South Dakota Farm & Ranch April 2023

Make a difference this Earth Day. On Earth Day and every day, the routine choices we make affect our planet, so here are some simple tips for choosing wisely:

• Reduce, reuse and recycle at home, at work and at school.

• Shop for used goods, or look for items made from recycled materials.

• Buy in bulk or multi-packs to cut down on pack-aging waste.

• Look for Energy Star® and WaterSense® labels on products like appliances and plumbing fixtures.

• Cut down on plastic bags by carrying your own reusable shopping bags to the store.

An Effect!

• Properly dispose of recyclable items, electronics and potentially hazardous materials.

• Always turn off lights and appliances when you leave a room.

• Unplug your mobile phone charger when it’s not in use.

• Walk, ride your bike or use public transportation whenever possible.

• Choose locally and organically produced foods.

• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.

• Don’t top off your gas tank, as this lets harmful chemicals enter the air.

• Go to www.epa.gov/earthday to find local volunteer opportunities and to learn more about steps you can take to protect our planet.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

On the cover Terveen Agribusiness project ................. 4

Features

Dust Bowl Exhibit.........................................................3

Dairy Expo.....................................................................6

SDSU Little International ............................................9

Perkins County Ranch Family ..................................12

Recipe ..........................................................................13

67th annual Jackrabbit Stampede .............................18

publisher JONI HARMS

Editor LUKE HA GEN

Advertising Director

LORIE HANSEN

layout Designer

JEN PHILLIPS

South Dakota Farm & Ranch is an agricultural publication dedicated to informing SD and Midwest area farmers & ranchers about current topics and news.

This publication fits the niche of our unique farmers and ranchers of the Midwest, and the diverseness we have in our area. Although the Missouri River divides our state, we are all South Dakotans and thank the land for supporting us each and every day.

Our readers may be livestock ranchers or row crop farmers, and everywhere in between, however, we all have a common goal in mind. We feed and support the growing population, and want the next generation to find that same love and support that agriculture can offer.

We’re all SD Farmers and Ranchers’ and when you advertise in South Dakota Farm & Ranch, you are immersing your company, product, and service into a growing community of dedicated farmers and ranchers. Welcome to South Dakota Farm & Ranch!

To subscribe to this FREE publication, contact The Mitchell Republic.

p O BOX 1288

• M i TCHE ll , SD 605-996-5514

New exhibit takes visitors back to the Dust Bowl

By Ariana Schumacher Agweek

BROOKINGS, S.D. — There’s a new exhibit on display at the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, taking visitors back in time nearly 100 years for a closer look at life in the state during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression.

The exhibit shares the story of one of the first soil scientists in South Dakota, Joseph Hutton. You can now take a look at his life and the impact his research had on soil science practices in the state.

“Unlike other scientists, Joseph

Hutton really believed that soil was the source of all life, and he was passionate about conserving it,” said Gwen McCausland, director of the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. “He wanted it to be an endless resource through sustainability for farmers to be able to be prosperous.”

The display features Hutton’s personal research, poems he wrote, clips from his radio program and several photographs taken by Hutton.

DUST BOWl: Page 19

Submitted Photo

Rylee Terveen leads elementary students during her Cloverbuds class at Bridgewater-Emery High School.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek The exhibit features pieces from Huttons radio program.

The erosion and the Dust Bowl was actually more devastating in South Dakota than it was in the panhandle of Texas and Oklahoma.

Agribusiness project takes Bridgewater-Emery’s Terveen to the head of the classroom

By Erik Kaufman Mitchell Republic

EMERY, S.D. — Rylee Terveen has spent most her school days as a student in the classroom.

But an FFA project she spearheaded and coordinated for the past two years has taken her from student to teacher by passing along her love of agriculture to her fellow students in the Bridgewater-Emery School District.

“For my Star Agribusiness project I teach a non-profit after school program where I teach kindergarten through fifth graders about agriculture,” Terveen, a senior at Bridgewater-Emery High School, told the Mitchell Republic recently.

It’s a program that has blossomed in the past two years, with a growing student base and recognition from her peers in the FFA program. Terveen is one of four finalists for the Star Agribusiness Award and will stand with her fellow finalists at the upcoming 2023 South Dakota State FFA Convention in Brookings.

