A Distance Learning Approach to Whole Farm Planning

Project Overview

EW13-021
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2013: $60,400.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2016
Region: Western
State: New Mexico
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Ann Adams
Email
Holistic Management International

Annual Reports

Information Products

Commodities

  • Agronomic: grass (misc. perennial), hay
  • Animals: bovine, poultry, goats, sheep
  • Animal Products: dairy

Practices

  • Animal Production: free-range, grazing management, grazing - multispecies, pasture fertility, pasture renovation, range improvement, grazing - rotational, feed/forage
  • Crop Production: conservation tillage
  • Education and Training: decision support system, extension, mentoring, study circle
  • Farm Business Management: whole farm planning, budgets/cost and returns, agricultural finance, risk management
  • Natural Resources/Environment: carbon sequestration, biodiversity, indicators
  • Production Systems: holistic management, permaculture
  • Soil Management: green manures, organic matter
  • Sustainable Communities: analysis of personal/family life

    Abstract:

    Rhoby uses portable electro-mesh fencing to manage grazing on her permanent pasture. The flock are Romeldale/CVM, a California heritage breed.Our original project goal was to have 30 agricultural educators training 2-3 agricultural producers each on a course or module for a total of 90 agricultural producers reached. However, we pursued additional funding for 5 more educators who were trained in Whole Farm/Ranch Planning so we trained 40 agricultural educators in the whole farm planning process in year 1 of that program. From that 40 we had 34 who continued to learn from each other and teach producers in years 2 and 3. Of that 34 we had 14 agricultural educators who trained/co-trained 188 agricultural producers in various aspects of Whole Farm/Ranch Planning during which those producers actually developed plans or tested whole farm/ranch decisions, and they were given feedback by the agricultural producers on those plans/decisions. This was an increase of 36 plans from 2015.

    Project objectives:

    outside-shotsm-280x210Our original project goal was to have 30 agricultural educators training 2-3 agricultural producers each on a course or module for a total of 90 agricultural producers reached. However, we pursued additional funding for 5 more educators who were trained in Whole Farm/Ranch Planning so we trained 40 agricultural educators in the whole farm planning process in year 1 of the program.They were trained in Introduction to Whole Farm/Ranch Planning, Financial Planning, Land Planning, Grazing Planning, and Biological Monitoring. The 105 scholarship tuitions paid for by WSARE for these courses were matched by private monies so that a total of 148 scholarship tuitions were offered.

    From that 40 agricultural educators we had 34 who continued to learn from each other and teach producers in years 2 and 3. Of that 34 we had 14 agricultural educators who trained/co-trained 188 agricultural producers in various aspects of Whole Farm/Ranch Planning during which those producers actually developed plans or tested whole farm/ranch decisions, and they were given feedback by the agricultural producers on those plans/decisions. This was an increase of 36 plans from 2015.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.