Description
Successful farm management is based upon excellent decision making by the farm owner. In practice most decisions are made intuitively rather than the result of careful data collection and analysis, or analysing others’ views and associated factors. Thus the farmer’s intuitive decisions have a major impact on the business practices, efficiency, profitability and success of the farm. In the form of a character driven novel the author guides the reader through a series of lessons for farmers to improve their intuitive decision making.
The story follows Ben, a New Zealand farmer, as an important member of a discussion group. The experimental programme is set up by a management researcher, Tom, to explore the best way to improve farmers’ intuition. The farmer group has different characters in different situations each one of which leads to interesting dilemmas and lessons.
Each chapter addresses a different issue affecting farmers, such as risk management, benchmarking, budgeting and planning, negotiation skills, active listening and farm ownership. By the end of the novel the reader will have absorbed important farm management principles and practices through the activities and findings of the group.
The Intuitive Farmer follows on from successful business management books such as The Goal, which communicate business ideas and strategies in novel form. This is the first such book applied to agricultural management practices, providing a dependable source for farmers, agricultural and farm management students and people involved in agriculture industries.
Marvin Pangborn –
‘The Intuitive Farmer is a brilliant concept for exposing farmers, extension personnel or anyone interested; to the subject of farm management. Peter Nuthall has succeeded in creating an interesting and readable novel that follows the progression of a group of farmers as they seek to improve their management skills through a facilitated group.
Set in a rural community, the novel develops an interesting ‘human story’ that maintains the readers interest while following the ‘twists and turns’ in the lives of the characters. In all chapters there are important messages for the reader regarding management principals. This subtle linking of theory to practice is the greatest strength of the book from an academic standpoint. From an enjoyment point of view – the novel is a ‘good read’.
The appendix provides an excellent summary of the key messages from each chapter and highlights the need to develop the skills to make intuitive decisions in the complex environment that is modern farming.
This book is informed by Peter’s long career in farm management research and integrates his research findings into a ‘real world’ scenario. I would recommend its reading to everyone involved in the rural sector.
Marvin Pangborn, Dairy Farmer & Academic
Tractor & Machinery Magazine –
It makes for pleasant and entertaining reading. Books communicating business ideas have already been published, but The Intuitive Farmer is said to be the first novel applied to agricultural management practices and is aimed at providing a useful source for farmers, agricultural/farm management students and those involved in agricultural industries. Tractor & Machinery Magazine
Tractor and Farming Heritage Magazine –
‘Farmers will find the book challenging and enjoyable, and potentially very beneficial.’ – Tractor and Farming Heritage Magazine