The Holistic book recommendation thread

[holwellcourtfarm]

Defending Beef by Nicolette Hahn Niman, an environmental lawyer and ex-vegan turned ranchers wife. Well written and thorough it demolishes the anti-red meat campaign piece by piece while explaining the potential of holistically raised meat.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Defending-Beef-Case-Sustainable-Production/dp/1603585362/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1RPFQSS5HLBMP&keywords=defending+beef+the+case+for+sustainable+meat+production&qid=1573590056&sprefix=Defending+Beef%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1

Both Nicolette and David Montgomery are friendly and approachable people as well, both responded quick to my emails in a friendly manner.

Either would be great future Groundswell speakers if @martian was keen....

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

Just finished reading Nicole Masters' new book "For the love of soil".

It's not a read for those new to holistic management but it's full of insights, tips and explanations.

I especially love this statement:

 

[Jungle Bill]

I am so damn excited for this... I've signed up for both the paper and the e-book copy

Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative Agriculture is a pragmatic and comprehensive manual for the future of small farming

www.kickstarter.com

I’ve just downloaded my ebook, even better than expected with the best introduction to holistic and regenerative thinking I’ve seen combined with amazing practical how to advice on all sorts of things.

 

[BobTheSmallholder]

I’ve just downloaded my ebook, even better than expected with the best introduction to holistic and regenerative thinking I’ve seen combined with amazing practical how to advice on all sorts of things.

Yup I absolutely love it so far, I've also signed up to the online course and am like the proverbial pig right now!

 

[Crofter64]

I’ve just downloaded my ebook, even better than expected with the best introduction to holistic and regenerative thinking I’ve seen combined with amazing practical how to advice on all sorts of things.

It’s pretty pricey.Do you find it says anything new to justify the cost?

 

[Jungle Bill]

It’s pretty pricey.Do you find it says anything new to justify the cost?

For me the cost is justified by having so much practical information in one place, backed up by reference to Holistic Management principles. I have a lot of experience of large scale animal, cropping and horticulture businesses and helping them along the way to regenerative production; I am now becoming more involved with smaller scale permaculture it know little about it and this book gives me a great starting point and will dramatically shorten the learning curve on many subjects, so for me it’s great value, one day of making a fool of myself saved and it’s paid for!

 

[JohnGalway]

I wasn't going to get Perkins book, but met a guy on the Holistic mgt course who had been over in Sweden with him. He'd a lot of interesting insights from his time there tbh, so reconsidering now. Must ask his opinion on it.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

I wasn't going to get Perkins book, but met a guy on the Holistic mgt course who had been over in Sweden with him. He'd a lot of interesting insights from his time there tbh, so reconsidering now. Must ask his opinion on it.

The folk we meet on these courses is probably half the value gained

 

[JohnGalway]

The folk we meet on these courses is probably half the value gained

Completely agree, I'm going to send out a text to gauge feeling on setting up a whatsapp group.

 

[ShooTa]

ive got the ebook as i already had the first book. mainly for the figures/spreadsheet ideas tbh.

 

[Macsky]

(I've moved all my unread and part-read books from the bedside to the bookcase. Out of sight, out of mind. Feels like less of a job that I'm not getting done, and more like something I choose to do when I want to.)

I’ve done it! ?
Finally finished Call Of The Reed Warbler by Charles Massey late last night.
I found it a very frustrating read. I would say, without agreeing with everything he says, that it is an important book, with a strong message that needs to be told far and wide, but a lot of the impact is lost in his obsession with boring tangents, big words and complex language(sesquipidalian is perhaps the only word he missed out?). It’s not a very practical book either, which it probably wasn’t meant to be so maybe that’s fair enough. It was a real effort at times to get through a couple of pages, especially when you thought the chapter was winding up, only to flick through another half dozen pages before the next. A good editor would have halved the content and kept, if not increased the impact.

Perhaps his style was deliberate and constructed to reflect the complexity of his subject matter, who knows?

As it stands, it’s a book that I would struggle to recommend, which is a shame.

