DRG Media Group Beyond the Mic podcasts

THE MAKING OF AMERICA

Agriculture In-depth-- South Dakota farmers and ranchers invited to participate in nationwide soil health assessment

A new nationwide project called “Probing Our Country’s Soil Health” and is looking for 80 South Dakota farmers to participate. The project leaders are working to understand the status of soil health around the country and use that information to develop a new tool called Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation-- or SHAPE.

SHAPE is an online tool designed to interpret soil health measurements, monitor soil health change and offer management practice alternatives for improving soil health. The goal of the project is to collect 13,000 soil samples across the U.S. from approximately 6,000 fields, sampling different soil, climate and management conditions. The SHAPE tool will be available as a free web-based app for easy soil health scoring.

For more information, go to https://extension.sdstate.edu/news/80-south-dakota-farmers-needed-nationwide-soil-health-project-enroll-today or contact Jason Clark, SDSU Extension Soil Fertility Specialist, at Jason.D.Clark@sdstate.edu, or Hans Klopp, SDSU Extension Soil Health Specialist, at Hans.Klopp@sdstate.edu.

THE MAKING OF AMERICA

Agriculture In-depth-- Horse racing on track to happen in South Dakota in 2025

South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden has signed a bill that will partially fund the horse races in Fort Pierre in October 2025. DRG Media Group News and Farm Directror Jody Heemstra sat down with Track Manager Shane Kramme to talk about how the dollars are used to keep the horse racing industry alive in South Dakota. The horse races will be held Oct. 4-5, 2025, at the Stanley County Fairgrounds in Fort Pierre. Fort Pierre is the last location left in South Dakota that still hosts horse racing events.

Agriculture In-depth-- SD Sec. of Ag and Natural Resouces recaps 2025 legislative session, National Ag Week, state fair and more

In this episode of Agriculture In-depth, South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts chats with DRG Media Group News and Farm Director Jody Heemstra about conversations had during a recent trip to Washington, D.C., the 100th South Dakota Legislative Session, National Agriculture Week, the SD State Fair and more.

THE MAKING OF AMERICA

Pierre State Champion Wrestlers Ireland Templeton & Kezrey Benning, Girls State Tournament & more- Players Perspective

On this episode, we welcome on Pierre State Championship wrestlers Kezrey Benning & Ireland Templeton to talk about the season, the State Championship and what is to come in women's wrestling. We also wrap up the Girls State Basketball Tournament and talk NCAA Tournament Basketball.

THE MAKING OF AMERICA

THE MAKING OF AMERICA

Agriculture In-depth-- Master Gardener training

South Dakota State University Extension is offering Master Gardener training classes, starting in mid-April 2025. Master Gardener Ruth Beck says much of the training course is virtual, but there are two, mandatory in-person sessions, with the location choices of Pierre, Sturgis or Sioux Falls. Registration is required. The training course costs $250 with 40 hours of volunteer work required or $500 with no volunteer work requirement. For details or to register, visit the SDSU Extension Events website and search for “master gardener,” email the Prairie Potters Master Gardener group at Pierre at prairiepotters.36@gmail.com or call the SDSU Extension Pierre Regional Center at 605-773-8120. The registration deadline is March 10, 2025.