"The Man Born to Farming" is more than a poem by Wendall Berry of quaint sentiments. It speaks of a producer such as Richard Manning who has lived his life as: "The grower of trees, the gardener, the man born to farming, whose hands reach into the ground and sprout, to him the soil is a divine drug… " Richard grew up on a commercial cattle farm in Alabama. So, when he and…

My introduction to agriculture was through plants. I studied biology in college with a broad view of both animals and plants. Toward the end of college, I focused on the plant side of agriculture, specifically at the soil level. All these years later, I find this helps me stay focused on the value of pasture management.  After college, I taught outdoor experiential education for youth and led group treks in the mountains. Soon after,…