"Sarah Flack has written a wonderful guide to sustainable grazing. She discusses fundamental principles and specific practices that make her book meaningful for anyone interested in the art and science of grazing.”--Fred Provenza, professor emeritus, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, author of Nourishment Grazing management might seem simple: just put livestock in a pasture and let them eat their fill. However, as Sarah Flack explains in The Art and Science of Grazing , the pasture/livestock relationship is incredibly complex. If a farmer doesn’t pay close attention to how the animals are grazing, the resulting poorly managed grazing system can be harmful to the health of the livestock, pasture plants, and soils. Well-managed pastures can instead create healthier animals, a diverse and resilient pasture ecosystem, and other benefits. Flack delves deeply below the surface of “let the cows eat grass,” demonstrating that grazing management is a sophisticated science that requires mastery of plant and animal physiology, animal behavior, and ecology. She also shows readers that applying grazing management science on a working farm is an art form that calls on grass farmers to be careful observers, excellent planners and record-keepers, skillful interpreters of their observations, and creative troubleshooters. The Art and Science of Grazing will allow farmers to gain a solid understanding of the key principles of grazing management so they can both design and manage successful grazing systems. The book’s unique approach presents information first from the perspective of pasture plants, and then from the livestock perspective—helping farmers understand both plant and animal needs before setting up a grazing system. This book is an essential guide for ruminant farmers who want to be able to create grazing systems that meet the needs of their livestock, pasture plants, soils, and the larger ecosystem. The book discusses all the practical details that are critical for sustained success: how to set up a new system or improve existing systems; acreage calculations; paddock layout; fence and drinking water access; lanes and other grazing infrastructure; managing livestock movement and flow; soil fertility; seeding and reseeding pastures; and more. The author includes descriptions of real grazing systems working well on dairy, beef, goat, and sheep farms in different regions of North America. The book covers pasture requirements specific to organic farming, but will be of use to both organic and non-organic farms. "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.”— CHOICE “I have long been fascinated by the logic of André Voisin’s system of Rational Grazing. Sarah Flack’s book has persuaded me that this could be a practical option for my own micro-dairy holding.”— Simon Fairlie, author of Meat “It gives me pleasure to recommend Sarah Flack’s The Art and Science of Grazing . Sarah offers sound practical information for management of pastures in humid environments. Her years of experience and study allow her to explain the limitations of rotational grazing that were first highlighted by Andre Voisin and to confirm the soundness of Voisin’s Rational Grazing.”— Allan Savory, president, Savory Institute “With feet firmly planted in both practice and science, Sarah Flack introduces pasture-based livestock production in a way that is sure to encourage and empower.”— Joel Salatin, author of Salad Bar Beef “The Art and Science of Grazing is a beautiful and highly useful book. Read it, learn how to manage pasture well, then do it! Sarah Flack’s good counsel can save your farm and family and bring you happiness. What else is there?”— Bill Murphy, author of Greener Pastures on Your Side of the Fence “Amidst the flood of information on modern grass farming, Sarah Flack performs nothing short of a rescue operation, distilling the art and science of grazing into an immensely useful book. Experienced hands will learn plenty, but newcomers won’t be overwhelmed. The Art