Julie Mettenburg, Savory Institute field professional and leader, Tallgrass Network

Julie Mettenburg grew up on a family farm in eastern Kansas. Like many children of the Farm Crisis, she was discouraged from entering farming. After working as a journalist in New York, she returned to Kansas to raise a family and helped implement sustainable and direct-marketing practices on the farm. In 2011 she became Executive Director of the Kansas Rural Center, where she led the Community Food Solutions program that resulted in publication of Feeding Kansas: Statewide Farm & Food System Assessment with a Plan for Public Action and subsequent public policy and farm to fork initiatives.

In 2014 she left to transition into farm management and to launch the Tallgrass Network as part of the global Savory Institute initiative to heal the world’s grasslands through Holistic Management. She is a Field Professional in the global Savory Network and is excited to offer education and support in Holistic Management throughout our region.

Chloe Burns, Youth Outreach Coordinator

Chloe during her work-study at the Jefferson Hub, Fort Bidwell, California, summer 2016.

Chloe Burns is the Youth Outreach Coordinator for the Tallgrass Network, a Hub site serving Kansas and Missouri for the Savory Network, a global initiative to heal the world's grasslands with Holistic Management. 

Her specialties on the Hub are communications, equine management, manual farm-ranch labor including both daily herd management and long-term planning, and special projects such as summer camp development.

Chloe (left) pictured with her mother, Julie Mettenburg, in Zimbabwe, training to become Savory Hub Leaders.

Chloe graduated from high school at 16 and left for college. At 17, she traveled to London for the 2014 Savory Institute International Conference and then to Zimbabwe for Hub leadership training at the Africa Centre for Holistic Management.  In October 2015, Chloe attended the Savory Institute International Conference in San Francisco and Hub Leadership Retreat at Paicines Ranch.

Chloe completed her Associate of Arts degree in May 2016 at Johnson County Community College in Kansas and begins her studies at The University of Kansas in the fall of 2016, majoring in Film with a minor in Anthropology.

During her time at JCCC, Chloe pursued a number of Honors projects involving agriculture. These included a symposium presentation about water security in desertifying countries; a presentation about the Neolithic Revolution, which marked the time in history when mankind developed modern agricultural practices; and a special research project looking at women's roles in agriculture.

Chloe pictured at the King's Palace in Marrakech, Morocco.

During the summer of 2015, she traveled to Morocco for an intensive Arabic program. As interesting as the language was, she admits that she spent much of her time there staring at the bare patches of land and wondering how to properly graze livestock over it!

In June 2016, Chloe studied with Spencer Smith at the Jefferson Center for Holistic Management in Fort Bidwell, California.  There, she learned many tactical skills, including welding, which she now uses at the network.  She also gained experience implementing Holistic Management in an unfamiliar territory, which she says will continue to serve her as she pursues her work.

Between college and work, Chloe is studying to gain her accreditation in Holistic Management.  In her spare time, she enjoys writing, horseback riding, and photography.

more about chloe and her experiences in holistic management:

Savory Institute Features Tallgrass Network Success Story for U.N. Day

The Tallgrass Network will be featured by the Savory Institute in a video for the United Nations Day to Combat World Desertification, June 17, 2016.

The video shows how network partners are using Holistic Management and working together to become more drought-resilient in Kansas and Missouri.

Allan Savory, founder of Holistic Management and the Savory Institute, said it is "wonderful to see such a good clear short video from younger people taking over and leading one of our increasing number of hubs around the world."

The video was produced by Chloe Burns, youth outreach coordinator for the Tallgrass Network. Based in eastern Kansas, it is a Hub site in the global Savory Network that is working toward regenerating the world's grasslands.

Savory success story for UNCCD campaign to World Day to Combat Desertification.

Farm Bureau Highlights Tallgrass Network Family

Mettenburg Farm, a family operation that serves as the Demonstration Site for the Tallgrass Network Savory Hub in Eastern Kansas, is featured in the local county Farm Bureau association's blog. 

The Mettenburg, Burns and Martin families, stewards and leaders of the Tallgrass Network Savory Hub and demonstration site in Eastern Kansas.

Family members took the opportunity to challenge Farm Bureau for its stances that can work against small and regenerative farmers and ranchers, and were pleased to see their comments in print.

"We take it as a sign that Farm Bureau is beginning to recognize alternative voices in farming," said Julie Mettenburg, Hub leader. "Whether for self-serving reasons or because there are truly new voices in Farm Bureau, we are hopeful that diversity will begin to change these traditional organizations. New voices can help them be better advocates for farmers and ranchers, and for those who rely on us to operate in an ethically and ecologically responsible way."

Mettenburg Farm and its Network partners utilize Holistic Management in the stewardship of their resources. They also help others learn and transition their stewardship to Holistic Management.

To learn more see also the Tallgrass Network video featured by the Savory Institute for the 2016 U.N. World Day to Combat Desertification.