Let’s not beat around the bush — transitioning from conventional tillage to no-till can be tough. Throw diverse rotations, cover crops, and grazing livestock into the mix and it can feel downright overwhelming. The fact is, there are equipment changes, steep learning curves to climb, and mindset changes that need to happen for this to…
Integrated Systems w/ Doug Sieck – Holistic Mindset (2/7)
When it comes to farming, “holistic” is often a word that gets a bad wrap. Walworth County farmer Doug Sieck knows this first hand. He had his own reservations when it came to the term, but that has all changed. In the second video in our 7-part series, Doug shares with us his insights on…
Integrated Systems w/ Doug Sieck – Intro (1/7)
In 2007, Doug Sieck of Walworth County, SD began his soil health journey. A little over a decade later, his soils , his operation, and his mindset have all transformed. In this 7-part series, Doug shares with us his eye-opening journey into soil health, how to make the transition easier, and why we all should…
SD Cropcast 02: Dwayne Beck
15 Trillion Laborers w/ Dr. Mike Lehman – Community (3/3)
3:15 WATCH: In our previous video, Research Microbiologist Dr. Mike Lehman described soil microbes in healthy soils as a “division of labor.” This “division of labor” is extensive and, when cultivated through regenerative practices, works alongside the farmer. In our third and final video, Dr. Lehman takes it a step further and shows us that these…
15 Trillion Laborers (Microbes) w/ Dr. Lehman – Intro (1/3)
We met with Research Microbiologist Dr. Mike Lehman (ARS) on the research station in Brookings, South Dakota to talk soil microbes. Dr. Lehman isn’t just a well-respected scientist, it turns out that he’s also a great communicator. In this and the next two videos, Dr. Lehman takes a shovel full of soil and talks about…
Merit or Myth: Season 2
In our first Merit or Myth season, we discussed the issue of no-till in the context of residue management, soil water (mainly infiltration), soil temperature, weeds and economics. In reality, a companion between no-till an conventional till system is very difficult to compare is one only looks at one factor (e.g., residue). When we spoke…
Economics & Soils: Jorgensen Case Study (Part 5)
One may take the view that soils are a static, medium to grow plants and place nutrients. If one holds this static view of soils, what the Jorgensens have been able to achieve would simply not make sense; at best it would appear anomalous. If one holds the view that soils are living, dynamic ecosystems…
Economics: Jorgensen Land and Cattle Case Study (Part 3)
In our previous video of the Jorgensen Land and Cattle Economics Case Study, Nick Jorgensen discussed some of the economic savings they were able to realize in their long-term, no-till fields where typically Organic Matter measured over three percent. What the Jorgensen land and cattle operation was able to do in this analysis was save…
Economics: Jorgensen Land and Cattle Case Study (Part 2)
In this video Nick Jorgensen provides a simple calculation related to equipment costs and economics based on what Jorgensen land and cattle may have done 30 years ago in a wheat – fallow system compared to today. By not operating tillage equipment and running a sprayer the Jorgensens are saving between $25 and $45 in…