclination was to tighten up the mob and make them clean it upbetter. After all, they were trampling 50% of it on the ground. I came to mybetter senses and stayed with the same allotment of stockpiled grass. My wifeeven voiced her concern over leaving so much stockpile behind with eachgrazing cycle. Her concern was that it would smother out the spring flush ofnew grass.

I calmed her fears by explaining to her that we would be paid hugedividends in our coming growing season by laying all this litter on theground. With all this dormant quality forage trampled flat on the ground, wehad a huge smorgasboard for all the soil life in the coming spring. The soilmicrobes would be in heaven! Not to mention the benefit of having all of ourfarms covered with a nice layer of mulch to hold moisture and preventerosion during the non-growing season. Also by leaving 50% of the forage,the wildlife has a good food source to carry them through the winter as well.

My old mindset would have been to clean up the paddocks as much aspossible so that we did not waste any forage. Thinking back, that was a hugemistake on our part. It is not waste, when you trample litter on the ground!The body condition score on our cows ranged from 5-6 on the whole mob.Our June calves are still on the cows and they are still putting on fat. Thecalves are as fat as ticks. Every day of the winter our mob got access to a freshundisturbed sward of grass.

When reaching down in the massive sward and pulling it open, there was

This picture was takenin May 2007. We werejust starting to get agood litter bankestablished.

This is the previous grazedstockpile on April 12th,

2009. Notice the amount oflitter that is being left for theground wildlife (microbes,earthworms, etc). The cattle

mob is taking 50% andleaving 50% trampled.

This picture was takenin 2008 during thesummer growingseason. This farm hasnever been limed orfertilized, just mobgrazed.


clover still green in February. It was protected from thefreezing temperatures by the thick grass sward covering it. It is now the end of March and we still have 200 acres ofstockpiled forage left to graze. Our pastures are greening upnow and there is green grass and clover coming up throughthe winter stockpile.

It sure is a wonderful feeling having too much grass inthe winter! We are going to have to buy some more cows toeat all the grass. Our cows are now getting a little of the new spring green forage with every bite of last year’s winterstockpile. The dry matter from the stockpile is balancing out their rumen perfectly. Their manure piles are perfect; no runny sheet cakes behind these cows.

Just Say No to GreenSeveral people have asked us why we don’t go onto

the pastures where we have the nice green grass/legumespring pasture growth taking off. This is the last thing that I want to do. The cattle are content and our winter grazedspring pastures are setting themselves up for the entiregrowing season without being nipped off. If you nip off your spring pastures while they are trying to recover, youreduce the growing potential of the plant 40% for the entire growing season.

All the grass plant is trying to do is survive and we usedto nip it off to keep the seed head from forming in April and May. A grass plant that has a healthy root system underit does not need to send up a seed head immediately. Theplant’s survival is not threatened with the long tap rootsunder it, so it continues to grow leaves. We are now startingto see a vast reduction in seed heads in the spring flush now that we are allowing our plants to mature.

That is the difference between having grass in July orhaving to feed hay because your plants are suffering fromtheir short roots. Remember, if your plants are not fullyrecovered when you graze them, you are effectively grazingthe roots off. When you hit the summer slump, your cattle,grass, and pocketbook all suffer.

In summary, we could have never imagined trampling 50% of our winter stockpile and still having too much grass left at the end of the winter. Byconcentrating on laying litter on the ground in the winter, we are giving the pasture a good shot of fertilizer in the dormant season as well.

Our spring pastures are now springing to life from thewinter grazed trampled layer of fertilizer. We are beginningour fourth year of Holistic High Density “Mob” grazing andthe results just keep getting better every year. We areincreasing our stocking rate 20% this year. I have neverbeen more excited about our grazing future than I amtoday. This grazing stuff is fun and very profitable when youdon’t have to spend any money. We are going to take ourmoney that we would have spent for hay and buy morecows.

Greg Judy lives in Rucker, Missouri and can bereached at: [email protected]. He recently wroteComeback Farms, his story of taking the next step withHolistic Planned Grazing.

Book Review

Comeback Farms: Rejuvenating Soils,Pastures and Profits with Livestock Grazing Management

Ifirst spoke to Greg Judy when he called the HMI office toask about Holistic Management training. I knew abouthim through Stockman Grassfarmer and was impressedthat he was eager to learn more about grazing instead of figuring he knew it

all. Then I spoke with him at the Quivira Conference and he was so excited aboutthe results he was getting on the ground from the Holistic Planned Grazing he was doing after taking a Holistic Management class with Certified Educator KirkGadzia. When HMI had its International Gathering in 2007, I knew we needed to get Greg as a speaker to talk about his experience of moving from ManagementIntensive Grazing (MIG) to Holistic Planned Grazing. I’ve followed his evolution in his article in the Stockman Grassfarmer and I was so pleased when I heard hewas writing Comeback Farms to capture all that learning in one book.

