Part I: HOLISTIC FINANCIAL PLANNING: MAKING A HEALTHY PROFIT
Your Holisticgoal: Aligning Your Financial Decisions
The Testing Guidelines: Reducing Decision-Making Stress
Financial Weak Link: Generating Wealth
Energy/Money Source and Use: Investing Soundly
Marginal Reaction: Getting the Biggest Bang for Your Buck
Gross Profit Analysis: Bringing in the Most Money for the Least Additional Cost
Management Tips and Good Ideas
Simple Appreciation: How to Handle Emergencies
Decision-Making Matrix: Tracking Your Decisions
Brainstorming: Generating New Ideas
Net Managerial Income: Rewarding Managerial Effectiveness
Livestock Production Worksheet
Planning the Planning: Laying the Foundation
Creating Ownership: Who Should Be Involved?
Overview and General Scheduling
Preliminary Planning: Taking a Hard Look
Is There a Logjam, and If So, How Will You Address It?
Are Other Factors Adversely Affecting the Business as a Whole?
Are Current Enterprises “Profitable” and Have You Spread Your Risk?
What Is the Weak Link in Each Enterprise and How Will You Address It?
Step 1. Plan the Income and the Direct Expenses Associated with Each Enterprise
Step 2. Plan Miscellaneous Income
Step 3. Categorize the Expenses
Step 4. Plan All Other Expenses
Step 5. Transfer Income Figures to the Spreadsheet
Step 6. Allocate Funds to the Logjam (If There Is One)
Step 8. Transfer the Inescapable Expenses (If Any) to the Spreadsheet
Step 9. Transfer the Remaining Expenses to the Spreadsheet
Step 10. Bring the Plan into Balance
Step 11. Determine Where to Invest Your Profit
Step 13. Figure Debt Costs in Relation to Cash Flow (If Applicable)
Monitoring Your Plan to Ensure Profit
Measuring Forage Utilization—in Days
Animal-Days per Acre or Hectare
Grazing, Overgrazing, and Growth Rates
Grazing Periods and Recovery Periods
Time, Paddocks, and Land Divisions
The Effect of Paddock Numbers on Timing
The Effect of Paddock Numbers on Density
Stock Density and Animal Nutrition
Determining Correct Stocking Rates
The Critical Non- or Slow-Growing Season
Nutrition during Non- and Slow-Growth Periods
Matching Animal Cycles to Land Cycles
Pests, Parasites, and Other Headaches
The Aide Memoire for Holistic Grazing Planning
Step 1. Make Opening Decisions: Look at the Seasonal Big Picture
Step 2. Set Up the Grazing Chart
Step 3. Record Management Concerns Affecting the Whole Cell
Step 4. Record Herd Information
Step 5. Record Livestock Exclusion Periods
Step 6. Open-Ended Plan Only: Check for Unfavorable Grazing Patterns
Step 7. Record Paddocks Still Available
Step 8. Note Paddocks Requiring Special Attention
Step 9. Rate Paddock Productivity
Step 10. Open-Ended Plan Only: Determine the Length of Recovery Periods
Step 11. Open-Ended Plan Only: Calculate Grazing Periods
Step 12. Closed Plan Only: Assess Forage Volume, Carrying Capacity, and Drought Reserve
Step 13. Closed Plan Only: Plan the Number of Selections and the Grazing Periods
Step 15. Make a Final Check of Your Plan
Step 16. Implement (and Monitor) the Plan
Part III: HOLISTIC BIOLOGICAL MONITORING: MONITORING TO CREATE YOUR DESIRED RESULTS
Historical Data: Where You’ve Been
Creating Your Future Landscape: Where You Want to Go
Key Land Health Indicators: The Four Ecosystem Processes
Community Dynamics: Assessing Succession
Water Cycle: Assessing Its Effectiveness
Mineral Cycle: Assessing Its Effectiveness
Energy Flow: Assessing Sunlight Conversion
Soil Capping: Its Development and Effects
Identifying Species: It’s Not Just a Name Game
Grazing Patterns—and What They Can Tell You
Living Organisms: Community Dynamics Revisited
Monitoring Criteria May Change
Recording Transect Information
Recording Transect Information
Part IV: HOLISTIC LAND PLANNING: DESIGNING THE IDEAL LAYOUT OF YOUR INFRASTRUCTURE
Gathering Important Information
Start a List of the Infrastructure Needed
Circulate Your Lists and Ask for Feedback
Create a Master Map of the Property
Prepare a Map of Existing Developments
Deciding on Herd and Cell Sizes
Divide the Planners into Teams
Create One Plan Based on Existing Facilities
Make Map Overlays Incorporating the Best Ideas
Check Each Plan against the Overlays
Check Your Ideal Plan against the Reality on the Land
Allotting Time and Money for Development
Appendix 1.A. The Testing Guidelines in Summary
Appendix 1.B. Financial Planning Forms
Appendix 2.A. Grazing Planning Forms
Appendix 2.B. Grazing Two or More Herds in the Same Cell
Appendix 3.A. Interpreting Your Monitoring: Five Scenarios