Our Amazing Grasslands - Ollila Family ~ Newell, South Dakota

"By putting management into the grassland and looking at how we kept diversity on the landscape, we were able to improve our livestock health as well as production.

The options that diversity allows us in being able to with stand the ups and downs of markets in both livestock and sheep helps level out those peaks and valleys we run into from a financial point of view."
David Ollila

In this eight minute video release, we visit with David, Holly, and the Ollila Family in Newell, South Dakota (SD). The Ollilas manage grasslands by prioritizing livestock diversity in integrated cattle and sheep grazing, mimicking the diversity of the natural prairie of antelope and buffalo before the land was divided by settlers. David Explains, "The Diversity in livestock is every bit as important as the diversity in the plant community." In late summer when moisture is scarce, David says better grassland management practices that bring diversity to plant life keeps moisture in the ground and concerns for nutritional grazing are a thing of the past.

The South Dakota Grassland Coalition (SDGC) partnered with the organizations listed below to enhance the Grassland Planner with a release of a short video story each month during 2023, promoting healthy soils, grasslands, and ecosystems. Please enjoy the "Our Amazing Grasslands" feature story for January 2023.

2023 Grassland Stewardship Communications Project Partners:  SDGC, Audubon Dakota, Ducks Unlimited, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks, The Nature Conservancy, Pheasants Forever, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and South Dakota State University.

The 2023 Grassland Planner is now available! For a PDF copy, visit: bit.ly/SDGrasslandCalendar23

For a physical copy, contact the NRCS State Office at (605) 352-1200.
Get the Google Calendar version at bit.ly/SDGrasslandCalendar.

If you missed previous "Our Amazing Grassland" stories, is the link to past series.

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