HMI’s New Agrarian Program Introduction to Holistic Management course ran from March to May 2017 with 34 participants from all over the United States. This course focused on key Holistic Management planning concepts and principles to help participants manage their farm/ranch for the triple bottom line (social, environmental, and financial sustainability) and more effectively manage resources. Participants were excited to learn how to improve their ability to observe, understand, and make decisions based on what they can control. Through these new skills participants now have the knowledge and tools to improve their ability to work with nature and to increase productivity. Thanks to our collaborator, the Quivira Coalition and our funder, The Thornburg Foundation for their support of this program. Featured Participants:
“The NAP Intro to Holistic Management has been a wonderful addition to the farm work I've done this season. This course has taught me much of the foundational theory and framework that often goes unspoken about on farms and connected it in a meaningful way to the labor I've been doing. Understanding the why, not just the how, feels crucial to actually pursuing agriculture as a livelihood.”
“The Introduction to Holistic Management® Course was an incredible opportunity to articulate the dreams that live within me and give them a frame work to form them in goals that can be achieved. The language of planning begins to be crafted and your eyes open to seeing the world with questions that enable you to cultivate healthy decision making that is connected to your highest goals of caring for the earth, your community, and your family. I feel so fortunate to be able to take this course and know that these are seeds that will grow with me into the landscape of my life, thank you so much.”
Based on the survey responses, here are the changes that occurred: