Whole Farm Planning - Holistic Management

Whole Farm Planning - Holistic Management

Summary

Over the last 4 years this project trained 18 and certified 10 participants from Cooperative Extension, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and various Non-Government Organizations, including farmer-educators, along with private individuals to teach and facilitate improved decision making through whole farm planning and Holistic Management. Concurrent with their residency training, 13 participants assembled and facilitated learning communities composed of farmers and others along with individuals from the participant’s sponsoring agency, organization and/or community.

Over 20 case studies of farms and non-profit organizations, which document improved decision making, were also prepared by 12 participants. These case studies are being assembled and published in three separate publications, which will be available upon request from Central NY RC&D.

Another significant activity that took place was 2 professional development training workshops (New Hampshire – 17 attendees & New York – 33 attendees) for cooperative extension, NRCS, NGOs & farmer educators. Additionally, participants learned and practiced many new adult education techniques.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Performance Targets:
Target l. The 15 project participants receive training to teach and facilitate all Holistic Management (HM) processes. The 15 project participants teach HM Processes to 15 Whole Farm Planning Groups (learning communities) consisting of 30 individuals (from the project participants’ sponsoring agencies/organizations) and 67 – 90 individuals representing 45 diversified Northeast farms. HM processes are used to develop 45 Whole Farm Plans.

Target 2. Experiences of the Whole Farm Planning Groups and the Whole Farm Plans are documented by the 15 participants; focus on changes in farm practices, farm profitability, quality of life, natural resource conservation and vitality of the local community. Hard copy and on-line resources of the documentation are available through CES, NRCS and Not-For-Profit agricultural educational organizations. The 15 participants and the Whole Farm Planning Groups present their ongoing work during the NRCS / CNY RC & D’s Annual Farm Diversity Conferences.

Target 3. The 15 project participants successfully fulfill all requirements of the program, and become Holistic Management Certified Educators. The exponential effect of this training through further teaching, facilitation and publications broadens the sustainable agriculture base in the region and continues to reach an estimated 75 – 200 people per year.

These three performance targets drove the project. However, as can be expected, over the 4 years of implementation much more than this has happened and some targets evolved.

Milestones:
The 18 participants were presented with four one week training intensives and a graduation session. The intensives were: Introduction & Overview of Holistic Management (October 27 – November 2, 2001); Financial Planning (January 19-25, 2002); Biological Planning & Monitoring, including Planned Grazing and Land Use Planning (April 20-26, 2002); and Policy Analysis and Design (October 19-25, 2002).

Of the 18 participants 14 completed all four one-week training intensives, 2 participants completed three of four intensives, 1 completed two intensives and 1 completed one session. The 4 not attending all intensives postponed their training, although it is expected that 2 will attempt to make up the missed session and finish their training.

Prior to each session participants were assigned readings to prepare for intensives eventually reading the 600 page book Holistic Management by Allan Savory, with Jody Butterfield.

Following the first intensive each participant prepared and began recording progress on a “learning contract”, which identified elements they would complete to support their learning.

Upon completion of successive intensives the participants returned to their learning communities to facilitate what they learned in that particular session and began adding to the knowledge garnered from each of the previous intensives.

Of the 15 targeted project participants and learning communities, 13 participants worked with 1 or more for a total of 29 learning communities. 10 participants worked with members of their own agency/organization consisting of approximately 30 individuals. Total learning community numbers were approximately 110 individuals.

Each participant, working with their learning communities, documented what was learned and how their and others behavior changed, which was used in the development of case studies on farms, organizations and individual participants and their families. Over 20 Case studies were developed instead of whole farm plans. These will be available through hard copy from Central NY RC&D.

During the program each participant maintained a journal and completed a first quarter self-assessment, a midterm written review as well as a final oral exit review to assess their learning. 10 participants were successfully reviewed, evaluated and certified by a panel from The Savory Center and they will be joined by 2-5 additional participants within the next six months. The 10 individuals are now Certified Educators in Holistic Management. By program design, Holistic Management Certified Educators continue to facilitate and teach Holistic Management in their sphere of influence.

Participants were given feedback for needed concentration of study throughout the training by The Savory Center’s Director of Education Kelly Pasztor and Project Mentors Mary Child and Ann Adams, also of The Savory Center.

Participants presented their experiences and ongoing work at many venues including the 2002 National Small Farms Conference (3 Poster presentations), NOFA-New Jersey 2003 Winter Conference, 2003 Northeast SARE Professional Development Program Winter Meeting, 2003 Audubon Farm Symposium, 2004 Northeast Grasstravaganza Conference, 2004 NY Soil & Water Conservation Society Annual Meeting and others.

Additionally, participants conducted 2 workshops (1 day & 2 day) for Regional Farm & Food for a farmer audience, a Cooperative Extension Educator 1-day workshop in NH for 17 attendees and a 2004 NY workshop, titled “Holistic Management Decision Making For Agency, Non-Profit Professionals and Farmers”, for 33 attendees. Participants involved in facilitating these events included John Gerber (CES), Phil Metzger (NRCS), Karl North (Farmer), John Thurgood (CES), Jim Weaver (NGO) and Seth Wilner (CES).

11 participants facilitated and/or giving public presentations on what they learned. It is estimated that over 400 people will be reached per year by the 9 participants actively presenting at large and small conferences and to specific groups upon request. (e.g. Participant Phil Metzger has given over a dozen presentations since 2003 to audiences numbering as few as 5 to over 60 attendees.)

Additionally, a formal Evaluation of the impacts of the Holistic Management decision making framework on the participants is being undertaken to learn and document how the four year professional development program impacted: 1) the manner in which the participants work with farmers and members of the agricultural community, and 2) the organizations, associations, and places of employment in which the participants work.

This Evaluation will also measure the satisfaction level with different aspects of the training activities and overall course design, including the assigned readings and homework, learning community format, case study design and week long intensives. Two separate evaluation tools were designed, one to capture summative data on the impacts of this training on the participants and the second to capture formative data on the professional development activities and program design and implementation.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Outcomes:
Overview of participants: A total of 18 individuals started the training (8 Cooperative Extension, 2 USDA – NRCS, 6 NGOs & 2 Private Individuals). NE SARE funds along with matching funds from The Cabbage Hill Farm Foundation and Central NY RC&D were used, along with the private individuals who covered their own expenses.

Participant status: 10 completed all training, a successful exit review and documentation requirements; 1 completed all training and document requirements and will complete exit review in Jan. 2005; 1 completed all training and document requirements but lacks exit review; 2 completed all training but lack exit reviews and documentation requirements; 2 completed 3 of 4 training intensives and postponed involvement; 1 completed 2 of 4 training intensives and postponed involvement; 1 completed 1 of 4 training intensives and postponed involvement.

Those completing the program and certification process include: Gretchen Blank (private); Fred Hayes (WV Farmer); Viviane Holmes (ME Extension); Phillip Metzger (NY NRCS); Karl North (NY Farmer); Steev Ritz (WV NRCS); Margaret Smith (IA Extension); John Thurgood (NY Extension); Jim Weaver (PA Extension); and Seth Wilner (NH Extension).

Of the 29 learning communities coordinated by participants many are still active and functioning as they continue to share experiences and learn improved decision making. For more information contact Central NY RC&D.

Hard copies of the case studies will be available from Central NY RC&D (607-334-3231, x4 or 99 North Broad St, Norwich, NY 13815) and other project partners. Online resources are available at http://www.umass.edu/umext/jgerber/hmpage/hmpage2/whiteeagle.htm.

Future professional development workshops on improved decision making are already scheduled (January 2005, Randolph Center, VT), currently being planned (2005 Binghamton, NY) and will be implemented for a wide audience including Cooperative Extension, NRCS & NGO professionals, farmer-educators and others.

As training progressed consensus building became a major topic of need so participants got the opportunity to learn the Chadwick Consensus Model (information can be found at managingwhole.com).

When examining the results of the training intensives different individuals became proficient in different parts of the curriculum. Those that finished the training and became certified clearly understand and can articulate the core concepts of Holistic Management and whole farm planning. Looking at how all participants faired in three additional major curriculum areas (financial planning, land planning & grazing planning): 8 understand and can articulate the financial planning concepts; 4 for land planning; and 5 for grazing planning.

Key to learning concepts was application. Clearly those that began “practicing” in their personal and professional lives grasped concepts and subtleties quicker and more firmly. This act of applying improved decision making concepts was perhaps the most effective learning technique utilized. Those that practiced found that the results were striking in that all reported improvements in quality of life, including how they were able to direct financial resources and time more effectively.

How we deliver training to adult learners is critical. Requiring participants to teach concepts to learning communities was successful for those that pursued this aggressively. In addition, those that took opportunities to present, facilitate or teach by accepting speaking engagements and conducting workshops quickly outpaced those that did not.

The reading assignments to prepare for upcoming intensives helped individuals get a sense of the material to be covered and was effective for some if not all participants. Most found pre-session reading assignments an effective learning technique, particularly when followed by discussion and application.

The goal of the Evaluation exercise is to collect data that can be used by other professional development programs seeking to deliver in-depth skill building education on complex subjects that require long-term, iterative activities.

Additionally, it will measure the pros and cons of the training design and implementation. This information will help others learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the methods used in this successful professional development program. The qualitative data is being collated and developed into a report. This report will be available through Central NY RC&D.

An important lesson was how life intervenes with any training program. Several participants attempted in good faith to complete the program but were unable to due to unexpected life events from personal issues and professional responsibilities. Some participated in intensives but did not practice personally or professionally and/or did not facilitate frequently with their learning communities. The failure to complete aspects of the training design generally appeared to hurt participants’ ability to grasp core concepts.

Collaborators: