Cara cont'd - Also, if a serious situation occurs, we can replan and calculate how much to reduce stock numbers (if needed) early on before the situation gets worse.
There have been many examples of successes around the world in many different environments.
@Edensgate Thank you for your prompt response from 2 months ago. I'm just now seeing it for some reason. I'm planning to reach out to the folks at HMI and others in coming weeks to find out more. I'm very interested to know of others in close proximity to us who are practicing holistic management practices with some success. If you know of anyone in the north/nw part of TX or sw OK who do, I'd love to know about them. Thank you again for your response and for such a wonderful film!
Hi Cara. The real value of holistic grazing is in the planning process. The cattle/livestock are put in the right place at the right time for the right reasons. Things such as grass growth rates, calving, nesting, haying, vacations, and drought are planned for. Granted we don't know when a drought will occur or how bad it will be, we CAN expect that it will happen from time to time and we plan each year for it so we are prepared. If no drought, we have extra forage.
I'm fascinated by these concepts, but I wonder how they fair during extreme drought such as what we've seen on my family's land in NW Texas (Hardeman County in the upper Rolling Plains) and across the state? Can these practices help the land bounce back after only receiving approx 6" of rain in the past 10 months? Are there others in severe drought conditions in similar terrain as ours who have had success with HMI practices? I'd be interested to know and be in touch with them.
@carahines you should investigate keyline design water management, or look up P.A. Yeomans. there are sustainable solutions to every problem, but getting folks to break old paradigms of thinking is the hard part. good luck with your property, i know things are tough out there. here in vermont, we had record breaking floods this year and even got hit with tropical storm irene that caused millions in damage. keyline protects against floods as well as drought. simple, but effective!
@beenblaze Thanks! I've not been involved w/ the family operations beyond going with dad to feed cattle when I visit. He's burned out, disillusioned, & in the wake of my brother's death last yr, he's all but given up. I recently discovered HMI & am sold. I'm asking 100 questions & spending more time here, helping where I can. As far as I can tell, things aren't sustainable as they are. And scarce water has been a huge question mark for me. I'll look into Keyline! Thank you so much!!
Our small farm had been 'farmed out'... In four years, with NO synthetic chemicals, by practicing managment intensive grazing, the yield of our pastures has increased four-fold. Just as 'the eye of the horseman feeds the horse' every situtation, every farm, is different (ranch is a traditional name for extensive management, and we use intensive management).
With Management intensive grazing, the mechanics are similar. Holistic planned grazing simply goes broader in looking at the whole operation in terms of the environment, economics, and social aspects. Holistic Management is a goal based decision-making framework and the grazing is only a part of it. The biological basics such as grass growth, animal impact, and recovery time are critical to the sucess of all grazing practices.
@Edensgate - O'm familiar with HM, but when I use the word 'holistic' with a lower case 'h', I mean the dictionary definition - which isn't too far from what the 'HM' people mean.
Our family has been using these practices for generations, and a very few of us have continued sustainable holistic farming practices since before these words were applied to agriculture. It's great to see renewed interest & awareness; thx for helping to spread the word!
Alright, a question for you. Is the holistic approach that these folks praise the same as the one pushed by Savory? I want to know because from every way we have examined and tested Savory's methods, we have had nowhere NEAR the benefits the gentleman claimed we should. In fact, we experienced extreme forage degradation and overall ecosystem deterioration.
Holism is not a standardized "method". It's a goal-based decision-making process in which every situation is unique. Actions taken are based on the environment, goal, and conditions at the time. The level of success will vary, but if implemented with clear understanding of the principles, a written goal, monitored, and adjusted as needed, it's unlikely to cause degradation.
Negatives impacts are almost always a result of following a "recipe" or "method". One size does not fit all in nature.
These film makers are all hat AND all cattle! They know what they're doing, and this is a vital issue, clearly. Well done, and they even let the cows have the last word!
Definitely makes me want to see more. I'm not a rancher, but I sure do and will support those who raise animals this way. It's better for the animals, it's better for the ranchers, it's better for the consumer, and it's better for the earth. Kudos!
Our hope is that people will see the stories of the ranchers and others on the video and see them as people like everybody else who had challenges but were willing to try a different approach to make an improvement in the land, their business, and their lives.
Sometimes it is easier to reach people through stories/videos like these than to try to "talk" to them when they don't want to listen. It's a start...
Yes, we think that holistic grazing is a positive approach to the serious problems of land degradation and the increasing difficulty farmers and ranchers face in keeping their farms profitable. Holistic grazing was started by ranchers and farmers to approach their land with a educated and sensitive eye on the environment as well as innovative and successful approach to production and profit. We need farmers and (like all of us) farmers need healthy land. Thank you for your comments.
Cara cont'd - Also, if a serious situation occurs, we can replan and calculate how much to reduce stock numbers (if needed) early on before the situation gets worse.
There have been many examples of successes around the world in many different environments.
