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a garden with several different areas and types of plants growing

Garden Food Safety

Every so often we hear about people getting sick from eating raw produce that got contaminated somewhere on its path from the field to the consumer. Commercial growers are taking great care to keep your food safe, and there are new national rules to guide them. Following are some tips for home gardeners to help keep their fruits and vegetables safe.

freshly harvested leafy greens

Best Practices When Harvesting Leafy Greens for Market and Home

The harvesting of leafy greens to maintain quality and safety focuses on the key risk factors from the time harvest begins to selling at market. The food safety risk factors involve temperature, time, water, worker hygienic practices, and food contact surfaces.

Small crew of workers removing snow from the roof of a pole barn.

Post-Snowstorm Building Inspection and Snow Removal

Snowstorms can push even the sturdiest structures to their limits. Learn some expert tips for evaluating facilities, determining their snow load capacity, and safely removing snow during the aftermath of a blizzard.

Farmer calibrating a yield monitor insde a combine cab.

Comprehensive Guide to Grain Yield Monitoring Systems

A comprehensive guide to grain yield monitoring systems

a stretching field of green corn plants

Comparing Yield Goal and Maximum Return to Nitrogen Prediction Methods for Determining Corn Economic Optimal Nitrogen Rates

Fact sheet evaluating the accuracy of different corn nitrogen recommendation approaches with their advantages and disadvantages.

a picture large purple flowers with yellow centers surrounded by dead leaves and grey landscaping rocks.

Landscaping Best Practices for Pollinators and Beyond

Our yards are all part of a greater ecosystem. By incorporating some best practices into your landscaping routine, your yard can develop healthier soil, support more pollinators, and reduce the need for pest control.

A large orange butterfly with white spots feeding on a pale pink flower in a green grassy area.

Planting for Specialist Butterflies

Monarchs are not the only specialist pollinators in South Dakota. Many other butterflies also require a specific plant or family of plants to lay eggs on. Learn about some important host plants to help specialist butterflies in your yard!

Man using a dynamic cone penetrometer.

Soil Penetration Resistance as a Soil Health Indicator

Soil penetration resistance is an indicator of soil compaction and the force required for root growth through the soil. It can be measured in the field using a tool called a penetrometer.

Adult red earthworm, cabbage looper, and brown-belted bumble bee.

The Seen and Unseen World of Invertebrates and Vegetables: The good, the bad, and the cute

The seen and unseen worlds of invertebrates in our gardens offer an opportunity to understand how each organism plays a crucial role in the balance of our environment, whether they are good, bad, or even cute.

a man in a blue shirt with light brown hair and a light beard smiles at the camera

SDSU Extension welcomes new pesticide education specialist

October 12, 2023

South Dakota State University Extension is pleased to welcome Stephen Robertson as a new Pesticide Education Field Specialist.