Whole
New Concepts
Training and Development Services for Today's World
See the Big Picture ~~ Respond to Change
Become Sustainable
Holistic Management
Family Farms & Ranches
Sustainable Agriculture
Business Development
Local Food
Beginning Farmers
Holistic Management Training
Holistic Management is ideal for those who want to improve their ability to take in the big picture, respond to change, and become sustainable. Our program is based on curriculum suggested by Holistic Management International and The Savory Institute. People who benefit from implementing Holistic Management include:
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Experienced and beginning farmers and ranchers who want to improve manageability, explore new possibilities, restore health and productivity to the land, create viable operations for the next generation, develop new markets, achieve a triple bottom line, decrease inputs, shift to grass based production, diversify, participate in a local food system and adopt sustainable practices.
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Families and people from all walks for life who seek to improve their quality of life, reduce their carbon footprint, live a lifestyle of health and sustainability.
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Entrepreneurs who desire to manage for a triple bottom line: becoming sustainable us of resources while also being financially sound and socially conscious.
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New and experienced landowners and land managers.
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Non-profit organizations who wish to get everyone on the same page, improve ownership in their purpose, and seek solutions that are socially, economically and environmentally sound.
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Community leaders who would like to improve decision making skills in relation to sustainable community development, land use planning, agriculture, problem solving and policy making.
Request more information or a consultation
The following Holistic Management courses are offered either as a distance learning program or as in-person training workshops and presentations.
Holistic Decision Making and Planning
This course covers ALL the basics you need to start practicing holistic management. You will gain skill in the use of the Holistic Management to address your current situation. Upon completion of this course you will:
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Know how to identify decision makers, inventory available resources, establish a purpose statement, and get everyone on the same page with a goal as you create and maintain a clear focus.
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Have improved your capacity to observe ecosystem processes and evaluate land health, understand the tools of management.
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Practiced using testing guidelines to make choices that honor what is important to you, and at the same time are socially, economically and environmentally sound.
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Know how to implement decisions, prioritize actions, develop monitoring criteria, reduce waste, diagnose the root cause of problems and complete your feedback loop.
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Have gained confidence and consistency in they way you make decisions about the human, natural and economic resources you manage.
Holistic Management Financial Planning
This course covers the basics you need to fine tune your holistic approach to management and allocation of money, resources, labor and time to achieve your best possible outcomes. Includes instruction, workbook and planning sheets. Requires that you have completed an introduction to Holistic Management as a prerequisite.
This workshop covers all the steps necessary to preparing annual financial plan that includes gross profit analysis of enterprises, budgeting, and cash flow management using the Holistic Management ® Framework to guide your decisions.
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Discover how to plan for a profit, not just hope for one.
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Make the most of the resources you have available.
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Learn how to respond to change and take advantage of opportunities.
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Build confidence in your decision making as you complete the feedback loop with monitoring.
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Honor your quality of life and family needs.
Completion of a suitable course in holistic decision making is a prerequisite for this course. Note: This course does NOT include instruction or advice relating to investments, retirement or estate planning, or taxes.
Holistic Management Grazing Planning
This course covers the basics you need to
fine tune your holistic approach to grazing planning and management. You will
learn:
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How to plan to be in the right place, at the right time for the right reason with your animals.
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Use your animals as a tool to restore health and productivity to the land.
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Minimize overgrazing and maximize productivity.
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Build confidence in your decision making as you complete the feedback loop with monitoring.
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Increase biodiversity.
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Manage for wildlife, drought, floods, fire and hard winters.
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Honor your quality of life and family needs.
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Plan for enhancement of animal performance, improved livestock management, right-sized stocking rates.
Completion of a suitable course in holistic decision making is a prerequisite for this course.
Holistic Management Early Warning Biological Monitoring
This course covers the basics you need to fine tune your holistic approach to land monitoring. You will learn how to select early monitoring criteria and use various techniques. Includes instruction, workbook and planning sheets. Completion of a suitable course in holistic decision making is a prerequisite for this course.
Holistic Management Land Planning
This course covers the basics you need to implement a holistic approach to land and infrastructure planning for ranching and farm operations. You will learn how to "think outside the box" and make best use of available resources as you layout short and long term projects to improve the efficiency, profitability, productivity, biodiversity and quality of life. Completion of a suitable course in holistic decision making is a prerequisite for this course.
Mini Holistic Management Workshops
These may be customized to meet the needs of your audience. Feel free to discuss possible topics for your conference, event or program.
