Published May 9, 2014

Biological Monitoring – Holistic Management in Action!

By Margaret Chamas

I’m jumping the gun a bit on the field day guide, but wanted to announce the final Holistic Management course of the spring!

Farmers, hopeful farmers, landowners, and others interested in learning about healthy land management are encouraged to attend.  Holistic Management is a whole-farm planning framework that incorporates farmer and family principles into realistic management decisions based on quality of life, profitability, and stewardship.

Biological Monitoring is a one-day course that will cover changes in the landscape over time, changes that hopefully are the result of proper care and management of the land.  Given the goals and methods selected to meet your Holistic Goal, what should you look for to determine whether it’s going the way you want?  What would indicate that something is wrong?

The day will start indoors with some “screen time,” where Ralph will explain the basics.  Weather permitting, some outdoor work will follow around the farm, where Mike has been managing in a holistic fashion for years.  Bring clothes and shoes to handle some trekking around!

Land Stewardship Project and Practical Farmers of Iowa are happy to have Ralph Tate return and teach this final course, which will be held May 31 from 9am-4pm at the organic farm of Mike Natvig, near Cresco, IA.  The course is $75 per person, with discounts for multiple attendees from the same family, and for those who have attended previous sessions.  The fee covers snacks, lunch, and any materials.  More details will be sent to registrants.  A registration form may be found below.

LSP and PFI are membership organizations with missions to improve food and farming systems so that communities and the land are ecologically, financially, and socially strong.  These HM courses are supported in part by funds from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the McKnight foundation.

Contact me for more info, and hope to see you in late May!

HM BioMon reg form