M.B. Haskett Chef, Michael Haskett, takes on Todd Hanten's Farm
Having open conversations about food and farming with South Dakotans and the farmers who grow it is what we do. In fact, that’s what Hungry for Truth is all about. We had an exciting opportunity to connect local restaurant M.B. Haskett Chef, Michael Haskett, with Todd Hanten, a soybean, corn, and cattle farmer from Goodwin, to chat about farming, the impactful work farmers do, and much more. Below, Michael shares his learnings from his farm visit.
As a chef whose profession is centered around food, I always look forward to opportunities to speak with the people who produce what we eat. When Hungry for Truth offered me an opportunity to visit Todd Hanten’s farm near Goodwin, SD for a tour and discussion about Ag production in our food system, I was happy to accept the invitation. A big part of being a chef is to understand how ingredients are produced, who grows them, and then tell that story to our customers. Because having something to eat is so vital to survival, it is chefs’ and other food service professionals’ duty to inspire appreciation for the food system, especially in people not directly involved in food production. Because everyone needs to eat, we are all part of the same global food system.
On the second to last day of August, the corn is taller than most large pickup trucks. As one drives north on Interstate 90 between Dell Rapids and Watertown, the rows of corn, alfalfa, and soybean plants have filled in the fields to make the landscape look like that familiar, green, checkerboard quilt of mid-summer in eastern South Dakota. When we arrive at Todd’s Farm, we are greeted by two stout retrievers, one still with some youthful rambunctiousness and curiosity, the other, interested, but only mildly, and moves slow and deliberately, unphased by the arrival of visitors. With the dogs alerting our presence, Mr. Hanten steps out of his house to meet us wearing a dark green South Dakota Soybean Checkoff polo. He is friendly, and after some introductions, he takes us first to see some of his equipment.
We gravitate naturally to the behemoth and sparkling new combine sitting in the yard, stoically waiting for the dryer late summer weather to ripen this year's crop. After proudly pointing out the fairly obvious fact that it is neither a completely green nor red combine (the farmers reading this will understand), Todd brings me to the cab, starts the machine, and begins pointing out all of the most up-to-date technological systems on board. These sensors and computers (parts of what are called precision planting systems) collect data, that will help the farmer understand which parts of his land are most productive, identify areas that may need some sort of intervention or amendment, and will inform him where in their field how densely he should plant a particular crop next year. Todd asks me if I want to drive the machine, and while I am excited to learn how to drive a combine, I want my first experience to be on a much older (and drastically less expensive) combine, kind of like learning how to drive on a manual transmission.
After checking out a few more pieces of equipment, we take a short drive through the feeding lot for his cattle, and then over to an area he farms about two miles away from his house. The reason Todd brings us here is so that we can see the effects that a combination of poor soil quality and drought conditions have on a crop of corn. The part of the field we walk into is at the bottom of a hill, near the oil road, and where a bridge passes over a small stream. While most of the field is lushly green and the plants are tall with easily visible ears growing on them, this is an area about the size of a soccer field where the plants are stunted, earless, and turning brown. It is quickly obvious that these plants will not recover from the stress of not enough water and hot temperatures before the growing season ends.
Todd points out that while most of the soil in this field has some sand in it, this part of the field has very sandy soil and is lacking in organic matter. When soil is very sandy like this, rainwater drains quickly and on hot summer days dries out in no time, making it very hard for water-hungry plants like corn to thrive. We talk about some possible solutions to this problem. Todd can add organic matter, such as spreading manure from his cattle and keeping as much plant material in the ground by implementing low-till or no-till practices.
When soil is disturbed by tillage, vital nutrients that plants need to grow are lost in the atmosphere; the structure that decaying plant material gives the soil breaks down much more rapidly and results in compaction. This also makes soil less capable of holding moisture, which then results in plants underperforming or incapable of producing a crop at all. I ask Todd if he uses cover crops or perennial plantings such as alfalfa to help build health into his soils, and I am happy to hear that he does. As part of his crop rotation, Todd has used a variety of cover crops such as rye, lentils, peas, turnips, and daikon radish in the fall to help loosen soil texture, fix particular nutrients that successive crops will need, and improve the microbiology living in the soil.
We drive briefly to another field where the soybeans are growing well, but the pods are a little small. Todd says that a good soaking of rain will plump the beans right up, and we both hope that some showers come before too long.
When we have finished the tour of the fields, we return to his house and start to talk more about the economic and social aspects of what being a row crop farmer in South Dakota entails. Todd explains how the checkoff system works. When a farmer sells their beans on the market, half of one percent of the sale is collected and goes to the United Soybean Board (USB). The USB uses those funds for three primary functions; research, promotion, and education.
The money spent on research goes to things such as testing and developing seed genetics that improve yields in specific and changing environments and climates. Research money also helps develop new products from soy such as plant-based meat alternatives or cooking oils. The promotion dollars go to marketing campaigns both here in the States, as well as negotiating and promoting the international trade of soybeans. The education dollars go into programs that help both the farmer, who learns more about the best production methods on the farm, and the consumer, who is presented with information such as nutritional and health facts about soybeans.
As we wrap up our conversation, I ask Todd how farmers are dealing with the many challenges of being a modern row crop grower in this global market of food production. He says that programs like Soybean Checkoff assist growers in advocating for the work they do, developing new markets, and promoting sales of soybeans so the farmer can earn a fair price for all of the hard work they do. He also points out that there are many ag-related associations and trade groups like the South Dakota Soybean Council that help farmers navigate hard times and natural disasters. These groups also help growers find counseling for emotional and mental health challenges and when struggles on the farm become too much for a farmer to deal with on their own.
Todd leaves me with this - even though food production requires so much time and physical labor, it is an incredibly rewarding vocation. Growing food connects a person with the land and their neighbors. A farmer must be in tune with changes in the weather, the seasons, and soil conditions. They have to keep up with what markets are doing and what customers are demanding. Good farmers help their neighbors and communities stay productive and healthy. And they have to make decisions that will sustain their business, their crops and livestock, and their family. Todd Hanten says that of his life as a fourth-generation farmer on his great grandfather’s homestead “It’s not work at all, it’s fun.”
