Bart Carmichael and his wife Shannon run a seed stock operation with their family  in Northwest SD, just north of Faith SD.  In this interview we kick off with drought – in a 12” rainfall area, Bart says they’re either preparing for a drought or in a drought.  In the last 28 years, the Carmichaels have trebled their grass production in this cold, dry climate, so it’s worth listening to just how Bart has made this journey!  We discuss management a lot, Bart typically moves animals every day and has a wonderful story about how a mentee of this timed him moving the fence and setting up a new fence – the short amount of time taken to do this will shock you.  While Bart’s labor is down, he spends a lot of time managing and like Lealand Schoon in the previous podcast, observing – don’t be surprised to see Bart on his hands and knees when he is in the field! 
Bart is also an educator at heart and is extremely active in the SD Grassland Coalition (see  https://sdgrass.org/ ) .   

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/sd/

Bart Carmichael and his wife Shannon run a seed stock operation with their family in Northwest SD, just north of Faith SD. In this interview we kick off with drought – in a 12” rainfall area, Bart says they’re either preparing for a drought or in a drought. In the last 28 years, the Carmichaels have trebled their grass production in this cold, dry climate, so it’s worth listening to just how Bart has made this journey! We discuss management a lot, Bart typically moves animals every day and has a wonderful story about how a mentee of this timed him moving the fence and setting up a new fence – the short amount of time taken to do this will shock you. While Bart’s labor is down, he spends a lot of time managing and like Lealand Schoon in the previous podcast, observing – don’t be surprised to see Bart on his hands and knees when he is in the field! Bart is also an educator at heart and is extremely active in the SD Grassland Coalition (see https://sdgrass.org/ ) . https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/sd/

25 Increasing Grass Production Despite Drought

The Soil Health Labs are located in the Environmental Health Sciences Department in the School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina. That may be surprising to most, especially since the University of South Carolina has no Ag School! Our mission is to promote soil health, not only as something that’s good for the farmer and the environment, but we also want to highlight soil health as a public health tool. Think about it. Healthy soils and healthy crops, mean healthy farmers and consumers, never mind an ever-improving environment. One idea we are embracing is that of Regenerative Farming where we embrace the idea that if farmers change the way they manage the soils, they can actually improve, or regenerate environmental conditions through less disturbance, keeping soils covered with residue or canopies, keeping live roots I the soil year round and be reintroducing animals into the whole system. While we cut our teeth promoting soil health through video and social media (Soil Stories; Under Cover farmers: Science of Soil Health; Merit or Myth; Growing Resilience) we do have several research and outreach projects that we are doing with farmers in South Carolina.

Share 25 Increasing Grass Production Despite Drought

Sign up to save your podcasts

25 Increasing Grass Production Despite Drought

25 Increasing Grass Production Despite Drought

More shows like Soil Health Labs

The Kris Vallotton Podcast

No-Till Farmer Podcast

AcresUSA: Tractor Time

Working Cows - Regenerative Ranching to Maximize Profitability and Soil Health

Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

Growers Daily

Ag Emerge Podcast

WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

Farm4Profit Podcast

Grazing Grass Podcast | Rotational Grazing, Soil Health & Profitable Livestock Farming

Ranching Returns Podcast

The Stockman Grassfarmer Podcast

The Acres U.S.A. Podcast

Ranchonomics

Green Cover Podcast