Many folks are hesitant to try Holistic Planned Grazing because of what they think it entails. Greg’s book is infectious, not only because of his enthusiasm andpositive attitude, but because he articulates the basics in a very simple way,demonstrating to readers that it is possible to make these changes without a lot of infrastructure investment.

While Greg learned a huge amount from his class with Kirk, his next key learning experience was with Certified Educator Ian Mitchell-Innes from South Africa. In fact, Greg dedicates Comeback Farms to Ian because as he notes, “Ian really woke me up to the additional opportunities we all have on our farms if we will learn this method of grazing management.”

One of Greg’s biggest learnings from Ian was the landscaping versus animalperformance issue. With “landscaping”—using livestock to improve land heath—it is critical to determine the most appropriate time to push the animal’s health whileworking more aggressively to improve land health. As Greg notes, you can use dry cowsthat don’t have the same nutritional needs whenever possible to do the heavy work of land health improvement, but if you have a cow/calf herd, don’t challenge the cowsin their last two months of pregnancy which is when 80% of the calf’s growth ishappening. Working on keeping the cow at a 6.5 body condition score is critical to herhealth and her calf’s.

If there was one thing, I would have liked Greg to do differently with ComebackFarms, it would be to clarify the following point more: Ranching/livestock farming is about feeding the microbes in the guts of the animals and the soil. This is suchcritical information and fairly new to a lot of livestock producers. It seems to me thatpiece of knowledge is what motivates Greg do all the extra work he does and get allthe results he is getting. It’s not about the livestock or the plants; it’s about themicrobes that feed both of them and ultimately, us.

Greg offers a lot of valuable technical advice which he has learned through trialand error, assisting his readers so they don’t have to repeat his mistakes. But best ofall, he demonstrates that there is always something to learn and ways to have funwhile farming. Even his few challenges with leases he notes have taught him valuable lessons.

If you want to learn the nuts and bolts of beginning or transitioning to a grass-basedlivestock operation from start to finish, get a copy of Comeback Farms. You’ll evenlearn that cows have four legs and can walk (read the book and you’ll get the joke).

To purchase this book, call HMI at 505/842-5252 or shop online atwww.holisticmanagement.org.

By Greg JudyGreen Park Press • 2008277 pages


Neil Dennis is a cattle producer in Saskatchewan, Canada. He has been experimenting with ultra-high stock density/mobgrazing as part of his planned grazing. Over the years he has seen an increase of over 220% in land productivity and stocking

rate. He has also been able to only graze a certain percentage of his land each year, so he can also feed the soil organisms and continue to build his soil fertility. (Box 1)

Increasing Stocking Rate2004 . . 1,193 acres/396 head =

3.02 acres per animal2005 . . . 1,193 acres/640 head =

1.86 acres per animal2005 . . . 24% of land grazed only

once to allow greater recoveryand build soil fertility

2006 . . . 1,082 acres/801 head = 1.35 acres per animal

2006 . . . 46% of the land grazed only once (getting more forage from less use of the land because of greater productivity).

Increasing ProfitSunnybrae

2006 Heifers206 lbs X 801 head =165,006/lbs / 1082 acres =152 lbs of beef/acre.

Neighbor2006 Steers220 lbs X 200 head =44,000lbs / 640 acre = 68.75 lbs of beef/acre.

84 pounds (additional lbs/acre) X 640 acres = 53,760 pounds X $1.00 = $53,760

Increasing Hourly WageSunnybrae

801 head X 110-day grazingseason = 88,110 AD /1,082 acres = 81.43 ADA

Neighbor200 head X 110-day grazingseason = 22,000 AD /640 acres = 34.37 ADA

81.43 ADA – 34.37 ADA = 47.06 ADA difference X .72 (grazing lease/value of gain a day)

= $33.88/acre

10 acres (daily allotment for cattle) X $33.88 = $338.80 per day / 3.5 hours of work = $96.80/ hr.

Stock Density = $/Acre1,600 animals/acre

801 head X 833 lbs = 667,233 lbs X 2 (on .5 acres) =1.3 million lbs/acre.

