#131 in practice may/jun 2010

Holistic Management—It’s Not Just a Grazing Thing

by Sandra M. Matheson

MAY / JUNE 2010 NUMBER 13 1 WWW.HOLIST ICMANAGEMENT.ORG

healthy land.sustainable future.

Book Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Development Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14From the Board Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15Grapevine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16CE Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Affiliates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

NEWS and NETWORK

LAND and LIVESTOCKImproving Animal Performance—Feeding the WholeIAN MITCHELL-INNES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Holistic Vineyard Design—Maximizing Solar Energy & IncomeKELLY MULVILLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Holistic Vineyard Design Prototype TrialBY KELLY MULVILLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

FEATURE STORIES

In the beginning there was hopelessness, fear,and vulnerability. The year was 1995. It wasdespairing, dark, and bleak. I felt like thelowest of all life forms wearing not just one,

but three dreaded labels. I was a veterinarian,dog breeder, and worst of all…a rancher.

During this time, there was a great deal ofbad press against the veterinary profession. Therewere attacks on veterinary and research labs andprotests against using animals destined foreuthanasia in veterinary surgery teachingfacilities. Some animal rights extremists wereallegedly turning dogs loose or poisoning themat dog shows. They were sending the messagethat animals should be allowed to roam free andno one should keep a pet. Breeders of purebreddogs were considered “the enemy.”Environmental activists and governmentagencies were coming down hard on ranchersand farmers. The enviro-police were leveraginghuge fines and creating new policies to controlfarmers and/or shut them down.

As a veterinarian, I found the protests andviolence particularly disturbing. Many animalssuffered and died when turned loose in theelements or became victims of arson fires duringthe attacks on research facilities. When I was inveterinary school, the animals were treated withgreat love and respect and helped studentsprepare for what we would encounter in the realworld. Many of the research animals found anew life with a veterinary student when theresearch was over. My beloved cat, Wildfire, wasborn at the veterinary school and brought muchjoy to my life for seventeen years. She diedpeacefully on a sunny day in front of her favoritepond.

Of course, there were “bad” dog breeders andpet owners, just as there are bad examples ofpeople in any walk of life. However, my

colleagues and I treated our dogs well, gave thema great deal of love and attention, and put muchtime and money into testing the dogs for geneticdefects. We did not breed them if they had anygenetic, temperament, or soundness issues. I stillhave two of my old labs from those dog days.

With regard to farming, there were people whoabused the system and deserved what they got.However, I was doing my best with the limitedknowledge I had to do a good job in protectingthe environment. In addition, I worked longhours on the farm with little to show for it. Ifigured that if I didn’t get the results I desired, Imust not have worked hard enough. So I justworked even harder.

I was all three of the above labels. Frequently Iheard “Why I hate ___” stories when I introducedmyself. As a result, I never told people what I did.That was a dark and difficult time in my life.

There were other issues to deal with as well.Someone had illegally dumped a very largeamount of contaminated soil from a building sitein town next to my neighbors’ house. The fumeswere sickening them. I remember the afternoonof the hearing where the “dumpers” wererequesting permission to leave the soil thereinstead of hauling it away at great expense to bedecontaminated. The hearing went in favor ofremoving the soil, but the County Counciloverturned the decision and the putrid soil stayed.For the first time in living there all my life, Iquestioned whether I wanted to live thereanymore. I felt hopeless, scared, and vulnerable.Something had to change.

And There Was LightI received an email in early 1995 from Donald

D. Nelson of Washington State University. He

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

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

ANIMAL PERFORMANCE

Quality of Life—Helping to Articulate NeedsWIEBKE VOLKMANN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Holism, Systems Thinking, and Ranch SustainabilityJEN JOHNSON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

HMI Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Animal performance requires that youlook at and manage for the health of thewhole—grazing (plants), animals, andsoil. As you can see, this herd of cows fromIan Mitchell-Innes’ ranch in South Africaat the end of winter looks very healthydespite no supplements.

To learn more, turn to page 8.

2 IN PRACTICE � May / June 2010

Holistic Management International works to reverse the degradation of private

and communal land used for agriculture and conservation, restore its health and productivity, and help

create sustainable and viable livelihoods for the people who depend on it.

STAFFPeter Holter . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chief Executive Officer

Tracy Favre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Director /Contract Services

Jutta von Gontard . . . . . Senior Director / Philanthropy

Kelly King . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chief Financial Officer

Ann Adams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Editor, IN PRACTICE and Senior Director of Education

Donna Torrez . . . . . . . . . . . Manager: Administration & Executive Support

Mary Girsch-Bock . . . . . Communications Associate

Valerie Grubbs . . . . . . . . . Accounting Associate

Carrie Nelson . . . . . . . . . . . Education Associate

BOARD OF DIRECTORSBen Bartlett, Chair

Ron Chapman, Past ChairRoby Wallace, Vice-ChairJohn Hackley, Secretary

Christopher Peck, Treasurer

Sallie Calhoun Mark GardnerLee Dueringer Clint JoseyGail Hammack Jim McMullan

Ian Mitchell Innes Jim ParkerDennis Wobeser Maryann West

The David West Station for Holistic Management

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

Joe & Peggy Maddox, Ranch Managers

HOLISTIC MANAGEMENTIN 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 © 2010


announced the creation of the four-yearWashington State University (WSU) HolisticManagement Project. It sounded intriguing. I hadheard a little about Holistic Management from Dr.Nelson in a ranch management course I took acouple years prior. It seemed to make sense, but Istill wasn’t sure if I should participate. All thecircumstances of early 1995 indicated I needed todo something different. When my friend, MikeHackett, a WSU Extension Agent, gave hisoverwhelming endorsement of the program, Isigned up. That was one of the most significantdecisions I ever made.

After two hours into the first HolisticManagement workshop with Roland Kroos andDonald Nelson, I knew I would never look atthings the same way again. The next few yearswere filled with much learning, many insights,wonderful new friends, and the practice of HolisticManagement. In addition to the HolisticManagement Framework, we were introduced tothe consensus process, Stephen Covey’s principles,and many other processes which I continue touse. I was one of the fortunate few from our WSUproject group who was trained to become aCertified Educator in Holistic Management. Whata life-changing experience that was!

Mind you, my practice of Holistic Managementwasn’t perfect. I made my share of mistakes.However, those few mistakes were minisculecompared the positive changes that came into mylife. Our family worked less, made more money,and shared a greater quality of life. Allan Savory’sinsights and resulting holistic framework formaking decisions changed my life forever.

It’s Not Just a Grazing Thing continued from page one

The Broader ApplicationAlthough the management and condition of

the ranch has changed significantly for the betterusing the Holistic Management decision-makingframework, the improvement it brought to myeveryday life was just as important. When wedeveloped and used a family holisticgoal, thatmade a world of difference. Testing both large andsmall decisions saved us time, grief, and money.Planning and monitoring were also critical to theprocess. I wish to share some examples andinsights in using the Holistic Management processin everyday and family life.

To Do or Not to Do?Testing decisions occurred at many different

levels. It seems obvious to test large, important,and financial decisions. Some of the decisions wetested included vacations, acquisition of vehicles,driving the children to acting classes, droppingout of old activities, serving in new activities, andmany substantial purchases. For us, one key tousing Holistic Management effectively was to holdregular meetings. Each week we talked aboutwhat was happening, what needed to happen, andtested decisions. It greatly improvedcommunication within the family.

One decision I struggled with was whether toquit my veterinary career when I became ill fromchemicals in the workplace. It was no fun beingsick all the time, but it also wasn’t easy to throwaway something I’d spent my whole life preparingfor and working in. Once I tested it, the decisionwas made in a few minutes and I have never

Yearlings restoring an old pasture on the farm. Cattle are an important piece of Sandra’s quality of life.

looked back. Another work decision occurred again when I

was in a job that I enjoyed, but the managementheaded in a direction that I was uncomfortablewith. It also negatively impacted my family andranch since I was working long hours. I agonizedover it and then realized, “Hey, why don’t I testit?” Case closed. On an interesting note, I put inour 1997 holisticgoal that I wished to retire fromoutside employment in ten years. What year did Ileave my job? Two thousand and seven!

Holistic decision-making also works well forsmaller and everyday decisions. After testing a fewlarge decisions on paper, the process becamenaturally engrained in my mind. When I pass bya store window or hover over the donut display inthe grocery store, the appropriate testing questionsrace through my head and I ask the ultimatequestion, “Will buying/eating this lead me closerto my holisticgoal?” Often the answer is no and Ipass it by. Believe me when I say I’m not perfect.Occasionally I eat that donut as a reward or out ofnecessity! However, I frequently stop myself fromspending money or indulging by simply and oftensubconsciously testing the decision.

Going Where You Fear to TreadOn a more serious note came the decision of

divorce. Remember, I came from the old schoolthat taught if something didn’t work, it wasbecause I didn’t work hard enough at it. But thereis only so much work one can do and a limit tohow hard one can work at it. I purposely avoidedtesting that decision, because I suspected what theresult might be. Being a good Catholic woman,divorce was not high on my list of options. When Ifinally had the courage to test it and learn theresult, I soon developed the courage to trust theprocess and divorce after nearly 25 years ofmarriage. It was stressful, and financially, it hurt.But now I feel that I can finally move toward tomy holisticgoal and the future I desire. I am nolonger stuck in a bad place. I feel like I have mylife back again. Please understand that I’m notrecommending divorce, but having the courage totest that serious decision led to a much betterplace for all of us involved.

Challenges and OpportunitiesHolistic Management is not just about

managing livestock and healing land. It had its“roots” there and it’s clearly the best process tosave our planet from self-destruction. However,the framework also has great value and potentialto guide people in making any personal (andbusiness) decisions—both day to day decisionsand major ones. We just need to let people knowthat Holistic Management exists.

When learning to use anything new, there canbe setbacks and mistakes. I certainly made myshare of them. But as a good student, I learnedfrom my mistakes. I am now a much betterperson living a richer and more rewarding life. In addition, I am making a positive difference in my part of the world.