The event is scheduled to be held April 16 and 17.

Terveen found an interest in agriculture having grown up spending time on her grandparents’ farm near Emery. There, she spent her youth riding in the tractor with her grandmother, grandfather and father. Later, she watched as her older sister took part in the local FFA program, and it drew her interest.

“My sister was always involved in it, she is two years older than me, so I kind of saw her being involved in it and it looked like fun. So I wanted to join, too,” Terveen said.

Her freshman year in the program was memorable, but for the wrong reasons. COVID-19 had disrupted all facets of daily life across the country, and the FFA program was no different. It wasn’t until her sophomore year that she really got a chance to immerse herself in FFA activities the way she had hoped.

“That year I just rode along with the program and didn’t do much. But my sophomore year was when I really started to get involved,” Terveen said. “It was nice to actually be able to do some stuff in person and actually get to compete in some events — the kind of stuff that I had been looking forward to.”

Eventually, her agriculture teacher at the school, Alex Toupal, and her 4-H adviser, Caroline Hansen, urged her to take some of the skills she had

developed in FFA and apply them to a classroom project involving younger students in the district.

Though she had no real aspirations of being a teacher, she was game for a new challenge.

“I’m always willing to try something new,” Terveen said.

She teaches the class during the spring semester and tries to cover a wide range of agriculture topics. They have planted plenty of seeds and sprouted potatoes. She has brought in animals like chicks and rabbits and given lessons on how to best take care of them. She tries to switch topics on a monthly basis to keep it fresh.

It’s been a successful formula, with the class growing in size from about 17 students in the class when she started to between 30 to 40 students per class today. As the class has grown, so has the enthusiasm, with Terveen saying they just completed one of her favorite group projects so far.

“I think my favorite one has been having them plant flowers. We said we would give them a prize if they brought their flower back after they had sprouted and we’ve had a few kids already bring theirs back,” Terveen said. “They were so excited that it sprouted. And seeing how excited they were about that has definitely been my favorite.”

The success of the project has taken her through the district level of FFA competition and she has now been named one of the four finalists who will be recognized at the state convention.

She already has her eye set on her plans after high school, but those plans don’t necessarily involve teaching. She plans to attend South Dakota State University for entrepreneurial studies with minors in marketing and accounting.

While she doesn’t expect she will go into teaching, the experience with the elementary students in her classes has been a great way to display and develop several skills she has cultivated during her time in FFA, including organizational skills and public speaking.

“I don’t really have any ambitions in teaching, but this program has definitely taught me a lot about leadership and given me a lot of planning and organizational skills. Even though I’ve loved doing it, I just realized I didn’t want to choose this as a career,” Terveen said.

Toupal said she had done a great job representing FFA with her project. The classes have become popular enough that he wants to continue the project even after Terveen leaves for college.

Terveen is even helping find her successor.

“She is currently in the process of finding a

replacement so that we can keep the program going. It’s definitely been a great addition to our chapter and it’s really sparked the interest in all the elementary kids, as well,” Toupal said. “It’s definitely been a growing project and an engaging project for everybody.”

That’s a good thing for Terveen, her young students and the Bridgewater-Emery FFA program in general, which Toupal said boasts about 85 members in the district. That’s plenty of students to keep him busy as the school agriculture teacher, he said, and the work Terveen has been doing the past two years is helping ensure a steady stream of young students may one day join FFA themselves.

Terveen hopes that’s the case. She knows what FFA has done for her, and she’s sure it can do that for other students, as well.

“I would tell them about my own experiences in FFA and all the opportunities you can get being involved in FFA,” Terveen said about encouraging other students to give FFA a try. “Even if they end up not liking it after one year, it’s just one year. And they can be as involved or uninvolved as they like. But I would try to tell them to take the chance of joining FFA.”

Terveen has not ignored her opportunities. She has been able to earn awards like the South Dakota Blue Jacket Award and first place at state and bronze emblem at nationals with her Wildlife and Fisheries SAE project. She has served as her local FFA chapter secretary and chapter president. She has also been an Agricultural Education State Proficiency finalist and an Outdoor Recreation State Proficiency finalist.

