Page 1 www.hmitexas.org Volume 24, Number 1 Winter 2009 HM Classes offer the detailed training you need Terry Gompert speaks your language. He is not only a certified educator in HM, but a cattle raiser and a Nebraska extension agent who has helped folk solve all manner of problems. He does a really good job of giving you the HM concepts, the specifics and the practice within his classes. The basis of Holistic Management is defined and learned in Principles for Success. This class will give you an understanding of the whole, guide you through decision-making, and give you the tools to manage the ecosystem process toward a sustainable resource base. Upon completion of Principles for Success, you are equipped to continue your Holistic Management education with the Financial Planning class. In this class you will: 1) learn techniques to evaluate your various enterprises, 2) plan your profit 3) understand how to make decisions Spring Conference just gets better and better about where to put your money, time and energy. These learned tools will help you to strengthen weak links, release the logjams in your operation and surge ahead generating wealth. Principles for Success is a pre-requisite for this class and you should read (section 1) and bring with you The Holistic Management Workbook, a calculator and specific questions, issues and/or problems with your operation. Opening Reception features first screening of new documentary After we have greeted each other and had our fill of the yummy snacks at Thursday evening’s opening reception, we will be treated to a special private screening of The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth, a national release PBS documentary scheduled for Earth Day 2009 (April 22) and produced by seventeen time Emmy award winning director Chris Schueler, tells a remarkable story of healing the land and the lives of people dependent on the land. The film will walk us through the intricate ecological processes that occur at soil surface and how vital these processes are to the health of our land. Stories of ranchers and farmers who manage their land in a sustainable manner and are diligent stewards of our earth, provide powerful illustrations of what makes our land fertile and productive and why that is important to all of us. And several renowned academics provide the scientific undergirding for the sustainable land management practices featured in the film. Call your local PBS station and ask them to air this film on Earth Day. Peggy Maddox and her wonderful Kids on the Land program has been added to Friday’s agenda. Those not going on the walkabout with Allan Savory will have the opportunity to hear both HMI’s Peter Holter on taking HM mainstream and Peggy Maddox on bringing Kids on the Land home to your place. In 2009 HMI Texas offers a comprehensive program that includes a river of events flowing all over the state that participants can jump into at the depth they need. From each of these landings, we will point folks to the next port they seek. We plan to offer each of the 5 official HM training classes at some point each year. Deep Pools: Pooling knowledge for an in- depth study of Holistic Management and support for practitioners and educators, these events have multiple partners and multiple speakers. Inheriting The Earth – the HMI Texas Annual Conference, Celebrating with HMI 25 years of Holistic Management – includes 2 official HM HMI Texas offers a river of opportunity to get your feet wet in HM see River, page 4
Terry Gompert speaks your language. He is not only a certified educator in HM, but a cattle raiser and a Nebraska extension agent who has helped folk solve all manner of problems. He does a really good job of giving you the HM concepts, the specifics and the practice within his classes.
The basis of Holistic Management is defined and learned in Principles for Success. This class will give you an understanding of the whole, guide you through decision-making, and give you the tools to manage the ecosystem process toward a sustainable resource base.
Upon completion of Principles for Success, you are equipped to continue your Holistic Management education with the Financial Planning class. In this class you will: 1) learn techniques to evaluate your various enterprises, 2) plan your profit 3) understand how to make decisions
Spring Conference just gets better and betterabout where to put your money, time and energy. These learned tools will help you to strengthen weak links, release the logjams in your operation and surge ahead generating wealth. Principles for Success is a pre-requisite for this class and you should read (section 1) and bring with you The Holistic Management Workbook, a calculator and specific questions, issues and/or problems with your operation. Opening Reception features first screening of new documentary
After we have greeted each other and had our fill of the yummy snacks at Thursday evening’s opening reception, we will be treated to a special private screening of The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth, a national release PBS documentary scheduled for Earth Day 2009 (April 22) and produced by seventeen time Emmy award winning director Chris Schueler, tells a remarkable story of healing the land and the lives of people dependent on the
land. The film will walk us through the intricate ecological processes that occur at soil surface and how vital these processes are to the health of our land. Stories of ranchers and farmers who manage their land in a sustainable manner and are diligent stewards of our earth, provide powerful illustrations of what makes our land fertile and productive and why that is important to all of us. And several renowned academics provide the scientific undergirding for the sustainable land management practices featured in the film. Call your local PBS station and ask them to air this film on Earth Day.
