We Springers are fifth generation Colorado ranchers. We are trying desperately not to go belly up. We want a sixth generation to know the joys of watching a calf come into this world, drink the product from a cow they milked, smell alfalfa in bloom, herd the cattle to summer pasture and sleep sound after a hard day of solid work Yet, we no longer have a home place. We are living off leases; we are displaced ranchers.

We have been muddling along going to seminars (a little disjointed) trying to find out how to stay in this industry. This book put it all together, what we know, what we learned and what we are learning. It put a lot of things in focus for us. We had thought of the beginning farmers as green horns; horning in on our way of life. This sounds a bit corny but I think they might just save us: Save America from corporate agriculture. Our land will be healthier and so will the population that lives off of it.

I believe for the beginner this book is a must. We, multi-generation ranchers have our own language-chickens go on strike, (stop laying), breachy cows (ones that jump fences), in heat (estrus cycle)-that don't make apparent sense. Yet, Carol spells it all out for them. She gives a general heads up about normal health problems, giving examples that range for the simple cure to a bit more technical maneuvers. She further dabbles in alternative health practices. The book lays the ground work for understanding resource books like the Stockman's Handbook. Inevitably someday a shot will have to be given, a calve tubed or a lambs tail docked. Reading about all this will alleviate the cluelessness of standing around hopping from foot to foot, waiting for an experienced neighbor, or vet to show up.

The big secret revealed, for us is in section three, which focuses on marketing. This one opened our eyes. We read it first, then reread it, went to more seminars, and now are making a working plan. Carol wrote, "To really maximize income, the small-scale framer or rancher needs to develop some alternative marketing strategies." We feel like this dream of a sixth generation can now fall into the arena of attainable goal. We have been sold this ideal that we feed the world with the help of big business. Not all true. We can directly sell our product to the consumer. We supply a healthier product at a reasonable price and we actually get to make a profit, what a novel idea. "On the average, conventional marketing strategies leave the farmer with far less than half the money that the consumer spend on meat and dairy products." Carol wrote. Actually in Colorado the farm and rancher receives about six percent of the amount consumers spend. (Statistic taken from the 2001 Governor's Agricultural Summit).

In closing I have to say that the really cool thing about this book is the farmer profiles. The I have done it, so thus you can create a version that works for you too. "The future belongs to those who can give hope to succeeding generations", Vatican II.

56 of 56 found the following review helpful:


The Modern Day Farmer's Guide to Success  Jul 03, 2000 By Amanda Noble
This book is worth its weight in gold! This is a comprehensive guide to farming with livestock using a natural, logical approach. It is an indispensible tool for those just starting out, yet also provides valuable information for the seasoned farmer. In this book you will find numerous case studies of farmers successfully using a natural,grass based approach. The section on grass farming basics offers helpful guidelines on pasture management, and rotational grazing. The animal husbandry section provides a wealth of information in an easy to understand format. Even though I have had livestock for 15 years, I still learned a great deal from this book. I found the sections on marketing your farm products and farm planning extremely helpful, including ideas for converting a currently unprofitable farm into an integrated thriving entity. The numerous tables and worksheets are easy to understand and are a great help with financial planning and monitoring. If you have always wanted to farm, or if you want your current farm to be profitable, then this is the book!

70 of 73 found the following review helpful:


Excellent, interesting discussions but zero photos!  May 16, 2003 By Travis C. Ward "C. William Anderson"
I found the discussion on grass farming and pasturing methods to be first rate advice. Many livestock farmer wannabe's don't realize that they are, or should be, first considered as grass farmers who harvest their crop with animals instead of tractors.

Other welcome advice or comments were:

Her advice to think long and hard before investing in exotics is wise. In many occasions, she is correct when she states it was a pyramid scheme to make the first entrants rich but later followers left holding the bag.

Still, at least some discussion on exotic farming costs and likely returns could have been included for those who persist in such enterprises.

Further, the interviews with other small-scale farmers wasw, by and large, helpful.

How could this book become a five-star?

A - Include photographs of the topics and methods discussed.
B - Include a section of rabbit farming
C - Provide more detail specific to livestock housing, breeding and management practices. The scarcity of information in this section was a disappointment.
D - Prune out some of the new-age, holistic information.
E - Add further real-life examples of income/expense worksheets. Those that are included are a GREAT help.

All in all this is a terrific book in the mode of back-to-the-land books of the 70s, but a bit more mature and business-oriented. Shuttleworth (Mother Earth News) and Belanger (Countryside & Small Stock Journal) would be proud to know this author. I, as publisher of Living Among Nature Daringly am grateful to have purchased this book through Amazon.[com]

34 of 35 found the following review helpful:


Do NOT pass this book up.  Aug 15, 2000 By Chere Heyermann
A great overview and in depth book on the topic of Livestock Farming. Several key sections lead the reader to areas of interest. Starting out to accomplish a dream? This book highlights important issues to consider. I found the appendix and examples to be just what I needed to get a broader look at what is possible. Do not pass this book up if you want a single resource for Animal Husbandry, Marketing, Planning and very importantly...Calculations/Equations which guide you through decision making processes.

108 of 125 found the following review helpful:


Is This High School Biology???  Aug 01, 2003
I was looking for a substantial book about small-scale livestock farming, and instead I was treated to a very basic introduction to agriculture. This book would make a great high school agriculture text, but beyond that it falls short of providing any real, useful, institutional knowledge that I was looking for. For example, in the book the author reviews basic high biology concepts such as the water cycle, the food chain, and the energy pyramid. She also reminds readers how to round up or round down. And if that were not insulting enough, she then informs readers that to be a successful farmer, you must dress like a farmer; "clean bib overalls and a straw hat, or a plaid shirt, jeans, and a cowboy hat." Give me a break. Again, if you want a simplistic, new age, farming book of little practical use by an author who has less than a decade of farming experience, this book is for you. If you want a no-frills, no-fluff, useful, dirt under your nails, John Deere farmer kind of a book, I would look elsewhere and I would suggest Gene Logsdon's The Contrary Farmer.

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