The grazing world suffered a great loss when Allan Nation, owner and editor of the Stockman Grass Farmer passed away unexpectedly on November 3, 2016 at the age of 69. His wife, Carolyn, says that he was in Wimberly, Texas doing one of the things he loved best, riding live steam trains.
The Stockman Grass Farmer was founded in 1947, and Allan took it on in 1977, focusing on providing farmers and ranchers information to help them be successful “grass farmers,” a term he coined. As part of his work, Allan traveled to some 30 countries, studying and photographing grassland farming systems. He shared what he learned in the pages of the Stockman Grass Farmer and at numerous conferences and workshops. He introduced readers to the concept of “low-stress livestock handling” via Bud Williams, and to management-intensive grazing via Jim Gerrish, Greg Judy and many others. He also helped Kathy Voth introduce the idea of training cows to eat weeds by publishing a series of her columns. All told, it would be fair to say that Allan’s work at the Stockman Grass Farmer was instrumental in creating the grazing world we know today.
Allan authored 10 books on pasture-based livestock and artisan meats and milk products including The Moving Feast, a cultural history of heritage foods in southeast Mississippi. While these books will continue to serve the farmers and ranchers he supported, so many will miss reading “Al’s Obs” every month.
Allan is survived by his wife, Carolyn Stromeyer Nation of Purvis, Mississippi and their two daughters and six grand children. If you would like to honor Allan, memorial donations may be made to the Nation International Scholarship (fund #0451) or Athletics Baseball at the University of Southern Mississippi, to St. Fabian Catholic Church Building Fund or to the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. You can also share your condolences with Allan’s family here.
On behalf of the entire On Pasture community we send our sincere sympathies to Allan’s family and to everyone at the Stockman Grass Farmer. Allan, you will be greatly missed.
My hat is off. His vision got me started down an ever widening road. Thanks so very much, Allan
“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
Remember everything you learned from Allan.
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