Stockpiled grass of 60 ADA after 107-day recovery +110.5 ADA grazed =170.5 ADA x .72 (grazing lease/value of grass) = $122.76/acre

Deep Land Massage Profit—Do the Mathby Ann Adams

Some people say that mob grazing is too labor intensive. Well, it mightrequire a little more management, but once you get the systems in place itisn’t that much more effort. Neil finds it actually ends up being less work andhis hourly wage is $96.80/hour. (Box 3)

Increased stock density also means more dollars produced per acre. InNeil’s case, it translates to 1.3 million pounds/acre or $122.76/acre grossincome. That kind of return per acre is highly competitive against somecrops.

Neil Dennis can be reached at 306/739-2896.

Because his stocking rate has risen over 220%, so has his profit. He is able to produce 84 pounds per acre than his neighbor. At $1.00/lb that translates to $53,760 more gross income than his neighbor on the same amount of ground. That’s a big profit difference. (Box 2)


801 head of cattle grazing on a half an acre for 1.3 million pounds per acre.

This photo shows what a 121,360 lbs per acre treatment looks like aftera 50-day recovery with 4.4 inch rain (110 mm) from June 25th whenthe grazing happened to August 14th when the photo was taken.

This photo shows what a 606,800 lbs per acre treatmentlooks like after a 50-day recovery as above.

Note the difference in regrowth, incorporation of manure andlitter making contact with the soil surface. This integration oforganic matter into the soil creates a very different end resultof forage produced after recovery.

Where there was high stock density the regrowth after 50 days recoveryaveraged 11 inches(275 mm) tall.Where the mobgrazing was used, it averaged 22 inches(550 mm) tall.


Achieving Balance—Soil Bacteria: Fungi Ratio by Phillip Diprose

Ross and June Skene, “Torrington”, Cowra in New South WalesAustralia have for the past 18 months been one of 10 participatinglandholders in what’s known locally as the Lachlan GrazingManagement Project (LGMP). As Business Development Director of

Holistic Management International / Australia Limited (HMI Australia), I have initiated and led this project, funded by the National LandcareProgram with the support and involvement of the Lachlan CatchmentManagement Authority; and see it as another way to expose mainstreamagriculture to some core Holistic Management elements.

The project support team is working with the 10 landholder familiesthroughout the Lachlan Catchment area to demonstrate how selectedelements of the Holistic Management® decision-making framework can beapplied to increase soil health, biodiversity, and herbage mass production. Inparticular, the LGMP is aiming to assist landowners to use high-density, shortduration planned grazing and the ecosystem management tools of humancreativity, rest, grazing and animal impact to “treat” the land to take itscondition toward the landscape (defined in short form how the land is tolook and work) goal that each landholder develops. Ross and June’slandscape goal reads: “More perennial plants, more effective rainfall,diversity of species, a nice living situation and financially secure.”

Individual on-property assessments were carried out to determineappropriate locations for demonstration site(s) that range in size up to 50acres (20 hectares). Because the circumstances of each landholder familyvary, these assessments are vital for ensuring that the site locations and sizesfit within the current management resources of the participant.

As part of monitoring on each site, soil samples were taken and analyzedby both the Soil Foodweb Institute (SFI) and Environmental AnalysisLaboratory (EAL). A series of teleconferences (using the facilities of sponsorHotAir Conferencing) discussing actual test results were held withlandholders, with key input from Merline Olson of SFI and SFI advocateChris Henggeler of Kachana Station in the Kimberley. Each conference callwas recorded and participants were able to download and listen again at theirleisure. The discussions were “eye opening” experiences for the landholders,with a couple being unsettled by what Merline could tell them about aboveground plant types simply from the results. Merline was also challenged indetermining the most appropriate soil “treatments” to apply from the fouravailable tools, given that more conventional SFI treatments such as composttea applications could not be used. It was at this point that Chris Henggeler’sexperience on Kachana proved invaluable.

Test results showed that soils on nine out of the 10 sites were bacteriallydominated. Based on SFI experience, healthy pastures need a balance in theratio between bacteria and fungi, and where the amounts of both exceed300 micrograms per gram of soil there is generally a significant increasein plant activity. To address the bacteria dominant imbalance, a strategy toincrease fungal content was developed of having a brief period of intenseanimal presence on the sites such that hoof impact and the animals lyingdown to rest or sleep would force the remaining herbage onto the groundsurface. It is important to try and minimize soil surface baring as thisstimulates bacterial activity.

A short period of intense above ground activity followed by appropriatestock exclusion time favors the micro-organisms and allows the plants torecover. The pruned plants from the grazing activity release exudates in the

root zones and the crushed green material and litter from the intense animalimpact are more readily accessible to bacteria and fungi. An even spread ofanimal dung and urine through high density assists the process by providingan additional mix of nutrients and trace-elements. It is felt that this practicemimics the effects of herds of grazing animals in their natural state—wherean area is eaten and the remnant herbage laid on the ground surface andthen the animals move on.