My days of vet practice are over and the dog

activities failed the testing when my childrenbecame toddlers. I still have the ranch and I amproud to tell others what I do there. Those darkdays of 1995 have been replaced with hope,courage, and strength. This is because of a simple approach to making everyday decisions—using Holistic Management.

Number 131 � IN PRACTICE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Tips for a More “Whole” Life

Here are some insights I have gained during my holistic journey and from workingwith others:

• All decision-makers must have input in the holisticgoal. You can’t tell someone elsewhat they want and expect them to take ownership.

• When compiling the holisticgoal, do not paraphrase to make it flow or sound pretty.Use people’s own words. They chose them carefully and have ownership in their ownwords, not yours.

• Write down the holisticgoal instead of leaving it in your head. It’s hard for the otherstakeholders to see it in there.

• Post it, love it, live it, and revisit it.

• If you want Holistic Management to work, you have to actually practice it. Thatmeans creating a holisticgoal, testing decisions, implementing those decisions,monitoring, and re-planning as needed.

• Trust the process. If you actually do it, it works.

• Holistic Management works on all levels: individuals, families, businesses,organizations, communities, and beyond. It works for large, small, and everydaydecisions. I believe the greatest roadblocks to the practice of Holistic Management arethe unwillingness to share power, thinking that you know what is best for otherpeople, not being inclusive, not committing to practice it on a regular basis, andfailure to understand the process.

• Testing is quite simple after you’ve done it a few times.

• When you purposely exclude people from the process who need to and want to beincluded, you are decreasing your chances of success.

• If you expect other people to practice Holistic Management, they must be taught how first.

• It takes two to tango. If someone doesn’t want to do the Holistic Management dance,then graciously move on without them and do the best you can. They often ask torejoin the dance when they are ready, especially when they see your positive results.

• Sometimes you have to move slower than you would like, but everyone has a differentspeed. Respect the fact that they want to move forward.

• Meet people where they are at. It may not be where you wish them to be. Start thereand move forward with them.

• You don’t have control over someone else’s behavior. You do have control over howyou respond to it.

• Monitor. I may be good at making decisions, but I’m not always right. Sometimesthings just happen to get us off course.

• Those who are unwilling to share power or who suffer from fear or greed often feelthreatened by Holistic Management and the consensus process. The consensus processis helpful in dealing with the people challenges that arise. Sadly, sometimes peopleare just plain unwilling to try and make excuses as to why it won’t work.

• When won’t Holistic Management work? It can’t work if you don’t practice it.

I found that when we get to the quality of lifestatement many of us seem to hit our culturalpredicaments. For some the question “What mustlife be like, based on what is most important toyou?” or “How do you want to feel most of thetime?” becomes ominously mixed with “how lifeshould be.” The stories in our head and themeasures of “success” or “a well balanced life,”even when expressed in terms of emotions or stateof being rather than “material things,” oftenseem to lead to disappointment.

When I started to learn the basics ofCompassionate Communication (authored byMarshall B. Rosenberg) I realized there was anopportunity to clarify some difficulties I have beenhaving with the Holistic Management decisionmaking process and share those learnings withothers.

What’s Right?Some clients whom I work with find it strange

to be focusing on “what they want.” Theyconsider it an indulgence that clashes with theirculture of first caring for the good of others or thecomplex whole of which they are part. Theirinterpretation of the idea to “accept one’s lot andmake the best of it” or to “give what you want foryourselves to others” often prevents them for years(sometimes a lifetime) to reflect on what they asindividuals need to be healthy, happy, andcontributing citizens.

I started to use the principles of compassionatecommunication (sometimes also referred to asnonviolent communication) some years ago as away to “speak my truth” in difficult situations orto prevent and to transform conflicts. However in2009 I had the opportunity to further study andpractice the four steps of:

• Observe without judgment• Become clear about what you feel • Recognize the need(s) that are or are notfulfilled

• Make a request (when needed) My intimate relationship had deteriorated to a

point where I “moved out,” and in June mymother was brutally murdered. I found myselfadministering her estate in a way that dissatisfiedsome of my siblings intensely, while with othersiblings I found a new connection. In these

situations I experienced grounding from givingthe previously mentioned four steps a chance—bypracticing them again and again.

While struggling with the relationship issue, Iwas wondering if I “wanted the wrong thing,”even though most of my peers would regard it“normal” or even “natural” what I wanted. Myholisticgoal had guided me to “achieve” so much,to transform habits and to explore so manyprofessional possibilities. Why did “it” not workfor this aspect of my life? I believe it was myconfusion around needs that was the culprit.

Observing Without JudgmentI learned that accepting what is, “observing

without judgment or diagnosis” has freed me—and others—from being “responsible for it all.” I had to accept that I sometimes confused “takingresponsibility for my experience” with imaginingthat I (or others) can and should “control whathappens to me.”

However, the only thing I can change is how Ifeel and think—and listen and talk—aboutsomething. Learning to describe what I see or“what happened” without labeling the situationas either a failure or a success or without giving ita general value is an art that requires somepractice. It requires the practice of being presentwithout words even, of sensing, of perceivingwithout “making a story of it,” a story that oftenpropels us to declare what “is there” or what wehave and have not.

It is challenging to be very specific whendescribing a behavior or situation and to refrain

from personality generalizations. For example, atfirst I didn’t see how saying to a friend “You arevery generous” or “You are a star” can be so bad.But then I considered the difference between thosestatements and saying “When you brought methose carrots from the market yesterday, I enjoyedthe abundance and felt inspired to make carrotjuice to celebrate the weekend.” It’s a lot morewords, for sure! But, they also communicate somuch more about what is alive in me and givesmy friend more information about which of heractions and behaviors contribute to my wellbeingand my life and why.

Likewise, in Holistic Management, we statewhat is important to us (as we describe it in thequality of life statement of a holisticgoal) and wegive feedback about strategies we ourselves andothers choose (the “how to’s”) without evaluatinga personality or assessing the “inherent value” ofan action.

With this attitude and language in mind I can much more easily digest my own and other’s“performance” when monitoring “progress” (in a project or towards a holisticgoal) and itusually leads to less defensiveness or denial and to more willingness to maintain or improve the quality of our interactions.

What You FeelReally sensing and specifying what we feel

in a certain situation is often regarded as aweakness, a “giving in to” when our rationalpowers should be in charge especially inprofessional or “work related” situations. Throughmy studies I found confirmation how thistendency has thwarted our capacity to hear theearly warning bells or the gut feeling of “go for it…” that are part of our information gatheringwhen using the Holistic Management testingquestions or any other decision making filter.

I now recognize the power of listening to andspecifying these feelings because of theirconnection to the basic and universal humanneeds. Initially when I was challenged to considerwhat I need, I was overwhelmed by all thosealmost non-negotiable needs I feel—I was afraidof my own neediness. Then I found great insightfrom the German term for need, namelyBedürfnis. The root of that word means “dürfen”or permission. I started to permit myself to havebasic needs to lead a life in peace and mutualcontribution.

Recognize NeedsI have often witnessed the discomfort displayed

by many of my colleagues when listening to AllanSavory state something to the effect that “basicallyeveryone wants the same things.” I now realizethat this discomfort usually comes from the need


Quality of Life – Helping to Articulate Needsby Wiebke Volkmann

Having helped many people when they formulated their first holisticgoal and having reviewedmine over 14 times and using it to guide my choices, I have had ample opportunity to observethe process and to reflect on what is working for me and what is not.

When I observed the difficulty that so many people have when

formulating their first “quality of life”statement, I realized that very

often we lack the vocabulary. We havenot learned the words and the grammarfor voicing our needs, nor our feelings.

for autonomy—we all want to and do choosedifferent strategies to meet those needs.

Marshall Rosenberg repeatedly states that everyhuman being does anything they do (or not do)to satisfy one or more of their needs—whetherthey can name that need or not. Very often wemay choose a strategy that does not adequately oreven remotely meet our felt need, but we areurged on by our needs for physical nurturing,integrity, autonomy, interdependence, celebration,play, integrity and spiritual communion, howeverwe define these.

Rosenberg in his over 40 years of practice inconflict transformation and peace work observedthat all humans in their natural (as distinguishedfrom their normal) state of being have a need tocontribute to the enrichment of life, life asexperienced beyond the personal ego boundaries.This need often gets “blunted” by life experiencesand cultural influences, but remains a motivationalforce and can be re-activated. The holisticgoal issuch a place to articulate these needs.

Meet Needs“Me meeting my needs” has become a great

adventure! An important distinction for me wasthat I interpret the word “meeting” not as“fulfilling,” but rather as “encountering,” likeone meets a new or old acquaintance. Adoptingan attitude of “Hallo, so there you are” instead ofscrambling to find a “quick way to quieten adesparately crying baby” allowed me to calmdown and consider various approaches and win-win strategies.

The Holisticgoal and CommunicationWhen I observed the difficulty that so many

people have when formulating their first “qualityof life” statement, I realized that very often welack the vocabulary. We have not learned thewords and the grammar for voicing our needs,nor our feelings. We often give our needs namesthat already contain some “strategic form,” suchas “I want a faithful marriage.” I imagine thatsome of the underlying needs that may be servedby a faithful marriage are closeness, emotionalsafety, love, touch, sexual expression, order, peace,consideration, etc. Humans have, however, foundways of meeting all those needs while in differentconstellations with another.

The other challenge is that behind that word“marriage” is sometimes hidden assumptions of“what else it may bring,” based on what we haveobserved in our cultural context. So we ignorethat we are often demanding from one strategy orperson(s) the fulfillment of needs that we didn’texpress. Therefore, those needs are often notknown until a conflict brings them to the surface.

How can we help each other to become more

proficient at recognizing and communicating ourneeds without misunderstandings and withoutmeeting our needs in ways and forms thatendanger ourselves or others lives?