Peggy Maddox and her wonderful Kids on the Land program has been added to Friday’s agenda. Those not going on the walkabout with Allan Savory will have the opportunity to hear both HMI’s Peter Holter on taking HM mainstream and Peggy Maddox on bringing Kids on the Land home to your place.
In 2009 HMI Texas offers a comprehensive program that includes a river of events flowing all over the state that participants can jump into at the depth they need. From each of these landings, we will point folks to the next port they seek. We plan to offer each of the 5 official HM training classes at some point each year.
Deep Pools: Pooling knowledge for an in-depth study of Holistic Management and support for practitioners and educators, these events have multiple partners and multiple speakers.
Inheriting The Earth – the HMI Texas Annual Conference, Celebrating with HMI 25 years of Holistic Management – includes 2 official HM
HMI Texas offers a river of opportunity to get your feet wet in HM
see River, page 4
Page 2 The Watering Whole—Winter 2009www.hmitexas.org
John Hackley, President940-567-3108 (Jacksboro)
Peggy Maddox, Secretary 325-392-2292 (Ozona)
Debbie Davis, Secretary830-562-3652 (Tarpley)
Dr. Pat Richardson, Treasurer512-471-4128 (Austin)
Dr. Dick Richardson512-471-4128 (Austin)
Sharon Lane817-461-4086 (Arlington)
Judith McGeary 512-243-9404 (Austin)
Joe Maddox 325-392-2292 (Ozona)
Jerry Addison940-872-3849 (Bowie)
Robby Tuggle 940-768-2776 (Decatur)
Dr. Paul Martin830-372-0366 (Seguin)
Dr. Richard Teague, Advisor940-552-9941 (Vernon)
e-mail addresses:[email protected], (peggys are first name last intial)
HRM of TX Directors
From the President John Hackley
HRM of Texas Mission Statement Transforming people’s relationship with the land through awareness of its impact on every aspect of life, using the power of holistic management
Hello again everyone and “Happy New Year.” This past year has really had its surprises in our industry considering the economic, market, and weather conditions. Having said that, I still believe that we live in a wonderful land of opportunity, and it is still my conviction that our practice of Holistic Management and its principles for our business plan is providing a healthier business environment during these uncertain times, and is certainly good for the future of the land we manage. It is my hope that this proves to be true for each of you in 2009.
There have been lots of things happening in your organization...HMI Texas. Staff is still working on plans to spread the word and work of this organization, so that more people can benefit from the knowledge that our members have learned and put into practice. Our fall ’08 educational event with Ian Mitchell-Innes was a successful event for all that attended. I would like to thank Jerry Addison of Bowie for the arrangements to make this such a successful and well attended event.
There is ongoing work being done by the staff to make sure that we continue to have a real presence in educational opportunities for landowners and the general public. Our next event will be our annual meeting in Abilene in early March (see other articles in this newsletter). We are sharing the celebration of “25 Years of Holistic Management” with our International partner, HMI-Albuquerque. Please plan to participate in this special opportunity to improve your knowledge and skills. Register now and share with our friends and neighbors from other states that have interest in holistic management, and renew old friendships and make new ones. Hope to see you there.
The board met in Wimberley, Texas at the Red Coral Ranch on January 13th, 14th, 15th for our third annual board training with Ron Chapman and our long range planning session.
Please don’t forget to consider a donation for the future of HMI-Texas and its work.
Remember that the more we learn the more chance we have to improve our future for our business and our families. Healthy grasslands mean sustainability for all.
HMI-Texas is seeking volunteers to help with our educational events, the newsletter, membership, website and well... all of our activities. Want to get involved and have a lot of fun working toward healthy land and a sustainable future?
Holisticgoal, HMI-Texas Quality of Life - We value a healthy ecosystem capable of supporting the people in it, strong family units, financial sustainability, a land ethic and personal growth and development; while enjoying life and the fellowship of a professionally proactive organization.
Forms of Production/Activities - practicing holistic management, self-sustaining forms of revenue, facilitating training and education, creating public awareness and forming collaborative partnerships.
Future Resource Base - High biodiversity, a healthy water cycle, a healthy mineral cycle, efficient capture of solar energy, and a harmonious interdependence between urban and rural communities through an understanding of ecological processes; an active membership with respect for diversity, long term productive relationships with public agencies and endowment groups, and proactive networking with other groups that manage holistically.
