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2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Winter and spring are a great time for planning new garden and landscape designs. Learn how recent updates to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones may have South Dakota gardeners feeling extra adventurous when selecting new plants for their gardens this season!
Using Data for Better Seed Selection
As harvest wraps up across the region, winter preparation and planning for next year begins. Yield trial results are a key component when making sound seed selection decisions.
Cotton Strip Soil Test: Rapid Assessment of Soil Microbial Activity and Diversity in the Field
Soil has always been considered as a living system due to its biological components: fungi, bacteria and plant roots. Under several ongoing research projects, we started researching how we can use ‘cotton strip assay’ to compare different cover crop mixes to optimize field soil activity and build up better soil health.
How’s Life in the Soil? Ask (Count) the Earthworms.
Earthworms are ‘very special’ creatures on earth, and their contribution in soil nutrient cycling and fertility management has been acknowledged from the beginning of agriculture. So, the question needs to be asked, how can we help improve earthworm populations?
Coaching vs. Evaluations To Improve Ag Employee Performance
One of the most difficult things farm managers have to master is coaching employees. Using appropriate coaching methods with employees will help you as a manager to achieve the desired employee performance you are looking for in your operation.
Discussing Food and Agriculture in South Dakota: A Guide for Community Leaders
Food production and farming are issues that operate at the complex pivot point of where ecology and nature meet the marketplace and political systems. The way agriculturalists and communities handle their resources, both individually, and collectively, depends on their collective vision for the future.
Managing Production Costs To Boost Soybean Profitability
Soybeans are one of the major crops in South Dakota in terms of both acres planted and sales values. To determine the potential to increase net profit from soybean production, individual producers are encouraged to compare their own yields and input costs with benchmark levels.
Fall Grain Storage Tips
As the temperature drops, don’t forget to check on your stored grain. Although most of the South Dakota grain harvest was sufficiently dry this year, we still need to watch grain storage temperatures and conditions.
Interpreting Research Results: The Simple Way
Although research results and statistical terminology can seem overwhelming, understanding the basic concepts can be valuable for decision making. When making management decisions, don’t hesitate to ask for research results and statistics to back up marketing claims.