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A young man and woman holding a csa box filled with fresh vegetables.

CSA Subscription ‘Box’

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscriptions vary by producers; there is no set rule on the package size or box contents.

A table at a farmers market filled with fresh vegetable displays.

Developing a Vision Statement for a Farmers Market

The Vision Statement is a picture of what the market organizers want the market to look and feel like in the future.

A table display of vegetables at a farmer's market.

Farmers Market Food Safety: At the Market

Displaying food and produce safely requires attention to reducing the risk of contamination.

A row of vendor tents at a farmers market.

Drafting Farmers Market Documents: Market Rules

It is strongly recommended that new and existing farmers markets draft rules to govern the daily operation of the market.

bunches of Aronia berries still on a bush

Soil Testing for Vineyards in South Dakota

Not all soils are conducive to growing quality grapes, so prospective vineyard sites should be tested before a decision is made to plant grapes. Tests can identify soils that are either too high in pH, salts, or salinity, or that are “too rich” (too high in organic matter and nitrogen) for grapes. In addition, testing before planting allows for the incorporation of nutrients—such as phosphorus—that do not move easily through the soil to plant roots.

A herd of cattle grazing near a pond on an open range.

Cattle and Land Conservation in South Dakota

Analysis of results from a 2017 South Dakota farmer survey reveals that cattlemen tend to be more land conservation oriented than their grain farming counterparts.

A young, freckled girl eating small, red tomatoes inside a greenhouse.

Agritourism

When a producer has decided to sell a product directly from the farm, entertainment or tourism-based activities could be incorporated to create larger appeal. Agritourism could add value to the farm visit though education, entertainment, outdoor recreation, dining, relaxation or other avenues, potentially drawing more customers in.

A color-coded map of the United States indicating precipitation outlook for June 2019.

June 2019 Climate Outlook for South Dakota

As South Dakota emerges from the wettest 12-month period in 124 years of climate recordkeeping (June 2018-May 2019), June has started warmer and drier than average. The outlook, however, turns towards cooler and wetter than average again for the middle of the month.

Diagram showing increasing harvested acres of corn and soybeans and decreasing harvested acres of wheat in South Dakota. Other crops remain steady, while hay decreased and then slightly increased.

Crop Diversity Reduced in South Dakota

The recently released 2017 Census of Agriculture data shows that South Dakota has experienced a considerable increase in acreage harvested of two major crops, corn and soybeans over the past decade.

Rows of bottled juice on display at a farmers market.

Selling Juice in South Dakota

Understanding the regulations for selling juice in the state of South Dakota can be difficult to navigate. This article was developed to address some of the questions around juice at retail as well as selling juice at a Farmer’s Market and to also ensure that seller’s may be well informed to ensure they are selling juice that meets regulatory requirements as well ensuring the product is safe.