Here we are at the start of a brand new year! Wow! It is a time for reflection, resolution and renewal. What a perfect time to review your Holisticgoal and use Holistic Management to move you forward. To take it to a new level, sign up for the Principles of Success class March 4 - 5 and Generating Wealth class March 8 - 9 to be held in Abilene right before and after the Inherit the Earth: Passing on the Legacy Conference.
As we all recommit to the triple bottom line of ecological, economical and social sustainability, take a look at the exciting field days and seminars planned for the coming year.
Please join Holistic Management International-Texas today to support this important work. Your membership fee helps us spread the word, have more field days in more places across this big state and is important in demonstrating to potential foundation funders that the organization has wide-spread support. Please consider joining this year at a higher level and send in your membership fee today.
Of course, in addition to supporting Holistic Management, you get all the other benefits of membership including a discount at all HMI-Texas events and this newsletter, the Watering Hole (this is the last one you will receive without a current membership). So please fill out the form you will find in this newsletter and mail in your check or go online to our secure shopping cart to pay by credit card. Keep up the good work you do in your corner of the state and all of us working together will have a lasting legacy for future generations here in Texas.
AND OUR THANKS GOES TO
We extend our corporate and individual thanks to those who have recently sent donations in support of HMI-Texas. Our success as an organization is enabled by the contributions of our members.
Donations $3000 to $5000:OGenevieve L Duncan
Donations $1000 to $3000:OPat Richardson-in memory of her sister, Sandy Quarles and mother, Norma Quarles
Donations $100 to $300:OJames A and Ann R McMullanOColleen and James Reeves-Red Corral RanchOKatherine Dickson-69 Ranch
Donations $10 to $100:OPeter E and Fay C SmithOBarbara D and William A ScaifeOJ G and C L WernetteOHarry Everett and Beverly Gattis
WE APPRECIATE YOU!!
A New Year of Holistic Management
From the Executive DirectorMeridee McClatchy
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Page 4 The Watering Whole—Winter 2009www.hmitexas.org
by Merridee McClatchyCarbon is one of the topics on the
agenda for our upcoming conference March 5-7. Everywhere I turn, I keep hearing more and more about carbon: carbon farming, carbon sequestration, carbon credits, carbon exchange, carbon in the air, carbon in the soil. I recently received a flyer about applying to participate in a carbon credit program to receive payments for good land management practices. Is this the future for land owners?
I’m giving away my age, but the first thing I think about when carbon is mentioned is the old carbon paper we used to put in the typewriter to make copies. (Wow! Talk about how times have changed.) So what is carbon and what’s the big deal? What does it mean for my pastures, cattle and bottom line? What does it mean to the health of the planet?
According to the dictionary, carbon is a chemical element. It is the fourth most abundant element in the universe after hydrogen, helium and oxygen. It is present in all known life forms and without it life as we know it could not exist. Even we
humans are 18.5% carbon. Sounds pretty important!
Similar to the functioning of the water cycle, the carbon cycle moves a relatively fixed amount of carbon throughout the atmosphere, soil, oceans, plants and animals. When the carbon stays in the appropriate balance, life here on planet Earth functions smoothly. When carbon is displaced with too much in the air and not enough underground, problems begin to occur.
This is what has been happening at an increasing rate as we burn fossil fuels and thereby take the carbon out of the earth and put it into the air in the form of carbon dioxide which is a major greenhouse gas. Perhaps an even greater problem is the release of carbon from the soil through agricultural processes that burn up soil organic matter. Not only does this cause a problem with excess carbon dioxide in the air but the lack of carbon-containing soil organic matter means less grass for my cattle to eat, poorer health for them, less resistance to drought, and less money in my pocket. It also means further deterioration
and erosion of the soil and all life forms that depend on it.
Holistic Management with its Planned Grazing has for decades been leading the way in the effort to restore tahe health to the soil by increasing soil organic matter. Now, with the increasing attention to carbon, the discussion is opening up in a broader community searching for ways to remove carbon from the air and return it to the soil. By increasing the percentage of soil organic matter, we can not only stop the degradation of the soil but can remove the excess carbon from the air.
We’ve got a great panel lined up for the conference March 5-7 in Abilene to lead us in exploring the cutting edge on this important emerging issue. Terry Gompert, Holistic Management Certified Educator will represent the Carbon Club. Abe Collins is an all-grass dairy farmer and founder of Carbon Farmers of America. Amy Hardberger with the Environmental Defense Fund is working on a carbon sequestration project in West Texas. Please check out these folks on the speaker bios on our website and plan to join us there!
