The conversation begins with Matt sharing a bit about his background, growing up on military bases in Germany and having ties to agriculture through his family's farming history. He then talks about his education and work experience in fisheries, water quality, and conservation, leading up to his current role as an agronomist at Ducks Unlimited. Matt also briefly mentions his personal experience with livestock and land management. The podcast interview between Buz Kloot, Matt Hubers, and Joe Dickie delves into the pressing issue of salinity in agricultural systems, particularly in South Dakota ..read more

Dwayne Beck is the Research Manager at Dakota Lakes Research Farm in Pierre, South Dakota. Soil Health Labs researcher Buz Kloot spoke with him in 2013 and again in 2023 about his journey at Dakota Lakes. When Dakota Lakes Research Farm was first established by local farmers in the early 1980s, the aim was to address irrigation challenges exacerbated by rising energy costs. Dwayne Beck was a graduate student at the time studying irrigation research and ushered the farm toward emphasis on efficient water usage, not only in irrigated but also dryland areas. Over time, the farm's focus expanded b ..read more

In this, our first series on salinity, we talk to Kent Cooley, area resource scientist in Rapid City, SD.  We discuss some of the causes of salinity in South Dakota, where it's estimated that 7.5 million acres of land are affected by saline soils, with almost a million more acres added in the past 10-15 years due to management practices. Kent helps is dive into the geology aspects of the region, explaining how the presence of an ancient inland sea and subsequent sedimentation left a high concentration of salts in the soil. We also look at the natural processes that contribute to the forma ..read more

Laura Kahler is the director of the South Dakota Grasslands Initiative (SDGI), pushing South Dakotan agriculture toward sustainability and heightened reverence for the natural landscape. Laura's mission is to provide resources and support to landowners, helping them keep their pasture lands not just profitable, but also sustainable and ecologically sound. The SDGI aims to manage grasslands effectively while balancing profitability and environmental conservation. Grasslands are more than just land; they are ecosystems that require attentive, informed management to thrive. Laura emphasizes that ..read more

In this insightful episode, Tate Lantz joins hosts Joe Dickie and Buz Kloot to discuss the Central Grasslands Roadmap. Lantz shares his personal journey from a childhood on a South Dakota cattle ranch to his current role in conservation, reflecting a deep connection to the grasslands.  Tate grew up on a cattle ranch near Winner, SD and after high school attended SDSU majoring in range science. His career began at the Conservation District in Kingsbury County, after which he joined the NRCS in 1998 and currently serves as Assistant State Conservationist for field operations in Rapid City ..read more

Cultivating Change: the South Dakota Grasslands Initiative Laura Kahler is the director of the South Dakota Grasslands Initiative (SDGI), pushing South Dakotan agriculture toward sustainability and heightened reverence for the natural landscape. Laura's mission is to provide resources and support to landowners, helping them keep their pasture lands not just profitable, but also sustainable and ecologically sound. The SDGI aims to manage grasslands effectively while balancing profitability and environmental conservation. Grasslands are more than just land; they are ecosystems that require atten ..read more

In this insightful episode, Tate Lantz joins hosts Joe Dickie and Buz Kloot to discuss the Central Grasslands Roadmap. Lantz shares his personal journey from a childhood on a South Dakota cattle ranch to his current role in conservation, reflecting a deep connection to the grasslands. Tate grew up on a cattle ranch near Winner, SD and after high school attended SDSU majoring in range science. His career began at the Conservation District in Kingsbury County, after which he joined the NRCS in 1998 and currently serves as Assistant State Conservationist for field operations in Rapid City, SD sin ..read more

Most folks have heard of the Haney test, but who are the people behind the test, what is the test and how did it all get started? In this episode, Buz Kloot and Joe Dickie talk to Drs. Liz and Rick Haney both soil scientists who live in Texas. Rick and Liz met during their graduate studies at Texas A&M – he was doing his PhD at the time and Liz her Masters. We begin by asking about the philosophy behind the Haney test and Rick walks us through his background as a farmer, student and soil health advocate. As Rick says, “My main objective was to come up with something that would help [land m ..read more

In this podcast, Buz Kloot, Joe Dickie, and Gabe Brown discuss Gabe's motivation behind his mission to help farmers and ranchers. Gabe shares that his dedication to the mission was solidified during the three years of extreme difficulties he faced. At that time, there were few resources for farmers and ranchers to learn about the principles, rules, and processes required for regenerative agriculture. Gabe felt a calling to help others avoid the difficulties he faced and made a commitment to dedicate his life to this mission. Throughout the podcast, Joe and Buz reflect on their own experiences ..read more

Barry and Eli Little are a father and son team farming near Castlewood, SD located in the eastern part of South Dakota. Together they have close to 1600 acres of crop land, and farm this along with another 1300 acres of Barry’s brother’s land. Though cropland is still the centerpiece of their business model, Barry and Eli run close to 500 head of cattle – while they have 800 acres of dedicated pasture, their operation is designed for the integration of livestock. In the previous episode, Joe Dickie and Buz Kloot spoke at length to the Littles about their operation. In this bonus podcast, we as ..read more