One of the most important lessons for me as afacilitator (and as a partner and friend) was tonot ask “What do you need and feel?” because sooften the other person cannot adequately namethose needs or regard them as inappropriate.Instead, I learned to guess the underlying needswhile the friend or client is telling me “their

story.” For example, I may respond by asking,“Are you feeling disappointed and angry whenyou realize that Joe and Evelyn are not payingtheir fees while the others in the group do becauseyou need considerateness, support and order?” Myfriend/client will quickly tell me if that is indeedwhat they are feeling and needing or not.

My guess can “spark light” their own capacityto specify what they observe, what they feel andneed. It is this process of how we communicatethat can spread the attitude and technique ofcompassionate communication even if only oneperson has “learned it formally.” In this way ouractions are like a stone being thrown into a poolof water and creating ring waves.

Trusting Universal NeedsThe best way to start experiencing the benefits

of compassionate communication is attending toour self-talk. Am I judging myself for notachieving an objective or am I asking myself whatneed of mine was not fulfilled by the strategy (and

objective) I chose, and how I can change thestrategy to better meet the needs that areimportant to me? When I am faced with anirritation or hurt stimulated by someone else’sbehavior, I ask myself what feelings are triggeredin me, without calling the person or the actionsnames. Then I think of a strategy to meet thisneed of mine. Often I request from myself achange in attitude or practice, or to listen to theneeds of the other person so that I can betterunderstand why they act as they do.

This allows me to “not take other people’sbehavior personally,” not to see it as a deliberateattack on my being, but as their attempt to meettheir needs. At the same time I make an effort totake personal responsibility for my experience ofthe incident and for changing my experience. Aswith Holistic Management, I determine where I(or we, in a group) can affect and influencedecision making and “management” effectively.Recognizing the neighboring and inter-connectedand “overarching” constellations where otherhuman beings are trying their best to meet theirneeds helps in that process.

Trusting that huge field of “other managersmeeting their needs” has become easier since Iam reminded that what connects and serves us allare those universal needs. Becoming more andmore aware of, being honest about and voicingthose needs may build the capacity to designpolicies and strategies that are understandable,do-able, sustainable, and mutually beneficial,rather than being “good ideas only.” Such plansor policies and strategies come from eachstakeholder’s “personal interest” (i.e. their desireto meet their felt needs) rather than beingmotivated or pressured by an idealized agendaand the fear of punishment or bad outcomes ifone does not adhere to it.

Wiebke Volkmann is a Certified Educatorand lives in Windhoek, Namibia. She can bereached at [email protected].


Trusting . . . has become easier since I am reminded that what connects and serves us all are those universal needs.

Wiebke’s family has been a source of learning as she explores the process of compassionatecommunication.

My grandma, Polly Johnson, was a centralcharacter in my thesis and continues to be myinspiration. Grandma grew up as a true cowgirl,paving the way for the women in my family, all ofwhom play integral roles in the day to dayoperation of our ranches. Grandma was the onlychild of Don Collins and only granddaughter ofCharlie Collins, who after trailing cattle fromMexico to Montana in the late 1800’s brought hisgrit and our futures to our ranch near Kit Carson,Colorado. Today, 18 of 22 family members aredirectly involved in ranching, which, given thatonly 3% of family businesses survive into thefourth generation and beyond, is a true testamentto Grandma, Don, and Charlie. Sustainability of afamily ranch is a rare occurrence; so why myfamily?

Respect for the LandIn his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell

explains that people don’t just happen, theyhappen for a reason, or rather the combination ofmany reasons. I believe the same is true for ourranch. Every member of the family has a deep loveand respect for the land and our traditions. But wealso greatly value open mindedness, which ismanifested in two immensely beneficial ways. Thefirst factor is through the embrace of new peoplewho, like my mom and aunt, have no backgroundin ranching, add their valuable outsideperspectives, good attitudes, grace, and optimism.

Optimism was the defining characteristic ofmy grandpa, Rogers Johnson. He grew up outsideof Boston and knew nothing about ranchingbefore meeting Grandma, but because of his sharpbusiness mind and an incredible love of life andadventure was named the national CattleBusinessman of the Year before he died. His legacyof treating ranching as a business, in addition to alegacy, has and will benefit the family always. Thesecond benefit of being open minded is an idea:that of holism—that everything is connected andthat any decision we make on the land impactsboth the land and other decisions. My parents and

several relatives have attended what was known as HRM courses (Holistic Management) and have implemented those ideas on the ranch,particularly in our grazing planning. The conceptthat any decision on a ranch impacts a web ofother decisions is a powerful tool that helps usbetter manage not only our land, but also thecomplex relationships between our land, business, and people.

This holistic foundation is currently serving me well at the King Ranch Institute for RanchManagement, where I am working towards myMasters in Ranch Management. The basis of mymaster’s program is a process called SystemThinking, which comes out of MassachusettsInstitute of Technology (MIT) and is a decision-making process for dealing with complexity usedby elite companies and organizations the worldover. The father of System Thinking, Jay Forrester,cites his childhood on his family’s ranch inNebraska as the origin of his ideas. He said “ranch life…provided the continuous challenge ofmaking things work” and that ranchers becomenaturally attuned to systems if only because theirlivelihood depends on the interrelationships amongweather, soil, and plant and animal growth.

The summation of system thinking, holism,and my background and family definesustainability for me. This shape, a tetrahedron, isthe strongest shape in nature. Only by balancingthe three legs can you have sustainability. In mylife, the principles of each leg can be summarizedsimply. For land, nature is smart as hell. Workwith it, not against it, and try your best to do noharm. For people: Family, family, family, andcommunity. For business, maintain a ruthless,clear-eyed respect for ranching as a business—profit solves problems. A strain on any one legputs pressure on the others, increasing theprobability of collapse. There is always areverberating cost to mistreating land, people, orthe integrity of the business structure. The healthof anyone depends upon the others.

Being Responsive to ChangeCharles Darwin said “It is not the strongest of

the species that survive, nor the most intelligent,but the one most responsive to change.” Thisdirectly relates to sustainability, because what ittakes to be sustainable is constantly changing; thetetrahedron does not sit on a flat plane, but a fluidsurface moving through time. The dynamicnature of sustainability means, practically, thatour ranch is not managed exactly like it was 100,50, or even 10 years ago.

This does not mean that previous generationswere doing it wrong; they were simply making thebest decisions they could given the informationand circumstances they had. But information andcircumstances are constantly changing. This iswhy wishing to preserve our ranch, or anycomplex system, exactly “as is” is a naïve andfrustrating goal. Weather, markets, humanrelationships, and animals do not lend themselves to constancy, and ranching and the beef industry will undoubtedly undergochange, some dramatic, in my lifetime.

Jen (second from left)and her brothers arethe fifth generation onthe Johnson’s ranch—a great success in anindustry where only3% of ranches survivebeyond the 4thgeneration.

Holism, Systems Thinking, and Ranch Sustainabilityby Jen Johnson

The great conservationist Aldo Leopold wrote, “There are two things that interest me: therelations of people to each other, and the relations of people to land.” As a fifth generationrancher whose family has spent over a century raising grass, cattle, and kids on the prairies ofColorado, my concept of sustainability has been deeply molded by Leopold’s two interests. I,

along with my three younger brothers, grew up very actively involved on our cow-calf ranch. Aftergraduating from high school in a class of nine people, I ventured to Princeton for college. I amforever grateful for the amazing education I received, but believe that the most valuable thing Igained was a much deeper appreciation for where I come from. The fulfillment of this appreciationwas my senior thesis on multigenerational ranch women on the Great Plains.


However, in the face of these oncoming changes, I do want ourland to be healthy, and I want my family to be there for five moregenerations. To make this possible, I and my parents, brothers, andother family members will need to respect and understand our rootsand hone our abilities, but also be adaptable and subscribe to myfather’s strongest words of wisdom to “Be a problem solver.” Thefuture will be challenging, as it always has been, but I truly believethere is a bright future for bright minds in ranching.

I think the keys to my family’s sustainability are being openminded, being business minded, and embracing holism. These threekeys exist against the backdrop of the land. The following quote is afitting tribute to the respect we as ranchers, and as humans, mustmaintain for the land:

"Man— despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, andhis many accomplishments— owes his existence to a six inch layerof topsoil and the fact that it rains." –Author Unknown

In a high tech, interconnected world of air travel, cell phones, andiPods, it is easy to forget that no part of modern life as we know it ispossible if there are not good people managing land well. For thisreason sustainability should matter, a lot, to everyone.

In the movie Out of Africa, Karen Blixen asks a question thatresonates deeply for me: “If I know a song of Africa, of the giraffe andthe African new moon lying on her back, of the plows in the fieldsand the sweaty faces of the coffee pickers, does Africa know a song ofme?” I would like to think that I know the song of my ranch and thatI will continue to learn it for the rest of my life. I know that our landhas given my family and me so much. My song, and that of myfamily’s past and future, is woven into the song of the land. I amgiving myself some time, but I know I will return and be activelyinvolved on the ranch, as well as in ranching, land management,and conservation on a bigger scale. Nothing will bring me greater joyor purpose than working to sustain healthy relationships betweenpeople and land.

Jen Johnson is earning her Masters in Ranch Management atthe King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management. She can bereached at: [email protected]. This article came from Jen’spresentation for the Quivira Coalition Conference in Albuquerque,New Mexico.

Holistic Management Q&A

Q:How long does it take the land to recover when you stopirrigating it? Also, what measures can we take to help speed theprocess up? The irrigation district over here hasn't been able to

provide enough water to the farmers for several years, with several yearsof no water. The outlook for this year is not promising at all. ConchasDam will have to rise 10 feet before the farmers will get any water and atthat only an inch or so, so things are looking pretty desperate for them.

—Kelly Boney, San Jon, New Mexico

A:Good question. I'm currently working with a few thousand acresof formerly irrigated land in Southeast New Mexico. It dependson how you define "recover," but if you want to see mostly native

perennials and few annual weeds, we are talking about 5-10 yearsdepending on management and rainfall. You can reach a pretty stablecondition in 3-5 years.

