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Series of trophies on display at a 4-H contest.

Why 4-H?

Reasons why 4-H is a great option for South Dakota youth

Youth campers working on a project together

Life Skills in South Dakota 4-H

Life skills are tools people use to deal with daily situations, make important decisions and enhance their quality of life.

A young man sitting at a laptop discussing a project with a 4-H leader.

4-H STEM

4-H utilizes a ‘learn by doing’ approach that’s ideal for teaching core STEM concepts and skills.

Brown and white cow grazing on standing cornstalks

Considerations for Grazing Standing Corn

Grazing standing corn is a viable option to supply nutrients to livestock. However, mitigating risk is critical to ensure healthy animals and optimize crops.

A lush field with corn, soybean, and forage rotation.

Crop Rotation Potential: Improving Soil Health & Farm Profitability

Two-year corn-soybean rotation coupled with heavy chemical inputs has become the routine practice of agricultural production in the Midwestern United States. According to USDA/NASS data, corn and soybean prices received by producers in South Dakota both reached the peak levels of $7.39 and $16.00 per bushel, respectively, in August, 2012.

Colorful variety of pumpkins, winter squashes and gourds on display.

Pumpkins, Winter Squashes and Gourds: How to Grow It

There are many varieties of pumpkins, squashes and gourds available for planting in the garden. Learn how to select, plant, grow and harvest them in this article!

Managing Water with Soil Health

If we are seeing so many benefits to drainage and soil health systems, why isn’t everybody doing it? Can we see a win-win-win situation when looking at habitat, agronomy, and water quality in a system?

Elongate, reddish-brown beetle on a white background.

Foreign Grain Beetles in New Construction

As new homes are constructed around South Dakota, we continually receive questions about small, brown insects showing up in bathrooms and basements. These insects are foreign grain beetles.

Sample USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey output. Orange boundaries mark different soil zones on a satellite photo.

Precision Agriculture and Zone Management

Precision agriculture tools can address the variations in a production system to enhance plant growth and crop yield. Zone management controls the variable rate of inputs for optimal performance within a defined field zone.

Four fall-hardy bulbs blooming in early spring: Daffodil, Glory of the Snow, Crocus and Tulip.

Prepare for Early Spring Blooms by Planting Hardy Bulbs in the Fall

Don’t put away your gardening tools quite yet! Fall is the perfect time to plant hardy, spring-flowering bulbs.