Meet the South Dakota bankers with hearts for conservation and community

Debits and credits may seem out of place with dirty boots, cattle trucks, cross fencing, and grazing practices. Yet, they fit like a baseball and glove for Bruce and Joyce Harter.

They're bankers, as Bruce is the fourth generation of Harters to own and operate Farmers State Bank in Hosmer, South Dakota, since it was chartered in 1919. Still, they're rooted in the soil of their ranch.

Even though each operation is different and is managed the way it needs to, Bruce says that running their own ranch has made the bank better.

"We're 102 years old and operate the smallest bank in South Dakota. We don't have any branches, and we're independent. Joyce and I began our [ranching] learning curve 32 years ago when we bought our first quarter of land and a few steers," he recalls. "I wanted to get us away from our desks and be outdoors, which really is where my heart is."

Data has shown this area can support more than a hundred pairs of nesting waterfowl per square mile.

Chad Carlson, a realty specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service calls it the duck factory of North America. He works with the Haerters and other landowners like them.

"Without conservation-minded people like Bruce and Joyce, I dare not guess what this world would look like," he says.

The Haerter Ranch

The Haerters have expanded their ranching operation over the years, adding land in Edmunds and McPherson counties.

"We've spent the last 30-plus years pounding in a lot of fence posts and building corrals," he says. "We're now running a cow herd at about 350 cow-calf pairs supported with 18 Angus-Simmental crossbreed bulls. We do some backgrounding as we pull those calves out in the fall, and we also sell directly to the market."

When the Haerters started the ranching operation, they spent only about 5% to 10% of their time related to the ranch and the rest of the time at the bank. That's evolved: They now spend closer to half their time at the ranch, says Haerter.

"I rely more and more on younger legs, which brings in our son, Joe, and our ranch manager, Bill Johnson," he explains. "They take care of a lot of the work where my feet don't seem to want to carry me anymore. But it's been one of the most enjoyable things I've done outside of my family, and it's been a learning experience."

Haerter's acres lie in the north-central area of South Dakota and up to the North Dakota border, an area that features lots of water, small streams, and rolling hills. Haerter appreciates how the management of grassland acres affects the overall health of the ecosystems in the region.

Working Together

None of the successes the Haerters have experienced came automatically.

"One of the things that we've done that led to the success of our operation was that we started small and we started very simply," he notes. "And even without ranching in our backgrounds, we took small steps along the way."

They got good guidance, information, and support from outside agencies. They sought data from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ducks Unlimited, and others.

"We've been fortunate to meet some really good people and get some really good guidance," Haerter says. "That's helped us grow. Without that support we wouldn't be anywhere near where we are today."

Carlson is one who has worked with the Haerters to fulfill their vision for the land. "It's been a lot of fun seeing the restorations the Haerters have going on," he says.

Grassland restoration is one of the most rewarding parts of Carlson's job.

The restoration provides endless opportunities — from cleaning up watersheds to having wetlands that hold floodwaters and prevent major flooding events. There are benefits downstream as practices help sequester carbon for clean air. Carlson says he could go on and on about the benefits to wildlife, even down to the songbirds and pollinators.

"You can hear sandpipers and the ducks and coots down in the wetlands, and dragonflies out and about," he says. "The other day, we bumped into a gadwall nest out there, and we know there were dozens and dozens of other species of birds out there nesting. That proof is on the ground. We have priority areas and this is a high priority area."

It takes people like Bruce and Joyce Haerter to make the change.

Haerter says, "I think healthy grasslands make for a healthy ecosystem, especially as it relates to wildlife — not just deer and pheasants and all the things that probably most people would associate with. I think it also means for good habitat for songbirds and for other activity, too. I think the transition from cropland into some of these grasslands has really helped support that."

The Haerters' son Joe and daughter Kayla and the rest of their family savor time enjoying the outdoors. In the years of work on the ranch, they've noticed that wildlife has been much more sustained in the area.

When asked about advice to other landowners regarding grasslands, grass, cattle, and conservation, Haerter sums it up.

"Go to the experts, go to the people that live and work with soil conservation, outdoor conservation, grassland conservation, easements, water, and all those things. Those people are in our counties, they're in our cities all over South Dakota," he says. "Those phone calls are not far away, and the folks are easy to get to. They're never afraid to come out and spend some time on your land and spend some time with you."

Joyce pipes up, talking about what truly is most important. "We now have our two children and our five grandchildren living in houses where we get to see them often, which I love. Some families aren't as lucky as they live thousands of miles away from each other, but I'm – I'm loving it. I have a good life."