Grazing and mowing tend to push the community forward, whiledisking or any other mechanical disturbance keeps it at weeds. You cantake a gamble and no till seed to help, but better have your crystal ball topredict when and if it will rain. Broadcast seed and grazing/trampling inworks pretty good, but again it depends on moisture. If you do want toseed, use grasses such as sand dropseed and sideoats grama that establishrelatively easy.

—Kirk Gadzia, Bernalillo, New Mexico

Q:I was wondering if anyone has worked with organic dairyfarmers that have a problem with high cell count. I am workingwith a very successful organic dairy family that have adopted

planned grazing and have moved to much longer recovery periods andonce a day milking (known to initially increase cell count). Cowwellbeing and health are excellent but they are receiving penalties fromthe processor.

—Graeme Hand, Branxholme, Victoria, Australia

A:The only way to rectify this is for the animal to be able to selfmedicate! This can only be done with cafeteria-style free choiceminerals. If you give a mixed mineral mix, it will most probably

make the situation worse.—Ian Mitchell-Innes, Elandslaagte, South Africa

A:I think Ian is quite right; the land is not producing all themineral the animals need at this time. They cannot overeatenough to get the ration required to meet the desired

performance. Feeding sodium bicarbonate could help, but this begsmore questions, such as: Are they being fed a ration as well? Is the grassthey are now eating short and green? The cattle are likely a bit short ofenergy. It might help to feed a double handful of corn at the parlor, ifpossible. Cafeteria-style free choice minerals will help. Mark Bader is thebest person to ask this question, as he has been working with this sort ofsituation for 20 years or more. The land will “grow through thisperiod,” you might say, as succession moves forward. When the diversitygets high enough, the livestock will be able to select the best ration forthemselves.

—Guy Glosson, Snyder, Texas

Have a question? Email [email protected] with the Subjectheading: HMI Q&A.


Polly Johnson, Jen’s grandmother, was a major influence in Jen’slife and on the success of the ranch, paving the way for otherwomen becoming an integral part of the ranch.

Improving Animal Performance—

Feeding the Wholeby Ian Mitchell-Innes

This is not the first time, nor is it the last, that animal performancehas been written about. We all look for the silver bullet to achieve it,but unfortunately there is no such thing. Animal performancerequires us to look at the whole and mange the complexity of

relationships within it. We are taught in Holistic Management how Natureoperates as wholes within wholes, but this is difficult to grasp because ofour educational system. Having spent 12 years learning all the differentparts of what it takes to improve animal performance, then discardingthem one by one, I am now recalling all that I have learned. As I haveintegrated these different parts, I have found “voila,” the animals areperforming! This article will paint a picture of some of the parts whichhave worked for me.

Animal PerformanceConventional ration balancing has not worked for me as it

relies on the assumption that we know better than the cow asto her needs. This is totally wrong and a considerableparadigm shift is required to accept this. The best way ofgetting one’s head around this is to pose the question: “Whatdid animals do before humans started interfering?” Theanswer is a) a lot better than they are doing now and b) withno inputs. Mark Bader of Free Choice Minerals has anunusual approach which has worked well for me. All animalfeed has oxygen, hydrogen (true energy), and protein, andthese need to be balanced in certain ratios to get varyingdegrees of animal performance.

We have destroyed the mineral cycle on our land becauseof the way we have managed. By giving animals a cafeteria-style choice of minerals, we can nudge Nature and help her tomove in a positive direction. The animal will only take theminerals she requires, so she is acting as a mobile laboratory,for which she does not charge. She will distribute the mineralonce she has used it, on top of the highest hill and not charge.

The availability of all the minerals boosts the animal’simmune system, and many of the diseases we currentlyexperience will disappear at relatively little cost. With HolisticManagement planned grazing, the animal should get enoughselection for a balanced diet, with a pH of seven. This will

enable the uptake of minerals into her body, improving her health andimmune system. I test the animal’s pH level through its urine; this test is anindicator and can help to determine paddock moves. Two to three animalsneed to be tested in each herd, and over time you will build an understandingof how to use this information.

Increase the stock density and keep the stocking rate the same.The planned grazing will result in more carbon in/on the soil, which willimprove the water and mineral cycles, energy flow and communitydynamics. This will result in the forage being less stressed, and so it will stayin a vegetative stage longer. The implications of this are huge as longerrecovery periods can be planned, resulting in a bigger volume of grass. Moregrass can be trampled instead of being grazed. This trampled grass will give abetter return on investment than any other investment you can think of.Midsummer droughts, making hay, etc can become a thing of the past.

To reduce the cost of maintaining an animal for a year, you need tomatch the energy cycle of Nature (when plants are providing the greatestnutrition) in your particular environment with the energy requirements ofthe animal (when it has greatest need for nutrition). When I plotted theweights of various wild animals in my area, against the time ofcalving/lambing, I got a straight line graph. In other words, when the wild

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8 � May / June 2010Land & Livestock

Number 131 � 9Land & Livestock

animals are healthy and fat, the land is providing a lot of nutrition. This isthe time to calve/lamb.

When plotting the weight of my cows on this graph, it indicated a calvingdate which differed by five days from that suggested by Dr. Dick Diven, a beefnutrition scientist who has a low cost cow/calf program. His method ofcalculating the best time was worked on the latitude where the ranch issituated. This correlation between his suggested date based on his methodand my calculations based on the weight of my cattle indicate to me thatanimals can tell us how to manage them more successfully if we observethem and their needs. Moreover, all the other issues which normally are ofconcern with livestock, such as scours and ticks, can be taken care of withfine tuning of the grazing planning to address these nutritional needs.

The AnimalBesides being a laboratory and a fertilizer spreader, the animal is a microbe

incubator and can be used to move soil from fungal (tree encroachment) tobacterial (grass land) or anything in between. This can be manipulated usinggrazing planning and temporary electric fencing.

The animal will be busy chipping and breaking the capping to allowwater infiltration and trampling carbon onto the soil. Getting energy throughthe soil surface by the action of grazing and animal impact will improve soillife and make more natural fertility available to the plants. The increasedcarbon on and in the soil enhances the life, water holding potential, reducesfluctuation in temperature, and ultimately captures more energy.

Animal energy requirements must be in sync with Nature. 80% of fetusgrowth takes place in the last two months of pregnancy. This is when animalenergy requirements are high for the cow. Likewise, conception rates at next

breeding are directly related to thecondition at calving. This period, untilthe time the bulls come out, is critical and the animal’s energy needs must bemet with an abundance of healthyforage. The calving must take place atthe time of year when that forage isavailable.

The SoilThe key to healthy soil and improved

animal performance is to cover the soilswith either living plants or trodden litter.This will improve the water and mineralcycles. The covered soils are protectedfrom sun and wind and the temperatureremains at a level which promotes soillife. Litter on the soil feeds earthwormsand a host of other life and makes thesoil like a sponge. I believe, to a largedegree, that droughts and floods are ahuman made phenomena because wehave an ineffective water cycle.

The GrazingAs with the ecosystem processes, each component of the whole (plants,

animals, soil) is really inextricably linked. I have written them downseparately to help with the learning. The biggest mistake made when startingto use Holistic Management planned grazing is that ranchers increasestocking rate when they should be keeping this the same and just increasingstock density. This happens because people keep looking at the soil instead ofthe animals. Without animal performance (which drives financialsustainability for most producers) there will be no ranchers. And with noranchers, we cannot save the world.

If you are making a living from the land, you are in the energy business.The energy captured by the grass needs to be optimized with management,and all the requirements to make animals perform will come from the landwith no inputs.

Ian Mitchell-Innes is a rancher and Certified Educator fromElandslaagte, South Africa. He can be reached at:[email protected].

In the biological calendar worksheet you see the top dates are for theNorthern Hemisphere and the bottom are for the Southern Hemisphere.The blocked out area beginning the middle of April (NorthernHemisphere) is when you need to concentrate on animal performance. It continues on through the middle of October (or middle of April for Southern Hemisphere).

With free choice minerals, animals can choose for their nutritional needs and aid in improving land health by distributing

those processed minerals through dung and urine.


Holistic Vineyard Design—Maximizing Solar Energy & Incomeby Kelly Mulville

My previous article on grazing sheep in vineyards concluded withthe observation that many of the problems being encounteredwere design issues. Using the term “design” was perhaps overlygenerous. Most vineyards were never designed for sustainable

practices, including grazing, and consequently implementation is oftentedious, awkward, costly and time consuming—as is management. Toolsare generally given: technology in the form of tractors and implementswhich dictates how vineyards and farms are laid out. Farms, therefore,tend to be a reflection of the requirements of machinery rather than thevision of a farmer attempting to mimic healthy ecosystems. “Form followsmachinery” is too often the norm.

Transitioning from conventional to organic or even biodynamic practicesoften merely entails a change of inputs. Adapting these sites to grazing canfeel like trying to modify a Hummer into something more ecologicallyintelligent. Putting solar panels on the roof and a hedgerow in the backdoesn’t change the fact that you are still working with an inappropriatedesign. Too often though, we manage as though the tool is the goal.

The majority of vineyards I have come across in over ten years ofviticulture are great examples of underutilization of sunlight energy. Thewasted potential of this energy is manifested in unnecessary fertility, labor,fuel and equipment costs. The imbalances are primarily due to a reliance onfossil fuel to perform these tasks.

If the basic design of most vineyards is dysfunctional in terms ofsustainability, how do we create designs that are holistically sound? As withmany of my experiences in practicing Holistic Management a key in myprogress has been to keep things simple.

Holistic DesignDeveloping a holistic design is simply the process of using the Holistic

Management® Framework to direct the creation of a design. In other wordsa holisticgoal shapes and directs the design. This process has proven to be

helpful in testing and creating designs as well as evaluating existing designsfor potential problems.