Training classes, a CE event, A walkabout with Allan Savory, Policy workshop, opening reception, fundraising dinner with entertainment, and Saturday conference on legacy and the leading edge of climate change and carbon farming. March 4-9 in Abilene, TX.
Grazing on the Watershed: The annual fall grazing intensive on one of the Dixon Ranches. Bringing recognized grazing experts from all over to Texas in a multi-day event for an in-depth look at how soil health, increased forage and animal performance come together to spell success.Rapids include 4 or 5 field days:
• Clifton & Kathy Marek Field Day in Ledbetter (a couple hours east of Austin near Giddings). Clover, multi-species mini-mob on about 1,800 acres in 2 locations. Multi generational management. Late April. This is a deep eddy event with an HM 2-day class in Biological Monitoring and formation of a grazing club.
• Mesquite Grove Ranch Field Day with Guy Glosson – Results of the big brush control grant, fire re-growth, stock dogs workshop - all on a 36,000-acre Lone Star Land Steward award-winning ranch in West Texas - Snyder - 33.000 acres. June 13. This is a deep eddy event with HM Grazing Planning 2-day class (June14-15), stock dogs workshop and formation of a grazing club.
• Watershed Management at Blue Hole and Jacob’s Well, Wimberley - for urbanites, ranchers, ranchettes, Texas water policy-makers and anyone who loves the magic of Texas Hill Country streams. This is a groundwater event, which means it will include some of the water policy activity we are beginning to dip a toe into. Partners include Wimberley Valley Watershed Assn and Texas Rivers Institute. This July in Wimberley, Texas
•Bill Zeedyk Rainwater Harvesting from Wind Farm Roads class in the Panhandle-still searching for the right spot, but Zeedyk is on board. This might be a 2
or 3-day class like the one at Christopher Gill’s ranch in Van Horn. No date yet
•Spring Branch Ranch Field Day, Melissa Cole’s place in Bastrop won Lone Star Land Steward in 2007. Still in the planning stages – perhaps for November. Fresh Springs – the little people – Kids on the land and other youth events
• Kids on the Land in conjunction with HMI – Ozona, El Dorado schools.April 10-16 and May 1-8 at the West Ranch, Ozona, TX. Free training for volunteers.Ripples are collaborations with others:
• Environmental Defense event at the Wildflower Center near Austin -April 3
• Farm & Food Leadership Conference with FARFA–September 14-15
Tributaries (leading people to our river) includes public communication such as website, brochures, News & Notes, speakers bureau, etc.
Watering Whole is written outreach to members only.
Page 6 The Watering Whole—Winter 2009www.hmitexas.org
Inheriting the Earth: Passing on the Legacy
Celebrating 25 Years of Holistic ManagementMarch 4-5, 8am to 5pm (Wed–Thurs)
Principles for Success: an introduction to Holistic Management the whole, the goal, the plan –2-day intensive with Nebraska’s Terry Gompert. Limited to 30. Lunch included both days. Learn: • 10 principles for effective resource management • A new framework for making better decisions • Defining your whole and discovering your goal • The 7 testing questions and the feedback loop • How to address key environmental issues effectively with the management tools. Terry is a certified educator in HM, a respected rancher and an educator through Nebraska’s extension service. He says, “My teaching and practice are inclusive of low-cost, environmental, sound, Bible based, practical, local, and holistic.”
March 5, 8am—5pm
HM Certified Educators gathering for continuing education
March 5, 6-9pm
Opening Reception, hosted by Holistic Management International, with first ever screening of PBS documentary The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth
March 6 (Friday)
What is happening here - two tracks
1) 10-12 am Learning to see – a Walkabout with Allan Savory – limited in attendance to 30. Sorry - sold out already!
2) 9-12 am Innovations in Land Management
9 am Holistic Management goes Mainstream – Peter Holter, CEO of Holistic Management International
9:30 am Kids On The Land; Gifting Love of Land to School Children - Peggy Maddox, gifted educator and Director of Education and Public relations, HMI’s West Ranch
10am-12noon How to integrate Keyline with HM Planned Grazing –Vermont dairyman, Abe Collins instructs in the use of this and other leading edge techniques for quickly vreating topsoil for healthier land.
Noon – Lunch
1- 3 pm Policy workshop – Allan Savory teaches Holistic Policy Making
3:15 - 4:30 Working groups discuss specific policies: water, energy, climate change, NAIS - led by Ann Adams and the CE network
Go change into something nice!
