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Young man shoveling a pile of compost.

Organic Gardening: Soil Management

Gardeners throughout South Dakota are experimenting with organic gardening. While the adoption of organic gardening methods can be daunting, learning some fundamental soil management concepts will set the foundations for success.

South Dakota native grassland with a variety of plants and grasses growing.

Grassland Fertilization: Ecology

In the first article in this series, we discussed basic terminology and economics. This article focuses on the ecological impacts of fertilization in various grassland plant communities, including native rangelands and prairies.

Tiny orange insects feeding on a green leaf

Watch Out For Houseplant Pests

Aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies and scale may be the most common insect pests that you will find on your houseplants but there are several other pests and problems you should watch out for.

people shopping at a farmer's market

Requirements for Food Entrepreneurs Selling Food in South Dakota

Throughout the country and in the state of South Dakota, people are showing more interest in selling their own food products and starting their own business

group of people gathered around a tapped silver maple tree

Harvesting Maple Syrup in South Dakota

As the weather warms in late winter and early spring sap in maple trees begins to flow. For many people that live in the Northeastern part of the United States, that means that maple syrup season has arrived.

silage truck dispensing feed to dairy cattle at feed bunk

Mycotoxin Considerations for Weather-Damaged Feedstuffs

Whether your crops have been hit with drought or hail the odds are that we are going to see an increase potential for feed contaminants such nitrates or molds which cause mycotoxins.

Corn earlobe being stored in a bunker for later use as cattle feed.

Valuing High-Moisture Corn and Earlage

A key advantage to using commodities that meet standard specifications and are frequently traded is that it is very easy to establish an economic value that is accepted by most users. The marketplace sets the value of corn, and other feedstuffs on a daily basis, provided those products meet some set of standard specifications.

corn field with sunrise in the background

2019 Survey South Dakota Corn Nutrient Management Practices

Data from the 2019 survey South Dakota farmers was used to examine how local and operational characteristics such as geographic location within SD, tillage practice, and farm size were related to the adoption of various nutrient management practices.

A red tractor driving on a county highway with an orange triangle sign on the rear.

Farm Equipment, Safety on the Road, Everyone’s Role

National Farm Safety Week serves as a safety reminder for those involved in agriculture. During harvest, we will see an increase in farm equipment on the road, including tractors, combines, grain carts, silage choppers and silage trucks.

A young man in a gray shirt and white cap scouting a soybean field for soybean aphids.

Should I Spray for Soybean Aphids? What’s the Threshold?

Although many soybean fields are behind schedule, so are the soybean aphid populations. In many reported areas, there are hotspots within a field where a few soybean plants may be heavily infested.