Republished in the True Dakotan with permission from the author
Soil plays a very vital role for farmers and ranchers in the area. For many of them, Steve Winter is the guy they have worked with over the years when it comes to anything soils.
After an incredible 39year career, Winter, a Senior Soil Scientist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), is hanging up his soil probe and retiring, leaving behind a legacy that has helped shape the land and people of South Dakota.
Winter began his soilsurveying career in De Smet in 1987, where he started mapping out soils and updating the Soil Survey in Kingsbury County. He worked on seven different county soil surveys and has mapped soils on over a million acres in eastern South Dakota throughout his career.
In 1991, he moved to Redfield, where he continued his soilsurvey work, building relationships and expanding his expertise across the region. His deep knowledge of soil characteristics and landscape interpretation made him a critical resource not just for landowners, but for fellow conservationists and agricultural professionals throughout the state.
Even though Winter may have moved to Redfield, he was not a stranger to people in Kingsbury County. He continued to come back and help farmers with their soil questions, with some of his last days spent working in the county.
He also took on an additional role, mentoring the next generation of youth. Many FFA members in Kingsbury and surrounding counties have worked with Winter at land-judging schools. He started out working with long-time Conservation District Manager Jody Mackey and then District Conservationist Don Bohn, teaching students how to read the land.
Over time, he expanded his reach to support three FFA Land Judging schools annually. His commitment extended all the way to the State FFA Contest, where his guidance has helped hundreds of students gain hands-on knowledge.
In addition to his work in traditional soil surveys, Winter has also contributed his expertise to 4-H Rangeland/Soil Days, sharing his insight with both youth and professionals alike.
Throughout his career, he has been a valued partner to Conservation Districts and NRCS field offices, offering support in soil identification and site investigations for countless conservation efforts.
Even though Winter is looking forward to retirement, he is going to miss the people he has met and worked with the past 39 years.
“The biggest thing I’ll miss is my coworkers and the producers I’ve gotten to know through the years,” Winter said.
Winter’s presence will be missed in the field and in the office for sure; however, his impact will last for generations. From the FFA students who learned from him to the producers whose land he helped manage, his work is quite literally written into the soil of South Dakota.
Editor’s note: In an awards ceremony held last week, Winter was acknowledged by the South Dakota Association of Conservation Districts with a professional service award for his many decades of assistance with conservation practices. Winter was one of just two professionals acknowledged in the state. He was also recognized locally in Wessington Springs in 2021 for four decades of service educating youth about the safe handling of firearms through HuntSAFE instruction.