Regenerative agriculture in practice – farm case studies
This PBS documentary is a mosaic of interviews with Holistic Management® practitioners combined with stunning footage of holistically managed landscapes in Africa, North America, and Australia. Innovative grazing management practitioners explain why the first millimeter of soil is critical to our collective future, and they share the practices they use to build healthy soils and vibrant communities.
Australia
Amidst an ongoing climate change induced drought in Australia, Khory Hancock (Environmental Scientist) discovers hope in the dry. This journey explains the key principles of regenerative agriculture, a farming practise which aims to restore ecosystems and people to full health.
http://www.deeplivingproject.com.au Yandoit Farm in Victoria, Australia is going through some farm re-designs. The work is happening on three tiers- the Whole Farm Design is being led by Darren Doherty a regenerative agriculture expert with years of experience in keyline farm design. The Homestead design of 3.5 hectares of Permaculture style zoning, food forests and gardens and they are using Holistic Management to allow the decision makers behind Yandoit Farm to articulate their vision.
Charlie Arnott of Hanaminno Farm in Boorowa, NSW shares about the life changing moments that led him to dramatically change his farming practices.
A video showing how the Maynard family have integrated a huge suite of farming methods on the one property. The techniques include No Kill Cropping, No Kill Rehabilitation, No Kill Revegetation, Cell Grazing, Holistic Resource Management, Whole Farm Planning, Forage Shrub Plantings, Direct Tree Seeding, Seed Orchards, Access Laneways, Alley Farming, Stress Free Stockmanship, Carbon Tree Plantings and Soil Carbon projects. A long list of innovation and a rare example of on ground integration of sustainable methods of land management.
The Mulloon Institute is working to rehydrate 100 landscapes in 10 years. To better understand why and how they’re are doing it, we need to understand what the landscape looked like before European settlement of this continent and how it was transformed as a result of their agricultural practices. This animation shows how water moved more slowly through the landscape along many wetlands, swampy meadows and chains of ponds.
Michael Hicks from Extraordinary Pork in Dubbo, NSW shares his emotional farming story. Walking away from the family farm was heart-wrenching. But an overseas trip taught him about a new way to farm. Find out more at http://extraordinarypork.com.au
Taranaki Farm is truly a wonderful place to witness. The farm focuses on producing pastured poultry, beef and pork, with laying hens moved onto new pasture every few days. It is a great combination of high tech and old-world, using electric fencing to keep the animals on fresh grass. This style of animal management helps to keep the animals parasite free, eliminates the problems of over grazing and gives the pastures a good hit of natural fertility! Ben Falloon the Taranaki Farm steward is passionate about regenerative agriculture and was more than happy to show us his systems that he’s worked out to keep the farm highly productive and chemical free. Instead of telling people what Taranaki Farm is about he prefers to show them and runs farm tours.
Meet Rowan Reid from the Bambra Agroforestry Farm. He has been planting and managing trees on the property for 27 years and over that time has planted out over 45 different tree species on 45 ha with a focus on shelter, conservation and profit. On the property you will find mature Eucalyptus trees, Redwoods, Blackwoods and dozens more. Most of the trees have been managed to grow straight and tall with very few knots in the timber. This gives the forested areas a nice spacious feeling and stock animals can graze under them.
Tim Hansen talks about how he is adopting Holistic management on his Deer farm just outside Cargo. Great case showing how grazing management changes can make such a difference.
In the Mayan language, ‘Guatemala’ means ‘Land of Trees’. But now less than a third of the country is covered by rain forest, while sugarcane and palm oil plantations eat away at what’s left. One movement is doing something about it.
2019: Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor set up the Primary Sector Council to determine the long-term direction for farming. Its report in December, “Fit for a Better World“, broadly endorsed the regenerative approach.
Videos
An inspirational short film showcasing New Zealand farmers leading the way with regenerative techniques to save our rivers from pollution and contamination. The Regenerators is a short doco by Greenpeace about these ecological pioneers restoring their soils, protecting waterways and farming for the future.
Brian Kiss took over managing the family farm “Meramie” in the 1980s. After several years of industrial farming with little improvement to the land, something had to change. It was a chance encounter with his neighbour that led him to transform his approach to farming.
Regenerative agriculture offers a future for sustainable farming of meat in line with nature’s needs, by using holistic management and organic/biodynamic practices and even sequestering carbon in the soil – so important in our response to our climate crisis. At Mangarara, in New Zealand’s beautiful Hawke’s Bay, Greg Hart and his family are in the process of restoring 1500 acres of land, conventionally farmed for over 150 years, into the paradise it once was.
reg Hart of Family Farm at Mangarara Station describes the establishment of regenerative agriculture practices in his efforts to improve soil quality, diversify production and integrate with other farmers with management of production on the farm.
Ange and Mike discuss the development of their family-owned and operated organic dairy farm in Hawkes Bay with a particular emphasis on pasture management to sequester carbon and build soil biology.
