2026 Events
Regenerative Ag Bus Tour- August 5th-7th
The Bow Creek Watershed Project and the Bazile Groundwater Management Area are inviting farmers, landowners, conservation professionals, and agricultural enthusiasts to join their 2026 Bus Tour, a three-day educational trip across South Dakota and North Dakota focused on soil health, regenerative agriculture, and innovative farming practices. The tour will take place August 5–7, 2026, and will feature visits to leading research farms and producer-led operations that are successfully implementing conservation-minded management practices.
Participants will travel by charter bus from Norfolk, Nebraska, with additional pickup locations in O’Neill and Spencer. The tour includes transportation, hotel accommodations, breakfasts, lunches, and guided visits to four unique destinations that highlight practical approaches to improving soil health, water quality, farm profitability, and long-term sustainability.
The tour begins with a visit to the South Dakota State University Dakota Lakes Research and Education Farm near Pierre, South Dakota. Internationally recognized for its work in conservation-based farming systems, Dakota Lakes conducts research to strengthen agricultural productivity while protecting natural resources. Participants will learn about innovative practices that support healthy soils, clean water, and resilient crop production systems.
On the second day, attendees will visit the Roy Thompson Farm near Selby, South Dakota, where Roy Thompson will share his personal journey connecting regenerative agriculture with regenerative health. The tour will then continue to Menoken Farm near Bismarck, North Dakota, a nationally recognized demonstration farm dedicated to soil health and systems-based conservation. Visitors will see firsthand how practices such as cover crops, livestock integration, reduced tillage, and diverse plant communities can enhance farm productivity and ecological resilience.
The final day features a stop at 3C Compost and the Hamilton Farm near Aberdeen, South Dakota. The Hamilton family utilizes cover crops, perennials, and compost production to address saline seeps, build soil health, and create additional value from on-farm resources.
“Opportunities like this allow producers to see successful conservation practices in action, learn directly from innovators, and connect with other farmers facing similar challenges,” said Bow Creek Watershed Manager Becky Ravenkamp. “The bus tour is designed to provide practical ideas that participants can take home and apply to their own operations.”
Space is limited. Registration costs are $250 per person for double occupancy and $450 for single occupancy. Interested participants are encouraged to register early. Additional details and registration information are available here!
Sponsored by: Nebraska Department of Water, Energy & Environment, Bow Creek Watershed Project, Bazile Groundwater Management Area, LCNRD, LENRD, LNNRD, UENRD, and UNL.
Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference
featuring Tom Dykstra
December 15, 2026
Divots Event Center, Norfolk, NE
For more information on events contact Becky Ravenkamp, Lewis & Clark NRD Bow Creek Watershed Coordinator at bravenkamp@lcnrd.org or by calling 402-882-6758.
The Bow Creek Watershed contains 392,574 acres in portions of Cedar, Dixon, and Knox Counties. A rich history extends back to before the days of Lewis and Clark. Clark’s journal entry on August 26, 1804 mentions Bow Creek, writing, “above the mouth of this creek a Chief of the Maha Nation displeased with the conduct of Black Bird, the main cheif, came to this place and built a town which was called by his name Petite Arc (or Little Bow)...we gathered great quantities of grapes and three types of plumbs, one yellow round, one ovel and one the common wild plumb.”
In 2019, the Lewis & Clark NRD updated their Water Quality Assessment Plan and added Bow Creek as a priority area based on Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy Basin Rotation water quality testing. The 2016 Basin Rotation water quality testing showed elevated levels of sediment, phosphorus, nitrates and E. coli in Bow Creek. Working with FYRA Engineering, models were created to show the potential to decrease nonpoint source pollutants in Bow Creek by increasing the adoption of best management practices (BMPs) in priority Bow Creek sub-watersheds.
Those best management practices include, but are not limited to:
- Nutrient Management
- Cover Crop
- No-till Management
- Land Use Change: CRP or Riparian Buffer Strips
- Grazing Management Plans
- Livestock Exclusion Plans with Alternative Water Sources and Fencing
- Septic System Upgrades
Through grants from the Nebraska Environmental Trust and Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, these BMPs are eligible for additional practice implementation and education payments through the Bow Creek Watershed Project. Practices must be part of approved conservation contracts to be eligible. Details for implementation of BMPs will be planned with NRCS technical assistance and Bow Creek programs will then be applied for through the LCNRD office. For more information contact:
Bow Creek Watershed Coordinator
Becky Ravenkamp
Lewis & Clark NRD Office
608 N Robinson Ave., Hartington, NE 68739
Phone: 402-254-6758.