In the early stages a design can simply be a rough sketch for working outideas and comparing options on paper—for instance how to lay out andtrellis a vineyard to achieve elements of a holisticgoal that call for fertility tobe developed on site through biological means, high species diversity(including animals) and maximizing of solar energy through plants (inaddition to the numerous viticultural requirements). At a broader scale layerscan be developed to show best layout for vine blocks, options for paddocklocations (in and outside the cropping area), soil types, water availability, etc.Bringing an idea to paper enables one to experiment and manipulateelements before committing them to reality.

Any design being considered should address both what is being managedand how you want to manage. This last issue is especially important inhelping to realize your desired quality of life. Of particular importance to meis a preference of working with small livestock rather than equipment.Therefore, when designing for myself (or others with similar values) thisobjective is constantly in mind in order to create the environment, structuresand the practices that will address the holisticgoal.

As with all decisions made when practicing Holistic Management, oneshould assume that any design, while done to the best of our ability, may notnecessarily prove to be correct and monitoring should be in place to provideearly warning. With this in mind, I try not to design out possibilities. Forinstance, even though a design may be conducive to easy management ofgrazing animals I generally don’t create a scenario that eliminates thepossibility of ever using any equipment. I believe our farming practicesshould be rewarding, inspirational and even fun. If we can imagine such ascenario, we can create designs to make that possible.

While working on a design project I find myself continuously referringback to my holisticgoal, utilizing testing questions, assessing how theecosystem needs function, and testing for the most holistically sound toolsand options. One element that seems to consistently come into play in mywork is the idea of stacking or layering.

Grazing vineyards and orchards is a great example of this concept. To dothis effectively it helps to think of your farm as an area of land available forharvesting solar energy through living plants rather than simply a vineyard,orchard, etc. Broadening your perspective beyond your current crop opens up

numerous possibilities for diversification, profit andmanagement. Using this idea, a skillfully designed andmanaged vineyard can become productive and profitable at anumber of levels. In addition to the fruit crop, income andecological services could be provided by grazing animals andtheir products (wool, meat, milk, nutrient cycling, etc.)Fertility then becomes a byproduct of your diversity ratherthan an expense (see sidebar on next page)

Model StageMy dad was an architect, so as a kid I watched as he would

scribble design ideas on a napkin later to become plans,models, and then completed buildings. The process seemed anatural progression of taking an idea from imagination topossibility to reality. In my design work I’ve found that themodel or prototype stage is a great way to test out ideas on a

This is a conventionally managed vineyard with highcanopy (54 inches). This vineyard could easily be grazedas the vines are trained high enough to avoid browsedamage to the canopy. This would eliminate the need forherbicides, tillage, suckering, mowing, etc.


small scale and refine them before implementing. The model or trial stagecan take a number of forms from trying out simple ideas or modifications tosmall scale experimentation of management practices in order to work outthe kinks before moving to full implementation. The beauty of this stage ofthe design process is that it transforms elements or ideas into threedimensions which can greatly aid in the process of refining your work andverifying concepts.

Design PrinciplesWhen working on a holistic design there are a number of basic

principles I keep in mind. Following is a list of some of the most common principles I use in vineyard and orchard projects:

• Mimic healthy ecosystems• Keep soil covered at all times• Build/maintain soil health on site rather than importing fertility• Design for process as well as purpose• Layering of complimentary enterprises to increase ecological and economic benefits

• Design to maximize solar energy—current solar income• Design for ease of management—especially for daily elements like water, livestock moves

• Design for diversity of plant and animal species• Design for effective use of biological tools—i.e. grazing animals• Eliminate tillage• Design for all aspects of holisticgoal (especially keeping in mind quality of life)

• Design for flexibility (increased rather than reduced possibilities)• Keep management needs and possible opportunities (or conflicts) inmind especially when stacking enterprises

• Design for simplicity, elegance, and flow• Design for the specific locality: climate, hydrology, geography,topography, soils, ecology, etc.

• Design for beauty and abundance• Design for whole ecosystem/farm rather than solely for specific cropsCurrently this list functions as an adjunct to the Management Guidelines

row of the framework when I work on design (or design evaluation) projects.Although, (this probably won’t come as a surprise) I am in the process of re-structuring the framework to include a Design Guideline row to moreaccurately reflect my own pattern of use for these particular projects.

As each holisticgoal or holistically managed entity is unique and specificto the whole being managed the same is implicitly true of a holistic design ofa vineyard, farm, etc. A holistically designed vineyard could look quitesimilar or dramatically different from the norm but would likely functionmuch more effectively in terms of converting solar energy to healthy soils,provide increased economic stability and profitability, and function withmore biological elegance.

In an ironic twist, one of the keys in designing vineyards holistically is toabandon the limiting view of considering a property as strictly a vineyard—moving beyond the idea of just farming a crop to creating a fecund, healthy,productive, and profitable landscape.

It is long past time to get out of the rut of trying to modify fossil fuelbased agriculture to be more efficient and start designing and creating farmsthat are highly effective at maximizing current solar income, that areecologically diverse and that are profitable. If there is to be any hope forfuture generations our agriculture endeavors need to be places of irresistiblehope, inspiration, and intrigue to those of us on the land and especially tothe young. If we design and manage for these values we are more likely toachieve them.

Ultimately I see Holistic Management as a creative process that utilizes

Holistic Vineyard Design Prototype Trialby Kelly Mulville

In my ongoing work designing and managing vineyardsholistically it’s become obvious that the easiest way to goabout this is to start with a clean slate. Designing and buildinga vineyard at a new site avoids the constraints of trying to

remodel or adapt existing infrastructure. The reality, though, isthat most good vineyard land is currently developed andsometimes just needs some tweaking to allow for grazing.Opportunities for enhancing these sites are great given a littlecreativity and clarity of intention.

As mentioned previously, one of the major obstacles encounteredin working with existing vineyards is that they were never designedto be grazed throughout the growing season. Consequently grazinganimals need to be removed just when they are most needed. Thiswas an obvious design flaw from a holistic perspective as it reducedbiological options for managing cover crops, soil health, and vines.

The potential options – aversion training of sheep and using theshorter Southdown variety didn’t pass the testing questions at anumber of levels. Aversion conditioning utilizes lithium chloride to

the “instrument” of the framework in order to create or manage anythingfrom a landscape to a business to a life. Dovetailing the framework to thedesign process addresses what can often be a narrow focus in designs, fromsimple to complex. Taking a holistic approach to design illuminates amyriad of possibilities to make dramatic changes in the way we view andpractice farming.

Kelly Mulville does holistic design, management and consulting forfarms, vineyards and ranches. He can be reached [email protected] or 707/431-8060.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Trial site in May shows the cover crop is still green and providing some forage for sheep. Offset wires can

be seen just below vine canopy.


induce stomach pain and when combined with grape leaves “trains” sheepnot to eat these. This approach sent up a bunch of red flags (i.e.sustainability—unknown effects on animal health and soil biology) andwould eliminate the option of using sheep to do my suckering. Southdowns(Baby Dolls) appeared a better choice for many vineyards due to their smallsize, but I’d heard accounts of them standing on each other to overcome thishandicap and they were priced unreasonably. Mainly though, I wanted adesign that could function effectively with various breeds and sizes of sheep.

Looking through the tool row on the model I kept coming back totechnology and human creativity. For several years I’d had a rough idea onusing strategically placed electrified wires to deter grazing animals fromeating the grape leaves. Following my dad’s inspiration, I pulled out a scrapof paper and penciled out my idea. This led to a materials list, an order, and a few weeks later a prototype.

I’d been managing a small vineyard in which I grazedsheep each year from January to the end of March, when thevines began to leaf out. This was an ideal place to try out theconcept on a small scale and refine if necessary. My primaryaim was to create an inexpensive and effective way to keepsheep (of all sizes) from browsing grapevines. This would thenopen up the possibility of grazing throughout the year. Thesystem couldn’t interfere with viticultural practices, needed tobe low maintenance, and simple to install.

With a little more design and installation work I set up thevineyard and tested the system. After working out a few kinks,the vineyard was stocked two months before bud break to givethe sheep plenty of time to learn the off limits zone. Thesystem was then monitored for five months, three duringwhich the grapes were leafed out. The system turned out to be100% effective and virtually problem free. One of the bigsurprises was the dramatic reduction in irrigation needscombined with an increase in fruit yield. Following is a list of

the benefits realized from this trial: • Reduced irrigation use: from 24 gallons per vine in 2008 to 5 gallons in

2009 (both were drought years). Conventional neighboring vineyard wateruse averages 45 gallons per vine (same soils, rootstock and clone varieties).

• Increased yield: 461 pounds more fruit than the previous year whichwould equate to 1,245 pounds per acre increase

• Sheep did all suckering and converted it to fertilizer• Provided enough meat to fill a large freezer at the end of the season• Completely eliminated the need to mow between rows and cultivate

under the vines while simultaneously converting this plant matter intofertility

• Converted all lateral removal, leaf removal and shoot thinning directlyinto onsite fertility

Converting figures at a per acre basis allows some interesting comparisonsbetween conventional farming, organic practices and grazing trial:

Holistic Vineyard Design continued from page eleven

Here sheep eat lateral growth that Kelly wanted removed for canopymanagement. In spite of having abundant and desirable browse in thegrape foliage, the sheep have avoided eating any of the canopy growth.

(Photo left) Neighboring vineyard shows sucker growthon vines. These suckers will soon be removed by handlabor. Sheep effectively kept all sucker growth browsedand converted it to manure on the trial plot as can beseen from photos.

(Photo right) This photo (of trial site) was taken the same day as photo above. See how well the sheep

kept the vines suckered.

Conventional (UC CooperativeExtension–2004)

TIME COST

Fertilizing

Mow / Disc

Weeding

Suckering

TOTAL

Conventional (UC CooperativeExtension–2004)TIME COST

2 $102

1.77 $57

8 $124

11.77 $283

Organic(UC CooperativeExtension–2005)TIME COST

2 $68

2 $62

3.87 $116

8 $124

15.87 $370

Trial(2009)

TIME COST

* *

* *

* *

* *

4 $231

* Time and cost were not broken outbetween the varioustasks due to the factthat the sheep tend toperform these taskssimultaneously.