6-9pm - An evening with Elmer Kelton – Prime rib the menu. Cash bar. Entertainment, honoring our founders
It’s Taken a Long Time - Elmer Kelton on ranching’s gradual acceptance of management priciples. Elmer Kelton is the premier writer about the ranching experience. His distinguished career spans 60 years and 50 novels.
Inheriting the Earth Conference 9 am – Registration, coffee, snack and chat
9:30 – Welcome – John Hackley, President, Holistic Management Texas
9:45 - A Fond Look Back – the history of HM and how it impacted the ranching culture from its beginning to present – Jody Butterfield. Jody is co-founder of Holistic Management and co-writer with her husband, Alan Savory
10:30 Track 1 - Passing on the Legacy – Betsy Ross, Zachary Jones, Blair Fitzsimons, Christina Allday-Bondy Christina gives a short intro to estate planning options, Blair presents some conservation easement-type options, Betsy and Zachary tell their generational stories, followed by questions from the audience for this diverse panel.
10:30 Track 2 – What You Don’t Know Will Disturb You –Ron Chapman This session will examine (k)new knowledge in human behavior then focus it on HM practices in a participatory approach that will engage as it also provides valuable ideas for practitioners … ideas that go beyond our usual perspective … ideas that just might prove to be transformative.
Noon-12:45pm – hearty lunch
12:45pm – The HMI TEXAS Annual Business Meeting – presentation on exciting programs, electing board & officers
Afternoon session – The future of the HM path
1:15pm Carbon Issues panel Amy Hardberger (Environmental Defense Fund), Abe Collins (Carbon Farmers of America), and Terry Gompert (The Carbon Club) each tell their piece of the carbon puzzle, then open the panel to questions from the floor.
3:00 Abe Collins on the nuts and bolts – So how exactly do you measure and account for the carbon sequestered by your HM practice? Abe tells what he knows and answers questions.
4:00 – 4:30 Keynote- Passing on the Legacy: Are You Up to the Task? – Allan Savory, “Our ability to effectively address global climate change literally hangs on a slender thread – how we manage our livestock. How we do manage them is going to govern the fate of civilization. Leadership on this issue has not yet emerged in the ranching & pastoralist sectors and thus livestock continue to be a major cause of the problem. Yet, if handled correctly, they are the only tool available to science that can address the root cause of biodiversity loss, desertification and global climate change over most of the Earth’s land surface. What role will you personally play?”
5-5:30pm – HMI Texas Board meeting
Dinner on your own – networking encouraged
March 8-9, 8am-5pm (Sun-Mon)
Generating Wealth with Holistic Financial Planning – 2-day intensive with Nebraska’s Terry Gompert. Participants must have had the introduction to HM class. Limited to 30. Lunch included both days. Learn: • How to plan for healthy profits for a sustainable future • Financial weak links, log jams and adverse factors • Comparing enterprises, categorizing expenses, allocating funds • How proper planning can save your…. business
Page 8 The Watering Whole—Winter 2009www.hmitexas.org
Registration information:
Registration deadline is February 11, 2009. Attendance is limited so don’t delay! Register online at www.hmitexas.org or contact Jeanie Dreinhofer at 325-348-3014 or [email protected] your room at the Hilton Garden Inn Abilene by Feb. 11 to get the group rate of $99. Book your room from our website or call 877-782-9444 with the group code HMI.
Regstration fees:Conference:Conference: (Thurs – Sat.) $250HMI Texas Member / Certified Educator discount: 10% Includes: Thursday evening reception Walkabout - SOLD OUT! Keyline workshop if you are not on the walkabout Policy workshop and breakout groups Friday night dinner party with Elmer Kelton to honor Allan & Jody Saturday Conference
A la Carte: HMI Texas Member / Certified Educator discount: 10% Opening Reception free with registration Friday Workshops only $125 (does not include Walkabout) Friday night dinner with Elmer Kelton only $50Saturday conference only $125
HM Training - Principles for Success (HM Introduction), Generating Wealth with HM Financial Planning Class • Single Non-Member 1 class - $450 2 classes - $800• Couple Non-Member (for couple) 1 class - $800 2 classes - $1,300Members:• Single Member 1 class - $405
2 classes - $720• Couple Members (for couple) 1 class - $720 2 classes - $1,170• A couple is 2 people from the same operation.
