An eye for farming

South Dakota farmer’s video hobby allows him to connect, learn from other farmers

Janelle Atyeo
May 29, 2025
May 29, 2025

Crop Watcher Briggs (27).jpg — Gulls stir from the field as Casey Briggs pulls a rig through a field at Larson Seed Farm near Clark, S.D.
Submitted photo by Casey Briggs

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Janelle Atyeo

When South Dakota farmer Casey Briggs isn’t in the field, he’s often on the road making other farmers look good.

kAmx? E96 =2DE J62C[ 9:D A9@E@ 2?5 G:56@\>2<:?8 9@33J E@@< 9:> E@ 7:G6 DE2E6D 2?5 `g 72C>D E92E 8C6H ?62C=J 2 5@K6? 4C@AD] w6’D DEC:A65 4@EE@? :? ~<=29@>2 2?5 %6I2D[ 4FE >:=@ :? z2?D2D 2?5 92CG6DE65 366ED :? }@CE9 s2<@E2]k^Am

kAm“xE’D 2 9@33J E92E 92D 8:G6? >6 2 =@E @7 4@@= @AA@CEF?:E:6D[” qC:88D D2:5 7C@> 9:D 9@>6 @77:46 2E {2CD@? $665 u2C> ?62C r=2C<[ $@FE9 s2<@E2]k^Am

kAmqC:88D[ ba[ H:== D6CG6 2D %C:\$E2E6 }6:893@C rC@A (2E496C 7@C E96 ?@CE962DE6C? A2CE @7 E96 DE2E6 E9:D J62C[ AC@G:5:?8 3:\H66<=J C6A@CED 2?5 D@>6 E@A\?@E49 A9@E@D]k^Am

kAm%96 D6=7\E2F89E G:56@8C2A96C A:4<65 FA 9:D 42>6C2 5FC:?8 r~'xs]k^Am

kAm“tG6CJ3@5J ?66565 D@>6E9:?8 E@ 5@ 324< E96?[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm$:?46 E96?[ 96’D 8@EE6? D@>6 DA@?D@C65 562=D E@ D9@H42D6 72C> 6BF:A>6?E @C D665 3C2?5D[ 2?5 96’D AC@G:565 7@@E286 7@C 4@>>@5:EJ @C82?:K2E:@?D] |@DE=J E9@F89[ 96 D92C6D 9:D A9@E@ 2?5 G:56@ H@C< @? D@4:2= >65:2 7@C @E96C 72C>6CD[ D@>6 @7 H9@> 92G6 364@>6 8@@5 7C:6?5D]k^Am

kAmt249 E:>6 96 G:D:ED 2 ?6H @A6C2E:@?[ 96 E2<6D 324< 2 ?F886E @7 H:D5@> E@ :>AC@G6 9:D @H? 3FD:?6DD]k^Am

kAm“x7 H6 2== E2<6 D@>6 E:>6[ H6 42? =62C? D@>6E9:?8 7C@> 6G6CJ3@5J H6 >66E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmw:D 8@2= :D E@ D9@H E92E E96C6’D >@C6 E@ 72C> 7:6=5D E92? 4@C? 2?5 D@J362?D]k^Am

kAm“%92E’D H92E x =@G6 23@FE $@FE9 s2<@E2[ E96 5:G6CD:EJ :? 28C:4F=EFC6[” qC:88D D2:5]k^Am

kAmpE {2CD@? $665 u2C>[ qC:88D 92D 2 7@FC\4C@A C@E2E:@?] xE’D D@>6E9:?8 E92E’D 364@>:?8 C2C6 @? 62DE6C? $@FE9 s2<@E2 72C>D] w6 EJA:42==J DEC:A E:==D 2?5 A=2?ED 4@C? :?E@ H962E DEF33=6] %92E’D 7@==@H65 3J ?@ E:== D@J362?D @C DF?7=@H6CD]k^Am

kAm(962E 92D 2=H2JD 366? 2 DE2A=6 2E {2CD@? $665 u2C>[ DE2CE65 3J {2:C5 2?5 z2E9J {2CD@?] uC@> `hgc E@ a_a`[ {2:C5 {2CD@? C2:D65 AF3=:4 G2C:6EJ H962E 2?5 D@J362? D665 7@C $@FE9 s2<@E2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ] w6 D@=5 D665 4@C?[ E@@]k^Am

People are also reading…

‘Tough to compete with feedlot for cost of gain’
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Finding her niche on family farm: Newman Grove farm wife builds pork business
Morrell, Stockyards made a mark on Sioux Falls history
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Mitchell Tech students present research at Commodity Classic
‘Micro-dairy’ adds diversity to family business
Faith and trust: Small rural church members have faith in future of their congregation
Family closes generation gap
Evenson Angus 46th Annual Production Sale
Rebounding from stray voltage, farmer recharges
Scherbenske Angus Ranch 50th Annual Production Sale
Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus
Wildfires: Yearning to help, prompted to plan

kAmvC2:? 72C>:?8 H2D ?6H E@ qC:88D H96? 96 42>6 E@ H@C< 7@C E96 {2CD@?D 27E6C 9:89 D49@@=] w6 8C6H FA :? (6DE #:G6C :? ?@CE962DE6C? w22<2? r@F?EJ[ H96C6 9:D 72>:=J 92D C2:D65 42EE=6 D:?46 E96 `gh_D]k^Am