As shown by the chart on the previous page, potential savings in bothtime and expense is considerable in the trial compared to both conventionaland organic management. Had the sheep used in this trial been sold for theirpurchase price (rather than being harvested for meat for my own use) thetotal cost would have been $61/acre for the year. With direct marketing orvalue adding, the livestock “layer” of this holistic design could become

profitable rather than an expense.Creating the option of a vineyard as a productive grazing

area opens a number of opportunities for utilizing livestockincluding: collaboration with neighbors, leasing the vineyardas pasture, renting sheep, or developing an onsite livestockenterprise. Holistic financial planning can help guide in theprocess of determining the most appropriate choice.

It is important to keep in mind that this trial tested out justone element (tool) of a concept to determine its effectivenessin leading towards a holisticgoal. Designing for process as wellas practice within the context of a holisticgoal issimultaneously much broader and more focused than aconventional approach. Tools don’t become the goal anddeterminer of management practices but rather theappropriate means for achieving a well articulated vision.

Initial results of this trial indicate that removing thelogjam of an extremely limited grazing window in vineyardsopens up numerous creative options for holistically soundmanagement practices.

Working through the testing and evaluation of this trialreinforced my belief that designing and managing vineyards holisticallyoffers enormous potential for increasing profitability, by both reducing costsand providing additional income sources. In addition, significantimprovements in ecosystem processes including healthier soils, increaseddiversity, better energy conversion, decreased reliance on equipment and fossilfuels, etc. can be expected—not to mention the continuous progress towardsa higher quality of life.

Why a book oninducedmeandering? SoLet the Water Do

the Work begins. The simpleanswer is, because it works.Specifically, it is a practical,affordable, and simplemethod that allows the creek,stream, or arroyo to do thework for you. In other words,you partner with Nature. By“thinking like a creek,” youcan harness the regenerative

power of floods to reshape stream banks and rebuild floodplainsalong gullied stream channels.

This approach runs counter to the conventional approach to streamrestoration because it looks at intentionally eroding selected bankswhile encouraging the deposit of sediment on evolving floodplains.

The authors of this book, Bill Zeedyk and Van Clothier, bring yearsof experience in this art of riparian restoration. They have worked onprojects and taught many workshops and prepared training materialsfor professionals, laypersons, and volunteers. Moreover, these techniqueshave now been adopted by federal, state, and tribal agencies, as well aslandowners and conservation organizations.

How is this information helpful to Holistic Managementpractitioners? It’s a valuable tool to consider for your toolbox if youown land on which water runs (which includes everyone from Sidney

to Seattle). I was lucky enough to attend an Induced Meanderingworkshop nearby a couple of years and can still remember the lightbulb that went off for me when Bill Zeedyk talked about looking at theland around the stream or creek to see what the water was doingunderneath the land, and how the water channel influenced the watertable. As a stream bed continues to dig deeper into the land, the lowerthe water table drops. If you can induce meandering and let sedimentbuild that streambed up, you actually raise the water table and restorefloodplains.

Induced meandering reminds me of planned grazing (a techniqueoften used in conjunction) because you are working with Nature toimprove the function of the land and water. Planned grazing can reallyaddress ineffective water cycle “uphill” of the riparian area. Likewise, it can improve riparian function. But, if you’ve got a severely incisedchannel with years of damage, induced meandering will createamazing results in a relatively short amount of time—some of theexamples in the book show a dramatic difference of restoredfloodplains in six years.

This book is chockfull of photos of various induced meanderingprojects with clear delineation of before and after and what was done tocreate the change. The design, layout, and illustrations are courtesy ofTamara Gadzia, making this book very user friendly. Whether youwant to know how to trim pickets or build a one rock dam, there arelots of photos to help you as well as clear instruction. Moreover, thereare plenty of forms to help with design, implementation, andmonitoring.

Anyone interested in natural resource management will find thisbook helpful and thought-provoking. To order, go to the ad on page 23.

Book Review by Ann Adams

Let the Water Do the Work:Induced Meandering, anEvolving Method forRestoring Incised ChannelsBy Bill Zeedyk and Van ClothierQuivira Coalition, Santa Fe, N.M.2009 • 239 pageswww.quiviracoalition.org

By the middle of June, the cover crop is completely grazed, dead ordormant. There has been no browsing of vine leafs which the sheep relish.

Development Corner

A Heartfelt Thank You to All!

Many of you responded generously to our year-end appeal, which benefited

several of our key initiatives for 2010. TheBeginning Women Farmers project in theNortheast attracted attention and generous gifts, and Kids on the Land got a boost for its second program site in Texas; quite a few donations came in for our outreach with the documentary “The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth,” while the majority of donations were designated for core support of our mission. Look for periodicupdates on these program initiatives—and others. On behalf of all of us at HMI, many thanks for your wonderful support!

Beginning Women Farmers

The USDA-funded Beginning Women Farmerprogram has been going full tilt this winter.

When funds were released for this $817,000grant at the beginning of 2010 there was a lot ofwork to be done. With 90 women in 6 states tobe trained in 10 different sessions for each state,Regional Coordinators Phil Metzger andSeth Wilner have been busy coordinatinginstructors as well as teaching some of theclasses. Senior Director of Education, AnnAdams has been working with the RegionalCoordinators as well as Local Coordinators ineach state which includes University ofVermont, Community in Support ofAgriculture in Massachusetts, NortheasternOrganic Farming Association inConnecticut, Women’s AgriculturalNetwork in Maine, Small and BeginnerFarmers of New Hampshire, and CentralNew York Resource Conservation &Development. Other instructors includeeducators John Thurgood and EricaFrenay as well as educators who have beentrained under a previous Northeast SustainableAgriculture Research and Education grant,including Dean Bascom, Crystal Stewart,and Gabe Clark.

By press date, most of the six states will havecompleted the first six courses which will takeplace in a classroom. The remaining four coursesfor each state will be on farm visits which willinclude biological monitoring and grazingplanning. As more women decide to farm,particularly on small farms, the need for wholefarm planning that is value-based continues togrow. Moreover, many of these women are

integrating livestock into their vegetable, fruit,and flower production so there is a greater needfor improved grazing planning skills. The interestby participants in this program has been highwith lots of great learning. The next step is totrain some of the women involved in the programto be Certified Educators so they can also helpsupport this program in future years.

Gen Next—Colorado College Education Series

It all began with Laura Parker, ColoradoCollege alumni and sustainable agricultureaficionado, who coordinated a screening of thePBS documentary “The First Millimeter: Healingthe Earth” at Colorado College in earlyDecember of 2009 which generated a lot ofinterest in Holistic Management, especially

among the members of the Colorado CollegeStudent Farm Committee. Subsequently, due tothe hard work of Juna Rosales Muller, JessArnsteen, and Zora Cobb, Colorado Collegeprovided a grant through their “Life of theMind” grant program to fund a HolisticManagement Education Series at ColoradoCollege in Colorado Springs, Colorado. OnFebruary 21-22, 28 students participated in anIntroduction to Holistic Management and aHolistic Financial Planning courses taught byeducators Ann Adams and Katie Rosing.Katie is an alumni of Colorado College and hasher own farm, Heritage Belle Farms, outsideColorado Springs. One of the courses was heldon her farm and she provided a farm tour.

As the students noted in their grantapplication: “Current global ecologyshows the need to focus on spreadingboth knowledge of and interest insustainability and HMI’s work to theyounger generation. The ColoradoCollege’s Student Farm Committeewould like to address this issue by


Seth Wilner teachinggoalsetting to the NewHampshire BeginningWomen Farmer group.

Phil Metzgerteaching

decision testingto the

Massachusettsgroup.

Maine women farmers learning aboutholistic financial planning.

Twenty-eight Colorado Collegestudents participated in anIntroduction to HolisticManagement course hosted ateducator Katie Rosing’s farm.

hosting a series of HMI-based workshops availableto all students. We believe that HolisticManagement has the means to provide thepractical and conceptual framework needed forcreative problem solving today.”

The Colorado College Farm Club committeeenvisions a long-term Holistic ManagementEducation Series that will create a culture of land stewardship at Colorado College from anacademic perspective—providing students with the encouragement, education and resources toimplement fundamental land managementchanges on campus, in their community, andaround the world.

In April, the courses will cover grazingplanning and biological monitoring. This Mayseveral of the students will be graduating andserving as interns or as producers for farmingoperations in New Mexico and Colorado. Thesecourses begin to address the need of many liberalarts students to combine sustainable agriculturewith a liberal arts course of study.

Kids on the Land—A Second Pilot Site!

Board Member John Hackley has offeredRichards Ranch in Jacksboro, Texas, as the

second Kids on the Land pilot site. Over the lastfew months, Peggy Maddox, Director ofEducational Programs at West Ranch, met with

Just recently, Board member Sallie Calhounshowed the documentary-length version to members of the Peninsula Open Space Trust in Palo Alto, California and facilitated the ensuing discussion about soil carbon and other land stewardship issues. Subsequently,Sallie was asked by the Slow Food Chapter of Los Altos to show the film to their members in early April. If you’d like to participate inspreading the word about the many benefits of Holistic Management, please contact Mary Girsch-Bock at HMI ([email protected]) or 505/842-5252 and she’ll set you up with materials and other support.


Educator Katie Rosing explained management practices

and how they influenced her land base as part of this on-farm

educational opportunity.

retired teachers, NRCS staff, andothers interested in kids programs inJacksboro to involve them inadjusting program content to theecology of the region (Western CrossTimber), and in the planning andco-teaching of the program in mid-May. Eight volunteers and Peggy willkick off the Jacksboro Kid on the Land seasonwith 186 kids from 4th and 5th grade on May12th and 13th. We’re almost there in terms offunding, with only about $2,000 to go! Any helpwith reaching our goal is most welcome!

