Dick Nissen and his son Chris farm in Clay County, SD and encounter some of the typical east River conditions many farmers face especially in the spring (including residue). It turns out that Chris Nissen is a passionate soil health guy sometimes struggling to see why his neighbors spend as much as they do on…
Farming: A Lesson Well-Learned
Author and inspirational speaker John Maxwell once said, “The greatest enemy of learning is knowing.” This couldn’t be more accurate than when it comes to sustainable farming practices. But truth be told, most of the problems we as humans face today (on and off the farm) aren’t due to our lack of knowledge, but to our…
SOILS: A Quality of Life Issue?
We’ve all heard a lot of varying takes on soils… Are they living or are they dead? Do they require time to rest or more diversity? Amongst all of these uncertainties, one thing can be agreed upon – they are the foundation on which all farmers are building. And laying a trusty foundation is something…
An Outsiders’ Love Letter to South Dakota
What is the most powerful lesson that South Dakota has to teach me? This was the question that was on my mind as we anxiously drove out of the Hawkeye State and pulled into Sioux Falls. Would it be one of appreciating mother nature? Would it be one of community? Or would it simply be…
The Truth is Out There
The growing amount of information on soil health is quite astonishing. Just hop on over to Google and search “Soil Health” and you’ll see for yourself. As of this writing, there were 18.1 million hits! But that’s just the tip of the iceburg; when it comes to the nuts and bolts, everyone seems to have a different…