Improving Soil Means Adapting Ideas and Working With People

Today I have two videos for you from JP and Holly Heber who raise row crops and cattle in east-central South Dakota. They're talking about their no till and cover crops and how they've managed to improve their soils, increase water holding capacity, and reduce erosion. If you listen closely, they're also telling the a story we sometimes overlook - that farming and ranching can mean working with others, and that change isn't a one-size-fits-all, one-and-done thing - it takes adaptation to your land and goals, time, and persistence. JP and Holly got married in 2009, and formed M&H Land, taking over the operation JP and his brother had been running on JP's family's place. They raise cow calf pairs, and background cattle and feed cattle. They also raise corn, soybeans, winter wheat, and food grade oats for Gerber baby food, as well as producing hay, and alfalfa. They started with cover crops, and were inspired by the idea of bio strip-tilling. Given that their place was Prairie Pothole land, they weren't sure that the investment in time and fertilizer would pay off. Instead, JP adapted the idea, and went for full-on cover crops. They