Soil Health Buckets
Education & Follow Up
Utilizing funding provided through an agreement with the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service as well as donations made by Farm Credit Services of America, First Dakota National Bank, Ducks Unlimited Inc., and Dacotah Bank the SD Soil Health Coalition provides educational “Soil Health Buckets” and lessons to vocational agriculture classrooms, soil science classrooms and additional youth groups.
Each “Bucket” includes eighteen different lesson plans and the tools necessary to demonstrate the soil health principles and concepts included within the plans. Each bucket complete with all necessary items has a price tag of nearly $500. The SD Soil Health Coalition would like to thank the current contributors, and will continue to work to provide each classroom the bucket, lesson plans, and follow up to educate our youth about soil health!
Those interested in receiving a Soil Health Bucket or contributing towards this project should contact Cindy Zenk, SDSHC Coordinator, at (605) 280-4190 for additional information.
Interested In Results From A Soil Health Knowledge, Interest, & Awareness Survey Conducted In 2018
Soil Health Lesson Plans
Lesson 1 Soil Components-Physical Properties
Lesson 2 Soil Organic Matter
Lesson 3 Using Textural Triangle
Lesson 4 Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance
Lesson 5 Soil Quality Measurement
Lesson 6 Soil Bulk Density
Lesson 7 Soil Respiration
Lesson 8 Soil Electrical Conductivity
Lesson 9 Web Soil Survey
Lesson 10 Soil pH: What Affects it, What it Affects,
Managing it and Testing it
Lesson 11 Soil Nitrogen
Lesson 12 Soil Phosphorus
Lesson 13 Soil Infiltration
Lesson 14 Scientific Method
Lesson 15 Soil Science Capstone Activity
Lesson 16 Rainfall Simulator
Lesson 17 Soil Microbiology – “Tighty Whities” Test 1
Lesson 18 Soil Aggregates
2023 Soil Health School Registration Open!
The 2023 Soil Health School will be held August 28-30 on the farms of Anthony Bly and Bruce Carlson near Garretson, SD! There will be classroom sessions, field excercises, discussion panels, and opportunities to network with researchers, industry professionals, and experienced producers who can help you on your soil health journey! Class size is limited, so learn more and register today!
News & Events
Long-term research reveals advantages of diverse crop rotations
By Stan Wise PIERRE, SD – It can take time for scientists to build new knowledge of biological processes, especially when those processes play out over the course of years. Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service North Central...
‘Park the chisel’: First step toward soil health can be simple
By Stan Wise PIERRE, SD – The benefits of improved soil health for agricultural producers and gardeners are numerous and valuable – reduced input costs, improved profitability, drought and flood resilience, reduced erosion, improved water quality, increased wildlife...
Saline Soil Management: More Money With Fewer Crop Acres
By Stan Wise PIERRE, SD – Salinity areas. Trouble spots. White deserts. Regardless of what they’re called, saline soils are a problem for South Dakota. White, salty areas where nothing grows are a common sight in fields across the state. “The amount of salinity that's...