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Group of children enjoying school lunch in an elementary school cafeteria.

National School Lunch Week: ‘Lettuce’ Celebrate!

During National School Lunch Week, held each year in October, schools around the country celebrate all of the ways a school lunch can positively affect a child’s life, both at school and at home!

A group of cattle grazing on crop residue.

Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems

An integrated crop-livestock system can provide an alternative management strategy that benefits producer’s income, soil health, and the environment—all while increasing production.

A field with patches of soil exhibiting poor water infiltration.

Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Cover Crops and Crop Residues

Planting cover crops and returning crop residues (stover) to the soil both adds nutrients and improves overall soil quality. These practices are common with producers across South Dakota and have been recently studied by researchers to identify how they impact the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

A patch of switchgrass growing at the edge of a field.

Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Planting Switchgrass on Marginal Lands

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a tall, native, prairie grass that is often seeded on marginal lands in South Dakota. It has gained growing popularity over the past decade not only as a source of biofuel and feed, but also as a method to improve soil properties.

A green tractor planting seeds in a no-till field. Courtesy: United Soybean Board [CC BY 2.0] via Flickr

Farm Practices That Improve Soil Health: Crop Rotations and No-Till

Implementing crop rotations and no-till practices are common suggestions to reduce erosion, control pests, and improve yields. These practices can also improve soil health through an increase in soil carbon levels.

Plastic bags and containers with frozen vegetables in refrigerator

Freeze Now, Eat Later! Freezer Meal Workshop

Freezer meals provide families with the option to have a home cooked meal with minimal effort on busy days.

a variety of bright colored fruits and vegetables arranged on a table

A Guide to Drying Foods

Fact sheet about drying foods

To small pumpkins sitting on a kitchen counter.

Preserving Pumpkin

Pumpkins are a staple for the fall season. They can often be seen used to decorate homes or for carving jack-o'-lanterns, but they’re great to eat or can for later too!

A young girl taking a banana from a tray of uneaten food.

Food Waste in Schools and Strategies to Reduce It

You may be wondering what can schools do to help in food waste reduction efforts? In school nutrition programs there are a variety of steps in which food loss can be controlled ranging from planning the meals to serving the food.

A bowl of chili topped with sour cream, onions, and cheese with saltine crackers on the side.

Easy Home-Cooked Meals in One-Pot

With changes to the schedules and day-to-day activities of our lives, we may be looking for ways to include the goodness of home-cooked meals for ourselves and our families. One-pot meals can be the answer.