Crop Watcher Briggs - worked.jpg — Casey Briggs stands by a sprayer at Larson Seed Farm with his dog, Libby. From a base in Clark, S.D., Briggs will serve as Tri-State Neighbor Crop Watcher this season.
Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo

kAmw6 >6E E96 {2CD@?D H96? {2:C5 9F?E65 EFC<6J 2E E96:C C2?49] u@C E96 =2DE `_ J62CD[ qC:88D 92D 366? A2CE @H?6C @7 {2CD@? $665 u2C> 2?5 :D ?@H E96 >2;@C 564:D:@? >2<6C :? 52J\E@\52J @A6C2E:@?D] {2:C5 :D >@DE=J C6E:C65[ 2?5 qC:88D H@C<D H:E9 2?@E96C 7F==\E:>6 6>A=@J66 2?5 2? :?E6C? 7C@> {2<6 pC62 %649?:42= r@==686 E@ 92?5=6 E96 H@C<]k^Am

kAm{2DE D62D@? 3C@F89E 8@@5 4@C? J:6=5D 2?5 2 8@@5 H:?E6C H962E 4C@A] $AC:?8 H962E H2D “5:D>2=[” qC:88D D2:5[ 2?5 D@J362?D H6C6 2 =:EE=6 =:89E] |F49 @7 E96:C 4C@A :D ECF4<65 E@ w2>=:? r@F?EJ r@@A6C2E:G6 @C p8(CI r@@A6C2E:G6 :? v2C56? r:EJ[ $@FE9 s2<@E2] $AC:?8 H962E H6?E E@ pC56?E |:==D :? w2DE:?8D[ |:??6D@E2[ 2?5 DF?7=@H6CD E@ $F?3:C5 :? wFC@?[ $@FE9 s2<@E2]k^Am

kAmqC:88D H@C<D H:E9 2 >2C<6E:?8 7:C> @FE @7 {:?4@=?[ }63C2D<2[ E@ D9@A 2C@F?5 7@C E96 36DE 8C2:? AC:46] tG6?EF2==J 96 H@F=5 =:<6 E@ 3F:=5 >@C6 @?\72C> DE@C286 E@ 2==@H >@C6 7=6I:3:=:EJ :? >2C<6E:?8]k^Am

kAm%96 =2DE 8C@H:?8 D62D@? 925 2 H6E DE2CE 7C@> |2J :?E@ yF=J] xE 3682? 5CJ:?8 @FE :? pF8FDE[ 2==@H:?8 7@C 2 BF:4< 92CG6DE]k^Am

kAm!=2?E:?8 D62D@? a_ad A=2J65 @FE 29625 @7 D4965F=6[ E@@] $AC:?8 H962E H2D A=2?E65 :? 62C=J |2C49] $@J362? A=2?E:?8 DE2CE65 pAC:= `d[ 2?5 4@C? pAC:= `h 2?5 HC2AA65 FA |2J `_[ 2 C64@C5 2E {2CD@? $665 u2C>]k^Am

kAmw@E 2?5 H:?5J 4@?5:E:@?D 62C=J :? E96 D62D@? 42FD65 D@>6 @7 E96 D@J362?D E@ 4CFDE :?] %96? 27E6C 2 H2C> DE2CE E@ |2J[ 7C66K:?8 E6>A6C2EFC6D 4C6AE :? 2C@F?5 |2J `h[ 4@FA=65 3J d_ >A9 H:?5D] $@>6 4@C? 2?5 DF?7=@H6CD H6C6 7C@K6?[ qC:88D D2:5]k^Am

kAm(:E9 4@@=6C E6>A6C2EFC6D 42>6 23@FE 2? :?49 @7 C2:? 6249 52J @G6C 7:G6 52JD] %96 H6E H62E96C 5:DCFAE65 DAC2J:?8 H@C<[ 2?5 E96 4C@AD 4@F=5 FD6 D@>6 DF?D9:?6[ qC:88D D2:5]k^Am

kAmu2C>:?8 :? r=2C< 2?5 w2>=:? 4@F?E:6D[ :? E96 AC2:C:6 A@E9@=6 C68:@? 2?5 AC2:C:6 4@E62F[ 7:6=5D 2C6 ?6G6C E@@ 5CJ]k^Am

kAm“(6 2=H2JD D2J[ ‘E@@ H6E[ E@@ 4@=5[ E@@ =@?8[’” qC:88D D2:5]k^Am

kAm|2?J 72C>6CD’ 2?DH6C E@ E92E :D 962GJ E:==286 E@ H2C> FA 2?5 5CJ E96 D@:=[ qC:88D D2:5[ 3FE 96 FD6D ?@ E:== 2?5 DEC:A E:== >2?286>6?E :? 2? 677@CE E@ <66A E96 D@:= DECF4EFC6 2?5 :?4C62D6 H2E6C 7:=EC2E:@?]k^Am

kAmt2C=:6C E9:D J62C[ qC:88D ;@:?65 :? @? 2?@E96C G6?EFC6[ 7@C>:?8 2? {{r 42==65 p8=2?5 %649?@=@8:6D 2?5 D6==:?8 2? 2FE@DE66C DJDE6> E92E 42? H@C< H:E9 @=56C EC24E@CD] q6EH66? 72C>:?8[ E96 3FD:?6DD 2?5 9:D G:56@ 9@33J[ qC:88D :D 7@==@H:?8 9:D >6?E@C’D 25G:46]k^Am

kAm“{2:C5 D2:5 :E’D 2=H2JD 8@@5 E@ 92G6 2E =62DE E9C66 2F86CD CF??:?8 2E @?46 D@ J@F 92G6 D@>6E9:?8 E@ 4@>6 324< E@[” qC:88D D2:5] “x =:<6 E@ 92G6 2 =@E @7 AC@;64ED]”k^Am

Raised in small town South Dakota, Janelle is enjoying her time as editor of Tri-State Neighbor and Midwest Messenger while raising kids, chickens and no till vegetables in central Sioux Falls. Reach her at janelle.atyeo@lee.net.