Grazing School: Building Resilience through Adaptive Grazing

TSU Small Producer Initiative’s Ken Mix explaining how improved soil health increases water infiltration.

On August 1-4, 2025 HMI collaborated with the Texas State University (TSU) Small Producer Initiative, the Noble Research Institute  and Understanding Ag in San Marcos, Texas for the 2025 Grazing School: Building Resilience through Adaptive Grazing. There were 40 participants and speakers included Chuck Rohla and Sky Toney from the Noble Research Institute, Fernando Falomir and Jim West from Understanding Ag, and Wayne Knight from HMI. 

Tim Auld introducing his cover crop and sheep grazing experiments to participants of the TSU SPI Grazing School. 

Activities included 3 field excursions to different ranchers' properties and three afternoons covering theory and case studies. One was at the Bodemann Farm where Tim Auld, a graduate of HMI’s Beginning Farmer/Rancher Program in Texas, presented on how he has integrated cover crops and sheep grazing at his operation.

Another field day was at Dan Connolly’s ranch where Ken Mix from the TSU Small Producer Initiative presented a rainfall simulator. This collaborative approach hosted in a variety of locations provided participants with a full-picture of how grazing management can improve resiliency and profitability.

The third visit was to Dr Ken Mix’s ranch where he has been intensively grazing his herd of cattle. Understanding Ag’s Fernando Falomir’s presentation introduced how he has used Holistic Management and cover cropping to rehabilitate his and his clients' land. 

Noble Research Institute's Sky Toney and Chuck Rohla introduced concepts of carrying capacity and stocking rate and economic principles to the group, demonstrating the importance of financial management and reinforcing how overstocking has negative impacts on the land and on the profitability of ranching operations. 

HMI covered planning with a focus on desired outcomes as a decision driver, and the value of holistic decision making to reassess one's approach to droughts and drought planning. Field data was used to work though case studies to show how impactful forage assessments and timely destocking can be versus taking a wait and see attitude. 

Post-program surveys showed that participants said they really appreciated the hands-on experience, the diversity of views and teaching methods, interacting with the instructors, the collaborative energy, and the on-farm demos.

Thanks to Texas State University’s Small Producer’s Initiative for organizing this event.