She has earned many awards in various CDEs and LDEs, including Natural Resources, Agricultural Communications, Marketing Plan, Milk Quality and Products, and others. Her highest awards included a seventh place finish with the South Dakota State FFA Marketing Plan Team in the fall of 2022. She was also named a recipient of an FFA Foundation Scholarship in 2023.

Toupal, who will wrap up his third year teaching at Bridgewater-Emery this year, hopes those young students take her advice and find the opportunity to achieve their own success.

“I was able to start here when she was just a freshman, and it’s been a great success just watching her grow throughout the years,” Toupal said.

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Terveen

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Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

By Ariana Schumacher Agweek

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Around 4,500 dairy producers and industry leaders made their way to the Central Plains Dairy Expo March 28-30 to learn about the latest and greatest in the dairy industry, while also learning about methods and practices they can implement as they expect to face a tough year ahead.

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“They can really come here, get a good education, visit with their vendors and find out what’s the latest in new technology,” Mach said.

“Producers love the Central Plains Dairy Expo,” said Kristy Mach, executive director of the Central Plains Dairy Association. “It’s almost like a family reunion to them. They get to see not only other producers and pick their brains and find out best practices that work for them, but they also get to visit all of their vendors at one time and if there is anything new happening in the industry, this is where they are going to find it.”

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“I’ve seen a lot of interesting things in the large equipment and improvements they have made in that with the technology and it’s nice to see some available replacement parts for the stuff that we have because we can’t always buy new or afford new,” Jungemann said. “But with the economy the way it is right now, it’s a lot of just look and see.”

One of the major topics on the minds of dairy producers this year is the high costs of inputs combined with a lower milk price right now.

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Dairy producer Lucas Jungemann travels from Wolsey, South Dakota, every year to attend the expo.

“It’s one, just nice to see familiar producers, we are a little ways away from the rest of the dairy community so it’s nice to see people that way, it’s nice to see what new products and the industry, what they have come out with,” Jungemann said. “The social aspect is nice just to see a lot of people in your field of work.”

Throughout the expo, producers were able to attend educational talks, as well as visit with over 270 vendors

“This year with the economy the way it is and with prices the way they are, it’s all about feed efficiency, what can we tweak, how can we protect our margins,” said Anthony Anderson, owner and operator of Stone Dairy in Henning, Minnesota.

“Dairy can be a very boom and bust industry so after last year’s boom, this year is going to be quite a bit tougher,” said Sarina Sharp, commodity risk manager for dairy producers. “Thankfully, I don’t think it’s going to be a total bust this year, but kind of a slog. Feed prices are still high, milk prices have come down, we have seen cheese prices in

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Dairy can be a very boom and bust industry so after last year’s boom, this year is going to be quite a bit tougher

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek Producers attend the 2023 Central Plains Dairy Expo. DAirY EXprO: Page 8

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particular bounce back over the past 30 days, so that’s really significant for producers in this region because so much of their milk goes into cheese.”

Last year, the drought across the Midwest contributed to the high feed prices. A change in weather patterns could help make an improvement in the feed costs, but Sharp says that will not be any time soon.

“We haven’t even planted this year’s crops yet, farmers are gearing up for that, so I do expect that we should see a bump in corn acres relative to last year, and I am hopeful that we will have better yields than last year,” said Sharp. “That will allow prices to come down, but of course we are dealing with the weather and that’s very fickle so the price is not going to come down completely until we are confident that the weather is going to accommodate a good crop this year.”

Sharp says this is a difficult year to determine which way prices will go, especially with inputs.

“So on any of your inputs, whether that’s feed or energy, fertilizer, those types of things, I think if you see the price come down to what looks like a reasonable level compared to the very high numbers

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

Expo.

that we have seen for the past few years, I would buy a little, I would just take it in small bites,” Sharp said. “You are probably not going to hit the low, but if you are proactive and doing that kind of incrementally, that’s really going to pay off.”

Over the next six months, Sharp expects to see a decrease of dairy cattle across the United States and see slower growth in milk product, which will eventually lead to higher milk prices.

