"Jeff,who manages the farm on a daily basis, us acutely aware
of the need for sustainability in his farming practices and uses
principles of holistic management in his decision-making."
(Country-Wide, Southern edition, May 2005, pg 28)
"The Tillbusters Commons Grazing company leases land from each
property so everyone knows and contributes to the development of the
grazing plan. The group has developed maps to plan grazing routes
and determine how animal behaviour can be employed to regenerate the
landscape. Using planned grazing rather than rotational grazing
has meant families can have the animals in the right place at the right
time for the right eason and improve land efficiency."
(Country-Wide, southern edition, May 2005, pg 26)
"Holistic management expert John King says his approach to
farming is commonsense and balances relationships, profit and the
environment in a structured way." (Country-Wide northern edition,
May 2005, pg 49)
"While it seems the Rawstrons have a midas touch, their success is
based on finding out what the consumer wants and delivering a product
to meet their customers wants and expectations." (Country-Wide southern
edition, February 2005, pg 32)
"Gaul suggests farmers look at the big picture and try and maintain a
balanced lifestyle. Learn to recognise two key things, what you
are good at and what you enjoy and build on these strengths."
(Country-Wide southern edition, February 2005 pg 18)
"By protecting the soil surface, litter simultaneously improves water
and nutrient cycling, the harvesting of sunlight, and encourages a
greater diversity of soil life forms bu creating a sheltered
microclimate for decay to occur." (Nelson/Marlborough Farmer, Feb
2005, pg 23)
"The timing of grazing determines what species remain in a pasture.
In particular, the recovery of desired species to replenish their root
reserves is essential for their survival." (Nelson/Marlborough
Farmer, Feb 2005, pg 16)
“As long as you deal with the middleman, you’ll never be
rewarded for innovation in the market place. The promise of bigger
profits through incremental increases in production is nonsense, ask
any business guru. If you really want to get quantum leaps change the
way you do business.” (Country-Wide southern edition, October
2004)
The Holistic Management framework challenges families and organisations to consider the footprint of their decisions. "If they don't understand how the greater environment that supports them in their success is to function, then how can they know whether their activities
Allan and Carol Gorton are an inspirational couple who together have found the courage to make some big changes in their lives. When the farm company they managed wound up and the land sold, the Gortons embarked on a journey to develop greater flexibility in their lives. It was then that a course in Holistic Management® set them off in new direction. (New Zealand Lifestyle Farmer, May/June 2004 edition)
Allan and Sonia Richardson are using a combination of organics and holistic management to move from a farming focus to an agribusiness focus. In the next four years they plan to reduce their running expenses from 55% of income down towards 35%. "This will happen from a number of changes," says Allan. "An increase in production of around 20% and reductions in fertiliser, seed, weed control, supplementary feeding, and machinery expenses." (Country-Wide southern edition, April 2004, pages 32 & 33)
If the landscape is a result of how it is grazed what are the possible land management roles that animals could perform? Creating firebreaks, maintaining grassland riparian, road, or rail verges, regenerating eroded land, and controlling weeds are tasks that graziers could be paid to do. As well as bringing in additional income to the farming family, such contracts could promote better land stewardship and public awareness of the importance of the grazing industry. (Country-Wide southern edition, April 2004, page 32)
The holistic system requires forward planning. "You plan your profit first and then develop your expenses." He [Duncan Ensor] says 10% each year goes into growth and then there are the inescapable such as rates and interest. The balance is maintainance, and flexibile operating expenses such as wages and insurances. But the most viaible part of holistic management is the the grazing system. (Country-Wide southern edition, March 2004, page 5)
To try and maximise animal health, the Ensor's have sown 30 different plant species into their permanent pasture. Fiona saya they are always on the lookout for different grass species. "We are trying to set it up so the sheep can eat what they want." Financially Duncan beleives the development of their Holtech grazing system is the only way the couple could afford to farm Glenrock. Currently they are servicing a debt of 47% of the gross income. "A conventional system cannot support that level of debt." (Country-Wide southern edition, March 2004, page 6)
It has been Phil and Viv's realisation that stock policy has a greater influence on profitability than pasture renovation. A readiness to drop store lambs mid spring and pick up stock early in the autumn to over winter has given them the flexibility to utilise pasture better and be in sync with their climate and landscape. As a result they've become more entrepreneurial. (Country-Wide southern edition, March 2004, page 29)
Removing humans and their livestock from the West will not restore its ecological integrity as the grazing buyout surmises. On the contrary, it will eventually ensure its demise. [Story by HM practitioner Jim Howell from Colorado commenting on the campaign to remove US ranchers from grazing lands in a similar fashion to that of the New Zealand Governments attempts to clear farmers from the South Island high country] (Country-Wide southern edition, March 2004, page 64)
Holistic farm educator John King said farmers needed to be more observant about their soil. "While most farmers charge across their paddocks every day, very few take the time to read the soil surface and recognise what it is telling them about pasture health and performance. At the workshop Mr King discussed the idea of enviro-literacy - the ability to read the soil surface to determine the health of the pasture. (Marlborough Express, March 19, 2004)
[John King] said recent research in Australia had shown there is no relation between pasture renovation and profitability over a five year period. Holistic planned grazing regenerated the soil unlike current rotational grazing and set stocking practices, he said. Instead of grazing pasture short he recommended leaving enough growth to return some nutrients to the soil which does a faster job of building organic matter than dung or urine alone. (Nelson Mail, December 16, 2003)
