King Farms Land and Cattle: A snapshot in time of a Holistic Management journey
by Abbey Kingdon
When I asked Cameron King if I could write this piece for UVE’s website and newsletter, I explained to him that it is not an in-depth profile piece, but rather a snapshot of where he and his family are in their Holistic Management journey.
The first thing that anyone who recently bought land, or is in a new stewardship role on a landbase, should do is take pictures. We all do not take enough pictures in that first year. When managing holistically, things will change fast. Those first-year photos are so important to understanding the whole story of a place. Although this is a snapshot crafted with words, I hope that this article can also serve as an anchor point in time that captures those first key moments of discovery, and some unintended surprises for the King Family.
I first met Cameron in 2021 when I conducted a holistic context session with his extended family. Since that time, Cameron went through massive life changes and challenges, the type of events that form a crater in one’s life and make each day feel like an uphill climb. They are also the type of events that shift ownership, management and responsibilities. Now as a steward of, and key decision maker for, his family’s land and farming business, Cameron immersed himself in Holistic Management. I learned quickly that he doesn’t do anything halfway.
After completing in-depth holistic context and holistic financial planning sessions as a family with UVE, Cameron, and his mother made major changes to their farming business. Based on their holistic financial plan, two major decisions they made were to stop all farming inputs and to stop using irrigation water for their hay enterprise. For a farmer in the Klamath Basin of Southern Oregon, a place where farmers are constantly battling for their water rights, turning down irrigation is one of the strangest things a farmer could do.
Cameron laughed as he told me the story of his neighbors calling him up to confirm if the rumor of King Farms not irrigating was true.
“They thought I was nuts,” he said.
As we toured Long Lake Ranch and the Running Y Ranch, two ranches Cameron manages for the King family, in a side-by-side full of kids and dogs, we drove past fat, sleek mother cows and their gaining calves, standing peacefully in the forest meadows. Here and there we slowed down to admire a showring-quality calf. Cattle are Cameron’s passion, and he is eager to expand grazing opportunities through the integration of livestock into their farming operations.
Tony Malmberg, a Savory Master Field Professional and Cameron’s mentor reflects on the deep commitment of the King Family to making changes based on their holistic context and holistic financial plan:
“Cameron has experience and knowledge in managing intense complexity. He grabbed ahold of holistic decision making with zeal and confidence, enabling rapid elimination of cost-sucking, addictive expenses. This focus has allowed him to create a path toward true wealth.”
One unexpected benefit of not irrigating is improved quality on the hay crop, and less labor costs due to a reduction in transport of the hay. Cameron explained that because they are not irrigating, there is not a rush to get the hay bales out of the field in order to irrigate the hay field. In the past, hay bales were picked up off the field, unloaded in a barn, then reloaded in a truck. Now, the hay bales are only loaded once, and this has made a big difference in the structure of the hay bale.
In terms of the hay enterprise , their quality has increased and tons per acre has decreased, but pair that with no cost of irrigation and no other unnecessary inputs, their net profit per acre is actually surpassing previous years. They are selling and getting rid of equipment and tools they don’t need anymore, reducing labor costs, and giving their crews vacation time.
Cameron is taking a vacation too, and spending quality time with his daughters. He is focused on his health and well being, as well as exploring new career opportunities as a Savory Accredited Professional Holistic Management educator, and EOV monitor.
Long Lake Ranch as it begins it’s regenerative journey
Klamath Basin, Oregon
As I look at the whole picture of this transformation the King Family and the land they steward is experiencing, I feel in awe at the deep, intricate interconnectedness of relationships, and the decisions we make. Who knew, for example, that these big decisions around irrigation and inputs, would provide Cameron’s daughters with quality time with their father, and create cherished memories. Perhaps after all these years, I finally have a profound example, and deep sense, of what holistic really means.
Abbey Kingdon is Savory Professional Educator and an owner of UVE