“American dairy producers are the most efficient in the world and they are much less regulated than dairy producers in Europe or New Zealand so we have a real opportunity to supply the world’s dairy products, so I am really confident in the long term prospects for American dairy producers,” Sharp said.

This expo helps producers find ways to navigate the dairy markets and make their operations as efficient as possible.

“It’s a great opportunity to just get ideas from other producers, we are using this bi-product to cut down our feed costs or we switched to this kind of bedding and it’s really helped our milk quality and our milk production, here’s a little thing that we’ve done to cut our labor expenses, those types of ideas are circulating around the room and they are really helpful for producers,” Sharp said.

“There’s always questions that you think about asking, but the answers may not be available online, so getting that first-hand experience and getting your question answered directly,” Jungemann said. “You don’t get a real-world experience by seeing it through a screen all the time.”

There are other learning opportunities in the central plains for dairy producers, including the upcoming Dairy Calf and Heifer Association annual meeting. You can find more information at https://www.centralplainsdairyfoundation.org/.

Celebrating 100 years of tradition at SDSU’s Little International

By Ariana Schumacher Agweek

BROOKINGS, S.D. — Students, alumni and spectators filled the Animal Science Arena at South Dakota State University to celebrate the 100th Little International, March 31 and April 1.

These showmen and women worked with their livestock for only a couple weeks before entering the arena to show off their skills.

“It’s really kind of jam packed, you get about two weeks to work with them and get them ready to roll for the show,” said Bradyn Lachenmeier. “They are kind of like children, in the sense that you have to nurture them and care for them and give them, you know, feedback in a manner that they will positively respond.”

Lachenmeier is a junior at SDSU and grew up showing goats in North Dakota, but this is his first time showing a goat at Little International.

“It’s definitely exciting,” said Lachenmeier. “You know, this kind of time of the year, especially with this long winter, can kind of get slow and drawn out, but being able to do something that I truly enjoy, like working with my livestock, just really makes those days go by so much quicker.”

This year’s Little “I” had 158 exhibitors and 164 student staff members.

SDSU iNTErNATiON: Page 16

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

Lucas Jungemann looks at new equipment during the Central Plains Dairy Expo.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

Dairy producers talk with vendors during the Central Plains Dairy Expo.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

Twelve alumni participate in the Alumni Round Robin on Saturday, April 1, in Brookings South Dakota

SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION CELEBRATES PERKINS COUNTY RANCH FAMILY

By Lura Roti

For South Dakota Farmers Union Meadow rancher Brian Flatmoe says fall is his favorite time of year.

“It’s hay hauling and harvesting and working calves and selling calves — you can see the fruits of a year’s work in the fall,” explained the thirdgeneration Perkins County cattle rancher.

Fall is also when the community hosts the Coal Springs Threshing Bee. Held each year on the fourth weekend in September, during the Threshing Bee, the Flatmoe family and neighboring ranch families put antique equipment to work, demonstrating how farm work was done when the land was first settled by homesteaders like Flatmoe’s grandparents who emigrated from Germany and Norway.

“I think it’s good for kids to understand how agriculture started and where it’s come from and to get a feel for how food used to be produced,” Brian said.

Brian, his brother, Bruce, and dad, Harold, are among the group of ranchers who founded the Coal Springs Antique Club and started the threshing bee 25 years ago. “My dad and brother

and I, our pastime is fixing up early antique tractors,” Brian said.

The first tractor they restored together was a 1926 Hart Parr. “Dad bought it at an auction sale, it had been completely taken apart to salvage the bolts. Bruce and I helped haul it home. When we were loading it, we found all the bolts in buckets in the old shop building.”

At another auction, Harold was able to buy back his dad’s grain binder. This is the binder that is put to work binding wheat during the Coal Springs Threshing Bee.

“When I’m restoring old equipment, or I see it working, I just think how easy it is now compared to what people used to go through. Now, I harvest wheat in an air-conditioned combine. My grandpa’s generation had to bind the wheat, shock it, load it onto the wagon and pitch it into the threshing machine and shovel it off once it was threshed.”

