Small Acreage Success: Connecting Natural Resource Professionals with a Non-Traditional Audience

2013 Annual Report for LNC10-326

Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2010: $95,319.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2013
Region: North Central
State: South Dakota
Project Coordinator:
Mindy Hubert
South Dakota State University
Co-Coordinators:
Dr. Roger Gates
SDSU Extension

Small Acreage Success: Connecting Natural Resource Professionals with a Non-Traditional Audience

Summary

2013 demonstrated the growth of SARE Host Acreage owners’ knowledge and skills, as well as their confidence in sharing their knowledge with peers. As demonstrated below, over 450 direct contacts with small acreage owners were made in 2013 as a direct result of SARE-funded programming. True impacts of the programming on the Host Sites can be seen through increased economical and environmental benefits.  The extension of the knowledge of the Host Acreage owners has begun through the Teach-Coach-Mentor method to their small acreage peers.

Objectives/Performance Targets

Extend Project into 2014 due to growth of learning communities and goals

Continue Host Acreage Workshops and activities, working with Host Sites on their goals, begin promoting learning community development by encouraging Host sites to become peer mentors.

Accomplishments/Milestones

18 small acreage kits were distributed at workshops in Custer, SD and Eagle Butte, SD (Cheyenne River Indian Reservation)

One Host Acreage workshop was completely organized and promoted by the Host site themselves at Rockerville, SD.

1 workshop at Custer, SD discussed various small acreage income opportunities

1 large workshop (Land/Water Summit) at Eagle Butte, SD recruited an international water conservation expert from Slovakia, using SARE funds, who also worked individually with small acreage owners in the area

50 Equine booklets were distributed on the Pine Ridge Indiat Reservation

A crew varying from 3-5 people at Cheyenne River/Eagle Butte (CEB) was hired using SARE funds in the summer of 2013 to conduct small acreage improvement projects that support local food production, including garden tilling and chicken coop construction. 

Alan Savory Clinic: SARE Host Acreage owners Margaret and Dugan Bad Warrior’s education and hands-on training with holistic planned grazing will serve as a building block to begin a holistic management project to educate other acreage owners at their 2014 SARE workshop.

Dakota Country Lifestyle’s 2nd Annual Expo held in October 2013 introduced the community to a variety of foods grown on local acreages through a cook-off

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

450 direct contacts made in 2013 via SARE workshops and Dakota Country Lifestyles Expo

1000+ indirect contacts made via e-newsletter and subsequent workshops/contacts made by Host Acreages

437 Facebook Fans reached weekly/biweekly

Land & Water Summit impacts (Eagle Butte):

  •         41 participants in the 2-day Summit
  •         50% of survey respondents listed water restoration as a topic of future interest as a result of Michel Kravcik’s presentation

Dakota Country Lifestyles Expo:

  •         75 people sampled locally raised goat meat (chevon-many tried for the first time), chicken, lamb, beef and bread and made connections with local producers.
  •         As a direct result of the Expo, The Rapid City Journal published a front-page story about Tom Barnes, a local meat goat producer who I helped write a SARE Farmer/Rancher grant for $15,000 in 2012.
  •         A post-expo survey of vendors revealed that most respondents (65%) are planning to attend in 2014.
  •         Connections between vendors resulted in new business opportunities for a local acreage owner (Prairie Lane Designs) from Bridger Steel (barn metal roofing business). 

Learning Community Growth:

  •         Spring meetings at Eagle Butte resulted in the discovery of a learning community of chicken and garden enthusiasts; this community was encouraged with collaboration from Margaret Bad Warrior, SARE Host Acreage owner and local chicken expert, and resulted in the acreage improvement project benefitting approx. 30 small acreage owners on the reservation. A
  •          Harmony Hollow Workshop Impacts (Host Acreage near Rockerville, SD):
  1.       After workshop, one family went from 0 poultry to 50 poultry that week with the intention of raising poultry for eggs and meat.
  2.       Two Butcher workshops occurred after the first, entirely led by the Host Acreage, demonstrating the “Train the Trainer” technique.  The Second inspired teenagers to accept the idea of butchering their own food. 10 people attended the 2nd party.  The 3rd party had ~20 people with two new families; from Hill City and Rockerville area.  One family brought 5 chickens, the other their lone rooster; they went from “I’m a bit squeamish, to wow, that was really interesting and not so bad at all”.  Learning community theme would be folks searching for real experiences and knowing where their food came from, strengthening the urban/rural connection. 

Wingsprings (Host Acreage near Martin, SD):

  •         Mowing Canada thistle population as result of management techniques suggested at 2012 workshop has resulted in significant reduction of thistle population in 2013.
  •         From Craig Howe, owner of Wingsprings: “The Small Acreages program has encouraged me to think hard on how to use the land in ways beyond growing crops or raising animals”.

Collaborators:

adele harty

adele.harty@sdstate.edu
Livestock Educator
Haakon County Extension Office Box 519
Philip, SD 57567
Office Phone: 6058592840
Dr. Rebecca Bott

rebecca.bott@sdstate.edu
Extension Equine Spec
SDSU
Box 2170 SDSU ARS
Brookings, SD 57007
Office Phone: 6056885412
Dr. Roger Gates

roger.gates@sdstate.edu
Extension Range Spec
SDSU
1905 Plaza Dr
Rapid CIty, SD 57702
Office Phone: 6053942236