Course Introduction
In this course you will be part of a collaborative online learning community of other regenerative farmers, all working together and sharing knowledge to design a regenerative farming system.
The course will guide you along a step by step through a design framework to create a healthy and resilient farming system.
Through the course you will develop a clear understanding of the structure and function of regenerative farming systems and receive all the tips and techniques to ensure your success implementing this philosophy.
The intention of the course and resulting plan is to guide a landowner through an educational process to co-create a plan and strategy to transition their property to a more ecologically functional state, while upholding financial productivity and long-term farming sustainability. You will be enrolled alongside a group of peers and collaboratively interact with learning materials in your journey towards completing the final design and report.
Outcomes:
In this course you will be part of a collaborative online learning community of other regenerative farmers, all working together and sharing knowledge to design a regenerative farming system.
The course will guide you along a step by step through a design framework to create a healthy and resilient farming system.
Through the course you will develop a clear understanding of the structure and function of regenerative farming systems and receive all the tips and techniques to ensure your success implementing this philosophy.
The intention of the course and resulting plan is to guide a landowner through an educational process to co-create a plan and strategy to transition their property to a more ecologically functional state, while upholding financial productivity and long-term farming sustainability. You will be enrolled alongside a group of peers and collaboratively interact with learning materials in your journey towards completing the final design and report.
Outcomes:
- Site analysis and mapping
- Farm design (2D and 3D in VectorWorks - free access to this design software)
- Environmental health monitoring strategy and report
- Design implementation strategy
Complete the course survey below to help me design the best course possible to suit your needs
Enroll for next course starting Aug 2022
- (payment plans also available via [email protected])
Modules
1. The Creative Agent
In this module you will be guided through a framework to identify your values, experience, interests, and personality type to clarify where your unique area of strength lies and how to leverage those strengths to create valuable, rare and quality output.
The three key topics are outlined below:
2. Regenerative Design Philosophy
This module explores the regenerative design philosophy at the heart of creating ecological farming systems. On completion of this module, you will identify your philosophical approach to designing regenerative systems.
The three key topics are outlined below:
3. Value Proposition
In this topic we explore how to gain clarity on what value you wish to offer through your business to targeted customers. We will guide you through a number of analysis to gain clarity on exactly how to best position yourself in your industry to take advantages of opportunities and avoid threats - in ways that are aligned to your strengths and the specific needs of customers.
The three key topics are outlined below:
4. Building Soil
Soil can be created on farms by using a wide range of techniques including holistic grazing, adding compost and compost teas, using biochar, planting trees, avoiding tilling soil and practising crop rotation and crop residue mulching. These practices minimize biota disturbance and erosion losses while incorporating carbon rich amendments and retaining the biomass of roots and shoots, all of which contribute to building organic matter in soil and feeding a thriving soil community.
The three key topics are outlined below:
5. Site Dynamics
In the design of any system it is critical to take time to understand the context well, the dynamics of the environment, the outcomes expected by stakeholders and to research different approaches to delivering value and address problems or create new opportunities.
The three key topics are outlined below:
6. Whole Farm Design
In this topic we look at how to apply regenerative design thinking to the context of your site. We map out your production systems and look for opportunities to diversify and connect production systems.
The three key topics are outlined below:
7. Restoring Natural Habitats
Nowhere else in the world has the natural ecology of a land been changed so dramatically and quickly as in New Zealand. To preserve the vestiges of what natural ecology remains requires important lowland habitat prized for farming to be managed in a way that protects and restores the vital habitats and creates links between them to allow a place for our natural ecology in the altered world we have created for them.
The three key topics are outlined below:
8. Livestock Health
This topic explores some of the most important dynamics that impact the health and performance of livestock on your farm. We focus on understanding the natural behaviours and habitats of livestock and how to optimise their nutrition and performance on your farm.
The three key topics are outlined below:
9. Mapping & Design
The heart of this course is producing a detailed plan to take your vision of regenerative farming to the next level over the next three years. We work one on one with you and create for you a site design and report to detail how to bring your vision into reality.
The three key topics are outlined below:
1. The Creative Agent
In this module you will be guided through a framework to identify your values, experience, interests, and personality type to clarify where your unique area of strength lies and how to leverage those strengths to create valuable, rare and quality output.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Mapping the Mental Landscape: What mental constructs have you adopted from your family, community and upbringing and how do they shape your beliefs and actions.
- Clarity of purpose: What are your values and goals and how can you clarify them into a vision and mission.
- Identifying your strengths: What strengths and resources can you leverage to achieve a successful outcome.