The interaction between above ground animals, plants, and soil micro-organisms all contribute to increased soil health, biodiversity, and herbagemass production. In conventional “set” or “long duration” stocking therealways is a danger of animals excessively compacting soils and thus reducingthe amount of air available to the micro-organisms and generally makinglife hard for these little fellows.

Ross and June’s site is divided in three sections, and test results showedtheir soils were bacterial dominant soils. After listening to the recording of thediscussion with Merline and Chris multiple times to glean every last bit ofinformation and with the desire of moving the soil condition toward theirlandscape goal and the available herbage mass, Ross and June’s landtreatment decision was to introduce 185 cow equivalents for 12 hours animalpresence overnight, with the animals being full on entry to the site.

The following photographs were taken by Ross prior to the above treatment:

The following photographs were taken by Ross immediately after thetreatment:

Experience suggests that most people who have not been exposed to theprinciples of Holistic Management® when looking at the above photographswould say that the “before” photos are much better than the “after,” i.e. thenatural inclination is to think that the “treatment” that was applied wouldhave damaged the land through, for example, creating compaction. Asmentioned previously, the short duration of the treatment coupled with thetime allowed for plant recovery means that this is not the case.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Horizon view(Before)22/12/2008

Close-up view (Before)

Horizon view(After)23/12/2008

Close-up View (After)


2008 Annual ReportHMI’s 2008 Annual Report is now available online at: www.holisticmanagement.org.

Dear Friends and Colleagues,It is especially gratifying to present this report on 2008 as we

celebrate our 25th Anniversary in 2009. Recent achievements andforward movement clearly demonstrate what your 25 years of generous support have made possible.

It has been a year of concrete results and an increased"mainstreaming" of Holistic Management. Even as our ongoingprograms have thrived, HMI has increased collaboration and activity in the carbon sequestration and sustainability arenas, while buildinggreater public awareness of Holistic Management. Here are just a few examples:

• The PBS television documentary HMI supported, “The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth,” continues to open many eyes and minds to the land health issues andpractices we have long championed.

• We stepped up efforts to encourage research on the linkbetween healing grasslands and mitigating global climatechange by convening the Grasslands Carbon Working Group, a committed group of scientists and experts from diversedisciplines.

• In a new spirit of collaboration, we are seeking outindividuals, organizations, and academic institutions in theUS and abroad who, like us, are working on healing the landand creating sustainable solutions for our common future.

• A focused Data & Documentation strategy will help us toensure that the results of managing land holistically on ourlearning sites and around the globe stand up to scrutiny, anessential step in the broadening of HMI's credibility andreach.

2008 was a good year for us financially as well. We are debt free and ended the year with a surplus, which is allowing us to moveforward with our plans to expand our reach in the US andinternationally. That said, the economy and market conditions of 2009 present significant challenges for all non-profit organizations,including HMI.

On behalf of the HMI board and staff, we want to thank you forbeing part of the HMI community. We are immeasurably grateful foryour continued encouragement and financial support!

Ben Bartlett Peter HolterChair of the Board Chief Executive Officer

Update on “The First Millimeter:Healing the Earth” —Documentary goes National!

Executive Producer Tony Tiano has made good on hispromise to get the documentary in front of national PBSaudiences across the country. Although still fairly early inthe distribution game, several PBS stations have already

broadcast the film, and by the time you receive this issue, the list will be considerably longer:

• April 22nd, KNME New Mexico; incidentally, we had the highest rating of the evening!

• July 2nd, KQED, San Francisco Bay Area• July 9th, Wyoming PBS• July 27th and 28th, KCPT 2, Kansas City

We know of several other stations that have picked up the filmfrom the satellite feed and will be broadcasting later this summer orearly fall. Those of you living in Indiana and Nebraska, watch yourlocal PBS listings. And, keep checking our websitewww.holisticmanagement.org for up-to-date broadcast information.

June was a busy month in terms of private and publicscreenings. Board member Sallie Calhoun hosted an event at herhome in Saratoga, CA; immediate past Chairman Ron Chapmanintroduced the film to an audience of fifty people of all ages at EastWest Books in Mountain View, CA. and led a lively post-viewingdiscussion; and Joe Morris, one of the Holistic Managementpractitioners featured in the film, coordinated a viewing event atHollister Ranch in Gaviota, CA. We’re learning a lot from thequestions and comments coming from the different—anddiverse—audiences about how to craft our message to addressknowledge gaps and perceptions of ranching and use of livestockamong the “general public.” Special thanks to all who’ve beenhelping to get the word out: Sallie Calhoun, Ron Chapman,Joe Morris, Tom Frutchey, and Anne Coates!