Cancellation policy: a $25 handling fee for refunds will be charged if you cancel before the registration deadline of February 11. No refunds after that date.A limited number of scholarships are available. Sponsorships are welcome.
by Peggy ColeAbe Collins is coming all the way from
Vermont to work with us on carbon issues at the Inheriting the Earth Conference.
Abe is the founder of Carbon Farmers of America, a group of Vermont and Massachusetts farmers intent on sequestering maximum amounts of carbon in their soil and selling “carbon sinks.” A carbon sink represents one ton of atmospheric carbon dioxide that has been transformed, via photosynthesis and decay, into roughly half of a ton of soil organic matter. People buy these sinks as a way to offset their own greenhouse gas emmissions and remail carbon neutral. The purchase directly rewards the farmers involved, pays for administration and for training and aid to new farmers in the system.
In seeking better and faster ways to build carbon-rich topsoil, Abe has incorporated the use of Keyline design on his Vermont dairy. Keyline design is a technique for maximizing beneficial use of water resources of a piece of land. The Keyline refers to a specific topographic feature linked to water flow. Beyond that however, Keyline can be seen as a collection of design principles, techniques and systems for development of rural and urban landscapes.
Developed in the early 1950’s in Australia by farmer and engineer P. A.
Yeomans, keyline planning embraces a number of techniques to create topsoil far more quickly than ever thought possible.
The first aim of Keyline is to provide simple means of conserving all the rain that falls on the land into the soil itself, retard its evaporation rate and use this conserved moisture for the rapid production of soil fertility over both small and large areas of land.
The basic idea behind Keyline is to examine the topography of the site identifying several features, namely ridges and valleys and the natural water courses. In a valley, a point called the Keypoint can be found where the lower and flatter portion of a primary valley suddenly steepens. A contour line—the Keyline—is formed by plotting all the points on the slope that are at the same elevation as the keypoint. Plowing parallel to the Keyline, both above and below will tend to drift rainwater away from the valley centre and prevent erosion. As opposed to contour plowing, this technique has the plow go up in the valleys and down along ridges which keeps rainfall up at the ridge tops longer, rather than allowing it to run down the slope into water courses, thus improving soil nutrition and health. In Australia, it is important to get the most from the scarce instances of rainfall. The Yeomans technique differs from traditional contour plowing in several
Abe Collins to teach Integrating Keyline with HM Planned Grazing
important respects and the limitations of the traditional systems was an important motivational factor in the development of the system.
Keyline also includes concepts for rapid soil fertility enhancement. Yeomans and his sons were instrumental in the design and production of special plows and cultivating equipment for use in conjunction with the keyline methodology.
Yeomans recognized that the sustainability of the whole farm was dependent on living, vibrant topsoil. The formation of new topsoil using Keyline principles, at rates not previously considered possible, was due to the use of a tillage implement designed to increase soil oxygen and moisture levels, combined with a rest/recovery form of grazing and pasture slashing, to prune grass roots and feed soil biota. Yeomans was able to produce 10 cm of friable black soil within three years, on what was previously bare weathered red shale on his North Richmond farm.
Abe Collins will talk about the use of Keyline with Planned Grazing and other methods he has found effective in the rapid production of healthy soil. The Carbon Farmers of America website, www.carbonfarmersofamerica.com has several interesting articles about soil and carbon production.
Founders to be honored amidst their teachingsAllan Savory and Jody Butterfield are
our honored guests at the Inheriting the Earth Conference. It is their legacy to us, this set of concepts, principles and practices that form a “Holistic Management, A New Framework for Decision Making.”
And like favored guests anywhere, these dear friends have agreed to roll up their sleeves and work during their visit.
Walkabout is far more than a stroll through dewy grasses. When you go on a walkabout with Allan, you see stuff you never noticed before, hear the stories the land is telling and see through experienced eyes the solutions as they present
themselves. Policy is the least presented of all the HM classes. Ann Adams says Allan does it better than anyone in the world. We have the opportunity to be the students as this master teaches us what he knows about the ins and outs of forming policy. Ann is designing this part of the program and will have fascinating educators taking the policy workshop into the experiential realm as we divide into several working groups on different issues crucial to all of us.
The actual honoring of these founders takes place Friday night as we gather for prime rib, entertainment by the Texas Mark Twain, Elmer Kelton. Jody gets her chance
on Saturday morning with a fond look back at the journey of Holistic Management and Allan keynotes at the end of the conference, leaving us with the challenge of taking up the Legacy.
