Hello, my name is Wyatt Johnson and I am pleased to be working with the SD Soil Health Coalition as a Soil Health Technician specializing in Small Scale Agriculture and Urban Agriculture soil health practices.
I grew up on my family’s farm and ranch located north of Midland, SD, where I am still involved with our cow/calf operation and producing small grains and forage crops. I was blessed to grow up in a rural area where the importance of agriculture was engrained in me at an early age. One of my favorite parts of the ranch is the native rangeland that we manage and rotationally graze our cattle on.
Growing up I was very involved with 4-H and FFA which helped me to explore my interests in livestock, horticulture, natural resources, and poultry. After graduating from Philip High School, I attended SDSU in Brookings where I received a degree in Agricultural Leadership with minors in Rangeland Science and Animal Science.
After college my passion for agriculture led me to becoming a middle and high school agriculture instructor and FFA Advisor in Stanley County for eight years where I taught students about Horticulture, Natural Resources, Welding, Woodworking, Small Engines, Animal Science, Landscaping, and Wildlife and Fisheries. Some of our favorite activities included our small animal production and care unit and operating our own greenhouse where we started seedlings and offered them to the public for use in their own gardens.
When I am not at work, you can find me helping out on my family’s ranch, gardening, tending to my poultry projects (breeding and raising large fowl and bantam chickens, waterfowl and pigeons for exhibition), fishing, hunting, or working on some taxidermy projects.
I am very excited to continue learning about soil health and sharing my findings with you all as everything we enjoy about agriculture and nature all begins with the soil.