We are also actively submitting the theatrical version—featurelength—of The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth to various filmfestivals around the county. The documentary has already beenentered in the Santa Monica Film Festival, the Atlantic Film Festival,Austin Film Festival, and the International Documentary Association(IDA). We are currently evaluating other film festivals for futureentry, taking into consideration factors such as target urbancommunities for screenings, as well as a strong ranching/farmingpresence in the community. Other festivals we plan on submittingto include the Santa Fe Film Festival, the Colorado EnvironmentalFilm Festival, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, and Nevada Film Festival. Mary Girsch-Bock, who is heading this effort leaves no stone unturned.

Lastly, we ask that you consider hosting a house party to do your part in spreading the message and practice of HolisticManagement. See our website (www.holisticmanagement.org) for more information or call Mary at 505-842-5252.

Iwas ready for a break away from the farm and I had wanted to meetIan Mitchell-Innes. Joe David (my brother and partner) insisted Ishould go as it had been a while since I went through the HolisticManagement training. I had never been around

Bowie, Texas and didn’t knowwhat to expect the rangelandto be. But I knew it used tosupport our vast Texasprairies. As I was driving Inoticed so much of the landhad coastal Bermuda on it,which for sure is out of placewith the prairie species. Inthe roadsides and medians I was seeing lots of Indian Grass, DropseedMeadow, Little Bluestem and a vast array of other prairie grasses and forbs.I wondered why the rest of the area had gotten so far away from thesenative grasses.

Then I got to the turn off to Jerry Addison’s ranch where the classes werebeing held and I couldn’t believe all the natives—lots of diversity anddensity. The end of October and there was plenty of prairie grasses and forbsto carry the cattle through the winter. I started getting excited. I got to thebunk house and began to spot old friends, new friends; and manyexperienced graziers as well as newbies.

The classes started, and we were off to the races. It took almost a day for me to get used to Ian’s South African accent, but he took us through awonderful review of why we were there—people doing what we do becausewe love the land and can’t get enough of what’s happening on the land.Hearing Ian talk about the “whole within the whole” and “the holisticgoalthat helps to balance the financial, ecological, and social needs” andconstantly relating it back to practical applications and situations. It was just invigorating!

Two big “take-aways” for me were:

1) Animal performance is the proof in the pudding. At Ross Farmanimal performance is our benchmark of how successful we are at the farm.

2) “High-density” or “mob” grazing is about putting carbon on theground to feed the microbes. I have been to many ranches/farmsthese last several years and have seen the lack of organic matter and especially fungi in our soils. Without fungal-dominated soils, it can be very expensive, almost impossible to grow the native grasses. When grasses are trampled into the surface, fungi is selected,and fill their niche in the critically balanced soil food web.

I have also seen lots of places that treat animal performance by weightgain, birth weights, how many you can graze to an acre. They are trying todo a good job, but following the conventional recipe of inputs andinoculants isn’t the way we want to operate on our farm. I think obtaininghigh animal performance and building the soil carbon is hard. Ian gave usa great tool that could attain both goals. Lots of other ideas are still floatingin my head. I think everyone there had many take-aways, but I was readyto get back to the farm and set a couple of pastures up to mob graze. Bygolly, I just gotta try that.

Betsy Ross and her brother Joe David Ross run a grass-finishingfarm in Central Texas. She can be reached at 512-636-3711, and JR Builta, at 512-567-1267. Web site www.rossfarm.com and www.stainablegrowthtexas.com.


Feeding Microbes with Mob GrazingBy Betsy Ross

Achieving Balance continued from page sixteen

I took the following photographs some four months after thetreatment. When looking at these images readers need to keep inmind that they were taken in autumn while the earlier images were in early summer.

Ross accompanied me when the latest photographs were taken.Observations were made at both the treated and non-treated sub-siteslooking for differences. During this process Ross observed that therewas a distinct difference in plant activity surrounding and over thebare patches of soil. Where there had been no treatment the plantssurrounding the bare area were retreating, whilst on the treated areathe plants were encroaching vigorously, as depicted in the followingphotographs.

Phillip Diprose wishes to acknowledge the input and assistancein writing this article given by the Soil Foodweb Institute, ChrisHenggeler and Ross and June Skene. For further information,contact Phillip Diprose on email via [email protected].

