Woody Lane is a well known consultant, educator and writer living in Oregon. Woody has been an independent operator for many years, but also did a stint in academia early in his career. He has extensive experience working as an advisor to several successful pasture discussion groups in Oregon, and he writes for a variety of magazines focused on pasture-based livestock management.
I read “Capturing Sunlight Book 1: Skills & Ideas for Intensive Grazing, Sustainable Pastures, Healthy Soils, & Grassfed Livestock” a few years ago, and after finishing Book 2, I got out Book 1 and read it again! I am a Beef Cattle Farmer who is also a Professor and Beef Extension Specialist on the side. I combine the science of grazing with practical adaptive application of the basic concepts of grassland management every day. We are using “regenerative grazing” techniques at home which means we move animals frequently and carefully observe and adapt to the plant and other ecosystem responses that we see. Our long-term goal is to build a balanced system that sustains high livestock outputs with low inputs.
The short chapters in each of the Capturing Sunlight books really feed and support my interest in pastureland ecosystems. Both books made a great daily read, each chapter taking me about 10 to 15 minutes to finish. Book 1 is a little more basic in that it presents the major concepts of adaptive grassland management, while Book 2 compliments the message with a variety of interesting topics and examples. I kept reading every day because in nearly every chapter I learned things I didn’t know before, often on topics only distantly related to grazing management. As an example, I especially loved “The Sheep Meadow” in book 2, which was a great history lesson about grazing in Central Park in New York City! Where else would you learn about that!
The books will be especially enjoyed by readers interested in sheep. Many of the chapters were originally written for sheep magazines. Sheep folks know that few books on grazing management focus on sheep, and they often feel a little left out when the focus is cattle. Despite the many examples based on sheep management in these books, a lot was still learned by this mostly beef cattle oriented reviewer!
If you are looking for books on the topic, or if you are looking for a good gift for someone that is interested in pastureland ecology and taking a more active role in managing livestock, Capturing Sunlight Books 1 and 2 are both highly recommended. They are available through major on-line distributors.
~ Matt Poore for the Alliance for Grassland Renewal
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal is a national organization focused on enhancing the appropriate adoption of novel endophyte tall fescue technology through education, incentives, self-regulation and promotion. For more resources or to learn more about the Alliance for Grassland Renewal, go to www.grasslandrenewal.org
The Alliance for Grassland Renewal 