I enjoyed this. I like the conversation about the consciousness of plants and how even plants are carnivores. Listening to this makes me realize that I'm not the only one that thinks about these kinds of concepts. We are all truly interrelated. The soil and the microbes within is our foundation.
"...what is the pathway forward in regenerating these millions of acres in the arid West?" Thanks for asking such an important question John! One thing to add (to the findings of Savory and our knowledge of adaptive grazing methods) is that there are ways to jumpstart the process"artificially". While it may be true, that "using ruminant animals as herds is our only tool for countering desertification on a large scale", it may also be true that we do have the ability to replicate the effects and turn the tides of succession around in a major way! What I have done, is clear out some of the woody species, spread a small amount of fungal-dominant compost, cover with a thin layer of mulch, cover with wind protection, sticks or netting. Build a giant machine to do exactly that and remediate 600 acres a day. Easy peezy friends. ... it's kinda funny thinking about it: it's like the shepherds are going extinct, because we aren't creating the conditions for them to be present (good ol Lamarckism). Like we need to employ some pre-shepherding or herd prepping, if you will. There's not even any incentive for ranchers to go out and repair lands where they would have to bale graze the herd for a while to get things going. We can do what I've indicated above on a massive scale, if we only get the support of some modern culture. Culture... Relationships... Families... It's all exactly what's being discussed here. Thank you
A great conversation John and Fred. I love both of your work, Would like to hear more about the epigenetics and animal behavior, there is so much to learn. We need to get more people in the arid west to implement different grazing practices, ones that they can do at scale. For a lot of ranches they have to get the BLM to allow the changes to take place. Most places in my area are under the BLM management .and don't have the freedom to make changes to their grazing practices. Thanks for doing the podcast!
With the stupidity going rampant in Europe at legislative and executive level in governments, dispossessing the ranchers and farmers of their ancestral lands, there will be no opportunity to implement any different grazing practices. All using the excuses of environmentalism. A thinly veiled excuse to enforce a horrible feudal mindset where nobody owns anything but the top 1% of society. They're excluding humans from an environmental policy, purposefully forgetting humans are part of the ecosystem right from the beginning.
I don't know why there is not more farmers switching to regenerative. Less inputs on an overall. Just sounds like money to me. This way of farming was our past we are only understanding it n a different way now than the past. Like you sed on eh and pH two sides of the same coin. What you are doing is the most time tested way forward don't stop putting out the word love what you do and are doing
I enjoyed this. I like the conversation about the consciousness of plants and how even plants are carnivores. Listening to this makes me realize that I'm not the only one that thinks about these kinds of concepts. We are all truly interrelated. The soil and the microbes within is our foundation.
Wanna mess with some people's heads just say plants are not vegan! Hhahahahah
This is a beautiful summary, James! There is so much connection between all beings on this planet. Thank you for sharing!
- The AEA Team
"...what is the pathway forward in regenerating these millions of acres in the arid West?" Thanks for asking such an important question John!
One thing to add (to the findings of Savory and our knowledge of adaptive grazing methods) is that there are ways to jumpstart the process"artificially". While it may be true, that "using ruminant animals as herds is our only tool for countering desertification on a large scale", it may also be true that we do have the ability to replicate the effects and turn the tides of succession around in a major way!
What I have done, is clear out some of the woody species, spread a small amount of fungal-dominant compost, cover with a thin layer of mulch, cover with wind protection, sticks or netting. Build a giant machine to do exactly that and remediate 600 acres a day. Easy peezy friends.
... it's kinda funny thinking about it: it's like the shepherds are going extinct, because we aren't creating the conditions for them to be present (good ol Lamarckism). Like we need to employ some pre-shepherding or herd prepping, if you will.
There's not even any incentive for ranchers to go out and repair lands where they would have to bale graze the herd for a while to get things going. We can do what I've indicated above on a massive scale, if we only get the support of some modern culture. Culture... Relationships... Families... It's all exactly what's being discussed here. Thank you
Fred Provenza is a legend. Beautiful podcast!
We agree! We're so glad you enojoyed this, Tristan! - The AEA Team
Thanks John, great discussion especially involving a book that I have recently read.
We're so glad you enjoyed it! - The AEA Team
A great conversation John and Fred. I love both of your work, Would like to hear more about the epigenetics and animal behavior, there is so much to learn. We need to get more people in the arid west to implement different grazing practices, ones that they can do at scale. For a lot of ranches they have to get the BLM to allow the changes to take place. Most places in my area are under the BLM management .and don't have the freedom to make changes to their grazing practices. Thanks for doing the podcast!
With the stupidity going rampant in Europe at legislative and executive level in governments, dispossessing the ranchers and farmers of their ancestral lands, there will be no opportunity to implement any different grazing practices. All using the excuses of environmentalism. A thinly veiled excuse to enforce a horrible feudal mindset where nobody owns anything but the top 1% of society. They're excluding humans from an environmental policy, purposefully forgetting humans are part of the ecosystem right from the beginning.
Really informative and inyresting .Great stuff
Human phenotypic expression
I don't know why there is not more farmers switching to regenerative. Less inputs on an overall. Just sounds like money to me. This way of farming was our past we are only understanding it n a different way now than the past. Like you sed on eh and pH two sides of the same coin. What you are doing is the most time tested way forward don't stop putting out the word love what you do and are doing
Thank you so much for contributing to this conversation, Gerry! There are so many opportunities with regenerative approaches!
- The AEA Team
What are examples of tannin rich forage like bitter brush that will thrive in the wet east?