Larry and Julie Wagner run a grass-fed beef ranch in the Bijou Hills near Chamberlain, South Dakota. When I asked Larry where his interest in prairie conservation came from, he told me
Adapting to the Prairies: Larry Wagner on Ranching in the Great Plains Read More »
Dust storms thick enough to hide semi trucks and flooded roads after heavy rains prompted Dean Lockner to convert his crop ground back to native range: “I really didn’t like what I saw. I decided I needed to plant something
Top 5 Takeaways from the Lockner Pasture Walk Read More »
Using funds from a Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Grant along with financial support from the USDI – BLM’s Belle Fourche, SD Field Office, we conducted a targeted grazing exercise on an invader weed species known as Dalmation toadflax. SDSU Extension,
Targeted Grazing Dalmation Toadflax with Sheep in the Ft. Meade Recreation Area Read More »
The cold snowy “spring” of 2018 will be remembered by many South Dakota cow calf producers as a night-mare calving season. Perhaps it’s time to think about calving later next year. Most proponents of later calving were influenced by Dr. Dick Diven, who published research in the early 1990’s advocating
Maybe We Should Calve Later Read More »
Many consumers are increasingly drawn to organic foods because of perceived benefits to their health and the environment. In response to market signals, organic crop production is also increasing. Under current market conditions, it is easy to understand why some producers or landowners are considering organic
Unintended Consequences of Organic Farming Read More »
Brett Nix grew up a few miles south of Murdo, South Dakota on the same ranch he and his wife Lori live on now. I visited the Nix place in the thick of calving on a balmy, May morning. We
The 10,000 Foot View: Brett Nix on Ranching with the Big Picture in Mind Read More »
Dan stepped out of the pickup and waited for the evening songbird chorus to return after being hushed by our arrival. He parked on the top of Cedar Butte— a long, grassy plateau surrounded
Grass in the Bank: Dan Rasmussen’s Drought Plan Read More »
Native vegetation in grasslands, which are critical habitats that provide ecosystem services and economic opportunities for South Dakotans, are widely being replaced by invasive grasses. The utility
Nutrient Regulation in Invasive and Native Grasses Read More »
Jim Faulstich, Chair of the South Dakota Grass-land Coalition, began his work on the board in 2000 after experiencing the value of grassland on his own operation. From migratory bird habitat to
Diversity and Efficiency: Jim Faulstich’s Survival Strategy Read More »
The 39th Annual Rangeland Days and 18th Annual Soils Days were held in Watertown June 14 & 15 at the Codington Extension Building
2023 Rangeland & Soils Days Read More »
