As 2021 comes to a close, our monthly news roundup finds itself circling the issue of trust. From establishing trust when working with a new farming community or talking to your neighbor, to the trust between a shepherd and their flock, trust is a crucial element of life.
In that vein, we thank you for trusting us to create real impact as we build this regenerative movement. Our end-of-year fundraising campaign is nearly complete, so be sure to get your charitable gifts in before the new year.
NETWORK NEWS
SAVORY WEBINAR REPLAY [Video] Careers In Holistic Management: Meet the Accredited Professionals
Are you interested in making a career out of Holistic Management or EOV? Watch the replay of this webinar featuring AP’s from around the Savory Global Network. Watch »
SOUTH AFRICA HUB We
Have To Regenerate The People Before We Can Regenerate The Land
In this interview, Hub leader Rolf Pretorius discusses working with local farming communities on the eastern cape of South Africa. Be sure to watch the video at the end. Read More »
ARKANSAS & NORCAL HUBS [Video] Heifer Ranch Interviews Abbey Smith
Heifer USA’s Heifer Ranch Manager and Land Steward, Donna Kilpatrick, interviews the Savory Institute’s Global Network Coordinator, Abbey Smith, about the potential for scaling regenerative agriculture to reverse climate change. Watch »
WHAT WE'RE READING
THE FOOD JUSTICE
Consequences of the 'Less Meat, Better Meat' Narrative
Diana Rodgers, the co-author of Sacred Cow, takes on the negative impacts of anti-meat messaging. Read »
FARM ONLINE NATIONAL CSIRO Debunks Cattle Myths Research out of CSIRO in Australia finds that grain-finished beef production contributes nearly
2x the amount of human-edible protein the animal’s consumed, and grass-fed systems almost 1600 times. Read »
YOUTUBE [video] On the Spiritual Relationship between the Shepherd and his Herd Abu Ali, a goat shepherd in Taraya, Western Beqaa in Lebanon, describes his relationship with his flock. Watch »
DIGGING IN
ONE TOPIC IN DETAIL EACH MONTH Don't Become an Island
I heard this sentiment from a farmer at a conference, and it has really stuck with me. Almost every day, I hear "how do we get more people into this" or "how do I convince my neighbor?"
There are three main barriers to change:
Knowledge base
Economic factors
Social factors
In our transition to regenerative agriculture, I would argue that #1 and #2 are being overcome. There is so much information at our fingertips about how to implement reiterative practices. In fact, managing the overwhelming amount of information is more of an issue! There's also a big financial incentive to change practices. The economic argument of reducing inputs and improving profitability is becoming an easy one to make.
The biggest hurdle we have is social factors. From our small-troop primate origins, one of our biggest fears is to be kicked out of the group. This was a serious threat back in the day, as an individual human alone faced
certain death. We still carry this fear with us, even though that threat is no longer there. Whether we realize it or not, we work hard to maintain primary relationships with our family, friends, and neighbors and avoid upsetting those bonds. But what are we to do if the real threat we are facing is bigger than us and takes all of us to address? We know we need to get our neighbors on board to reverse degrading ecosystems and communities. And that's going to require us to take a risk in our relationships and start helping our family, friends, and neighbors engage in conversations about regenerative agriculture. This isn't easy work, but it's necessary.
So here's a big tip:
I learned this from horse training. A horse (and a person) can't learn if they feel threatened. The key to these conversations is that it takes 'whispering.' Take time to build trust, respect, and understanding. What really drives your neighbors' decision-making? Caution: you might be carrying some assumptions that you need to test. Are you getting their hackles up? Back off, reflect, and come back another day. Be patient, go gently, and show more than tell.
These relationships are truly what will support the regenerative transition, so I encourage you to stop your neighbor next time on the road and invite
them over for coffee.
ONLINE · JAN 04 · ROBINIA INSTITUTE More of the Mob: Epigenetics, the Family, and the Natural Lineage of Herd Effect. Join this live conversation with Virginia Savory Hub Leader Daniel Griffith on the role of the Family (and not Stock Density) in achieving actual herd effect with guest Fred Provenza. Register »
ONLINE · JAN 24 · SAVORY NETWORK Savory Global Network Meetup & Information Session If you're interested in finding your role in the Savory Global Network or want to know more about Holistic Management, join us for this
monthly webinar meetup. Register »