Horizon view30/4/2009

Close-up view 30/4/2009

Bare groundoutside site

Bare ground inside site

Editor’s Note: This was written after Ian Mitchell-Innes classes last year in Texas. He will be returning on October 8-16, 2009 in various locations in Texas. To learn more about these courses, visit www.hmitexas.org.


CALIFORNIA

Bill Burrows12250 Colyear Springs RoadRed Bluff, CA 96080530/529-1535 • 530/200-2419 (c)[email protected]

Richard King1675 Adobe Rd.Petaluma, CA 94954707/769-1490707/794-8692(w)[email protected]

* Kelly MulvilleP.O Box 323, Valley Ford, CA 94972-0323707/431-8060; 707/[email protected]

� Rob RutherfordCA Polytechnic State UniversitySan Luis Obispo, CA 93407805/[email protected]

COLORADO

Joel BensonP.O. Box 4924, Buena Vista, CO 81211719/395-6119 • [email protected]

Cindy Dvergsten17702 County Rd. 23, Dolores, CO 81323970/[email protected]

Daniela and Jim HowellP.O. Box 67, Cimarron, CO 81220-0067970/249-0353 • [email protected]

Byron Shelton33900 Surrey Lane, Buena Vista, CO 81211719/395-8157 • [email protected]

Tom WaltherP.O. Box 1158Longmont, CO 80502-1158510/499-7479 • [email protected]

GEORGIA

Constance Neely1421 Rockinwood Dr., Athens, GA 30606 706/540-2878 • [email protected]

IOWA

� Margaret SmithIowa State University,CES Sustainable Agriculture972 110th St., Hampton, IA 50441-7578515/294-0887 • [email protected]

LOUISIANA

Tina PilioneP.O. 923, Eunice, LA 70535phone: 337/[email protected]

MAINE

* Vivianne Holmes239 E. Buckfield Rd.Buckfield, ME 04220-4209207/[email protected]

MICHIGAN

* Ben BartlettN4632 ET Road, Traunik, MI 49891906/439-5210 (h) • 906/439-5880 (w)[email protected]

* Larry Dyer604 West 8th Ave. Sault Sainte Marie, MI 49783906/248-3354 x4245 (w)906/253-1504 (h)[email protected]

MONTANA

Wayne Burleson322 N. Stillwater Rd., Absarokee, MT 59001406/[email protected]

Roland Kroos 4926 Itana CircleBozeman, MT 59715406/[email protected]

* Cliff MontagneP.O. Box 173120Montana State University Department of Land Resources &Environmental ScienceBozeman, MT 59717406/[email protected]

NEBRASKA

Terry GompertP.O. Box 45Center, NE 68724-0045402/288-5611 (w)[email protected]

Paul Swanson5155 West 12th St., Hastings, NE 68901402/[email protected]

NEW HAMPSHIRE

� Seth Wilner24 Main Street, Newport, NH 03773603/863-4497 (h)603/863-9200 (w)[email protected]

NEW MEXICO

� Ann AdamsHolistic Management International1010 Tijeras NWAlbuquerque, NM 87102505/[email protected]

Kirk GadziaP.O. Box 1100, Bernalillo, NM 87004505/867-4685(f) 505/[email protected]

NEW YORK

Phil Metzger99 N. Broad St., Norwich, NY 13815607/334-3231 x4 (w) • 607/334-2407 (h)[email protected]

John Thurgood15 Farone Dr., Apt. E26Oneonta, NY 13820-1331607/[email protected]

North Dakota

Wayne Berry1611 11th Ave. WestWilliston, ND 58801701/[email protected]

OREGON

Jeff Goebel52 NW Mcleay Blvd. • Portland, OR 97210541/610-7084 • [email protected]

Andrea & Tony MalmbergP.O. Box 167, LaGrande, OR 97850541/805-1124 • [email protected]@LifeEnergy.us

PENNSYLVANIA

Jim Weaver428 Copp Hollow Rd.Wellsboro, PA 16901-8976570/724-7788 • [email protected]

TEXAS

Christina Allday-Bondy2703 Grennock Dr., Austin, TX 78745512/441-2019 • [email protected]

Guy Glosson6717 Hwy. 380, Snyder, TX 79549806/[email protected]

Peggy MaddoxP.O. Box 694, Ozona, TX 76943-0694325/[email protected]

UN I T E D S TAT E S

UN I T E D S TAT E S

TEXAS

Chandler McLayP.O. Box 1796, Glen Rose, TX 76043303/888-8799 • [email protected]