2. Regenerative Design Philosophy
This module explores the regenerative design philosophy at the heart of creating ecological farming systems. On completion of this module, you will identify your philosophical approach to designing regenerative systems.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Patterns: Understanding the patterns of natural systems and how they can be applied to developing healthy-functioning agricultural ecosystems.
- Principles: Developing a set of action principles aligned to your vision and creating healthy and resilient outcomes on the farm.
- Ecosystem Function & Health: Creating a biodiverse agricultural ecosystem of compatible and inter-connected production systems and how to measure farm biological health.
3. Value Proposition
In this topic we explore how to gain clarity on what value you wish to offer through your business to targeted customers. We will guide you through a number of analysis to gain clarity on exactly how to best position yourself in your industry to take advantages of opportunities and avoid threats - in ways that are aligned to your strengths and the specific needs of customers.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Market analysis: Guides you through a PESTEL analysis of market dynamics, a 5-forces model to identify competition, a SWAT analysis to identify market opportunities and a blue ocean strategy to developing innovative products and services.
- Target Customer: Identifying the needs of the ideal target customer and how you provide value to them through a value proposition canvas.
- Lean Development: Looking at how to prototype, experiment and analyse new ideas and test them in the market to drive innovation and change.
4. Building Soil
Soil can be created on farms by using a wide range of techniques including holistic grazing, adding compost and compost teas, using biochar, planting trees, avoiding tilling soil and practising crop rotation and crop residue mulching. These practices minimize biota disturbance and erosion losses while incorporating carbon rich amendments and retaining the biomass of roots and shoots, all of which contribute to building organic matter in soil and feeding a thriving soil community.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Soil Properties: Exploring the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil.
- Soil building: Tools and techniques for creating healthy soil
- Protecting Soil: Looking at techniques to minimise soil compaction and erosion.
5. Site Dynamics
In the design of any system it is critical to take time to understand the context well, the dynamics of the environment, the outcomes expected by stakeholders and to research different approaches to delivering value and address problems or create new opportunities.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Topography: The impact of slope, aspect and catchment dynamics on your site.
- Water: Investigating the dynamics of water flow and how it can be harnessed to support production.
- Micro-climates: Utilising and optimising site characteristics to create beneficial micro-climates.
6. Whole Farm Design
In this topic we look at how to apply regenerative design thinking to the context of your site. We map out your production systems and look for opportunities to diversify and connect production systems.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Mapping farm production systems: Identifying different habitat and production systems currently in operation or for future development.
- Increasing diversity and inter-connectivity: Looking at ways to diversify production in each habitat type identified and create beneficial links between different production systems.
- Silverpasture: Identifying opportunities to adapt production systems to increase the diversity of productive trees in the landscape and methods of propagation.
7. Restoring Natural Habitats
Nowhere else in the world has the natural ecology of a land been changed so dramatically and quickly as in New Zealand. To preserve the vestiges of what natural ecology remains requires important lowland habitat prized for farming to be managed in a way that protects and restores the vital habitats and creates links between them to allow a place for our natural ecology in the altered world we have created for them.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Wetland and stream restoration: Strategies to revert wet areas back to productive wetlands that enhance farm function and biodiversity.
- Planting natives: Exploring the diverse yields that can be acquired from native plants, their importance in providing habitat to enhance native biodiversity and methods of propagation.
- Managing invasive species: Identifying the range of pest invasive species, their impact on native biodiversity and strategies to control their population on the farm.
8. Livestock Health
This topic explores some of the most important dynamics that impact the health and performance of livestock on your farm. We focus on understanding the natural behaviours and habitats of livestock and how to optimise their nutrition and performance on your farm.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Holistic grazing: Management of pastures to promote soil and livestock health
- Nutrition: Looking at livestock condition scoring and planning feed strategies to keep livestock in good health.
- Natural functions: Investigating the natural habitat and function of animals and how a farm environment can be adapted to better provide for their needs and how their function can be used to achieve beneficial outcomes.
9. Mapping & Design
The heart of this course is producing a detailed plan to take your vision of regenerative farming to the next level over the next three years. We work one on one with you and create for you a site design and report to detail how to bring your vision into reality.
The three key topics are outlined below:
- Mapping: We will schedule with you a series of ZOOM calls to co-create your farm design in detailed 2D and 3D site models.
- Reporting Outcomes: Working with you to complete a series of templates to capture your vision and production strategy, goals for future development, project costs, financial record keeping, and measuring changes in farm health.
- Implementation strategy: Creating a strategy for breaking the development of your farm site into a series of timed and costed steps.