This winter and spring, HMI Educators Joshua and Tara Dukart are busy giving presentations and running workshops on how to use Holistic Management as a strategic planning tool on farms and ranches.
In January they presented at the Johnson County Cattlewomen’s 13 Annual Women’s Agriculture Summit in Buffalo, Wyoming.
That presentation started with Tara sharing her story about how she came to see the value of living and raising her children on the family's ranch and how they have used Holistic Management to adapt to the challenges they faced making that move.
A key focus in their presentations and workshops is getting people to articulate their desired outcomes so they can better achieve those outcomes. Joshua noted that goals like gaining time, additional money, flexibility, disconnecting, legacy, and peace should come first when planning. With those values in the forefront you are better able to provide leadership, establish a clearer vision, build the right team, and create the culture you want so that everyone is pulling in the same direction and has buy in.
Examples of decisions the Dukarts have made as a result of this kind of planning include their decision to bale graze. It only takes 15 minutes a week to move the cattle to their new area where the hay is already positioned. They don't have to deal with equipment breaking down in the cold winter of North Dakota and this type of management means they can leave their ranch to present and teach courses. Also, the bale grazing feeds the soil with the leftover hay and concentration of manure in key areas that need reclamation.
They also have chosen to use horses instead of ATVs when they are moving pastures because they can ride as a family. While it is slower to complete the work, they have more quality time as a family. “With our strategic planning, we think the greatest benefit is being able to unplug from the ranch and get away,” Joshua noted.
Check out these upcoming events (including webinars) at the Dukart's website.