MERIT OR MYTH: Engaging South Dakota’s Farming Community
In The Pursuit Of Healthy, Functioning Soils
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 consider the change ourselves.
Integrated Systems With Doug Sieck — Intro 1/7
Integrated Systems With Doug Sieck — Holistic Mindset 2/7
The big-picture idea of healthy, functioning soils is so appealing: more moisture available to the plant, more nutrients recycling, fewer weeds, lower inputs… what’s not to like, right? To the busy farmer, are the ideas of healthy functioning soils just that… ideas? Put another way we should ask: “what has merit and what is myth”? At Merit or Myth our mission is, through the social media, to engage with South Dakota-based farmers, researchers and conservationists to gain a better understanding of healthy, functioning soils. We want to engage in the context of the management issues that farmers most care about including residue, soil temperature, soil moisture and weed management.
SENATE PASSES 2018 FARM BILL The Senate voted 87-13 today to pass the 2018 Farm Bill. A House vote is expected yet this week. In addition to maintaining funding for the Conservation Title, this farm bill keeps the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) functioning as separate programs; allows more grazing […]
2019 SD SOIL HEALTH COALITION Soil Health Conference and Annual Meeting January 22-23, 2019 Brookings, SD For full agenda, registration, and hotel block information please visit www.sdsoilhealthcoalition.org/annual-meeting/. RSVPs are appreciated for planning purposes. This event is FREE to all 2019 SD Soil Health Coalition Members. The cost for non members is $25 which includes a 2019 […]
We thought maybe you’d like to see the November edition of the SD Soil Health Coalition’s newsletter, “Soil Visions“. Lots of good information in there about the upcoming annual meeting for the Soil Health Conference, an update on Grow by FarmHer, an article about how soil health affects crop resiliency, and more! We hope you […]
MERIT OR MYTH: A Brighter Future With Soil Health FIVE MINUTE READ: No-till farmer Matt Bainbridge of Davison County, SD, was asked if he would take $50 an acre to till his land. See his response (and more) in this blog from Merit or Myth
OUR AMAZING GRASSLANDS: Mimi Hillenbrand, Hermosa, SD The SD Grassland Coalition partnered with the organizations listed below to enhance the grassland planner with a release of a video each month during 2018 promoting healthy soils, grasslands, and ecosystems. Grassland Stewardship Communications Project Partners: The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, American Bird Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Audubon […]
MERIT OR MYTH: A Minute with Jeff Hemenway The bad news: management plays a crucial role in soil degradation. But is there good news? Yes! Management also plays a crucial role in soil restoration, and we can measure both.
Survey Shows South Dakota Landowners’ Interest in Soil Health We thought the results of this survey were pretty interesting and wanted to share them with you. The survey was done in hopes of getting owners and operators talking about soil health care and improvement. Click on the picture to be taken to the survey results. […]
YOU’RE INVITED to the Ag Horizons Conference November 27 and 28, 2018 Ramkota RiverCentre, Pierre, SD The 2018 Ag Horizons Conference is pleased to announce 6 keynote speakers, 24 educational one-hour seminars, and AGAIN this year’s “INDUSTRY SEMINARS” to be held November 28th, starting at 1:00 p.m. The Ag Horizons Conference is hosted by seven […]
GROW BY FARMHER Do you know any women who are interested in agricultural careers? Grow by FarmHer will inspire, educate, and empower young ladies, ages 16-22, who are excited about their future in agriculture. The day-long events will give the opportunity for young women to connect with peers, listen to dynamic speakers, and meet industry leaders. This event […]
SOIL VISIONS NEWSLETTER South Dakota Soil Health Coalition There’s so much good information in this newsletter, we thought we’d just bring you the whole thing this time! There are articles about cover crop usage FFA Foundation Scholarship recipients Soil Health School soil health indicators a call for conservation practices research participants a new technology for […]