PBS Documentary Update

Since “The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth”first aired on Earth Day 2009, it has shown in

over twenty-five PBS markets and five filmfestivals across the country and is re-broadcasting again for Earth Day in key areasnot counting the dozens of private screeningsthat carried the message of healthy lands,sustainable future to additional audiences.

At HMI’s March board meeting the Board and senior staff tooksome time to review some really basic questions thatincluded: What is Holistic Management? Why is HolisticManagement special? What are the goals of the HMI

organization? How will HMI know if it’s achieving its goals? These are obviously questions that could be discussed for days, but

what we need for our clients is short and quick answers, often 1-3words. It’s also important to realize that while there is not one correctanswer, we do need to be in general agreement.

In response to the question, “What is Holistic Management?” someof the Board/staff team replies were: It’s a sustainability, decisionmaking tool; learned skill; lifestyle; and historically land based. To thequestion, “Why is Holistic Management special?” some of the answerswere: It includes your future resource base and everyone in setting theholisticgoal; making balanced decisions with multiple objectives; andit works particularly well with land based enterprises.

The goals of asking these questions to start a Board meeting wereto make sure we are all on the same “bus”, to deepen our thinkingabout how we articulate the value of Holistic Management, and toappreciate the unique strengths and opportunities of HolisticManagement. Allan, Jody, and others have provided us with a veryspecial and powerful way to empower people to influence the future,

and we wanted to make sure we didn’t lose sight of that vision. As we talked about how to integrate HMI’s holisticgoal with its

policies, strategies, and tactics, we were focused on measurableoutcomes for the coming year and for the next 3-5 years. In manycases, change starts with learning, then people take some action, andfinally, we see comprehensive change. Much of our discussion wasbased on the logic model for change from the University of Wisconsin.Our clients, funders, and anyone who invests time or money wants tohave a clear understanding of the outcome. I call it the “so what”question. It also became obvious that with clear and measurablegoals/milestones, we had a great way to monitor progress—anotherkey component of Holistic Management.

It is always amazing to see that practicing Holistic Managementcan be such a powerful way to achieve one’s goals. At our Julymeeting, we plan to take some extra time to clearly identify somemilestones to monitor our progress toward out holisticgoal. I’ll keepyou posted and encourage you to make practicing HolisticManagement part of your every day activities.

From the Board Chair

The second Western Canadian HolisticManagement Conference was held onFebruary 9-10, 2010 in Russell, Manitoba,Canada with over 225 delegates in attendance.The event was organized by ManitobaAgriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives(MAFRI) and the Manitoba ForageCouncil. Don Campbell and Len Piggottshared the roll of chairing the event – both wellknow Certified Educators in Canada.

The event was opened by Pam Iwanchyskoof MAFRI who addressed how HolisticManagement can make a significant difference from a personal standpoint. Keynote presentations were also made by many speakers including John Ikerd ofMissouri, a well acclaimed Agricultural Economist who spoke about purpose in peril and a sustainable agricultural system, TerryGompert from the University of Nebraska who described practical farm management

techniques from the livestock and forageperspective, and Ann Adams from HMI who spoke about how to create a life of meaning with Holistic Management.

Many break-out presentations were made on the practical side of Holistic Management from producers across Western Canada who are practicing Holistic Management. Open bear-pit sessions also took place at the beginningof the second day about the personal, financial,and cropping and land management side ofHolistic Management. These break-out sessionswere delivered by the Canadian HolisticManagement Certified Educators. In additionthere were keynote presentations made bymotivational speakers Rolande Kirouac ofWinnipeg and Darci Lang of Regina.

The conference focus was Healthy People,Healthy Land and Healthy Profits and wascertainly a highlight for many delegates who attended.


T h e

news from holistic management international � people, programs & projects

HMI has a new website! We are usingJoomla! which as an open source

content management system has opened aworld of possibilities for HMI’s home on theweb. The organization now has available toit a galaxy of extensions, both free andcommercial, to enhance ongoinginteractivity with the broader HolisticManagement community

The new website also adds levels ofinteractivity and intercommunication thatare not possible on older platforms. With anew Holistic Management Blog and aHolistic Management Community Forum,people will be able to share ideas,suggestions, and disagreements quickly andglobally.

The Date Mine also has a home on theweb in the form of a blog providing readerswith ongoing commentary on the nature ofmonitoring and research activities currently

underway at HMI. In the coming weeks andmonths we will be directing a significant effortto improve our ability to effectively monitorchanges on the land. Part of this effort willinvolve a literature review, the results of whichwill be continuously and regularly publishedvia the Data Mine Blog with an onlinesearchable database of many scientific andcase study writings, with commentary on therelevance of this research to HolisticManagement.

Additionally, HMI will leverage the newwebsite as an important resource in order toextend our network of researchers andpractitioners, all with the hope of closing thegap between research and practice.

Please visit the Data Mine Blog via the Holistic Management website at yourearliest convenience. You can participate byleaving a comment or creating a relevantthread in the HM Community Forum.

Data Mine by Frank Aragona

Pam Iwanchyskowas the primaryorganizer for theconference andthe first keynote.

Certified EducatorLeonard Pigott

presided over thesecond day of the

conference.

(Left) John Ikerd, an agricultural economistfrom the University of Missouri roused thecrowd with his speech on building sustainablefood systems. (Right) New Certified EducatorTony McQuail was one of the presenters in thesustainable cropping workshop.

Fran McQuailvisiting withnew CertifiedEducatorsAllisonGuichon andBrian Luce.

Certified EducatorDon Campbellopened theconference.

New Certified Educators Blain Hjertaas andRalph and Linda Corcoran visiting.

Canadian Holistic Management Conference

HMI-Texas Annual Conference a Success

HMI Texas pulled off their 23rd Annual Spring Conference, “A Wealth of Wildlife,” on March 5thand 6th in Braunfel, Texas. The conference was kicked off with an excellent presentation by

Gregg Simonds of Deseret Ranch. He spoke in depth about what it took to turn around the failing ranch and transform it into the healthy, productive wildlife and livestock operation that it is today. Gregg spoke to the fact that we all have options when it comes to management. The challenge is to realize those options and discern which ones are best for your land andcircumstances. “Create choice and the ability to choose,” was his mantra. He also emphasized theimportance of monitoring your land in order to see if your decisions are making the impact youintended. Other speakers included Dr. Jerry Cooke, Greg Simons, David Griffith, and John Martin. Special thanks to HMI-Texas staff, Amy Normand, Peggy Cole, and Liz Goulding for all their hard work!

HMI Australia serves as the foreign agentfor HMI in Australia and is a separate

affiliate with its own Board led byManaging Director Judi Earl, HolisticManagement Certified Educator. In fiscalyear 2008/2009, Certified Educators JudiEarl, Brian Marshall, and George Gundryparticipated in five training programs thatwere initiated under the auspices of HMIA,educating nearly 50 businesses. HMIA alsopresented at 11 workshops and conferencesthroughout Australia, covering a range of subjects relating to land regenerationand grazing management. Continuedsupport is provided to recent ‘graduates,’ as well as attendance at many practitioners’ field days.

Because education is the main focus of HMIA, they were very pleased that theTechnical and Further Education (NewSouth Wale’s technical-vocational college)now has accredited a Holistic Management

course. Furthermore, the full HolisticManagement training course offered byHMIA is now registered with Farmready, thenew Australian government education andtraining subsidy program that was launchedat the end of 2008. Short course offeringsfrom HMIA are soon to come.

Constantly spreading the word, HMIA has been promoting Holistic Management in newspaper, radio, and other targetedadvertising material produced to promotetraining opportunities and workshops. In addition, HMIA has been issuing a regular local newsletter which is sent tosubscribers and is available for downloadfrom the website.

We are very excited about the activity in Australia and New Zealand. Check out the Affiliates page on our website,www.holisticmanagment.org, for informationabout what’s going on there and around the world!

HMIA Update

A panel of ranchers who operate wildlife enterprises spokeabout their experiences. From left to right: Forrest Armke,

Brett Addison, Pam Mitchell, and Dale Prochaska. Keynote Gregg Simondstalked about hisexperience of helpingthe Deseret Ranch todevelop into a premierwildlife ranch.

HMI-Texas President Peggy Maddox visitingwith Kathy Dickson.

PeggySechrist

enjoying avisit with

Jerry Cooke.

HMI CEO Peter Holter (right) visiting HMI Texas Board member Paul Martin.

Dirk Weisigerprovidedentertainmentby tellingcowboy storiesand performingrope tricks.

HMI Boardmember ClintJosey enjoying

the proceedings.



It’s Not Just a Grazing Thingcontinued from page three

Sandra Matheson is a rancher, Certified Educatorin Holistic Management, and a retired veterinarian inWashington state, USA. She is the mother of two growndaughters and currently does screenwriting, as well asTV and video production. She and her Washington statecertified educator team, Managing Change Northwest,work together to spread Holistic Management andfacilitate groups using the consensus process. She canbe reached at: [email protected].

Northeast SARE Grant Awarded

ANortheast Sustainable Agriculture, Research,and Education (SARE) grant was awarded to

the Central New York Resource Conservation &Development (RC&D) due to the efforts ofeducator Phil Metzger. “Utilizing HolisticPlanned Grazing as a Regenerative Engine forSustainable Agriculture” is the title of this$158,000 Professional Development grant.

As Phil noted in his grant, “With increasedpressure from the current dairy crisis, risingenergy, equipment, feed and fertilizer costs,coupled with consumer interest in grass-basedproducts, and environmental concerns (e.g.Chesapeake Bay water quality issues), a recordnumber of requests from farmers for grazingplanning assistance have been experienced bycooperative extension, conservation districts/NRCSand farmer-educators. This at a time when thereare few whole farm grazing planning specialists inthe Northeast SARE Region. Another significanttrend is the shortage of trained educational andfield staff to deliver programming and on-farmstrategies to help farmers meet farm goals in theareas of profitability, ecological improvement andsocial well-being. Additionally farmers arestruggling to meet obligations for conservationprogramming (e.g. Environmental QualityInitiative Program, State EnvironmentalProtection Fund.)”

