The art and science of grazing How grass farmers can create sustainable systems for healthy animals and farm ecosystems

First, rip out the foreword. It sets up a biased and unproductive comparison of extensive and intensive animal husbandry. Next, rip out the afterword. It has a sociological slant completely out of step with the rest of the book. Finally, enjoy everything else. This is a great book. After reading this work, the reviewer felt as if he could almost start his own grazing system; the title provides readers with the right questions to ask. Flack (a consultant on grazing and organic livestock) is a concise and articulate author and educator. She knows the value of telling a simple story and supporting it with relevant illustrations. She has an elegant style and knows how to use the power of repetition to show how no part of grazing management is wholly independent. She has biases with respect to the best grazing management, but is evenhanded in presenting multiple alternatives to grazing issues. Her case studies are aptly chosen to illustrate how the grazing management she advocates can be both sustainable and profitable. Each chapter plays a role and successively builds on the knowledge previously gained. As a manual for introducing good land stewardship, this book admirably succeeds. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Mark Steven Coyne, University of Kentucky