Whole
New Concepts
Training and Development Services for Today's World
See the Big Picture ~~ Respond to Change
Become Sustainable
Holistic Management
Family Farms & Ranches
Sustainable Agriculture
Business Development
Local Food
Beginning Farmers
About Whole New Concepts
We are located at Arriola Sunshine Farm near Dolores Colorado. Assisting you in making decisions that consistently generate positive results for you and at the same time are good for your community and the land is the challenge we help our clients meet. We see you as an expert in your situation and develop a common sense approach that works for you. If quality of life, a strong community, financial prosperity, productive land and sustainability are important to you, then you may benefit from our services.
Whole New Concepts LLC offers state of the art training, facilitation, consulting, technical services that support a whole-systems approach to improved manageability in today's changing world. Your needs drive the delivery of our programs and your success is our bottom line.
Cindy Dvergsten is committed to helping people make a difference by
putting 30 years of experience in natural resource management, business and
agriculture to work for her clients. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree
in Natural Resource Management and Soil Science from the College of Natural
Resources University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Cindy has over 14 years
experience in the Federal government including service in the the USDI
Bureau of Reclamation and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Trained by Allan Savory, Cindy
is a Holistic Management ® Certified Educator with fifteen years of experience teaching and mentoring
holistic managers. She has used holistic decision making to improve her
quality of life, manage her farm and her business enterprises since
1993. Cindy has recently joined the Savory Institute as an
accredited Associate Consultant and Educator and the SW Colorado
Small Business Development Center as a business advisor and a
NxLevel® Entrepreneurship program instructor.
Raised on a farm, Cindy brings a lifetime of experience to her work. Since
1987 she and her
husband Mike have operated
Arriola Sunshine Farm
near Dolores Colorado.
Over the years, they have raised
grass fed beef, heritage turkey, hay, free-range chicken eggs, ducks, Navajo-Churro Sheep and organically grown vegetables for the Cortez Farmers Market,
local restaurants and groceries. Lately their focus has been on creating
wholesale markets for lettuce, eggs, and lamb. They believe that managing
with a whole-farm approach is essential to the success in today's
changing world. See:
Holistic Management Makes a
Visual Difference at Arriola Sunshine Farm
Cindy is active in her
community. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors
of San Juan Resource Conservation & Development Council, has served
several terms on the Montezuma County Planning Commission, was
president of Colorado Holistic Management and was member of the
Board of Directors of the Pinion Project. She is a graduate of
Leadership Montezuma.
Bourbon Red Turkey at Arriola Sunshine Farm
In
June 2008 Cindy received the volunteer of the year award from Dine'
Be' Iina' Inc. (Navajo Life Ways) for her efforts as webmaster
and for helping to organize and market the annual Sheep Is Life 2008
a Celebration of traditional shepherding and weaving cultures from
around the world.
Navajo Churro Sheep at Arriola Sunshine Farm
Programs and Workshops we have developed and / or consulted on.
"Putting Holistic Management Into Practice" a distance learning and mentoring program for busy adults who need immediate results and benefits from their investment in education.
The Land Use Net Benefit Program and Companion: A whole-systems approach to decision-making for policy makers, land owners, and community planners, funded by La Plata County Community Development Department.
Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture Land Monitoring Handbook funded by the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. Land Monitoring Walkabouts & Eco-literacy Field Workshops.
Kady Youth Sheep Camp for Dine’ Be’ Iina Inc., funded by First Nations.
Grazing Management for Dine’ Be’ Iina Inc. program funded by the USDA Risk Management Agency.
Values clarification, dialog and goal setting skills for Boards of Directors.
“Living in the Nick of Time”: Effective strategies for controlling clutter in our lives.
Mentoring Programs for Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Projects in Whole Farm Planning based on the Holistic Management Framework.
Specialized Training for Heifer International Projects based on the Holistic Management Framework. Wisdom on the Leading Edge: An overview of Holistic Management.
Training in use of Holistic Management® Framework for Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Heifer International Projects, Native American Indian groups, family farms and ranches, individuals and micro-businesses.
"Land Monitoring and Grazing Management" at the Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture Grazing Official Quarterly Meeting.
Examples of Presentations
Generating Wealth & Sustainability with Agriculture in Montezuma County: Trends & Potential for Family Farms & Ranches in Today’s Economy." Sponsored by Mancos CARES, a community action group focused on land use and quality of life in the Mancos Valley of Colorado.
In CAHOOTS: Community Supporting Agriculture Supporting Community: How can we nurture local agriculture and allow it to sustain us in return?" Sponsored by RJ Ranch and Deep Roots an community action group involved with sustainable community development and local food in Steamboat Springs Colorado.
"Risk Management Strategies for Family Farms" Four Corners Small Farm Conference, Hesperus CO.
"How a Holistic Approach Can Improve Your Farm Management" The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy Annual Meeting.
"Early Warning Biological Monitoring: Enhancing Our Ability to Observe and Evaluate Land Health". Sponsored by Land Care Australia "People In the Landscape" Conference, Armidale, New South Wales Australia.
Family
farms and ranches play a critical role in creating secure food
systems, stable communities and strong economies.
Who We Work With
Our primary clients are family based farms and ranches, as well as their communities and organizations.
We work with dairy farms, cattle ranching, diversified farms, market gardening, new farmers, ranch managers and new landowners. We help people interested in sustainable agriculture, restoring land health and productivity, shifting to grass-based production, direct marketing, developing value added products, starting new enterprises, rare-breed conservation, and creating healthy lifestyles.
We also support our clients with training and facilitation services to improve leadership and organization skills, natural resource and land use policy development, cooperative relationships, promote local food systems, and enhance value-based decision making.
Feedback from Clients
All aspects of the farm continued to
improve 2009. We were able let go of some of our rented hay land.
Even though prices were down and our milk production was the same,
our profit increased!
Jon k., Organic Dairyman, NY
We are seeing all these possibilities
for our ranch for the first time with Holistic Financial Planning.
Wow, I am excited now where as before it was looking pretty bleak.
Roger D, Cattleman, NM.
Cindy we value your insights and the way
you help us figure things out. You make learning possible for us.
Roy K, Fiber Artist, Shepherd and Community Leader, AZ
Organizations we have worked with or have been funded by include:
Heifer International Projects on the Navajo Nation.
La Plata County Planning Department.
Local community groups.
USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education funded projects.
Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture.
Navajo Life Ways Inc.
Colorado Department
of Agriculture.
Soil Conservation Districts.
Extension Service Programs.
Recent Articles & Publications
"Land use Net Benefit Companion" for La Plata County Community Development Dept.
"The Land Monitoring Handbook" for Navajo Nation Dept. of Agriculture
"Nature’s Lawn Mowers." The In Practice Newsletter published by Holistic Management International
"Resources Unlimited" A Case Study in Collaborative Learning
Education &
Certifications
B.S University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources.
Holistic Management® Certified Educator, by Holistic Management International.
Certificate of Completion of professional coaching by CoachTrainer® of Ft. Lauderdale.
Certificate of Completion of Chadwick Consensus Process by the Consensus Institute sponsored by Washington State University.
Graduate of Leadership Montezuma