 

[bitwrx]

I’ve done it! ?
Finally finished Call Of The Reed Warbler by Charles Massey late last night.
I found it a very frustrating read. I would say, without agreeing with everything he says, that it is an important book, with a strong message that needs to be told far and wide, but a lot of the impact is lost in his obsession with boring tangents, big words and complex language(sesquipidalian is perhaps the only word he missed out?). It’s not a very practical book either, which it probably wasn’t meant to be so maybe that’s fair enough. It was a real effort at times to get through a couple of pages, especially when you thought the chapter was winding up, only to flick through another half dozen pages before the next. A good editor would have halved the content and kept, if not increased the impact.

Perhaps his style was deliberate and constructed to reflect the complexity of his subject matter, who knows?

As it stands, it’s a book that I would struggle to recommend, which is a shame.

Well done for pushing on through. Time for celebratory tea and crumpets, I reckon.

Regrettably, I largely agree with your summary. Some important ideas in there though; can't overlook that fact.

What's next on the list?

 

[Macsky]

Well done for pushing on through. Time for celebratory tea and crumpets, I reckon.

Regrettably, I largely agree with your summary. Some important ideas in there though; can't overlook that fact.

What's next on the list?

Savory’s Holistic Management, looking forward to it.

 

[Macsky]

View attachment 842706 I’ve just started reading this, fascinating about how grazing animals choose to meet their needs if they have the diversity to choose from. No doubt lots more to come but already the best book of the year as it explains so much about things I didn’t know I didn’t know and will change how I look at all food yet again.

How are you getting on with this @Jungle Bill ? Looks interesting.

 

[bitwrx]

Savory’s Holistic Management, looking forward to it.

I'm about 55% through. See above for what I thought early on. Still think the same, broadly. Still easy to read, still identify with a lot of it. Starting to see how to apply it, but also starting to realise it won't be straightforward (at first, at least).

Hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

(Didn't realise until last week there is a handbook to go with it, which is on its way to me now. Hoping it all starts to come together soon. Christ knows our business needs something in the way of a decision-making/management framework.)

 

[Macsky]

I'm about 55% through. See above for what I thought early on. Still think the same, broadly. Still easy to read, still identify with a lot of it. Starting to see how to apply it, but also starting to realise it won't be straightforward (at first, at least).

Hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

(Didn't realise until last week there is a handbook to go with it, which is on its way to me now. Hoping it all starts to come together soon. Christ knows our business needs something in the way of a decision-making/management framework.)

Easy to read will be a nice change ?

 

[ShooTa]

id agree about COTRW - its a hard read. plenty of good mullings though.

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

I'm about 55% through. See above for what I thought early on. Still think the same, broadly. Still easy to read, still identify with a lot of it. Starting to see how to apply it, but also starting to realise it won't be straightforward (at first, at least).

Hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

(Didn't realise until last week there is a handbook to go with it, which is on its way to me now. Hoping it all starts to come together soon. Christ knows our business needs something in the way of a decision-making/management framework.)

The handbook is a very useful companion to the main book. Once you've read through both I strongly recommend you at least do the Holistic Fundamentals course. It's extremely hard to work it all out for yourself otherwise.

 

[Samcowman]

id agree about COTRW - its a hard read. plenty of good mullings though.

Someone mentioned about things being easy ?

 

[Jungle Bill]

How are you getting on with this @Jungle Bill ? Looks interesting.

The first half was better than the second which got a bit too theoretical, hypothetical and religious for me, but then I did spend time at Utah State University where I heard Fred speak a couple of times and I know I am over sensitive when Mormon type thinking surfaces as the place traumatised me somewhat.

I still found his writing on grazing and nutrient selection fascinating as I have always been more taken with “holistic rotational herding” using people, horses and dogs, which I have seen and taken part in in various countries than fenced “holistic planned grazing” which while great for (semi)intensive grass is not as practical for extensive areas. The labour costs are a problem however, but all could change in the paradigm shifts facing the UK in the coming years.