

Follow Graeme Hand
How to regenerate land with livestock–and make a steady profit
Graeme Hand teaches Holistic Management in Australia and around the world, and he helps people restore native perennial grasses–and make a profit–with livestock. He shares his stories and secrets, some of which will surprise you!
Show notes:
2’39 what Australian land management was like before European settlement
3’52 non-native species — not as big a problem as poor land management
5’00 people’s motivation in learning holistic grazing practices
5’55 boom-bust cycles and the path to stability, and the desire to sequester carbon
7’01 the paradox that more animals can mean less profit, and vice versa
8’24 increase profits without changing other parts of the business too much
9’57 choosing the right animals for the kind of food they’re eating and land they’re grazing
10’27 example from real life: debt, ground cover, stocking numbers
11’30 lowering risk by adjusting stocking rate and type of cow, leading to stability through stabilizing the feed base
13’05 managing risk through minimizing losses rather than maximizing production
13’59 mechanical vs. biological thinking
15’45 arid parts of Australia and stocking rates
17’19 perennial native grasses as good feed base for livestock
18’50 happy wildlife
19’25 making a plan for clients and teaching them how to make their own plans
21’48 the science and art of holistic management
22’35 how do you help people overcome each barrier
24’03 to what extent are people resistant to change
25’39 overcoming barriers to adoption
29’10 are farmers working together and comparing notes
31’54 training farmers in Brazil
34’39 cattle are vilified in Brazil
35’06 cattle and mammal extinction in Australia
35’42 turn around biodiversity loss while producing food
35’57 boom-bust cycles in agriculture
36’38 matching stocking rate with feed supply
36’53 cow vs. bison hooves
39’49 forests and grasslands
40’05 variation in techniques
40’35 “safe to fail” practice areas
41’10 Gabe Brown in Australia
41’25 working in Mongolia
42’25 understanding perennial grass physiology
42’50 the social component
43’50 making regenerative agriculture the norm, and addressing the problem of innacurate agriculture education
45’27 can regenerative agriculture provide the quantity of meat we need
45’44 issues of population
46’11 people don’t like sharing, problems of social breakdown
46’41 more about Mongolia
48’11 the importance of listening to people
48’35 vision of returning prairie land and other regenerative practices
49’00 making sure that everyone has enough, social inequality
49’30 the Regenerate 2019 conference
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Episode 132 – Innovative approaches to regeneration on a California ranch
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Episode 131 – Giant bison, mammoths, and eagles: a deep history of the American continent
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Episode 130 – Sustainable development, climate mitigation, and biochar
For decades Brando Crespi has been working in communities damaged by extractive industries. He makes the case that biochar can and should be part of a global strategy do reverse climate change and grow more food with less water.
Episode 129 – Bringing dead land back to life: a filmmaker’s perspective
In 1995 John Liu began documenting the Loess Plateau in China, a landscape ruined by poor agriculture practices. Over decades he documented its return to vibrant life, and filmed many other restoration projects worldwide.
Episode 128 – Sustaining Southwest Agriculture
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Episode 127 – A vibrant pecan oasis in the desert
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Episode 126 – The food-housing nexus
Professor Phil Warsaw noticed that in urban Black and Latino neighborhoods the price of housing near grocery stores was higher––but the same wasn’t true in more affluent White neighborhoods. Why? And how can planners balance food access and gentrification?
Episode 125 – Leveling the growing field: promoting a fair farm system
Both big ag and small family farms have their problems…but what’s the alternative? We talk with agricultural journalist Sarah Mock about the some possible models.
Episode 124 – Big Team Farms––a new economic model?
Both big ag and small family farms have their problems…but what’s the alternative? We talk with agricultural journalist Sarah Mock about the some possible models.
Episode 123 – The USDA goes after a small sheep farm
Linda and Larry Faillace imported milk sheep following USDA guidelines and started a cheese making business in Vermont––only to have their animals confiscated and killed by the USDA under the pretext of a disease that sheep don’t get. Listen to find out why.
Episode 122 – Making your tax dollars work after fires and floods
New Mexico Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez is working not only to help the people and businesses affected by fires and floods, but also to build back land that is more resilient. All of which is easier said than done.
Episode 121 – Place, Power, And Purpose: Pollinators On Western Landscapes
Bees and other pollinators are facing threats from industrialization and habitat fragmentation. Beekeeper, scientist, and indigenous teacher Melanie Kirby knows that bees are vital to the food we eat—and is showing the way forward.
Episode 120 – What’s good for the farm is good for the planet
Carol Ekarius has worked in both large- and small-scale farming, and has written many books for hobby farmers. And she’s led organizations devoted to watershed restoration and sustainable agriculture. She talks about the daunting challenges ahead—and gives us some reasons for hope.
Episode 119 – What is Your Foodprint?
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Episode 118 – Kiss the Ground: A project born of devotion to the earth
When Ryland Engelhart learned that restoring soil health was a key to reversing climate change, he became an advocate for regeneration –– resulting in a film that has been seen by over six million people in 26 languages.