Conservation Stories

Hosted by Sandhills Area Research Association

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Conservation Stories chronicles the ongoing work of the Sandhills Area Research Association along with old and new friends in the agriculture space.

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60 recent

June 9, 202642 min

Pesticide Labels, Endangered Species & What Growers Need to Know

Leah Duzy returns to Conservation Stories for a practical conversation about the changing intersection of pesticides, endangered species protections, and EPA label requirements. Leah and Tillery discuss new herbicide, insecticide, and rodenticide strategies, what growers may start seeing on pesticide labels, and how mitigation practices like buffers, cover crops, no-till, and runoff management can help keep farms compliant. They also talk through the challenges of managing requirements field by field, the role of state enforcement, and why reading the label matters whether you’re farming hundreds of acres or spraying weeds in your own backyard. More about our guest: Leah Duzy, Principal Consultant, Compliance Services International Email - lduzy@complianceservices.com Website - www.complianceservices.com For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

May 26, 202644 min

Data Centers, Water, and Responsible Development in West Texas with Kassandra McQuillen

In this episode of Conservation Stories, Tillery Timmons Sims is joined by attorney, Texas Tech professor, and renewable energy consultant Kassandra McQuillen for a conversation about the rapid development of data centers in West Texas. Together, they unpack what data centers are, why they require significant energy and water resources, and what proposed projects could mean for communities, landowners, and the Ogallala Aquifer. Using the proposed Fermi data center project near Amarillo as a case study, Kassandra explores questions surrounding land use, water rights, public accountability, energy infrastructure, and informed community decision-making. This episode is not about telling listeners what to believe, but about providing the facts needed to better understand the potential impacts of large-scale development in a water-limited region.

May 12, 202630 min

FFA, Agriculture, and the Next Generation of Leaders

In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims sits down with Texas FFA state officers Madison Diezi and Kinley Hoelscher to explore the impact of FFA on students, agriculture, and future leadership. They discuss how FFA goes far beyond livestock shows and farming, helping students build communication skills, professionalism, advocacy, and lifelong community. From rural roots to urban agriculture, this conversation highlights why FFA continues to play an important role in preparing young people for careers in agriculture and beyond. More about our guest: Maddison Diezi, Texas FFA State Officer (Area XI) Kinley Hoelscher, Texas FFA State Officer (Area I) Instagram - @TexasFFA Facebook - Texas FFA Association Website - TexasFFA.org For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

April 29, 202639 min

Rain Bees: Rethinking Water, Wells, and Rainwater Harvesting with Larry Sunn

In this episode of Conservation Stories, Tillery Timmons-Sims talks with Larry Sunn of Rain Bees about rainwater harvesting as a practical water solution for drought-prone areas like West Texas. Larry breaks down how much water can be collected from a roof, what kind of tank size a family might need, how filtration works for potable and non-potable use, and why shifting away from wells and water-hungry landscapes may become increasingly important. The conversation also explores the economics of rainwater systems, public water concerns, aquifer recharge, and how education can help communities rethink the way they value and manage water. More about our guest: Larry Sunn, Rain Harvesting Consultant Email Website For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

April 17, 202643 min

Housing, Hope, and Human Dignity With Chase Head

In this episode of Conservation Stories, Tillery Timmons-Sims visits with Chase Head about the connection between housing, poverty, dignity, and community care in Lubbock. Drawing from his work with the South Plains Food Bank and Yucca Properties, Chase shares how his real estate business has become a way to provide stable housing, practical support, and renewed hope for people facing homelessness, fixed incomes, and difficult transitions. The conversation explores empathy, the fragile realities many families face, and the ways ordinary people can make a real difference through generosity, relationships, and a willingness to see the humanity in others. Conservations Stories will be releasing earlier in the week so you no longer have to wait til friday! Subscribe to be notified when the next eposode drops. Dry Side Dispatch, a radio show centered around conservation, agriculture, hunting, and news in West Texas was recently launched. You can tune into Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons' discussions and interviews on KRFE 95.9 FM on Fridays. More about our guest: Chase Head, Owner and CEO, Yucca Properties LLC and West Sage Real Estate Email Website Phone: (806)905-7565 For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

