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
Registration Open for Soil Health School in Huron!
The 2025 Soil Health School will be held September 3-5 in Huron, SD. This school will feature outstanding instructors consisting of industry professionals, researchers, and experienced producers. The days will be split between classroom discussions and field exercises designed to help you improve your land and your profit margins through regenerative agriculture practices. Visit the Soil Health School page to learn more about this excellent learning opportunity and register!
News & Events
Stay flexible when grazing through varied conditions
By Janelle Atyeo For South Dakota Soil Health Coalition PIERRE, SD – Will there be enough forage for the herd? When will it rain? Agriculture producers are often called upon to make decisions without having all the necessary information. Weather is hard to predict by...
Invest in land at Soil Health School, June 25-26 in Caputa
PIERRE, SD – “Invest in land, they’re not making it anymore.” It’s an age-old sentiment that was once expressed by Mark Twain and is now a familiar refrain in the agricultural community. Twain specifically said to “buy land,” but some producers have learned there is...
Virtual fences can make a real difference
By Stan Wise PIERRE, SD – Moving livestock is an inescapable part of a rancher’s life, and it can be labor intensive, especially if a producer uses a rotational grazing system designed to improve rangeland and soil health. But what if it doesn’t have to be? Enter...