In addition to the threshing bee, Brian serves as a volunteer on the Meadow Fire Department. And he and his wife, Gloria, are actively involved in their community church.

FlATMORE: Page 14

Submitted Photo

Brian and Gloria Flatmoe.

FAVORITE FAMILY

ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

p otato & Cheese p ierogi

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Filling

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces (about 3 1/2 cups)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 3 tablespoons sour cream

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 6 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups)

Sauce

• 4 slices bacon, chopped

• 2 tablespoons water

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage (from 1 medium head)

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter

• Thinly sliced chives

Directions

Prepare the Dough: Step 1 Stir together flour, salt, and egg in a medium bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Add sour cream and butter; stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a lightly floured work surface, and knead until supple and elastic, about 5 minutes. Shape dough into a tight ball, and cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel; let rest on countertop for 30 minutes.

Prepare the Filling: Step 1 Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered and undisturbed, until potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well; transfer potatoes to a medium bowl. Add butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper; mash using a potato masher until smooth. Stir in cheese. Chill, uncovered, in refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. (Mixture should be slightly warmer than room temperature when forming pierogies.)

Step 2 Roll dough on a lightly floured work surface into a 20-inch round, about 1/8inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit or cookie cutter, cut dough into 24 rounds (work scraps into a thin sheet as needed). Working with 1 round at a time, gently stretch to a 3 1/2-inch round, and place about 1 1/2 tablespoons potato mixture in center. Fold edges together to form a crescent shape. Press edges together firmly to seal. (Moisten edges with water to seal, if needed.) Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Repeat process with remaining dough and filling. Keep pierogies covered while preparing sauce.

Prepare the Sauce: Step 1 Cook bacon and water in a large skillet over medium, stirring often, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add shredded cabbage; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and starting to caramelize, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Push cabbage mixture to edges of skillet, and add butter to center of skillet. Cook, stirring butter occasionally, until well browned, about 4 minutes; stir together with cabbage. Remove from heat; cover and keep warm.

Step 2 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high. Add perogies, 12 at a time, and cook until they float, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until puffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander using a slotted spoon, and drain. Repeat process with remaining perogies. Divide pierogies evenly among 4 plates, and top evenly with cabbage mixture; garnish with chives.

Tips: To pan-fry, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium, and add 4 to 6 boiled and drained pierogies. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy on each side, about 2 minutes per side.

Uncooked pierogies may be stored in a ziplock plastic bag in refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

4 Servings • Prep Time: 1 hrs 40 mins • Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Courtesy of www.foodandwine.com

FlATMOE

From Page 12

“I think it is something God calls us to do — to give back. We have been on the receiving end a lot. It is always good to give back where you can and when you can,” Brian said.

Gloria added, “When you help others, it is really helping yourself.”

Faith is the foundation upon which the Flatmoe family is built. Brian and Gloria met in church. At the time, Gloria lived in Tennessee and worked for a company that took photos for church directories. Having grown up in South Dakota, Gloria graduated from Ft. Pierre High School, so she knew the pastor of the Coal Springs Community Church. “They invited

me to take photos for their church. I met Brian and as they say, the rest is history,” Gloria shared.

Although she grew up in South Dakota, ranch life was a new adventure for Gloria. “I never thought I would say it, but I love the peace and solitude out here. It is hard work, but it is rewarding, and it was the best place to raise our family.”

Brian and Gloria have five daughters: Carrie (deceased), Sadie (Trevor) Conrad; Meagan (Cody) Johnson; Abby (Braydon) Peterson and Macyn.

Reflecting on raising their girls on the ranch brings back many wonderful memories, and the tragedy which showed them the power of faith, family and community. In 2012, their daughter, Carrie, was

BRIAN FLATMOE

I think it’s good for kids to understand how agriculture started and where it’s come from and to get a feel for how food used to be produced.

killed in a one-vehicle accident the summer before her senior year of high school.

“We know that God has a plan for every one of our lives. We have learned that we can have peace with pain. That is what got us through. And the community support was amazing,” Gloria said. “We miss her daily, but God has blessed us abundantly from that time.”