R. H. (Dick) RichardsonUniversity of Texas at AustinSection of Integrative BiologySchool of Biological SciencesAustin, TX 78712 • 512/[email protected]

WASHINGTON

Craig MadsenP.O. Box 107, Edwall, WA 99008509/236-2451 • [email protected]

Sandra Matheson228 E. Smith Rd., Bellingham, WA 98226360/398-7866 • [email protected]

Doug Warnock1880 SE Larch Ave., College Place, WA 99324509/540-5771 • 509/856-7101 (c)[email protected]

Wisconsin

Andy Hager W. 3597 Pine Ave., Stetsonville, WI 54480-9559715/678-2465

Larry JohnsonW886 State Rd. 92, Brooklyn, WI 53521608/[email protected]

* Laura PaineWisconsin DATCP N893 Kranz Rd., Columbus, WI 53925608/224-5120 (w) • 920/623-4407 (h)[email protected]

To our knowledge, Certified Educators are the best qualified indivi duals to help others learn to practice Holistic Management and to provide them with technical as sis tance when necessary. On a yearly basis, Cer ti fi ed Educators renew their agree ment to be affiliated with HMI. This agreement requires their com mitment to practice Holistic Management in their own lives, to seek out opportunities for staying current with the latest developments in Holistic Man age ment and to maintain a high stan dard of ethical conduct in their work.

For more information about or application forms for the HMI’s Certified Educator Training Programs, contact Ann Adams or visit our website at: www.holisticmanagement.org.

Certified Educators

Certified Educators

I N T E RNAT IONA L

AUSTRALIA

Judi Earl73 Harding E., Guyra, NSW [email protected]

Mark GardnerP.O. Box 1395, Dubbo, NSW [email protected]

Paul GriffithsP.O. Box 3045, North Turramura, NSW 2074, Sydney, NSW61-2-9144-3975 • [email protected]

George Gundry Willeroo, Tarago, NSW 258061-2-4844-6223 • [email protected]

Graeme Hand 150 Caroona Lane, Branxholme, VIC 330261-3-5578-6272 (h) • 61-4-0996-4466 (c)[email protected]

Helen LewisP.O. Box 1263, Warwick, QLD 437061-7-46617393 • [email protected]

� These educators provide Holistic Managementinstruction on behalf of theinstitutions they represent.

* These associate educatorsprovide educational services to their communities and peer groups.


SOUTH AFRICA

Ian Mitchell-InnesP.O. Box 52, Elandslaagte 290027-36-421-1747 • [email protected]

Dick RichardsonP.O. Box 1853, Vryburg 8600tel/fx: 27-082-934-6139 • [email protected]

SPAIN

Aspen EdgeApartado de Correos 19, 18420 Lanjaron, Granada(0034)[email protected]

UNITED KINGDOM

Philip Bubb32 Dart Close, St. Ives, Cambridge, PE27 3JB44-1480-496-2925 (h)44-1223-814-662 (w)[email protected]

ZIMBABWE

Sunny MoyoAfrica Centre for Holistic ManagementP. Bag 5950, Victoria Falls;[email protected]; 263-13-42199 (w)

John NyilikaPrivate Bag 5950, Victoria Falls, [email protected]

KENYA

Richard HatfieldP.O. Box 10091-00100, [email protected]

Christine C. JostInternational Livestock Research InstituteBox 30709, Nairobi 00100254-20-422-3000; 254-736-715-417 (c)[email protected]

Belinda LowP.O. Box 15109, Langata, [email protected]

MEXICO

Arturo Mora BenitezSan Juan Bosco 169Fracc., La MisiónCelaya, Guanajuato 3801652-461-615-7632 • [email protected]

Elco Blanco-MadridHacienda de la Luz 1803Fracc. Haciendas del Valle IIChihuahua, Chih 3123852/614-423-4413 (h) • 52/614-415-0176 (f)[email protected]

Ivan A. Aguirre IbarraP.O. Box 304, Hermosillo, Sonora 8300052-1-662-281-0990 (from U.S.)[email protected]

NAMIBIA

Usiel KandjiiP.O. Box 23319, Windhoek264-61-205-2324 [email protected]

Colin NottP.O. Box 11977, Windhoek264/61-225085 (h) 264/[email protected]

Wiebke VolkmannP.O. Box 9285, Windhoek264-61-225183 or [email protected]

NEW ZEALAND

John KingP.O. Box 12011Beckenham, Christchurch [email protected]

SOUTH AFRICA

Wayne KnightP.O. Box 537Mokopane [email protected]

