A herd of 800 cattle create herd effect when the Sunnybrae Farm tour comes to watch a pasture move. Participants then learned to evaluate soil health.
Following a series of field days across Canada this past year, HMI Certified Educators in Canada are offering more in-depth training over the next few months. In 2015, HMI collaborated with Holistic Management Canada to deliver seven different Open Gate on-farm learning days. The success of these events generated more interest in Holistic Management and has resulted in the need for more training.
HMI Certified Educators Don Campbell, Ralph Corcoran, Blain Hjertaas, Brian Luce, Noel McNaughton, and Kelly Sidoryk have planned 19 new sessions, each 2- or 3-day classes, for January through March. In addition, Sidoryk will present several half-day overviews of Holistic Management in early January. Please see our HMI Event Calendar for more details about the upcoming training listed below:
Upcoming Training Sessions in Canada:
Jan 9-10, Innisfail
Jan 11, half-day overview, Bonnyville
Jan 12 half-day overview, Smokey Lake
Jan 13, half-day overview, Lac La Biche
Jan 11-13 & Jan 25-27, Yorkton area
Jan 12-14 & Jan 26-28, Maple Creek
Jan 14-16 & Jan 21-23, Valleyview
Jan 20-22 & Feb 3-5, Findlater
Jan 28-30 & Feb 4-6, Demmitt
Jan 30-31, Didsbury
Feb 9-11 & Feb 23-25, Arcola
Feb 13-14, Ferintosh
Feb 22-24 & Feb 29 – Mar 2, Preeceville
Mar 1-3 & Mar 10-12, Virden
Participants view the pastured pig set up at Ruzicka Sunrise Farms.
The topic of Succession Planning was a draw for Tamara Ranch Day participants. Merle Good shares technical aspects of succession and transition.
From late June to early October of 2015, holistically managed farms and ranches in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba hosted one-day hands-on field days to introduce the principles and practices of Holistic Management. The more than 200 participants who attended reported management of almost 400,000 acres. These Open Gates were highly effective, with 100% of participants reporting they would recommend this event to others, and 90% leaving with intent to change management practices or apply ideas learned during the day.
Topics covered in the 2015 series of Open Gates in Canada included high stock density planned grazing to improve profit, growing nutrient dense food, passing the farm to the next generation, regenerating land with livestock and improved soil fertility, and capturing carbon through cover cropping.
All aboard to go move the SG&R cattle herd to a new parcel of spring planted cover crops.
Happy cows moving into new cover crop salad bar at SG&R Farms.
Here are some brief highlights of the Outcomes from the individual Open Gates:
| Outcome | % Participants |
|---|---|
| Intend to complete or modify a grazing plan as a result of Day Spring Farms Day | 83% |
| Intend to complete a biological monitoring on your land as a result of Lucends Ranch Day | 95% |
| More confident in ability to determine land health as a result of Richards Family Farm Day | 100% |
| Increased understanding of the ways Ruzicka Sunrise Farm has improved biodiversity | 94% |
| Increased understanding of how to determine land health as a result of SG&R Farms Day | 80% |
| Intend to complete a biological monitoring on your land as a result of Sunnybrae Farm Day | 86% |
| Intend to complete or modify a grazing plan as a result of Sunnybrae Farm Day | 93% |
| Learned important tips on succession planning with Holistic Management as a result of Tamara Farm Day | 91% |
Small groups evaluate ecosystem processes on the land at Richards Family Ranch
A small group evaluates land and herd health during a cattle move at Day Springs Farm.
Here’s what participants had to say:
Great sharing and networking! Presenters & information played off each other well. Good balance of theory & practice.
Very well done – structured well planned but also informative.
Gave me great strategies to run my herd and manage the land better.
Fantastic! Makes me want to learn more.
Did a good job of talking about soil health and then showing it.
Very well organized, good speakers, excellent lunch, very good all around.
Very informative, relaxed learning environment.
Wonderful opportunity to learn new ideas and meet people with common interests!
Excellent to see incorporation of mob grazing/intensive cattle mgmt with annual cropping!
Adelene is a native of Arkansas and loves exploring the state’s natural trails. Her passion for education and technology led her to earn a master’s in learning systems technology from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. With her professional experience managing student/client databases and instructional design, Adelene will bring skill and understanding to her role as Office Manager & Instructional Designer at HMI. Her focus on making education more accessible to diverse communities is evident through her volunteer work as an executive director for a scholarship program and as a member of the student affairs committee. Adelene is devoted to creating educational opportunities that align with HMI’s mission to promote healthy, resilient lands and thriving communities.
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