As she talks about blessings, Gloria shares that the couple has six grandchildren and expect number seven soon. In addition to their family, the couple said they are also blessed by their ranching community.

In good times and bad, the ranch families throughout the Meadow and Coal Springs area are there for each other. Good times, like branding or the threshing bee. “We have our own circle of neighbors and family that we exchange help with a lot,” Brian said.

Like their neighbors, the Flatmoes have a cow/calf herd, raise hay and some small grains. When Brian returned to the ranch after college, he began to expand the herd. Today, the herd is a bit larger than it was when he was growing up thanks to leasing some land from a neighbor which allowed the family to expand their grazing land and the addition of several miles of water pipeline.

Brian and Gloria began installing miles of water pipeline and tanks throughout their pastureland

following droughts in the early 2000s. Access to water has improved grassland quality and weaning weights.

“Before, in dry years, they would walk off a lot of grass going to water,” Brian explained. “Now, having tanks in multiple locations in the pasture means cows do not have to walk so far to water. They can now graze different areas.”

Over the years, the Flatmoe family have focused the genetics of their largely Black Angus/Gelbvieh herd on maternal traits and disposition.

“When the kids were small, I culled animals that were less desirable in that regard,” Brian said.

A docile herd remains important because Brian and Gloria enjoy it when their grandchildren visit the ranch.

“We enjoy having our

This acreage site is located just east of Fulton, South Dakota, ready for you to build a dream home. The property has two old windmills that can be great decorations on the property or even reclaimed and put back into action. It also has a well-established tree grove around the likely building site. Rural water and electricity are already on site from the previous home that was there. The property can be accessed via two different county roads. It is only a short drive from a hard surface road, which includes Highway 38 and Interstate 90. The acreage has already been surveyed and will be platted with Hanson County.

grandchildren see and experience what I grew up with and our children grew up with. Working out here on the ranch gives them a taste for this way of life,” Brian said. “I don’t know if any of them will come back to the ranch or not.

Submitted Photo Remembering Carrie.

Submitted Photo

Restored Case tractor.

“It was a really great experience, just knowing that it is so important for it being like the 100th, that there is probably a lot bigger of an audience here this year then there were in the past years and maybe in the future years as well,” said Amanda Kelling, student staff member and goat showman.

Due to the winter storm, most of the events on the first day had to be canceled, but that didn’t stop the crowd from coming out to support the organization during the final shows.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better turnout tonight, all the events are coming together really well,” said Cody Gifford, 100th Little “I” manager from Arco, Minnesota.

This year, 12 past round robin winners were able to get back on the green chips again and compete in the very first alumni round robin.

“Yeah, it’s been a long time, so it was sure different, but it brought back a lot of memories, especially species we don’t show at home like the horses. It had been 30ish years since I have been on the halter of a horse, so that was kind of cool,” said Todd Franz, alumni round robin participant.

Alison Durheim participated in Little “I” from 2014 to 2018 and this year was able to return and judge the goat events.

“This experience means the world to me to be completely honest. For this 100th year, I never thought I would be able to be back here, and if I was, I would just be in the stands. So the fact that I am on those green chips, it’s the world,” Durheim said.

The organization is working hard to keep the tradition of Little International for past, present and future participants.

“Our spectators come back year after year and this year is just even a little more special than most because not many clubs can say they have made it a hundred years on campus, and we are one of the ones that can,” Gifford said.

“It’s a great student deal, there is a lot of teaching involved here and it does a lot of good for the entire livestock industry, so by all means support Little ‘I,’” Franz said.

This year’s Little “I” also had several other events for alumni to participate in, including the centennial social, chili cook-off and alumni high point contest.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

Dairy cattle showmen and women participate in the 100th Little International.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek Showmen and women participate in the 100th Little International Swine Show on April 1 in Brookings, South Dakota.

This is Buck (the dog) and Pretzle (the calf)... Pretzel came into this world during a South Dakota Blizzard!! It didn’t look real good for the little calf, she was sick and weak!

Buck took over and would not leave Pretzel’s side. Preztel got stronger and is a healthy calf today.

Buck is a HERO..

