Over the years, many people have categorized Holistic Management as a tool that could only be useful if utilized on very large ranches or large parcels of land. But what we’ve been able to explain to thousands of farmers, ranchers, food advocates and environmental champions is that Holistic Management can be practiced by anyone, anywhere.
While certain aspects, like the grazing component, are designed to be used on larger ranches, other components of Holistic Management, such as the decision-making framework, are just as important, and can be used by anyone, anywhere.
On our website, we describe Holistic Management as a values-based decision-making framework that integrates all aspects of planning for social, economic, and environmental considerations. But what exactly does that mean? It means that when we make a decision, we have to consider the implications of that decision and how it will affect others. We all have our own set of values that are hard-wired in our brains. It’s not likely that those values will change. Holistic Management is about using those values to frame your decisions in a way that makes sense for you. It’s also about how to determine how those decisions can impact the social, economic and environmental aspects of your life and the life of those around you. For instance, if you’re trying to decide whether you should go back to school, you could determine how that decision would affect the social aspects of your life. You’d be meeting a lot more people, but you’d also be spending an increased amount of time away from family and friends. Economically, the decision will affect you in the short-term as you’d have to consider the expenses that come from attending school such as books, fees, and tuition. But it could also affect you positively in the future; such as a job change, promotion, or salary increase. While the environmental effects are minimal, you could also look at the increased amount of gas you would have to use to commute back and forth to class. From there, you can make a more informed decision that will frame your values along with the impact your decision will have If you’d like to learn more about how to use Holistic Management in your own life, be sure to check out At Home by Dr. Ann Adams in our online store, or visit our website to learn more about Holistic Management and how it can impact your life.