Good soil surface management can stop topsoil loss at the source. Soil needs full coverage, with litter between plants composting at the soil surface, to stop sheet erosion We have been managing our property for 25 months using Holistic Management. Ensuring the soil surface is well-covered at all times has made a dramatic difference in soil erosion. (Canterbury Farming, November 2003)
A good marriage is integral to a good farming operation and the first thing to break up a farm is a broken family, Alison and Aiden MacKenzie say. A major break away from normal famring was to put their profit at the top of their budget rather than the bottom. (Marlborough Express, August 8, 2003)
After completing a holistic management course three years ago, Ulricks have adopted the principles of holistic grazing management and have noticed a marked improvement in soil health and pasture quality and quanitity and stock performance. (Country Wide, May 2003)
Animals are not just income generating commodities theyc an be used as tools to create sustainable landscapes. Their behaviour can be used to ensure pastures remain productive. Undersatnding animal behaviour created opportunities to reduce production costs, improve rainfall effectiveness, and increase profitability. (Southern Rural News, March 3, 2003)
Mrs Kitto decided to see what [holistic management training with Bruce Ward] was all about. "I thought why not explore new ideas and test if we should keep doing what we've been doing or change'" she said. It took Mr Kitto about three months after the first module to attend the second module with his wife. "It opened my eyes to the opportunities holistic management had for our farming and lifestyle," he said. (Southland Times March 1, 2003)
There's nothing hippy or way out about Holistic Management. For those farmers who have embraced the concept its all about applying common sense and thinking outside the square. The Gortons attended a course run by holistic management educator John King. "You start thinking beyond the obvious. Holistic thinking enables people to take their management skills to a higher level, something exspecially important in difficult economic times," Mr Gorton said. (Southland Times, Feb 28, 2003)
By adopting the concept farmers were able to look at their overall farming enterprise long term rather than set short term goals and solve individual problems, address the causes of problems rather than the symptoms, consider new ideas and possibilities and question what they were already doing” Mr King said. (Southland Times, 15 Feb 2003)
“For many people Holistic Management opens a door about working with the land, their family, and their bank manager” said Mr King. “As a result, families become more passionate about farming and land stewardship because the see the bigger picture rather than rebounding from one crisis to the next.” (Southland Times, 1 Feb 2003)
If the landscape is a result of how it is grazed, what are the possible land management roles that animals could perform? Creating firebreaks, maintaining grassland riparian, road, or rail verges, regenerating eroded land, and controlling weeds are tasks that graziers could be paid to do. (Nelson/Marlborough Farming Jan 2003)
The timing of grazing determines what species remain in a pasture. In particular, the recovery of desired species to replenish their root reserves is essential for their survival. This requires good observation and analysis skills about the grazing activities undertaken on the farm. These are the activities Holistic Management® trainees learn. (Canterbury Farming, Dec 2002)
As David points out, “Our planned grazing will mean that feeding for us will not start until February” saving them approx $5000 for each week compared to farmers starting to feed supplements now. Furthermore, in reducing stock and leaving the grazing areas of the farm to rest, the Marsh's hope to forego any need to renovate grazing lands once the rain arrives. (Country Wide, Dec 2002)
Covered soils, stable families, and good relations with district councils all add to quality of life. The financial planning to achieve these aims is no harder than what people are doing now, it just requires a change in thinking. (Country Wide, May 2002)
“Holistic Management helped farming families to question conventional financial and production practices so they remained profitable while enhancing the environment and community” (Southland Times, 04/04/02)
“Nothing is more important than farm and family…. Paying yourself first and then prioritising expenses with the money that is left may sound strange but is no harder than the planning most families do now (Nelson/Marlborough Farmer, March 2002)
“… loss of biodiversity as the root cause of all problems in agriculture….Human decisions either enhance or degrade ecosystem function” (Otago/Southland Farmer 22/03/02)
“If profits come the expense of soil erosion, divorce, and increasing bureaucracy, then who is the richer?” (Southland Times, 17/11/01).
“…Holistic Management can help farming families concentrate on what they can change rather than be distracted by circumstances beyond their control.” (The Nelson Mail, 2/10/01).
“Whereas organic farming can be listed as a range of tasks and practices, Holistic Management examines tasks and practices to see whether they are financial, environmentally, and socially sound.” (Country Wide, Sept 2001).
“Management, as we know it, is a uniquely human characteristic. Other organisms may influence their local environment in a natural way, but none on the scale created by humans.” (Primary Industry Management, Sept 2001).
“We increased our carrying capacity from one to five stock units per hectare and made shit loads of money for very little outlay.” (Country Wide, May 2001)
“The best thing about Holistic Management is that it never tells you to do anything. It shows you the tools to make decisions.” (The Press, 19/04/01).
“Holistic goal setting and decision making bring direction and purpose to the family farm.” (Country Wide, Nov 2000).
“Holistic Management is the ability to make decisions that simultaneously consider economic, social and environmental realities in the short and long-term. It is a decision making process that gives people the ability to design and plan the future they want while ensuring the environment can sustain it.” (Country Wide, Oct 2000).
“The programme aims to restore financial viability without increasing costs of production, in the face of declining commodity prices.” (Evening Post, 04/12/99).
“Holistic Management Educators are part of a worldwide group gaining greater acceptance for their ideas about farm business management” (New Zealand Farmer, 18/03/99).
“Holistic Management is possibly the only decision-making approach of its kind. It is a framework for making better informed decisions about business or lifestyle” (Nelson Mail, 04/06/97).