http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/farm-business-blog.html The Farm Business Gym Blog keeps you up-to-date with all additions and changes to the-farm-business-gym.com Web site. Subscribe here. en-us farm business Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:33:57 GMT Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:33:57 GMT the-farm-business-gym.com http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/training.html Training in Holistic Management is a key function of the Gym. We work with small groups in their own community Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:01:41 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/download.html Download files that support your management decisions Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:37:50 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/dealing-with-drought.html When dealing-with-drought it is important to remember that they are usually periods of low rainfall rather than no rainfall. That provides options on how to act. Wed, 15 Oct 2008 05:37:26 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/grazing-support.html Download worksheet and other files that support your grazing management decisions Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:52:39 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/people.html Download meeting formats, reading lists and other support for the people in your business Sat, 13 Oct 2007 23:22:36 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/shenley.html Shenley Station, Fairlie NZ is home to Rit and Sara Fisher. Their productivity has soared in recent years following holistic management Sat, 21 Jul 2007 05:40:28 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/stories.html This page links to many stories of holistic managers Tue, 15 May 2007 10:05:05 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/methane.html Whilst methane is a by-product of ruminants eating grain, the real problem is that ruminants are fed grain at all Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:50:26 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/climate.html Human Induced Global climate change is the biggest challenge our planet faces. It will either overcome our civilisation or us it. Fri, 19 Jan 2007 07:45:29 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/farm-business-blog.html#Carbon-Trading-ideas-and-concepts There seems to be bureaucratic/political obfuscation between 'measuring' and 'estimating' carbon sequestration. At the moment only forests are officially recognised as allowable, tradeable carbon sinks. The reason most widely given for not allowing grasslands to be included in the carbon discussion is that it is said that it is difficult/expensive to measure carbon in grasslands. Of course, the reality is that carbon in forests is NOT measured - it is 'estimated' using an algorithm. If it was to be measured then every centimetre of every tree would have to be measured and calculated!! So let's not have a miscarriage of the English language - or worse. If it is good enough to estimate the carbon in a tree plantation (and we should also remember as well, that, biologically a man-made plantation of trees is a very different thing to a true natural forest. One is diverse, and the other is a mono-culture) then it is good enough to estimate the carbon in a grassland. I am told that the acceptable range of accuracy in assessing the volume of carbon sequestered in a plantation is between -50 and +200 (for every 1,000 tonnes of carbon estimated to have been sequestered the actual volume sequestered could be as little as 500 tonnes, or as much as 2,000 tonnes). Tue, 02 Jan 2007 07:14:01 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/farm-business-blog.html#Walked-against-warming Today Suzie and I joined many thousands of Sydney-siders to join the Walk against Warming. It was an impressive display. There was a diversity of well mannered people participating in a well organised event. I was involved for two reasons: Firstly, we simply have a moral obligation to make changes. If the scientists are wrong and global climate change actually isn't real, will we have done any damage doing what now seems to be necessary - making a move to renewable energy? I doubt it. Secondly, my farmer based resource base will be (or at least should be, in a fair world) major beneficiaries if a carbon emmissions tax were to be applied. Today I heard it described as a 'Polluters tax'. It is pretty hard hitting, but it seems to be near the truth This discussion has a long way to run, but the hare is out and running now. Sat, 04 Nov 2006 07:05:17 GMT http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/farm-business-blog.html#Walk-Against-Warming On November 4, around Australia, thousands of people will be sending a message to our leaders about Climate Change. Heavily promoted by Channel 7 and supported by an influential array of organisations, the Walk may be the beginning of a movement that will see real action and leadership on the subject. Mon, 30 Oct 2006 03:47:13 GMT