Conservation Stories

Hosted by Sandhills Area Research Association

Business Education

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Episodes

123

Latest episode

Oct 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

October 22, 20261 hr 29 min

Dry Side Dispatch • October 16 • Robert Crain

We are proud to bring you our local radio show, The Dry Side Dispatch. All past episodoes of the radio show are available on the Sandhills Area Research Association You Tube channel. You can also listen live via the YouTube chanel on Friday's at Noon. All future episodes will now be included on this platform and the Sandhills Area Research Association's website. The Dry Side Dispatch is a West Texas radio show and media project from the Sandhills Area Research Association broadcast live on KRFE 95.9 FM. Hosted by Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons, the program focuses on regional agriculture, land conservation, hunting, oil and gas, and local news. This episode of Dry Side Dispatch features Robert Crain of Texas Pacific Water discussing the growing challenge—and potential opportunity—of produced water from oil and gas operations in the Permian Basin. Crain explains how his team developed a freeze-distillation process to remove salts from extremely saline produced water, followed by reverse osmosis and other treatment steps to create water clean enough for beneficial reuse. The conversation explores how treated produced water could reduce underground disposal, help restore flows in the Pecos River, support agriculture, and potentially recharge depleted aquifers such as the Ogallala. Crain also discusses regulatory hurdles, aging “zombie” wells, the economics of water treatment, and the need to pair new water supplies with more efficient irrigation and long-term conservation practices.

October 20, 202645 min

Fighting for the Family Farm: The American Agriculture Movement and the Legacy of Farm Aid

Tillery Timmons-Sims visits with David Senter of the American Agriculture Movement to talk about the history of farmer-led advocacy, the rise of AAM in the late 1970s, and the grassroots efforts that brought thousands of farmers to Washington, D.C. David shares the story of the Tractorcade, the fight for fair prices, and the policies farmers pushed for to protect family agriculture. The conversation also explores the farm crisis of the 1980s, the founding of Farm Aid, the Farm and Ranch Congress, and the ongoing challenges family farmers face today, from low commodity prices and high input costs to land loss, data centers, and corporate consolidation. It’s a powerful reminder that the fight for family farmers is not just history — it is still happening. More about our guest: David Senter President of the American Agriculture Movement Email: aamincpresident@gmail.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.

October 16, 20261 hr 30 min

Dry Side Dispatch • October 9th • Duane Lucia

We are proud to bring you our local radio show, The Dry Side Dispatch. All past episodoes of the radio show are available on the Sandhills Area Research Association You Tube channel. You can also listen live via the YouTube chanel on Friday's at Noon. All future episodes will now be included on this platform and the Sandhills Area Research Association's website. The Dry Side Dispatch is a West Texas radio show and media project from the Sandhills Area Research Association broadcast live on KRFE 95.9 FM. Hosted by Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons, the program focuses on regional agriculture, land conservation, hunting, oil and gas, and local news This episode of Dry Side Dispatch features U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Duane Lucia discussing wildfire response, prescribed fire, and land restoration across Texas and the Great Plains. The conversation covers current funding for fuel reduction, invasive-species removal, and post-fire recovery, along with Lucia’s work restoring areas affected by major fires such as Smokehouse Creek. A major theme is the ecological value of fire when it is used strategically. Lucia explains how prescribed burns can reduce dangerous woody fuel, control juniper encroachment, improve grassland and wildlife habitat, and help prevent more destructive fires later. The episode also explores cottonwood restoration, salt cedar control, satellite and remote-sensing technology, and the need for better public understanding of fire as both a management tool and a natural part of healthy grassland ecosystems.

October 13, 202645 min

Paddle, Fish, Heal: Heroes on the Water and the Power of Community

Dusty Timmons visits with Camille Null, director of volunteer programs for Heroes on the Water, to talk about how kayak fishing became a powerful therapeutic outlet for veterans, first responders, and their families. Camille shares the story of how the organization began in 2007 after founder Jim Dolan saw the way time on the water helped injured service members reconnect, relax, and rebuild a sense of community. The conversation explores the calming effect of being outdoors, the importance of finding support after service or trauma, and how Heroes on the Water’s volunteer-led chapters create safe, welcoming spaces across the country. It’s a moving reminder that healing does not always happen in a clinic — sometimes it starts with a kayak, a fishing rod, and someone willing to make the call.

October 9, 20261 hr 27 min

Dry Side Dispatch • October 2nd • Lauren D Garduno with Ports to Plains.

We are proud to bring you our local radio show, The Dry Side Dispatch. All past episodoes of the radio show are available on the Sandhills Area Research Association You Tube channel. You can also listen live via the YouTube chanel on Friday's at Noon. All future episodes will now be included on this platform and the Sandhills Area Research Association's website. The Dry Side Dispatch is a West Texas radio show and media project from the Sandhills Area Research Association broadcast live on KRFE 95.9 FM. Hosted by Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons, the program focuses on regional agriculture, land conservation, hunting, oil and gas, and local news This episode of Dry Side Dispatch features Lauren Garduno of the Ports-to-Plains Alliance discussing the history, purpose, and future of the Ports-to-Plains corridor. The conversation traces how the project grew out of West Texas transportation needs and NAFTA-era trade, and how the Texas and New Mexico portions were eventually designated as future I-27. Garduno also looks ahead at what a modern I-27 could become, including smart-highway technology, autonomous vehicle lanes, fiber infrastructure, drone and air-taxi connections, and new freight and energy systems. The episode emphasizes the corridor’s potential to improve trade with Mexico and Canada, strengthen rural economies, relieve traffic on other interstate routes, and create a major north-south transportation link through the Great Plains.