Edensgate 3 months ago
@Edensgate Thank you for your prompt response from 2 months ago. I'm just now seeing it for some reason. I'm planning to reach out to the folks at HMI and others in coming weeks to find out more. I'm very interested to know of others in close proximity to us who are practicing holistic management practices with some success. If you know of anyone in the north/nw part of TX or sw OK who do, I'd love to know about them. Thank you again for your response and for such a wonderful film!
carahines 1 month ago
Hi Cara. The real value of holistic grazing is in the planning process. The cattle/livestock are put in the right place at the right time for the right reasons. Things such as grass growth rates, calving, nesting, haying, vacations, and drought are planned for. Granted we don't know when a drought will occur or how bad it will be, we CAN expect that it will happen from time to time and we plan each year for it so we are prepared. If no drought, we have extra forage.
Edensgate 3 months ago
I'm fascinated by these concepts, but I wonder how they fair during extreme drought such as what we've seen on my family's land in NW Texas (Hardeman County in the upper Rolling Plains) and across the state? Can these practices help the land bounce back after only receiving approx 6" of rain in the past 10 months? Are there others in severe drought conditions in similar terrain as ours who have had success with HMI practices? I'd be interested to know and be in touch with them.
carahines 4 months ago
@carahines you should investigate keyline design water management, or look up P.A. Yeomans. there are sustainable solutions to every problem, but getting folks to break old paradigms of thinking is the hard part. good luck with your property, i know things are tough out there. here in vermont, we had record breaking floods this year and even got hit with tropical storm irene that caused millions in damage. keyline protects against floods as well as drought. simple, but effective!
beenblaze 1 month ago
@beenblaze Thanks! I've not been involved w/ the family operations beyond going with dad to feed cattle when I visit. He's burned out, disillusioned, & in the wake of my brother's death last yr, he's all but given up. I recently discovered HMI & am sold. I'm asking 100 questions & spending more time here, helping where I can. As far as I can tell, things aren't sustainable as they are. And scarce water has been a huge question mark for me. I'll look into Keyline! Thank you so much!!
carahines 1 month ago
Our small farm had been 'farmed out'... In four years, with NO synthetic chemicals, by practicing managment intensive grazing, the yield of our pastures has increased four-fold. Just as 'the eye of the horseman feeds the horse' every situtation, every farm, is different (ranch is a traditional name for extensive management, and we use intensive management).
Jefferdaughter 1 year ago
@Jefferdaughter
With Management intensive grazing, the mechanics are similar. Holistic planned grazing simply goes broader in looking at the whole operation in terms of the environment, economics, and social aspects. Holistic Management is a goal based decision-making framework and the grazing is only a part of it. The biological basics such as grass growth, animal impact, and recovery time are critical to the sucess of all grazing practices.
Edensgate 1 year ago
@Jefferdaughter
Amazing improvements on the land have been made using those principles common to both managment intensive grazing and holistic planned grazing!
Edensgate 1 year ago
@Edensgate - O'm familiar with HM, but when I use the word 'holistic' with a lower case 'h', I mean the dictionary definition - which isn't too far from what the 'HM' people mean.
Our family has been using these practices for generations, and a very few of us have continued sustainable holistic farming practices since before these words were applied to agriculture. It's great to see renewed interest & awareness; thx for helping to spread the word!
Jefferdaughter 1 year ago
Alright, a question for you. Is the holistic approach that these folks praise the same as the one pushed by Savory? I want to know because from every way we have examined and tested Savory's methods, we have had nowhere NEAR the benefits the gentleman claimed we should. In fact, we experienced extreme forage degradation and overall ecosystem deterioration.
cinchup19 1 year ago
Holism is not a standardized "method". It's a goal-based decision-making process in which every situation is unique. Actions taken are based on the environment, goal, and conditions at the time. The level of success will vary, but if implemented with clear understanding of the principles, a written goal, monitored, and adjusted as needed, it's unlikely to cause degradation.
Negatives impacts are almost always a result of following a "recipe" or "method". One size does not fit all in nature.
raincrowfilm 1 year ago
These film makers are all hat AND all cattle! They know what they're doing, and this is a vital issue, clearly. Well done, and they even let the cows have the last word!
77pinehead 3 years ago
Definitely makes me want to see more. I'm not a rancher, but I sure do and will support those who raise animals this way. It's better for the animals, it's better for the ranchers, it's better for the consumer, and it's better for the earth. Kudos!
Beautiful filmmaking as well!
desertcityfilmworks 3 years ago
How can we recruit more farmers?
gianna234 3 years ago
Our hope is that people will see the stories of the ranchers and others on the video and see them as people like everybody else who had challenges but were willing to try a different approach to make an improvement in the land, their business, and their lives.
Sometimes it is easier to reach people through stories/videos like these than to try to "talk" to them when they don't want to listen. It's a start...
Edensgate 3 years ago
Thank you. This is THE issue of our time. This is how we all flourish. The commercial way is how we all die.
gianna234 3 years ago
Yes, we think that holistic grazing is a positive approach to the serious problems of land degradation and the increasing difficulty farmers and ranchers face in keeping their farms profitable. Holistic grazing was started by ranchers and farmers to approach their land with a educated and sensitive eye on the environment as well as innovative and successful approach to production and profit. We need farmers and (like all of us) farmers need healthy land. Thank you for your comments.
raincrowfilm 3 years ago