Richard Perkins. As one of the few profitable Permaculture farms on the planet, and as the northernmost example, we are excited about facilitating the next generation of entrepreneurial young farmers. Our foremost responsibility is regenerating our landscape, ecosystem processes and soils through resilient, replicable, scalable and profitable farm enterprises. Our secondary function is to educate and empower people into action through regenerative design, enterprise and holistic decision-making that stimulates local community and economy whilst building soil.
United Kingdom
Tim Smit introduces Forest Gardening and we meet Martin Crawford and take a tour of his unique Forest Garden, full of unusual foods, fibres and medicinal plants and demonstrating a low intervention, natural way of growing. Centred around a key interview with Martin the film uses drone shots for never seen before vantage points of his Forest Garden and of its true resourcefulness and beauty. What once stood as a flat field in 1994, is today a multi layered, ecosystem of trees, shrubs and ground covers, producing fruits, nuts, and medicinal products. Forest Gardening is a designed agronomic system based on trees, shrubs and perennial plants mimicking the structure of a natural forest. Narrated by Sir Tim Smit KBE, creator of The Eden Project
United States
Farm Builder, Jordan Green is proving a “Pasture Perfect” Pig Breeding program is possible, and profitable. Check our Jordan’s MASSIVE pig operation (including piglets), AND a quick visit Polyface farm. Check out Jordan’s YouTube Channel (FARM BUILDER): http://bit.ly/FarmBuilder
From tillage to no till. Jason Miller uses the soil health practices of cover crops, mob grazing, and no-till corn in furrow irrigation on his farm.
Research about a forage grazing regime that focuses the cattle herd as it grazes across the pasture took place across South Dakota. Watch this iGrow Podcast for more information on grazing near Chamberlain, SD.
Grazier Ariel Greenwood talks grazing, grass management, and strategic planning for grazing cattle.
This video is a part of the Water Stewardship video series produced by the Ecological Farming Association. This video features Markegard Family Grass-Fed in San Gregorio, California, where Erik and Doniga Markegard have a 1000 acre home ranch as well as 6 ranches leased for livestock. They produce Grass-Fed beef, Grass-Fed lamb, pastured pork, and pasture raised laying hens. They are excited to share how they came to promote Keyline Design strategies on their farm. For more information, visit www.eco-farm.org.
Kaye learns about mob grazing, soil and gut health in Pinewood. “Help me inspire people to grow their own food and take control over their food security. Your donation of any amount makes ‘Late Bloomer’ possible and available for anyone.” http://www.latebloomershow.com/donate Kaye visited Pinewood, Tennessee in September and took a tour of Pinewood Farm where long-time cattleman Lee McCormick mob grazes 500 or his 700 cattle. Across the road they’ve started a new venture with Pinewood Store and Kitchen where wife and TV chef Mee Tracy McCormick creates fresh, healthy recipes made with produce and meat from the farm. With music by Lee McCormick and Jon Pileggi.
It took only two years to go from grass that was 12 inches tall to almost 4 feet tall using Holistic Grazing. We are grazing more animals on smaller paddocks and moving them twice a day just to keep up with production. Regenerative, biological management works.
Rearing grass fed beef in Oregon using intense rotational grazing
Master grazier Greg Judy explains how to lease land for cattle, how to move the cows everyday to improve productivity. PLUS, he shares the worlds best fencing supplies
Demonstrates how easy rotational grazing is with the proper fencing from Gallagher. Video taken at Grazing Meadows Wagyu Farm.
Regenerative ranching changes the paradigm of cattle and range management via biomimicry and a holistic approach. By working with herd animals’ instincts to graze in high density clusters for short durations in rotational patterns, many benefits are derived that work synergistically for the greater good of the herd and the soil. Manure is consistently deposited in the pastures as the animals are moved encouraging the symbiotic relationships between the cattle, birds, insects and plants to thrive in a balanced system that supports life. A diverse use of cover crops provide high quality forage that keep the cattle thriving while improving the pastures with more organic matter and biodiversity. This innovative sustainable ranching approach offers a multitude of benefits that changes the entire conversation on how to manage cattle and other herds in a way that supports healthy ecosystems.
Other videos:
Gabe Brown discussing the barriers to adoption of regenerative agriculture practices.
Presented by: Dr. Dennis Hancock – University of Georgia AFGC Annual Meeting January 2017
It goes by many names- carbon farming, regenerative agriculture, agro-ecology, holistic management. It involves using very simple, low impact, technology to manage biological systems on a farm landscape. At its best carbon farming mimics ancient ecological relationships between soil microorganisms, ruminant animals, birds, and plants. The end product is living, fertile soil, healthy animals, and vibrantly diverse plants. Infrastructure and energy usage is minimal while production is abundant and inexpensive. Carbon goes back into the ground where it came from and where it belongs. Climate change is mitigated. It is the future of farming
Regenerative Agriculture Principles – Barry Fisher, USDA-NRCS, Soil Health Specialist, from the 2019 Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference, March 5 – 6, 2019, Ada, OH, USA.
Late 2016 was a fantastic time to purchase cattle. Here we go over some basic knowledge of the cattle market, terminology, timing your purchases and what we are buying. A must watch if you are new and considering getting into cows.
