Small Scale Ag Soil Health School

The 2026 Small Scale Ag Soil Health School will be held Aug. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Crossroads Hotel – Huron Event Center, 100 4th St SW, Huron, SD 57350.

Attendance is free for current SD Soil Health Coalition members, $35 for non-members (includes 2026 membership). Lunch is included.

Persons requiring special accommodations or materials in an alternate format or language please contact Cindy Zenk at 605-280-4190 or cindy@sdsoil.org two days prior to the event.

Agenda

8:30-9:00 a.m. Registration
9:00-9:10 a.m. Introductions and Welcome, Chris Goldade, SDSHC
9:10-9:35 a.m. Basics of Soil Health Principles, Kent Vlieger, NRCS
9:35-10:00 a.m. Basic Soil Biology, Janét Moore, SDSHC
10:00 a.m.-10:25 a.m. Compost 101, Shane Jordan, NRCS
10:25 a.m.-10:35 a.m. Break
10:35-11:00 a.m. No-till Gardening, Kent Vlieger, NRCS
11:00-11:25 a.m. What’s Under a Soil Tarp? Kristine Lang, SDSU Extension
11:25-11:50 a.m. Integrating Livestock, Wyatt Johnson, SDSHC
11:50 a.m.-12:40 p.m. Lunch
12:40-1:05 p.m. High Tunnels: How to Build Them, Kristine Lang, SDSU Extension
1:05-1:30 p.m. Beekeeping: Importance of Pollinators – Honey Bees and Native Bees, Bobbie Chambers Wilson, Ecdysis Foundation
1:30-1:40 p.m. Travel
1:40-2:20 p.m. High Tunnel Tour – Construction, Tools, Tips, Robin Viestenz, SDACD
2:20-2:35 p.m. Cover Crop Selection and Seeding Rates, Chris Goldade, SDSHC
2:35-2:50 p.m. How to Collect a Soil Sample, Hans Klopp, SDSU Extension
2:50-3:00 p.m. Travel
3:00-3:20 p.m. Reading Soil Sample Results, Hans Klopp, SDSU Extension
3:20-3:40 p.m. Planting and Mulching, Chris Goldade, SDSHC
3:40-4:05 p.m. Integrating Native Plants Into All Scales of Production,
Allison Dollen, SDSU Extension
4:05-4:30 p.m. Wrap Up