The Silvery Minnow is a species that has generated controversy and emotion over the years. Its status as an endangered species highlights the importance of knowledge and democratic decision making at a local level to preserve our natural resources.

In this interview, I speak with Michael Porter, Fishery Biologist with the US Army Corps of Engineers. He tells us about the minnow’s life cycle, its importance to a healthy ecosystem, and how this relates back to farmers and ranchers in the Rio Grande Valley.

In this episode, I interview Richard Manning, essayist and author of a number of books about agriculture and civilization. In this interview, we talk with Richard about the beginning of agriculture, the role annual grasses have played in shaping agriculture and civilization, the importance of grasslands, and the key to finding individual food niches within our local food sheds. This one is not to be missed.

In part two of our interview with Allan Savory, we discuss the process of developing a holisticgoal, the role of monitoring in Holistic Management, and the scientific evidence that supports the claims of Holistic management.

I conclude with a brief summary of the work Agricultural Innovations is doing with Holistic Management International, and some other general comments about the podcast.