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 Turner Foundation, 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
2027 Soil Health Conference
The 2027 Soil Health Conference is set for Jan. 26-27 in Sioux Falls! Our outstanding lineup of speakers includes Keith Berns, Chuck Rice, Erin Martin, and many more!
News & Events
Managing Livestock and Soil with Invisible Fence
By Maddy Kludt PIERRE, SD – A fence that doesn’t exist might sound impossible, but it became a reality for a group of South Dakota cattle producers this summer. Through South Dakota Soil Health Coalition’s Virtual Fencing Program, producers were able to use Gallagher...
FFA Regional Land Judging Winners Receive Scholarships
SD FFA Foundation Rapid City (October 2026) – The South Dakota FFA Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of five $100 scholarships for students placing first in one of the five South Dakota Regional Land Evaluation Competitions this fall. 2026 scholarship...
Growing sunflowers for soil health and stability
By Stan Wise For an agricultural operation to thrive, producers must sometimes look at the big picture and make decisions to benefit the long-term success of their farm or ranch. Changes made on a farm now might take years to realize their positive effects, but those...