In spite of a very wet spring, and predictions of even more rain, a diverse sell-out crowd of almost 90 participants came out to HMI's Open Gate: Green Fields Farm Day on May 16.
The recent flooding and wet weather conditions did not dampen the day’s events, though some activities were modified to avoid damaging the water saturated pastures.
Shuttled to the barn in a cattle trailer lined with hay bale benches, participants arrived to hear about Green Fields Farm journey with Holistic Management. Jennifer Brasher and Kaylyn Cobb, recent graduates of Holistic Management International’s Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Women in Texas program, talked about how Holistic Management has given them a new perspective—how writing their 3-part Holistic Goal and using the Decision Testing process has helped them stay focused and moving forward. They shared their goal of building healthy soil, raising nutrient dense foods, and glorifying God by restoring his Creation to health, abundance of life, clean water and beauty.
The entire day was a testament to the work they have done and the effectiveness of Holistic Management, including:
Dr. Richard Teague, Associate Director and Professor, Texas A&M AgriLife Research,
presenting the latest research on how holistically managed grazing can improve the health of your soil, affecting the microbiology in the soil, forage growth, and carbon sequestration
Walt Davis, Rancher, Consultant, and author, talking about how unnecessary pesticides and herbicides can be when you manage your animals and land holistically
Small groups working on a decision testing exercise and understanding the value of the decision testing process
Holistic Management Certified Educator and Program Manager Kathy Harris giving a lunch time demonstration on using
refractometers to measure the Brix (nutrient density) of foods, and a short presentation paralleling human microbiology and soil biology
Small groups practicing biological monitoring by looking at land and the effects of cover crops and grazing
Clint Walker, III, sharing his knowledge about honeybees and how to create an environment that promotes pollinators
Willie Durham, NRCS Texas State Agronomist, demonstrating the impacts of different land management techniques on water collection and infiltration with the rainfall simulator and slake and aggregation tests
Jonathan Cobb of Green Cover Seed and one of Green Fields Farm’s owner/operators, taking participants on a virtual tour (slide show) of the farm including soil test data showing the improvements achieved with diverse cover crops and grazing management
Thanks to our funder for the day: the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation and our sponsor: Greencover Seed. We greatly appreciate the collaboration and support from these friends: Dixon Water Foundation, Texas AgrilLife Research, NRCS, Walker Honey Farm, Dancing Bee Winery, Sand Creek Farm & Dairy, Natural Grocers, Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance, and Weston A. Price Foundation. Thanks to Green Fields Farm and all the folks who contributed to the outstanding nutritious and delicious lunch and snacks.
What participants had to say about the day: