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Magnified image of a springtail that is hairy and dark blue in color.

What are those black bugs jumping on the snow?

One of the first critters you may notice in early spring or even late winter are snow fleas. These tiny arthropods can be an odd sight when they appear by the hundreds on top of snow drifts that are melting on warm, sunny days.

Black hairy caterpillar with a dark brown band in the middle of its body. The caterpillar is crawling on grey cement with visible pebbles present in the substrate.

Are those woolly bear caterpillars I see crawling?

Anyone that spent the weekend outdoors may have observed flies, wasps, bees, and others flying around for the first time this year. One of these insects is a familiar one, the woolly bear caterpillar.

a shrub-like plant green leaves and dark purple, grape-like fruit

Fruit Variety Recommendations for South Dakota

Fruit variety recommendations for home fruit growers in South Dakota

a person putting tomatoes into a bag.

Growing Tomatoes in South Dakota

Few vegetables inspire us more than home-grown tomatoes, bursting with vine-ripe flavor. Tomatoes are easy to grow in containers or in the ground, and are excellent sources of vitamins A and C, as well as cancer-fighting lycopenes.

two whole apples behind a small pile of dehydrated apple slices

Dehydrating Apples

A food dehydrator is a good choice for drying apples and can be used at any time. It is a small appliance that has an electric element for heat with a fan and vents for air circulation.

bare field in spring waiting to be planted

Planting Considerations for a Late Spring

Farm fields in some areas are unusually wet this year with many low areas under water. These conditions will make planting a challenge for farmers this year.

Picture shows a dense and diverse cover crop mix grown after cereal grain. The cover crop is very green with many brassica and grass plants growing. The top third of the picture is the sky with some gray clouds.

South Dakota Land Use Trends (2012-2017)

Significant education efforts for natural resource conservation have occurred in South Dakota during the last five years. Many stakeholder groups have brought awareness for soil health and water quality to the forefront.

inside a licensed fish hatchery

Selling Fish at a Farmers Market in South Dakota

This article was developed to address some of the questions around selling fish at the farmer’s market and to ensure that seller’s may be well-informed to ensure they are selling fish that meet regulatory requirements as well ensuring the product is safe.

strawberries growing on a vine in a pot

Strawberries in South Dakota

Learn how to grow junebearing or everbearing strawberries in home gardens.

Image of western South Dakota where green triangles indicate areas with low grasshopper populations, orange squares indicate medium grasshopper populations, and red circles indicate high grasshopper populations that exceeded thresholds.

2019 South Dakota Grasshopper Forecast

The USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service conducts an annual survey to monitor grasshopper populations in Western South Dakota. In 2018, SDSU conducted a survey to monitor populations in Eastern South Dakota. These previous-year surveys can be used as a prediction tool for where grasshoppers may be an issue during the upcoming season.