October 6, 202643 min

Playas Work for Texans: Recharge, Restoration, and Tomorrow’s Water

Tillery Timmons-Sims visits with Joe Richards of Playa Lakes Joint Venture and Tomorrow’s Water to talk about the vital role playas play in groundwater recharge across the High Plains. Joe explains how these temporary wetlands function, why they matter for the Ogallala Aquifer, and how restored playas can support water quality, wildlife habitat, community water planning, and long-term agricultural resilience. The conversation covers playa restoration, conservation programs, landowner incentives, municipal water needs, and the importance of including playas in broader water strategies. It’s a practical and hopeful look at how restoring these often-overlooked wetlands can help protect tomorrow’s water for farms, communities, and future generations. More about our guest: Joe Richards, playa & water conservation outreach specialist, Playa Lakes Joint Venture Instagram: @Richardsoutdoorphoto Facebook @Richardsoutdoorphotography Website Resources: https://richardsoutdoorphotography.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.

October 1, 2026Episode 61 hr 33 min

Dry Side Dispatch • September 25th • W. Calloway Huffaker

We are proud to bring you our local radio show, The Dry Side Dispatch. All past episodoes of the radio show are available on the Sandhills Area Research Association You Tube channel. You can also listen live via the YouTube chanel on Friday's at Noon. All future episodes will now be included on this platform and the Sandhills Area Research Association's website. The Dry Side Dispatch is a West Texas radio show and media project from the Sandhills Area Research Association broadcast live on KRFE 95.9 FM. Hosted by Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons, the program focuses on regional agriculture, land conservation, hunting, oil and gas, and local news This episode of Dry Side Dispatch features longtime Tahoka attorney, farmer, and rancher Calloway “Cal” Huffaker discussing the changing realities of rural West Texas. The conversation covers Tahoka’s history and growth, the importance of small-town schools and civic involvement, and programs that have helped shape rural communities and agriculture across the region. The discussion then turns to how agriculture and land use are evolving, particularly through solar and wind development, increasingly complex landowner contracts, wildlife and conservation concerns, and the need to plan for cleanup and long-term impacts. Huffaker also reflects on rising farm costs and the growing shift toward diversified income—such as livestock, hunting, renewable energy, and other land uses—as producers adapt to a changing agricultural economy.

September 29, 202648 min

Women Hunt: Mentorship, Field to Fork, and Finding Your Place Outdoors

Dusty Timmons visits with Renee Thornton, founder and chair of the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Women Hunt program, to talk about helping more women find a pathway into hunting, conservation, and the outdoor community. Renee shares her own story as a solo adult-onset hunter and explains how that journey grew into a program designed to train, equip, mentor, and support women as they build confidence in the field. The conversation explores Women Hunt’s Field to Fork program, the importance of firearms education and ethical hunting, the role of women in conservation advocacy, and the ripple effect that happens when women bring their families and communities into the outdoors. Renee also shares about new Women Hunt initiatives, including Mama Bear Field Camp, the Ruby Mayflower Blake Legacy Fund, and the Ignite podcast.

September 24, 20261 hr 27 min

Dry Side Dispatch • September 18th • Nathan Hall

We are proud to bring you our local radio show, The Dry Side Dispatch. All past episodoes of the radio show are available on the Sandhills Area Research Association You Tube channel. You can also listen live via the YouTube chanel on Friday's at Noon. All future episodes will now be included on this platform and the Sandhills Area Research Association's website. The Dry Side Dispatch is a West Texas radio show and media project from the Sandhills Area Research Association broadcast live on KRFE 95.9 FM. Hosted by Tillery Timmons-Sims, Andy Timmons, and Dusty Timmons, the program focuses on regional agriculture, land conservation, hunting, oil and gas, and local news This episode of Dry Side Dispatch features Texas Tech associate professor Nathan Hall discussing the science behind dogs’ sense of smell and the work of the K9 Olfaction Research and Education Lab. Hall explains how researchers study and train detection dogs for jobs ranging from explosives and narcotics detection to wildlife work and identifying agricultural problems such as plant diseases. The conversation also explores how breed, genetics, training, weather, wind, humidity, and learned associations affect scent detection, while challenging common assumptions about which breeds have the “best” noses. The episode closes with Hall discussing current research, the lab’s student training and animal-behavior programs, and its work rehabilitating and training shelter or working-program dogs before placing them in adoptive or working homes.

September 22, 202644 min

Keeping Farmers on the Land: Mentorship, Grazing, and the Future of Texas Agriculture

Tillery Timmons-Sims visits with Evart Outlaw of American Farmland Trust to talk about protecting working lands, supporting farmers and ranchers, and helping producers adapt in a changing agricultural landscape. Everett shares the mission behind American Farmland Trust, including farmland protection, conservation easements, sound farming and ranching practices, and the importance of keeping producers on the land. The conversation also highlights the Texas Grazing Network, a peer-to-peer mentorship program that connects ranchers with experienced producers who can help them improve land stewardship, soil health, forage production, profitability, and long-term resilience. It’s a practical and hopeful look at how guidance, community, and new perspectives can help farmers and ranchers face difficult transitions and find sustainable paths forward. More about our guest: Evart Outlaw, Texas Grazing Network Manager for American Farmland Trust Website Resources: https://farmland.org/texas-grazing-mentors-network/ 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.

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