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:
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.
Here are some brief highlights of the Outcomes from the individual Open Gates:
Here's what participants had to say: