Small Farm, Big Ideas Tour 2: Strategic Production Systems/Season Extension

Small Farm, Big Ideas Tour 2

Strategic Production Systems & Season Extension

SDSPA invites farmers, resource providers, and community members to explore agricultural innovation firsthand through the “Small Farms, Big Ideas: SDSPA Summer Farm Tour Series.” This unique series features three immersive circuit tours showcasing producers doing things differently. Each tour offers a one-day, guided experience connecting participants directly with forward-thinking producers across South Dakota.

Designed as more than a typical farm visit, each tour provides a deep dive into the systems, strategies, and technologies driving success in specialty crop and value-added production. Participants will gain practical, real-world insights while building connections with a community of innovative growers. Registration for each tour closes one week before the event date.

Tour 2: Strategic Production Systems & Season Extension

This tour will board in Lake Andes, SD.

On July 15, 2026 from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. CDT, explore how producers are integrating precision irrigation, soil health strategies, and season extension infrastructure to maximize yields in high-density fruit and vegetable systems. This tour is $23 per person and includes all-day bus transportation and lunch at Clearfield Colony.

• Stop 1: Lakeview Colony — Lake Andes, SD (Sumisansui Irrigation, DIY caterpillar tunnels, humus soil additives, and eco-friendly weed barriers)
• Stop 2: Clearfield Colony — Delmont, SD (Early-season tomatoes using vented low tunnels, frost cloth, and colored mulches)
• Stop 3: Pease Creek Colony — Lake Andes, SD (Tabletop production system strawberries in caterpillar tunnels with companion cash crops and cold-hardy trellised kiwi)

This program has been funded under a Conservation Collaboration Cooperative Agreement between the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA), to promote sustainable agriculture practices and environmental stewardship.