THE Farm & ranch
We conscientiously manage our pastureland and farm ground for optimum plant nutrition. We believe soil is alive and crucial for plant, animal, and human health. Therefore, by utilizing a no-till farming practice we are managing the soil’s life and its habitat. By managing grazing, our cattle hoof action breaks the ground, which increases water infiltration and tramples organic matter into the soil. The cattle also are redepositing important nutrients back into the ground as they move from paddock to paddock. Our animals are rotated to fresh fields regularly to ensure they receive nutrientrich fresh grass as well as allowing our lands to rest & regenerate, thus further enriching our soil quality. This means our animals are not ingesting any pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Our animals are born and raised on our land, so we know exactly what they are consuming. We use low-stress livestock handling methods to improve animal welfare, reduce injury, and produce a higher quality product.
As part of our values, we emphasize the importance of relationships, communication and trust. We actively encourage our community to become involved in understanding the importance of where our food begins. We have an open-door policy and welcome all visitors and tours, to help build our community’s understanding of why our soil quality matters. We have hosted field trips comparing rain infiltration rates in tilled vs non-tilled cover crop soils, to help educate younger members of our community. As a member/Director of South Dakota Soil Health Coalition & South Dakota Stockgrowers Association, member of South Dakota Grasslands Coalition,Vice President of Pennington Soil Conservation District and a partner with NRCS, we ensure the research and knowledge we teach are accurate and tangible.
