‘If I was still farming like a lot of my neighbors I’d be as bored as they are.’ See how one family farm in Castlewood, South Dakota has shaken things up in this exclusive promo of our upcoming six-part series that explores all things soil health!
Why Choose Goats for Livestock? (Hall 6/6)
Goats may seem like quite an odd choice for livestock. One South Dakota producer has found them to be the perfect soil health companions. Why? Hear what this producer has to say in his own words!
Why Incorporate Livestock? (Hall 5/6)
Producer Jesse Hall spent several years at SDSU working alongside researchers exploring soil health. Hear how one particular study opened his eyes about the benefits of livestock integration and why he decided to incorporate them in his operation.
Avoiding Sidewall Compaction (Hall 4/6)
‘Sidewall compaction’ is a term many may be unfamiliar with, but it can have dire effects on a producer’s yield. Sidewall compaction is the result of poor soil structure. It happens when planting occurs in wet, degraded soils that have often been subjected to tillage. This compaction prevents the roots from growing outward and the…
Utilizing Multispecies Cover Crops (Hall 3/6)
‘No-tilling beans into rye, you can’t believe the difference between that and going into straight corn stubble.’
The Benefits of Crop Rotation (Hall 2/6)
‘Within a three-year span my soybean yields probably went up 3-5 bushels an acre and corn 10-2. That’s been pretty consistent.’ The reason? Find out in our second video featuring Jesse Hall!
Building Organic Matter and Soil Resiliency (Stiefvater 3/3)
Soil health: Mother Nature’s way of growing healthy crops! ‘Since about 1988 we look back at the soil tests and we’ve just about doubled the organic matter level.’ Special thanks to Practical Farmers of Iowa for contributing footage and Jack Boyer and Fred Abels for lending their fields!
SD Cropcast 04: Agronomist Kurt Dagel
The Most Powerful Question in Agriculture
What does Mother Nature want? As farmers, we do a lot to fight her. If the soil is hard, we till it. If our crops have weeds, we spray them. If the land doesn’t have the right amount of nutrients, we inject them. This has been the way to farm for the past 50 years….
Extended Rotations, Cover Crops And A Change In Perspective (Dagel 4/4)
“We’ve sparked a lot of curiosity. People are interested in what we’re doing [and] when I’m working with land owners I just tell them what they’re gaining for their land. It’s going to be in a better condition based on extended rotations and cover crops.” Check out the final video in our four-part series with…