67TH ANNUAl JACKRABBiT STAMpEDE KiCKS-OFF SDSU SpRiNG RODEO

By Ariana Schumacher Agweek

BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University rodeo athletes kicked off their spring season with their home rodeo on March 31 and April 1, welcoming around 275 competitors from North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

“It’s a lot of fun, definitely a lot of fun to do, especially having all the energy of your home crowd and being in your own arena,” said Chance Grill, SDSU calf roping, team roping and steer wrestling competitor.

For sophomore Rayha Richert, the stampede is her favorite rodeo of the season.

“This rodeo is personally my favorite, which is slightly biased because it’s my home rodeo, but it’s always a lot of fun,” Richert said.

This rodeo brings in crowds of between 3,500 or 4,500 spectators to the stands.

“The Brookings crowd has been around forever, for rodeos and everything like that, especially following SDSU rodeo, the whole region knows that the Brookings crowd is going to be electric, and they know rodeo,” said Ron Skovly, SDSU rodeo coach.

Being a rodeo athlete in college can be challenging, but these competitors say it is worth it.

“I am an exercise science major, so I have a lot of school, plus doing three events, and it gets really stressful with practice and everything, but once you get a system down it flows pretty easy,” Richert said. “I have been doing rodeo since my seventh grade year and it has just grown to be my favorite thing and I don’t think I could see myself not doing it.”

“I’m a student athlete,” Grill said. “I mean I get to do what I love to do and then get to go to school while I am doing it.”

Last fall, the team competed in five rodeos,

and now they are able to get back into the rodeo circuit with their home rodeo.

“Half time is over, and we are just kind of getting right back into it again and the team is sitting up in there, top five in the region. But yeah, we’ve got some checking up to do. But we will get there by the end of this season,” Skovly said.

Having a rodeo team on campus helps to carry on the tradition of the state’s official sport, a tradition they hope to continue for generations.

“Just the tradition of where we came from and where we are going now,” Skovly said. “The boosters have grown in the last three or four years, just huge, so we are getting a lot more support and have got plans for facilities in the future.”

The SDSU rodeo team finished the rodeo with the women’s team placing second overall and the men’s team placing fifth overall.

Craig Dodds

Kari Fagerhaug

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

Athletes compete in the steer wrestling.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

An athlete participates at the Jackrabbit Stampede Rodeo.

“In the exhibit, you have these poems all around from him that really describe his interbeing and his deep connection with the soil and a deep connection to agriculture and the farmers,” said Tom E. Schumacher, Professor Emeritus SDSU. “It’s quite different from an exhibit that just shows numbers and pictures and so forth, you’ve got someone who is really involved.”

You can also walk through the farmhouse and get a look at what life was like for farm families during the 1920s and 1930s.

“We talk about life on the farm, not only the struggles within having little crops or the drought, but also about the locust,” said McCausland. “We also talk about how many families had to abandon their farms.”

This time period was tragic for South Dakota.

“The erosion and the Dust Bowl was actually more devastating in South Dakota than it was in the panhandle of Texas and Oklahoma, but they received most of the media attention during that era,” said McCausland. “So when we wanted to showcase that this was very much a part of South Dakota’s history that people often forget and they think that the soil conservation is a new topic, and it’s not.”

Schumacher says it is unlikely that we will experience another Dust Bowl in South Dakota, unless we forget everything we have learned about soil science and conservation.

“Another ecological disaster could happen, out of the blue,” said Schumacher. “But, we have a lot of information and experiences that have been built up from that and the only way the Dust Bowl will happen again is if we just forget all about it and we

ignore what we already know.”

“If you don’t know what’s happened in the past or how people have worked to try to keep the soil going, we will have an ecological disaster, it’s almost guaranteed,” said Schumacher.

“I really want people to realize that what is being discussed about soil conservation is nothing new, but it is very important to know,” said McCausland.

You can visit the exhibit for yourself Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum. This exhibit will be on display at the museum until fall 2024.

Joseph Hutton courtesy South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum Joseph Hutton documented fields across South Dakota through photographs.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek Hutton documented the Dust Bowl by photographing farms across South Dakota.

Ariana Schumacher / Agweek

The exhibit touches on many topics surrounding the Dust Bowl in South Dakota.