The Ecosystem that Sustains Us
A highly adaptable introduction to land stewardship, biological monitoring & eco-literacy. There are no prerequisites for this course. This is ideal for new landowners, beginning farmers, small farmers, educators and land managers. May be taught at a distance or in-person. Can be set up as a land monitoring "walk-about" with hands on training. It is also great for children and adults from all walks of life. There are no prerequisites for this course. It may be presented as a half-day, full-day or two-day workshop.
Introduction to Grazing and Pasture Management
Are you new to livestock production, grazing, and pasture management? This course covers basic information and concepts necessary to apply the tool of grazing and manage forage for your best possible outcomes. May include basic irrigation water management if applicable. There are no prerequisites for this workshop. It may be presented as a half-day, full-day or two-day workshop.
Overview of Holistic Management
This provides overview of the general concepts and practice of Holistic Management. May be offered in advance of a full training program or as a stand alone. I may be presented as a one-hour talk and up to a half-day workshop.
Mentoring for Holistic Managers
Are you looking for professional guidance in applying the Holistic Management Framework in your situation? Take advantage of Cindy's experience an network of resources. Enjoy the structure of a mentoring program developed specifically with you in mind. Sometimes having another person to bounce ideas off of, help with testing decisions, getting people on the same page with a goal, solve problems, and explore possibilities is just the ticket to making progress. Either our Holistic Decision Making and Planning course or a suitable introduction to holistic decision-making is a prerequisite for this service. Contact Cindy for details.
Cindy
Dvergsten is available as a speaker and presenter for events,
conferences, and workshops. She speaks on any
number of topics related to sustainability, holistic management,
local food systems, family farming, land and ecosystem healthy, land
use policy, and a variety of farm enterprises she has personal
experience with such as grass-fed meat production, Navajo-Churro
Sheep, pastured chicken egg production and more.
Please contact us to request more information.
"Your talk has inspired me to learn more about supporting our local family farms. Would you be interested in mentoring me in my college course?" Michelle V., Community Organizer, Steamboat Springs CO
"This Holistic Management workshop was so inspiring! Thank you Cindy.” Trudi K., Organic Farmer, Alamosa CO
Holistic
Management Offerings
Holistic Management Financial Planning
Holistic
Management
Grazing Planning
Early
Warning Biological
Monitoring
Holistic Management
Land
Planning
The Ecosystem That
Sustains Us
Introduction to
Grazing
and Pasture Management
Mentoring For Holistic Managers
Get Started Today
Join our holistic management distance learning and mentoring program.
Click here for
Details on Distance
Learning
Or
Contact us About
In-Person Training
Host A Land Monitoring
Walk-About
What People
Have To Say
Our neighbors are jealous because we are
doing pretty
good in a tough year.
Jonathan K.
Organic
Dairy Farmer, NY
I like using the Holistic Management
Testing Guidelines. They get me thinking about so many possibilities.
Everything is coming together for me.
Todd P., Grass Based
Farmer, Nebraska
"This (Holistic Management) is so
complete and well rounded. I do not have to guess anymore."
Pam S., Landowner, CO
More About Holistic Management
The concept of a holistic approach to land stewardship was coined in 1980 by Allan Savory as "Holistic Resource Management". Since then many early adapters have contributed through their experience using holistic principles to create what is known today as "Holistic Management: A New Framework for Making Decisions."
The Holistic Management® Framework is a practical whole-systems approach to management for many situations. The framework helps us arrive at choices that are socially, economically and environmentally sound. This is accomplished by implementing a robust feedback loop as a part of the management and decision-making process.
Applicable in nearly all situations where decisions
are being made, the
Holistic Management® Framework has been most used in farming,
ranching, natural resources and land management situations.
Cindy Dvergsten is a Holistic Management® Certified Educator trained by Allan Savory in the early 1990's and currently certified by Holistic Management International. She has over fifteen years of personal and professional experience to offer her clients.
See More About Cindy Dvergsten and Whole New Concepts LLC.
Article Links
Holistic Management Makes a Visual Difference at Arriola Sunshine Farm
Irrigation Water:
Handle with Care
When The Thistle Wilts at Fat Sheep Farm
Learn how to observe and evaluate the health of your land and establish an early warning biological monitoring program.
Learn how to plan to be in the right place at the right time for the right reason with your grazing animals.
"Thank you SO MUCH for all you are doing for these guys. Never has the mentoring been done so well before, with grace, style, efficiency & quality!" Kelly White, Education Director, The Savory Center, ABQ NM