Profitability Through Holistic Management and Regenerative Agriculture with Wayne Knight

Hi, y’all! Johanna here from the TX Soil Sisters.

( The podcast media player is below w/ links to things we talk about. Or skip my fluff and listen here.)

Meet Our Guest: Wayne Knight, executive director of Holistic Management International

With 30 years of ranching experience using Holistic Management, Wayne has had an identity crisis. When he joined the 11 000-acre family ranching business he called himself a cattle rancher. He changed to calling himself a grass farmer. Later still, he called himself a soil-microbe farmer, though he has always marketed beef. Privileged to work with his father, Tom Knight, who was an early adopter of Holistic Management under Allan Savory – Stan Parsons consulting, Wayne enthusiastically increased and intensified the practices HMI teaches. He became a Certified Educator in 2006 and was actively involved with the Southern African CE community organization, Community Dynamics. He has spoken at numerous conferences in Southern Africa, trained and mentored farmers, hosted open days on his property, and has written about his positive results using Holistic Management. Before joining the team at HMI Wayne served as a board member of the organization for 8 years. Through his enthusiasm for Holistic Management Wayne has traveled widely visiting farmers who practice high-density, long recovery grazing practices in Southern Africa, Australia, and the US. As a young graduate with a Science degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Natal, South Africa, he traveled across the US west working on ranches in Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, California, and New Mexico. When not involved in Holistic Management you will find him fishing, birding, hiking, or exploring wild spaces and places with his family. An enthusiastic traveler, hunter, and photographer, he loves discovering new places and making new friends.

On this Soil Sisters podcast, we discuss Wayne's experience of the transformative power of holistic decision-making in agriculture. Wayne shares insights on land stewardship, holistic management principles, the importance of holistic goal setting, stockmanship, animals' role in ecosystem health, and effective financial planning for farmers and ranchers. The episode also delves into practical applications taught at HMI's Regen Ag School and the benefits of attending, including hands-on experiences and community building. Wayne emphasizes the significance of focusing on desired outcomes and proactive solutions for long-term regeneration of both the ecosystem and your ranch's profitability. 

Crystal and I share our experiences from attending Regen Ag School last fall. Take a listen and if you’re inspired to learn more you can join HMI's next Regen Ag School coming up later this month (April 2025)  |  And Save 10% using promo code: SoilSisters2025

This conversation is a must-listen for any aspiring regenerative rancher! And please share the podcast with other farm and ranch families in your community.

Happy farming and healthy living, y’all.

Jo (and Crystal) ❤️

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listen to the Podcast

Time Stamps and Links

00:00 Welcome to Soil Sisters Podcast

00:30 Introducing Wayne Knight, executive director of HMI

01:23 Holistic Management: A Game Changer

04:38 Understanding Holistic Management

05:33 The Importance of Goal Setting

12:22 Benefits of Holistic Management

20:19 Regen Ag School: Hands-On Learning

36:34 Identifying the Root Cause of Problems

37:00 Decision Testing Process for Ranchers

37:56 Embracing Failure and Complexity in Farming

39:23 The Importance of Planning and Adaptability

40:50 Drought Planning for Texas Farmers

43:42 Stockmanship and Low-Stress Livestock Handling

51:07 Holistic Management Courses and Community

54:44 The Value of Practical Training at Leo Ranch

01:02:46 Final Thoughts and Encouragement


Soil Sisters Radio Hour on KLKT 107.9, Radio Lockhart

If you live in Lockhart, you can catch the Soil Sisters Radio Hour live each WEDNESDAY from 5-6p on KLKT 107.9. If you don’t live in Lockhart, you can listen to the livestream at KLKT.org.

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Preserving Family Land: Innovative Land Use Solutions