As I have been learning more about Holistic Management the past years, I'm getting more and more convinced it would be the ideal approach to gain a profit from the 10 hectare land trust PermaLot owns in Bouzov Svojanov. However we now live in Norway.
We offer free use of 10 hectares of land in Bouzov Svojanov to someone wiling to do holistic management with sheep grazing. -A herd of 25-40 sheep is likely optimal.
The land is ideal for the purpose with plenty of shade under an orchard canopy. Additional income from apple harvest is possible.
You would need to supply your own sheep, mobile fencing and temporary living arrangement in Bouzov Svojanov. There's a well on the property and possibility for electricity/internet.
Basic thing is: We supply the land, you do everything else and gain the profit from it.
We expect you to be mature and responsible, as well as knowledgable about the Alan Savory approach to Holistic Management.
More information:
http://www.savoryinstitute.com/
To those of you who are curious:
This is what needs to be done every day:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10151817002616288&set=vb.360258277390094&type=2&theater
Holistic Management - Alan Savory
- Pozuruj a jednej - PermaMax
- Příspěvky: 438
- Registrován: 20 bře 2010 07:28
Holistic Management - Alan Savory
- Pozuruj a jednej - PermaMax
- Příspěvky: 438
- Registrován: 20 bře 2010 07:28
Re: Holistic Management - Alan Savory
PermaMax: I have been trying to apply the holistic management principles for more than 5 years and i have a few comments. 10 ha (25 acres) for 25 - 40 sheep would not work at all during the spring / early summer season. To get a good effect you need around 15 - 20 sheep per ha (ewes and the lambs). Even if the holistic management is not the same as mob grazing (or rotational grazing), you are looking for the same results. How did you calculate your stocking rate?
The other thing to consider is the species. If one of your goals is to have profitable lamb production, the lambs do not prosper well on the grass longer than 30 cm, basically about the 30 days old (for the sake of this post i am oversimplifying, and not considering the grass species, legumes, other plants etc).
Next is the potential problems caused by the apples falling, and being eaten by the sheep. The temporary abundance of the fruit is often causing digestion issues for the sheep
To some up my experience, with 25 - 40 sheep on 10 ha, you will not be able to manage holistically the orchard. A part (a bigger one) would need to be harvested for hay or mulched. With sheep, you have very short optimal grass growth stage and due to their wool they are very hard to contain within the electric fences. The cattle is much easier to contain and can utilize better the suboptimal forage, but they are big and dangerous.
Savory's work has undoubtedly been proven in vast tracts of land in desertification prone areas, but up to my knowledge its mostly former savannah, not a former wood with relatively short growing season. I have yet to see a good example in continental climate. I am very much looking forward to your experiences.
- Pozuruj a jednej - PermaMax
- Příspěvky: 438
- Registrován: 20 bře 2010 07:28
Re: Holistic Management - Alan Savory
Lovely answer: Very appreciated!
I see I need to explain myself better:
1) I don't have any experiences and don't care personally how many sheep will be grazing. It's up to whoever wants to take on the challenge. It's also a possibility to have other (small) animals, poultry or whichever.
2) Apart from a RAD workshop with Darren Doherty in 2011 and learning bits and pieces online, my knowledge comes from a recent talk by a young Norwegian researcher, Anders Kopstad, who graze between 25-40 sheep 10 months yearly on 10 hectares, hence my suggested herd size. He can be found on FB: https://www.facebook.com/anders.kopstad.7?fref=ts ...and he runs this page: https://www.facebook.com/dennyevin
-I may get around to share my notes from his lecture here one of these days
3) Great point about fallen fruit. Fact is that during the past 5 years it's been more normal to have 1-2 apples a tree than not. In some areas a few trees still produce some, but it should be possible to fence them out when time comes.
4) To an experienced person like you I need to detail that the apple orchard is around 4,5 hectares, an old jerabiny orchard (now only producing birds berries) is 1 hectare, and there's a 2 hectare 'louka' on the other side of the village; best in case of need for hay, 1 hectare we haven't cut for 13 years as we want it to become a forest, and another few bits and pieces...
5) As far as I understood from Anders's talk, then he's grazing on very tall grasses and his meat fetches premium quality and slightly above average weight.
My experience of keeping 7 sheep during summers in Bouzov Podoli confirms the issue with electrical fences and wool, however with daily shift to new pastures and selectiv breeding (killing off sheep who disrespect fences) then Anders claim to not have such issues. -He also told of a need to 'introduce' lambs to the fence!
- Maly Nomad
- Příspěvky: 146
- Registrován: 13 bře 2012 14:23
Re: Holistic Management - Alan Savory
Maly Nomad: To jsou ty pozemky na kterých chceš sledovat vliv intenzivní pastvy na obsah organických látek v půdě?
- Maly Nomad
- Příspěvky: 146
- Registrován: 13 bře 2012 14:23
Re: Holistic Management - Alan Savory
QNX: to jsou ony. Tenhle pohled je z pozemku ven. Za ovcema je videt roh ohrady. Nase v popredi, cizi v pozadi. Ale sklonem i pudou je to to same.
Re: Holistic Management - Alan Savory
Re: Holistic Management - Alan Savory
Maly Nomad: Už jsi s tím sledováním změn v půdě začal, nebo je to plán do budoucna?
- Pozuruj a jednej - PermaMax
- Příspěvky: 438
- Registrován: 20 bře 2010 07:28