April 10, 2026Episode 9438 min

Allison Childress on GLP-1s, Food Culture, and Chronic Disease

In this episode of Conservation Stories, the conversation stretches beyond traditional ag topics and into the growing intersection of nutrition, health, and the future of food. Host Tillerry Timmins-Sims sits down with Allison Childress, a registered dietitian, Texas Tech faculty member, and co-founder of a culinary medicine startup, to talk about how food can be used to manage chronic disease, how their app helps people navigate complex dietary needs, and why GLP-1 medications may be reshaping not just personal health, but consumer behavior, grocery buying habits, and even agricultural markets. It’s a wide-ranging discussion about obesity, stigma, food choice, produce culture, and the ways health trends may influence what farmers grow and how communities eat. Conservations Stories will be releasing earlier in the week so you no longer have to wait til friday! Subscribe to be notified when the next eposode drops. Dry Side Dispatch, a radio show centered around conservation, agriculture, hunting, and news in West Texas was recently launched. You can tune into Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons' discussions and interviews on KRFE 95.9 FM on Fridays. More about our guest: Dr. Allison Childress RDN, CSSD, LD Associate Professor of Practice, Clinical Dietitian and CEO of 3 CulinaryMed Docs Website LinkedIn For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

April 3, 202643 min

The Cost of Convenience: Farming, Water, and the Future of West Texas

In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims sits down with Texas Tech agricultural economist Darren Hudson to explore how decades of innovation in farming have reshaped life on the South Plains. Their conversation looks at the unintended consequences of the biotech revolution, from herbicide resistance and changing management practices to the economic pressures facing producers today. Together, they also dig into the bigger picture: water use, the future of irrigation, and what declining agricultural resources could mean not just for farmers, but for Lubbock and the surrounding communities that depend on agriculture. It’s a thoughtful, wide-ranging discussion about economics, conservation, and how West Texas might adapt to a harder future with less water. More about our guest: Darren Hudson, Combest Endowed Chair and Associate Dean, Davis College, Texas Tech University Email Twitter: @CompetitiveAg For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

March 27, 202648 min

What California Can Teach Agriculture

In this episode of Conservation Stories, Tillery Timmons-Sims talks with Paul Sousa, a California dairy advocate and former water-quality regulator, about what the rest of agriculture can learn from California’s intense regulatory environment. Their conversation looks at the tension between environmental compliance and agricultural viability, especially around water, groundwater nitrates, methane reduction, and the rising cost of regulation for producers. Sousa explains that while California’s rules can be burdensome and politically frustrating, they have also pushed innovation, created new support industries, and in some cases opened up real opportunities, such as methane digesters that generate additional farm revenue and collaborative water-quality programs that pair regulation with practical solutions. Overall, the episode is a nuanced discussion about how policy, when paired with funding and industry partnership, can either burden agriculture or help drive smarter, more resilient systems for the future. More about our guest: Paul SousaDirector of Regulatory and Environmental Affairs Email Western United Dairies Website For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

March 20, 202653 min

When Farmers Lose Their Voice: The Economics of Survival in Agriculture

In this episode of Conservation Stories, Tillery Timmons-Sims talks with Arkansas farmer Adam Chappell about the economic pressures reshaping modern agriculture, from corporate consolidation and weakened competition to the policy choices that keep farmers trapped in an increasingly fragile commodity system. Drawing on both lived experience and hard data, Chappell explains how seed, chemical, machinery, and grain markets have become so concentrated that many farmers have little real choice in what they buy, grow, or sell, even as their margins collapse. The conversation also explores the emotional and cultural cost of that system: the decline of rural community, the loss of farmer solidarity, the barriers to diversification, and the growing disconnect between consumers, policymakers, and the people producing food. For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

March 13, 202634 min

Beyond Barbed Wire: Managing Livestock Without Fences

In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims talks with Eric Yates of NoFence about how virtual fencing technology is changing livestock and land management. Their conversation explores how GPS-enabled collars for cattle, sheep, and goats can help producers contain animals, rotate grazing areas, protect sensitive land, respond more quickly to emergencies, and even reduce labor demands in large or difficult terrain. Eric explains how the collars use audio cues and mild corrective pulses to train animals to respect invisible boundaries, while also giving producers real-time location and movement data that can help with everything from gathering livestock to spotting abnormal behavior. Overall, the episode highlights virtual fencing as a practical, conservation-minded tool that could make grazing management more flexible, efficient, and resilient for producers in Texas and beyond. More about our guest: Eric YatesNational Sales Director, Nofencenofence.com For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com Support the Conservation Stories Podcast Follow SARA for more updates • Instagram • Facebook • LinkedIn • X/Twitter Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.