Page 10 The Watering Whole—Winter 2009www.hmitexas.org
by Betsy RossI was ready for a break away from the
farm and I had wanted to meet Ian Mitchell-Innes. Joe David (my brother and partner) insisted I should go. It had been a while since I had sat through the HMI training.
I had never been around Bowie, Tx much and didn’t know what to expect the rangeland to be. But I knew it used to support our vast Texas prairies. As I was driving I noticed so much of the land had coastal Bermuda on it, which for sure is out of place with the prairie species. In the roadsides and mediums I was seeing lots of Indian Grass, dropseed meadow, little bluestem and a vast array of other prairie grasses and forbs. I wondered why the area had gotten so far away from these native grasses.
Then I got to the turn off to Jerry Addison’s ranch where the classes were being held and I couldn’t believe all the natives – lots of diversity and density. The end of October and there was plenty of prairie grasses and forbs to carry the cattle
Wow! A Week Away from the Farm!through the winter. I started getting excited. Got to the bunk house and began to spot old friends, new friends; and many experienced graziers as well as newbies.
Classes started and we were off to the races. Took almost a day to get used to the South African accent, but Ian took us through a wonderful review of why we were there. People doing what we do love the land and can’t get enough of what’s happening on the land. Hearing Ian talk about the ‘whole within the whole’- ‘the holistic goal of balancing of financial, ecological and social’ and constantly relating it back to practical applications and situations, well, it was just invigorating!
Afternoons were spent walking the areas, looking at the grasses (and mesquites), actually monitoring the biology (the HRI way), talking in the field about ways to plan around problems, and marveling about the biomass Jerry was growing with high quality grazing practices. Oh, and I should tell you his ranch manager, Dawn, is a highly skilled grazier, as became so evident
during the week.Many ideas were thrown out
during those days, but two big ‘take-aways’ for me were:
1) Animal performance is the proof of the pudding. Now that was not new news but it was sure good to have that confirmed again. Producing nutrient dense foods is one of Ross Farm enterprises’ ‘whole within the whole.’ Animal performance is our benchmark of how successful we are at the farm.
2) ‘Trample or mob’ graze, is about putting carbon on the ground to feed the microbes. The microbes! Those who know me know ‘microbes’ are my passion. I have been to many ranches/farms these last several years and have seen the lack of organic matter and especially fungi in our soils. Without fungal dominated soils it can be a very expensive, almost impossible to grow the native grasses, - my opinion. 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 weight gain, birth weights, how many you can graze to an acre. They are trying to do a good job but following the conventional recipe of inputs and inoculants isn’t the way we want to operate on our farm. And you know, obtaining high animal performance and building the soil carbon is hard. And there Ian was, giving us a great tool, that could attain both goals.
Lots of other ideas are still floating in my head. I think everyone there had many take-aways. Ian is a wonderful teacher and a pleasure to be around. The food was great—morning donuts and coffee a treat, the many new friends we visited with, the old ones who always are a pleasure to be around.
A wonderful 7 days, going and coming. But you know, I was ready to get back to the farm. It’s great to be away, but always a relief to be back. Besides, I need to set a couple of pastures up to mob graze. By golly, I just gotta try that. Thank you HMI-Texas, the Jerry Addison team and Ian Mitchell-Innes.
Betsy Ross and her brother Joe David Ross run a grass-finishing farm in Central Texas. Customers include Whole Foods, local outlets and visitors to the farm. Betsy’s passion for ‘the return of microbes’ to the lands spawned a family business run by her son and daughter-in-law, Kim and JR Builta, called ‘Sustainable Growth Texas, LLC, a Better Way to Grow’. She can be reached at 512-636-3711, and JR at 512-567-1267. Web site www.rossfarm.com and www.stainablegrowthtexas.com.
Texas Range Minerals, Inc. PO Box 773, Albany, TX 76430, Ph 325-762-2100
Transform your relationship with the land —Join HMI TexasMembership Categories: *$100—Active *$250—Ranch/Farm /Business *$500—Sustaining
*$1,000—Lifetime $50—Associate/Student *New members get the textbook, Holistic Management, by Allan Savory & Jody Butterfield
Sustaining and Lifetime members will be recognized at our annual conference Annual (calendar year) membership dues entitle you to: •SubscriptiontothequarterlypublicationThe Watering Whole •TheprivilegetovoteforandserveasdirectorofHRMofTexas,Inc. •Theopportunitytobenotifiedofandparticipateatreducedfeesinmanagementclubs,fielddays,practitionerpanelsandothereducationalopportunitiestoassistwiththeapplicationofHolisticManagement.
