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News & Events

Darling Creek Ranch Named 2026 SD Leopold Award Winner

Darling Creek Ranch Named 2026 SD Leopold Award Winner

Sand County Foundation Dan and Sharon Anderson’s Darling Creek Ranch has been selected as the 2026 South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award® recipient. The $10,000 award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil...

Building operational resilience with soil health

Building operational resilience with soil health

By Stan Wise South Dakota Soil Health Coalition PIERRE, SD – Resilience. It’s one of the prizes that keeps conservation-minded land managers striving for improved soil health. Operational resilience in the face of floods, market fluctuations, rising input costs,...

Awards Announced at Soil Health Conference

Awards Announced at Soil Health Conference

During the Tenth Annual Soil Health Conference, Jan. 13-14 in Aberdeen, SD, the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition announced the winners of its two annual awards as well as the winners of its student essay and video contests. Doug Sieck was named the 2026 Legacy Award...

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Directions

  1. From Arby's in Oacoma, SD drive 7.5 miles north on 339th Ave.
  2. Turn right on 340th Ave. and follow the road 5 miles
  3. Turn right on Ft. Hale Rd and go 1.7 miles to arrive at the pasture
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  • 8:00 AM Registration
  • 9:00 AM Opening
  • 9:30 AM Dallas Mount
  • 10:45 AM Break
  • 11:00 AM Phil Faught
  • 12:00 PM Lunch
  • 1:00 PM- 4:00 PM Field Tour
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Physical Properties

Chemical Properties

Biological Properties

Soil Health Concerns

Five Principles of Soil Health

Soil Health Assessment Card

The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition is working to create a Soil Health Assessment Card which agricultural producers of all types, ranchers, gardeners, and others can take into the field to assess their current level of soil health. Click on the button above to download the current version of the card, keeping in mind that it is an initial version and changes will be made as it is fully finalized.

Included below are images and descriptions which will assist you in identifying some of the soil health indicators included on the Soil Health Assessment Card. These helpful descriptions and photos are currently under final development. Check back regularly for updates to these resources!

A Spanish version of the card is now available and can be downloaded by accessing this link! ¡Ya está disponible una versión en español de la tarjeta y se puede descargar accediendo a este enlace!

Soil Health Indicators: Images & Descriptions

Use these images to help evaluate various levels of soil cover. Look straight down at the field as was done with these pictures and ask yourself what percent of the ground is covered with residue. Although the pictures show small grain residue on tilled ground, the same concept would apply regardless of crop/cover crop and tillage/no-tillage system.

Biological Activity – Earthworms: Earthworms are one of the easiest indicators to observe. However, they may not be present if the soil is too dry. In addition to worms, look for signs of worms such as holes (left photo) or their casts (right photo) in the form of little piles of soil, mineral particles or organic matter on or in the soil. Take a shovel-full of soil and break it apart carefully looking for earthworms or signs of earthworms.

Biological Activity – Fungal hyphae, etc.: Fungal hyphae will appear as white to light tan threads (left photo) or masses (right photo). Also, look for things that move like mites, springtails, millipedes, roundworms, beetles and termites.

Soil Structure– Crumbly soil (left photo) has developed over time by not tilling and subsequent biological activity. It will have pores and channels allowing air and water to move in the soil. Tilled soil may resemble this after the disturbance but will soon look more like the platty soil (right photo). Hard soil layers restrict air and water along with root growth.

(Photos utilized on this page courtesy of the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service)

A photo of several people standing in a field of cover crops that are about shoulder high.

Registration Open for 2026 Soil Health School!

The 2026 Soil Health School is set for September 15-17 near Twin Brooks and Marvin, SD, and it is designed for agricultural producers as well as anyone with an interest in learning how to manage soils for resiliency and profit. The agenda features classroom style presentations by producers and technical experts from across the state and region, as well as hands-on experiences in the field. Area producers will share their challenges and successes with various methods for improving soil health, to an average class size of 30-40.

News & Events

Darling Creek Ranch Named 2026 SD Leopold Award Winner

Darling Creek Ranch Named 2026 SD Leopold Award Winner

Sand County Foundation Dan and Sharon Anderson’s Darling Creek Ranch has been selected as the 2026 South Dakota Leopold Conservation Award® recipient. The $10,000 award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil...

Building operational resilience with soil health

Building operational resilience with soil health

By Stan Wise South Dakota Soil Health Coalition PIERRE, SD – Resilience. It’s one of the prizes that keeps conservation-minded land managers striving for improved soil health. Operational resilience in the face of floods, market fluctuations, rising input costs,...

Awards Announced at Soil Health Conference

Awards Announced at Soil Health Conference

During the Tenth Annual Soil Health Conference, Jan. 13-14 in Aberdeen, SD, the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition announced the winners of its two annual awards as well as the winners of its student essay and video contests. Doug Sieck was named the 2026 Legacy Award...