Less Stress, More Grass by Managing Holistically
Organic dairy farm, Dharma Lea, experienced economic, social and ecological benefits when making the switch from rotational grazing to Holistic Planned Grazing.
The Investment Case for Ecological Farming
Fox Ranch – Colorado
The Colorado Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (the Conservancy) and the Savory Institute (SI) agreed in 2011 to work together to advance the joint strategic interest and desire to enable enhanced conservation, restore ecological functions, and safeguard biological diversity of the seasonally dry grasslands of the world through the use of Holistic Management.
Twodot Land and Livestock – Pushing Limits on the Northern Plains
Fourth generation Montanan rancher and second generation Holistic Management practitioner continues to push the envelope while simultaneous increasing profits, cultural well being, and ecological resiliency. While still doing holistic grazing planning, in 2006, Zach pastured a fairly conventional four herds—three groups of yearlings (750 head, 440 head, and 500 head), plus a herd of 400 cows. In 2007, Jones invested in water development in order to combine all the yearlings into one big herd of 1,550 head. This herd was on Zachary’s 12,000 acres all summer (mid-May to mid-September), as well as a year round herd of 500 cows.
Prosperity through Simplicity – The Coughlans of Tarabah
Michael and Anna Coughlin, who manage the 18,000-hectare Tarabah on the plains of southwestern New South Wales, are “among the world’s greatest harvesters of sunlight” according to Howell. The Coughlins also manage the 2,400-hectare Moonbrill property a few hours to the east in a more productive environment… all with just 2.5 full-time employees and close to 6,000 cattle. Despite large tracts of Australia’s perennials reverting to cool season annuals, the Coughlins have created the conditions for pernnials to re-establish, and in doing so the wildlife (including duck-billed platypus and echidnas) has become more abundant.
Resiliency Down Under Drought-Proofing in New South Wales
In 2006-2007, southern Australia faced historic drought conditions, with the Coughlin family’s Tarabeh property receiving 8 of the 17-inch average, and Moombril receiving 10.5 of the normal 30. They survived the drought with more cattle than they started and without buying a pound of hay. This case study details the conditions they faced and the tough decisions that were made to make it through.
Rancho de la Inmaculada – Prospering in the Desert
At 2500 feet (820 meters) of elevation, the patch of desert embracing La Inmaculada is blessed with an average of 13 inches (330 mm) of annual precipitation. Since the Aguirres have been practicing Holistic Management, annual totals have ranged from 6 to 25 inches. About 50 percent comes during the summer monsoons in July and August, their main growing season. Because there is an almost total absence of cool-season grasses, winter rains do them little good in terms of grass growth, but they do add to the bank of soil moisture critical to brush green-up in the spring.
The Whitten Ranch – Creating More with Less
This case study is an excerpt from Jim Howell’s 2008 book, For the Love of Land: Global Case Studies of Grazing in Nature’s Image. Following George Whitten of the San Luis valley in Colorado, Howell states “Fifteen years after taking his first Holistic Management course, he has figured out how to get by on a fraction of his former water use. He has increased the biodiversity and vigor of his irrigated meadows and hilly native rangeland to a plant mix that can thrive even in dry years.”
Surviving or Thriving in Drought
Analyzing ecological monitoring data from 1999 to 2007, Tony Malmberg of Twin Creek Ranch and Jim Howell assess how Twin Creek’s drought-induced management adjustments enabled them to maintain the integrity of their ecosystem processes. Malmberg also discusses his “ah-ha” moment after hearing Howell’s hypothesis that low production, brittle environments likely evolved under grazing patterns with longer (sometimes multi-year) recovery periods compared to brittle environments with higher production.
Wool Production and Biodiversity Working Together for Tim and Karen Wright: A Case Study
Lana is a 4,000-hectare sheep property in New England Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. Owners introduced a Holistic Management approach in mid-1990s because of degradation of pastures and poor profitability. Results achieved include: Changed from high inputs (fertilizers, sown pastures) to low input system, which reduced fertilizer use by 70%. 100% return on investment in extra fencing within 2 years. Wool yield increased from 73-74% to 78-80%. Labor costs cut in half. Maintained healthy gross margins of $200 per ha. during 2002 drought, when area had lowest rainfall on record and neighboring farmers suffered financial stress.