Please complete, detach and return the form below with a check for your dues.
Committeepreference: MembershipCategory: Please make check for desired membership category payable to Holistic Management - Texas and send to:
HMI-Texas 12300 FM 1176, Bangs, TX 76823 or join/renew online at www.hmitexas.org
October Intensives: Comments from ParticipantsWe asked participants in the 3 HM classes and in the mob grazing workshop what they learned, what they will use and how well
we did in producing an event they can sink their teeth in. We got many meaty answers and basically rave reviews. Here are a few that represent the gist of what people took home. Check our website for more.
I learned a lot actually, to wit; don’t spend a lot of money; how to select for early maturing cattle; take the cattle to the water not visa versa; calving and weaning at the right time solves a lot of problems; during the green season you need less trample and the list could go on and on. I will immediately use the idea of taking the cattle to water instead of the other way around. —James Wallace
I believe I learned enough that to recite it all would take a book. However the Mob grazing was the most important topic for me personally. —Ron Piester
“What did you learn?” Gads! A whole new paradigm. I have been talking non-stop with my husband. He is reading Allan’s book. To begin with we are working on our holistic goal plus moving our breeding season toward the optimal time. The hands-
on field trips were invaluable in learning how to visually appraise your pastures and what to look for. —Bitsy Dotin
I learnt more from Ian than any other educator because he had done it himself and had learnt to go slowly to avoid pitfalls and be able to make adjustments. In particular he mentioned animal performance, which is of vital importance and is under-emphasized by most educators. He has
developed a particularly effective and flexible way of using electric fencing and many other practical tips one learns from a successful rancher who has done it himself. I have always learnt most from successful rancher practitioners and I think we need to build on this to keep putting on effective programs. —Richard Teague
1) In the Biological monitoring class for the first time I actually learned to see what I was looking
at. Litter 1, Litter 2, worm castings, etc. 2) I had actually been through Dick Divens class and knew that it made since to calve in the summer, but could not figure out what to do with the calves after that. I got the answer at this school. 3) I learned how to work with weaning date, calving date, and breeding date without sacrificing the health and body condition of my animals. —Jerry Addison
Page 12 The Watering Whole—Winter 2009www.hmitexas.org
Holistic ManagementInternationalTexas,12300 FM 1176Bangs, TX 76823
NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDDRIPPING SPRINGS
TEXAS 78620PERMIT NO.6
In This Issue—Spring Conference gets better and better—p 1, River of Opportunities—p 1
President’s Letter—p 2, Merridee on Membership—p 3, Carbon, Carbon Everywhere—p 4, Special pull-out section on the Spring Conference—p 5-8
Founders Honored—p 9, Keyline design—p 9, Betsy Ross on October Intensives—p 10, More Participants on October Intensives—p 11, Membership Dues Form—p 11, 2009 Calendar—p 12
Volume 24, Number 1 Winter 2009
Experience Based, Lands-on Learning2009!Jan. 13-15 – Board Retreat and Long Range Planning Session – Red Corral Ranch, WimberleyFeb. 6-8 – TOFGA’s TCOOPS - KilleenMarch 4-9 – 2009 Spring Conference and Educational Opportunities (with HMI) AbileneApril 3 – Event with Environmental Defense – Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, AustinLate April – Marek field day – Ledbetter/ Giddings- Includes field day, Biological Monitoring Class and New management clubApril 10-16 – Kids on the Land – Eldorado ISD– West Ranch, OzonaMay 2-8 – Kids on the Land – Ozona ISD- West Ranch, OzonaJune 13-15 – Mesquite Grove Field day- Snyder + stockdogs workshop, + HM Grazing Planning class, + New management club Late July – Watershed Management – WimberleyAugust - statewide screenings of The First Millimeter: Healing the EarthSeptember 14-15 – FARFA Food & Farm leadership – Austin areaSeptember – Rainwater Harvesting from Ranch and Wind Farm Roads class – Panhandle (still in the works)October – Grazing the watershed – North Texas - BIG 2-3 day grazing conference + HM Land Planning ClassNovember – Lone Star Land Steward award field day at Spring Branch Ranch - Bastrop
More information on all these evolving events when next we see you at the Watering Whole!
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