This project will focus on whole farmplanning and teaching the practical and technicalside of grazing management, economics,marketing concepts of planned grazing, ecologicalhealth, animal behavior, infrastructure design andancillary topics (e.g. wildlife habitat and idle landregeneration.)

The performance targets for this grant are totrain 30 extension educators, conservation

professionals, grassland advocates and/or farmermentors from the Northeast SARE region. Thesepeople will then support 120 farms, representing24,000 acres. Estimated results are a 15% increasein profitability, 25% increase in ground cover,biological activity and improved soil & foragehealth, and measurable improvement in qualityof life. Congratulations Phil and Central New YorkRC&D.

Western SARE Grant Awarded Congratulations to Kelly Boney for securing

one of the much coveted Farmer/RancherResearch and Education grants from WesternSustainable Agriculture, Research, and Education

Sandra’s sister, Diane, and her daughter, Molly, with Sandra (right) in front of Mount Shuksan,

near Bellingham, Washington.

(SARE). Kelly will be implementing mixed-herdplanned grazing on 288 acres of retiringConservation Reserve Program (CRP) land todocument changes in land health andproductivity due to Holistic Management practices.As a recently Certified Educator, Kelly is excitedabout sharing her results with her neighbors andother ranchers in the area and has enlisted HMI to provide technical support and monitoringservices for the two-year project. She will also be collaborating with Natural ResourcesConservation Service (NRCS), Farm ServiceAgency (FSA), and New Mexico ExtensionServices, all of which bring important expertise to the success of the project.

In Memoriam

It is with great sadness that HMI reports the passingof Cynthia O. Harris, M.D. at home in Albuquerque,New Mexico on January 9, 2010. She was born on

June 6, 1923 in San Francisco and is survived by herdevoted husband of 33 years Leo O. Harris. Cynthiagraduated from Radcliffe College in 1945 and fromCase Western Reserve University School of Medicine in1963. She practiced psychiatry in Cleveland, joiningthe Gestalt Institute in 1964. She was a publishedauthor, a trustee on many boards and a member ofthe American Psychiatric Association and otherprofessional associations. Cynthia received theEleanor Roosevelt Humanitarian Award in 2000 for her significant accomplishments. Shewas an ardent feminist, a committed environmentalist and a philanthropist. Cynthia andLeo have been part of the HMI community since 2003 as significant supporters—they werethe firs step forward to provide a most generous seed grant to jump start the production of“The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth”—and have served on HMI’s Advisory Council since2004. We all feel fortunate to have known Cynthia, and Leo continues to be a valued memberof the HMI family. She will be greatly missed.

Cynthia O. Harris, M.D.


CALIFORNIA

Richard King1675 Adobe Rd., Petaluma, CA 94954707/769-1490 • 707/794-8692(w)[email protected]

* Christopher Peck1330 Gumview Road, Windsor, CA 95492707/[email protected]

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

COLORADO

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

GEORGIA

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

MAINE

Vivianne Holmes239 E Buckfield RoadBuckfield, ME 04220-4209207/336-2484 • [email protected]

MICHIGAN

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

* Larry Dyer1113 Klondike Ave, Petoskey, MI 49770-3233231/439-8982 (w) • 231/347-7162 (h)[email protected]

MONTANA

Roland Kroos 4926 Itana Circle, Bozeman, MT 59715406/522-3862 • [email protected]

* Cliff MontagneP.O. Box 173120, Montana State University Department of Land Resources &Environmental Science, Bozeman, MT 59717406/994-5079 • [email protected]

NEBRASKA

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

Paul Swanson5155 West 12th St., Hastings, NE 68901402/463-8507 • [email protected]

Ralph Tate1109 Timber Dr., Papillion, NE 68046402/932-3405 • [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 NW, Albuquerque, NM 87102505/[email protected]

Kelly Boney4865 Quay Road L, San Jon, NM 88434575/[email protected]

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

NORTH DAKOTA

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

OREGON

Jeff Goebel52 NW Mcleay Blvd.Portland, OR 97210541/[email protected]

PENNSYLVANIA

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

TEXAS

Guy Glosson6717 Hwy. 380, Snyder, TX 79549806/237-2554 [email protected]

Peggy MaddoxP.O. Box 694, Ozona, TX 76943-0694325/392-2292 • [email protected]

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

VIRGINIA

Byron SheltonPO Box 558, Upperville, VA 20185719/221-3259 (c)[email protected]

UN I T E D S TAT E S

UN I T E D S TAT E S

IN T E RNAT IONA L

WASHINGTON

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, 715/678-2465W. 3597 Pine Ave., Stetsonville, WI 54480-9559

Larry Johnson, 608/455-1685 W886 State Rd. 92, Brooklyn, WI [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

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

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

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) • 61-4-1853-2130 (c)[email protected]

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

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

Dick Richardson Bonnie Doone1497 Little Plains Road, Boorowa NSW 258661 0 263853217 (w) • 61 0 263855284 (h)61 0 429069001 (c) • [email protected]

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

Brian WehlburgPine Scrub Creek, Kindee, NSW, [email protected]

Jason VirtuePO Box 1406, Gymbie, QLD 457061-2- 07 5485 [email protected]

CANADA

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

Linda & Ralph CorcoranBox 36, Langbank, SK S0G 2X0306/[email protected]

* Allison GuichonBox 10, Quilchena, BC V0E 2R0250/[email protected]

Blain HjertaasBox 760, Redvers, Saskatchewan SOC 2HO306/[email protected]

Brian LuceRR #4, Ponoka, AB T4J 1R4403/[email protected]

Tony McQuail86016 Creek Line, RR#1, Lucknow, ON N0G 2H0519/[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]

KENYA

Richard HatfieldP.O. Box 10091-00100, Nairobi254-0723-506-331; [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, Nairobi254-727-288-039;[email protected]

MEXICO

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

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


OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma Land Stewardship AllianceCharles Griffith, contact personRoute 5, Box E44Ardmore, OK 73401580/[email protected]

PENNSYLVANIA

Northern Penn NetworkJim Weaver, contact personRD #6, Box 205Wellsboro, PA 16901717/[email protected]

TEXAS

HMI TexasPeggy Cole5 Limestone Trail,Wimberley, TX [email protected]

West Station for Holistic ManagementPeggy MaddoxPO Box 694, Ozona, TX [email protected]

NEW ZEALAND

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

SOUTH AFRICA

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

Ian Mitchell-InnesP.O. Box 52Elandslaagte [email protected]

UNITED KINGDOM

* Philip Bubb32 Dart Close, St. Ives,Cambridge, PE27 3JB44-1480-496-2925 (h)+44 7837 405483 (w)[email protected]

ARIZONA

HRM of ArizonaNorm Lowe2660 E. HembergFlagstaff, AZ 86004928/[email protected]

COLORADO

Colorado Branch For Holistic Management®P.O. Box 218Lewis, CO 81327www.coloradoholisticmanagement.orgCindy Dvergsten, webmaster970/882-4222

NEW YORK

Central NY RC&DPhil Metzger99 North Broad StreetNorwich, NY 13815607/334-3231 ext [email protected]

NORTHWEST

Managing WholesPeter DonovanPO Box 393Enterprise, OR 97828541/426-5783www.managingwholes.com

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• Save Time!• Does all the grazing planning calculations for you• Easy SAU feature• Keep track of rainfall• Easy forage assessment tool• Works on Macs or PC’s that run Excel• Comes with User’s Manual

HMI GRAZING PLANNING SOFTWARE

TO SEE A DEMO OF THE SOFTWARE GO TO: http://holisticmanagement.org/store//page8.html

Call 505/842-5252 or order online at www.holisticmanagement.org

LowIntroductory

Price of$100



WANTED:More Grass

Kelly Boney, Certified Educator

4865 QUAY ROAD LSAN JON, NM 88434

575/[email protected]

REWARD:Heavier Livestock and Greater Profit

HMIWearUnique gifts for everyone on your shopping list!

• HATS• JACKETS• VESTS• SHIRTS

Visit our online store at www.holisticmanagement.org

TODAY!Phone orders call 505/842-5252

Let the Water Do the Work:Induced Meandering,

an Evolving Method for Restoring Incised Channels

This “how to” manual for restoring health and sinuosity to incised channels, written by BILL ZEEDYK and VAN CLOTHIER and published BY THE QUIVIRA COALITION, contains eight chapters, 258 pages, and is lushly illustrated with 300 color photos, drawings, diagrams and graphics. Examples of successful treatments are described in detail.The book contains annotated

references, a glossary, and an appendix that includes

other tools for collecting and interpreting information pertinent to river and wetland restoration issues.

Purchase online for $50 (plus shipping and handling) www.quiviracoalition.org 505-820-2544

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

_ Hardcover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $55_ 15-set CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $125_ One month rental of CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $35_ Spanish Version (soft). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25

_ Holistic Management Handbook, by Butterfield, Bingham, Savory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29_ 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. (DVD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $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 (DVD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $30_ PBS Video—The First Millimeter: Healing the Earth (DVD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25

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 - 130 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15

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

_ Land Planning—For The Rancher or Farmer Running LivestockAugust 2007, 31 pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15

Planning Forms (All forms are padded – 25 sheets per pad)_Annual Income & Expense Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

_Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$ 7

_Livestock Production Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

_Grazing Plan & Control Chart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17

MAKE A TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION

Amount $_____________ Please designate program you would like us

to apply contribution toward _________________________________________

up to $15: add $ 5$16 to $35: add $ 6$36 to $50: add $ 8$51 to $70: add $ 9$71 to $90: add $10

over $91: add $12

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) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $149 Grazing Planning software (single-user license) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100

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

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

return service requested

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

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE PAIDALBUQUERQUE, NM

PERMIT NO 880


Printed on recycled paper

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.

Shipping and handlingcosts to the right are forU.S. media mail only.

Call 505/842-5252 forall other shipping rates.

#131 in practice may/jun 2010

Documents

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