This spring (2017) SDSU Extension’s Anthony Bly and farmer, or shall we say “citizen scientist,” Al Miron got together to look at the influence of tillage, cover crops and manure on infiltration in a number of fields in Minnehaha County, SD. They compared soils in two long term (9 year) no-till fields, two conventionally tilled fields…
Residue Recap
In this video, we recap the last 11 videos on our Merit or Myth Series that deal with residue and tillage. We sum up the information provided by our farmers and researchers, from West River to East River of South Dakota. As we consider the statement: “Farming without tillage and with surface residue is not…
Spiral of Soil Regeneration – Part 3 (Dr. Randy Anderson)
This is the third part of a three part series in Dr. Anderson’s 10-minute talk on his spiral of regeneration. Dr. Randy Anderson, Research Agronomist with the USDA-ARS in Brookings, SD, shares with us his spiral of soil regeneration. The concept of the spiral had its genesis in Dr. Anderson’s work in no-till where he…
The Potential in Community Farming, Paddock Grazing, and MORE!
Picture this: A proactive community of open-minded producers joining forces for the greater good. With all of them together, they work to increase yields and soil health, and gain a better understanding of their livelihoods. If such a community existed, would you be interested? It may seem “pie in the sky”, but one state down,…
Spiral of Soil Regeneration – Part 2 (Dr. Randy Anderson)
Dr. Randy Anderson, Research Agronomist with the USDA-ARS in Brookings, SD, shares with us his spiral of soil regeneration. The concept of the spiral had its genesis in Dr. Anderson’s work in no-till where he observed a number of interactive biological effects at work. In this second video, Dr. Anderson walks us through the benefits…
Spiral of Soil Regeneration – Part 1 (Dr. Randy Anderson)
This is the first part of a three part series in Dr. Anderson’s 10-minute talk on his spiral of regeneration. Dr. Randy Anderson, Research Agronomist with the USDA-ARS in Brookings, SD, shares with us his spiral of soil regeneration. The concept of the spiral had its genesis in Dr. Anderson’s work in no-till where he…
SD Cropcast 01: Dr. Randy Anderson
Why Beat Your Head Against The Wall to Fight Residue
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…