HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT (3 DAY training)
22nd - 24th aug 2025
Today many people around the world are promoting sustainability, good animal management and organic production. It's worth considering that this is all humans did until very recently, and yet history shows us that civilisation after civilisation has failed. The current state of global resource mismanagement needs little introduction. The strategies and techniques we use to regenerate landscapes whilst meeting our needs socially and economically are important, but management and decision making is key to long term success. Humans have never had a clear way to deal with complex systems and in agriculture, by default, we are working with ecological, economic and social complexities. Whilst we usually meet our simple objectives in everyday life successfully, on the longer term and society wide our species constantly meets unintended consequences of this decision making. This is because our day to day decision making is mostly around immediate problems, needs and desires which often lack a defined holistic context. Managing holistically begins by defining how we wish our life to be in the context of these complex systems, and we consider the resource bases under our management to ensure our decision making leaves intact (or improves) these resources for generations to come. Only once our holistic context is defined can we manage effectively, consistently and holistically in alignment with these.
TRAINING CONTENT
Introduction to Holistic Management Essentials, creating your Holistic Context
· Intro and Context
· Defining the Whole under Management
· Generating your Holistic Context
· Understanding Your Environment – Reading the Land
· Tools available for Management
· Holistic Decision-Making & Testing Decisions
· Developing a Management Feedback Loop
Introduction to Holistic Planned Grazing
· Reasons for Planning Your Grazing
· How to decide and manage Stock Density
· Assessing Forage Availability
· Grass and Grazing Interactions
· Creating a Grazing Plan
· Implementing your Grazing Plan
· Biological Monitoring for Range and Pasture
· Wildlife Factors
Introduction to Holistic Management Financial Planning
· How to plan for and produce a profit
· How to select the best enterprises to run
· What to spend money on and when
· How to meet your financial challenges effectively
· If managing livestock, how to coordinate the build up of both livestock and infrastructure while remaining profitable
· What Holistic Management Financial Planning adds to your management
· Intro and Context
· Defining the Whole under Management
· Generating your Holistic Context
· Understanding Your Environment – Reading the Land
· Tools available for Management
· Holistic Decision-Making & Testing Decisions
· Developing a Management Feedback Loop
Introduction to Holistic Planned Grazing
· Reasons for Planning Your Grazing
· How to decide and manage Stock Density
· Assessing Forage Availability
· Grass and Grazing Interactions
· Creating a Grazing Plan
· Implementing your Grazing Plan
· Biological Monitoring for Range and Pasture
· Wildlife Factors
Introduction to Holistic Management Financial Planning
· How to plan for and produce a profit
· How to select the best enterprises to run
· What to spend money on and when
· How to meet your financial challenges effectively
· If managing livestock, how to coordinate the build up of both livestock and infrastructure while remaining profitable
· What Holistic Management Financial Planning adds to your management
Anders Lerberg Kopstad is a farmer in Norway at Evig Grønne Enger, and is highly engaged as a practical coordinator at the Ringerike Montessori school, which he and his wife played a key part in establishing. Anders studied agroecology and has been trained under the Savory Institute. He has collaborated with Ridgedale over the last 4 years. He shares the broad introduction to the themes above as a blend of class and field study, leaving participants with clear next steps in defining and refining their contexts and developing clear business and grazing plans.
LOCATIOn
ARRIVING AND DEPARTING
All 3 days run 7- 5:30pm, and people are invited for dinner Thur evening, and breakfast on Mon before leaving.
Due to our rural location, we invite participants to arrive 2-6pm onwards on Thu 21st. The training ends with dinner at 6pm on the 24th. Plan to leave after 7pm if you would like dinner or stay the night and leave by 9am on the Mon 25th. Please note, we cannot accommodate you or help with transport outside these times.
Driving We are located quite centrally to all the major regional transport hubs. We are 3 hrs from Oslo, 4 hrs from Stockholm & 3.5 hrs from Gothenburg. For Google maps use this address;
ÅSEN 20, 686 95 Västra Ämtervik, Värmlands län, Sweden
Train We can pick up/ drop off people at Västra Ämtervik train station. We recommend using the website http://www.sj.se/ which gives you all the options and comparative prices when travelling in Sweden, in both Swedish and English. We can pick you up in Västra Ämtervik which is a neat 6km from the farm.
Flying Travel is simple from the three major transport hubs above. Use the train/ bus link to determine what feels best for you.
Due to our rural location, we invite participants to arrive 2-6pm onwards on Thu 21st. The training ends with dinner at 6pm on the 24th. Plan to leave after 7pm if you would like dinner or stay the night and leave by 9am on the Mon 25th. Please note, we cannot accommodate you or help with transport outside these times.
Driving We are located quite centrally to all the major regional transport hubs. We are 3 hrs from Oslo, 4 hrs from Stockholm & 3.5 hrs from Gothenburg. For Google maps use this address;
ÅSEN 20, 686 95 Västra Ämtervik, Värmlands län, Sweden
Train We can pick up/ drop off people at Västra Ämtervik train station. We recommend using the website http://www.sj.se/ which gives you all the options and comparative prices when travelling in Sweden, in both Swedish and English. We can pick you up in Västra Ämtervik which is a neat 6km from the farm.
Flying Travel is simple from the three major transport hubs above. Use the train/ bus link to determine what feels best for you.
OUR FOOD POLICY
- We eat a balanced diet of meat, dairy, eggs, vegetables and whole foods. We supply farm raised and grown produce and 100% organic whole foods that we buy in. The course is fully catered, with dinner the evening of arrival and breakfast before you leave.
- We operate a one meal policy at the farm. Bear in mind we are a meat producing farm that also slaughters animals here on the farm. We regularly use stock, dairy, eggs and meat in meals as well as eating sourdough breads we bake and other ingredients with gluten. Unfortunately we cannot cater for alternative diets. If you are not comfortable eating the rounded diet described it is best not to attend our trainings.
SLEEPING AND OTHER HOUSEKEEPING
- This course is camping only. Plan on bringing a good tent and sleeping bag.
- We have sauna and bucket showers available daily
- We have high speed fiber optic internet available
- We have simple compost toilets and an outdoor sink with hot and cold water
COURSE FEES AND BOOKING
To join the course please fill in your details in the form linked below, where you will also find payment details;
- 9,995 SEK as a full payment
We prefer to manage our bookings with Bank Transfers or Chickens. Spots can only be secured by cleared payment, and we have to work on a first come- first served basis. Spaces are limited, and we expect this training to fill. By booking this training you are confirming you have read and agree to our RETURNS POLICY as well as all general information supplied.