Jozua LambrechtsP.O. Box 5070Helderberg, Somerset West, Western Cape 713527-21-851-5669; 27-21-851-2430 (w)[email protected]

I N T E RNAT IONA L

AUSTRALIA

Brian MarshallP.O. Box 300, Guyra NSW 236561-2-6779-1927 • fax: [email protected]

Bruce WardP.O. Box 103, Milsons Pt., NSW 156561-2-9929-5568 • fax: [email protected]

Brian WehlburgKindee, NSW •61-02-6587-4353

Jason VirtueMary River Park1588 Bruce Hwy. SouthGympie, QLD [email protected]

CANADA

Don CampbellBox 817 Meadow Lake, SK S9X 1Y6306/[email protected]

Len PigottBox 222, Dysart, SK, SOH 1HO 306/[email protected]

Kelly SidorykP.O. Box 374, Lloydminster, AB S9V 0Y4780/875-9806 (h)780/875-4418 (c) [email protected]

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www.arturomora.name

Books & MultimediaHolistic Management: A New Framework for Decision-Making,_ Second Edition, by Allan Savory with Jody Butterfield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $39

_ Hardcover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55_ 15-set CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $99_ One month rental of CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35_ Spanish Version (soft). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25

_ Holistic Management Handbook, by Butterfield, Bingham, Savory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $27_ At Home With Holistic Management, by Ann Adams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $20_ Holistic Management: A New Environmental Intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10_ Improving Whole Farm Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13_ Video: Creating a Sustainable Civilization—

An Introduction to Holistic Decision-Making, based on a lecture given by Allan Savory. (VHS/DVD/PAL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30

_ Stockmanship, by Steve Cote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35_ The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook, by Shannon Hayes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25_ The Oglin, by Dick Richardson & Rio de la Vista . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25_ Gardeners of Eden, by Dan Dagget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25_ Video: Healing the Land Through Multi-Species Grazing (VHS/DVD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30

TO ORDER

Subscribe to IN PRACTICE_ A bimonthly journal for Holistic Management practitioners

Subscribe for 1 year for only $35/U.S. ($40/International)2 years ($65/U.S.; $70/International) 3 years ($95/U.S.; $105/International)

_ Gift Subscriptions (same prices as above)._ Special Edition: An Introduction to Holistic Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5_ Compact Disk Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14_ Bulk subscriptions available.

One year for $17 each/U.S., or $22 each/International______ Please indicate number of one-year subscriptions

_ Back Issues: $5 each; bulk orders (5 or more issues) $3 each. List Please indicate issue numbers desired: ___,___,___,___,___,___,___,___,___,___

_ CD of Back Issues: #71 - 89 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25

Planning and Monitoring Guides

_ Policy/Project Analysis & DesignAugust 2008, 61 pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

_ Introduction to Holistic ManagementAugust 2007, 128 pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25

_ Financial PlanningAugust 2007, 58 pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

_ Aide Memoire for Grazing PlanningAugust 2007, 63 pages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

_ Early Warning Biological Monitoring— CroplandsApril 2000, 26 pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$14

_ Early Warning Biological Monitoring—Rangelands and GrasslandsAugust 2007, 59 pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

_ Land Planning—For The Rancher or Farmer Running LivestockAugust 2007, 31 pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

Planning Forms (All forms are padded – 25 sheets per pad)_Annual Income & Expense Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17_Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 7_Livestock Production Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17_Control Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 5_Grazing Plan & Control Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

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Shipping & Handling

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT MAIL ORDER EMPORIUMHOLISTIC MANAGEMENT MAIL ORDER EMPORIUM

Questions? 505/842-5252 or [email protected]

SoftwareHolistic Management® Financial Planning (single-user license) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $249 Please specify PC or Mac, Office ‘95 or ‘97, 2000, XP, or 2003 and version of Excel you are using

Pocket CardsHolistic Management® Framework & testing questions, March 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$4

a publication of Holistic Management International1010 Tijeras NWAlbuquerque, NM 87102USA

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please send address corrections before moving so that we do not incur unnecessary postal fees

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U.S. POSTAGE PAIDALBUQUERQUE, NM

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healthy land.sustainable future.

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Indicate quantity on line next to item, make sure your shipping address is correct, mail this page (or a copy) and your check or money order payable in U.S. funds from a U.S. bank or your credit card number and expiration date to: Holistic Management International, 1010 Tijeras Ave. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.You can also call in or fax credit card orders. Phone calls to: 505/842-5252; Fax: 505/843-7900.

For online ordering, visit our secure website at: www.holisticmanagement.org.

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Date post:	12-Mar-2016
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#127 In Practice, SEP/OCT 2009

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