The Best Job in South Dakota
Rebecca Blue and Chris Church host The Best Job in South Dakota where they explore the important role that women play in agriculture. With a touch of awe and envy, the hosts converse with women who have either 1) found their way to the best job; or 2) performed the best job in their chosen endeavor. Often both! These individuals are making a difference in their communities through agriculture and related fields and demonstrating the important role that women play.
Episodes
That first grazing school she attended with her father ignited a young, curious Karlie Kammerer with her passion for all things range. She’s a 7th generation rancher with an affinity for learning and an exceptional, and award-winning, ability to communicate her enthusiasm for healthy range management. Ironically, she took many Jet rides long before her first plane trip. She’ll soon be packing her bags to pursue a r...
What makes your soul sing? For rancher Mimi Hillenbrand, it seems to be a life filled with herding bison, regenerating grasslands on two continents, pursuing and sharing knowledge of the natural world, raising cattle and sheep, and understanding fish? Mimi won’t back down…well, unless cornered by her nemesis. Tune in for a refreshing conversation with Mimi and a refresher course on Public Law 114-152.
Be Prepared! Twenty-first century Girl Scouts are. Jennifer Hoesing, Chief Development Officer for Girl Scouts – Dakota Horizons, fills us in on traditional GS activities with new twists and modern skill-building opportunities that instill courage, confidence, and character in youthful girls. Jennifer is the center of attention in today’s episode, but she’s used to that role. After all, she was Little Miss Marcus 1...
We cover soil issues and cover crops with Valeree DeVine, USDA-NRCS’ Resource Unit Conservationist for the Upper James Region. She explores solutions with farmers and ranchers, including the right combination of brassicas and grasses, as well as having cattle lend helping hooves. As Mentor of the Year, Valeree helps young conservationists realize their potential for success. Her key to mentoring? Listening and obs...
Raised on a Missouri row crop and cow/calf farm, Dr. Lisa Elliott developed a passion for supporting ag producers. Now an ag economist and Co-founder & CEO of AgriVaR, she empowers farmers with cutting-edge tech for real-time risk management. Tune in as Dr. Elliott explains AgriVar’s ability to analyze production and marketing variables to quantify risk and guide decisions—from planting to sales contracts. Ag econ...
Embracing Lakota traditions, Acre, Inc. CEO Donita spearheads food security and sovereignty efforts for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe’s ag coop. Her words are a feast for your soul that will rekindle your appreciation and relationship with Mother Earth. At Donita’s Wóyute grocery and Wóyute2Go, her Big Mac Bowls are a feast for your belly. Donita left us in “Aah.”
Jennifer Schmidtbauer learned to drive a John Deere 620 straight through corn rows, but her career has taken successful reinvention turns. Today, she deftly develops leadership skills for clients (and podcast hosts) through her own business, Crestcom South Dakota. Jennifer’s appreciation of ag and conservation, which factored into her career path and volunteer work, trace back to the comforting sounds of swamp frogs...
It doesn’t take a mathematician to compute that working with Erin Yost, Developing Markets Officer at Farm Credit Services of America, adds to the prospects of success for motivated, young and beginning ag producers. Erin is in love and engaged…in love with beef and cattle and engaged with organizations including the South Dakota Beef Industry Council and South Dakota Cattlewomen. It’s a refreshing episode topped of...
rī-ˈper-ē-ən or rə-ˈper-ē-ən? Range ecologist Dr. Krista Ehlert works with SD producers to maintain and restore their riparian land. As an SDSU Extension specialist, Dr. Ehlert collaborates with NRCS and an alphabet soup of partners to implement pilot projects on SD working lands. Have a ♫ home on the range ♫ ? Sign up for SDSU Extension's "Women on the Range" program, spearheaded by Krista Ehlert t...
Like the Saturn Five rocket that launched NASA astronauts to explore the moon, Season Five propels us to explore the passion, generosity, and wisdom of women with The Best Job In South Dakota.
Prepare for liftoff with this capsule preview.
Land Hoe! Just about time to prep the garden and the fields. Before you do, this wrap up will rekindle your appreciation for South Dakota lands including the grasslands, the wetlands, and the Woody lands. If you missed an episode or two this season, this wrap up is the CliffsNotes to prep for the course final. It’s an Easy A as in Allelopathic.
Follow Laura Kahler from her bear-confronting days in Wisconsin to her grasslands-advocating days in South Dakota. Blessed with a series of best jobs, Laura is now the Director of the SD Grasslands Initiative. The initiative is a collaborative effort supporting voluntary, harmonious retention of our native prairie ecosystem. An ideal way to soak in the splendor of the grasslands is with a friend like Joe. Don’t you lo...
Folks near Iroquois, SD couldn’t have better neighbors than Franny Fritz and 12-year-old Margaret. Franny’s stock cow operation is a harmonious pairing of cattle and SD grasslands. Her conservation leadership extends the harmony well beyond her fences. What an inspirational life. Wave “thank you” when you see Franny out on her WD45 Allis.
P.S. She’s a charmer with a bucket of corn.
In this dynamite episode, learn about the sweets, the eats and other treats at Sweet Grass from owner Heather Larson. Her impressive ag knowledge ensures she’ll steer you right in choosing entrees (go with the flat iron) and desserts (go with the almond-frosted, strawberry-filled white cake). With Valentines Day coming, Heather may have you hoping for flours, not flowers. Your appetite and your heart will be sated a...
Once aspiring to optometry, Vicki McComsey, FSA’s Brown County Executive Director, didn't see the career she was meant for. Seems like it was in her DNA. Now, blue skies or blizzard, she provides award-winning service to South Dakota farmers and ranchers. While not a sports podcast, Vicki picks a Super Bowl winner. Bet on it.
Wow. What an educational episode with Cassie Auxt, a biologist with Ducks Unlimited! A new version of the 3 Rs and the story of the birds and the beef. Learn how producers are enhancing SD grasslands that benefit waterfowl and cattle with support from Ducks Unlimited and NRCS. Like the ducks and geese, Cassie migrated to South Dakota. Fortunately, she doesn’t fly away in the winter. We close with our shortest ho...
“Never a dull moment” on Jamie Johnson and family’s cattle and grain farm. Last summer all hail broke loose. Undaunted, effective sustainability and stewardship practices provided a measure of resilience to weather the storms. Great insight on conservation for beginners and those ready to explore an alphabet soup of USDA programs. Come harvest time in the wheat fields, well, that’s the best. Except maybe when Elv...
Grab your partner, do-si-do. Partnerships are a hallmark of Angela Ehlers' endeavors. She’s the Executive Director for the SD Association of Conservation Districts. Partnerships date back to her first dam project to today’s collaboration with USDA’s NRCS and the Jones County Conservation District to connect, engage and educate women in agriculture conservation through the Women’s Ag Network project (www.Womens...
Connect with Fanny Brewer, Great Plains Technical Assistance Specialist for the Intertribal Ag Council, for info on accessing a USDA program that “frees you up to dream a little bit.” Benefit from her prudent advice as Fanny reminds us that farming and ranching is a business and “you better function as a business.” Ag can be hard, but “look at all the memories,” e.g. faithful Curtis and the comfort he provided. Bon...
A surge of electricity short-circuited Holly Heber’s Plan A. That jolt set her on a path to co-owning and operating M&H Land and Cattle, the best job in SD…well, certainly until Labor Day. Her ‘what-if’ conservation practices have put idle land back into sustainable and profitable use. Holly shares the value of networking, particularly with an open mind to new ideas. Good episode to listen to while you’re drive-i...
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