growing soil & cultivating a new Generation of Land Stewards
Soil Sisters' intention is to help Texas farms and ranches thrive rather than sell or merely survive in the following ways:
1
Collaborate with local, state, and federal players to organize free educational opportunities for youth and communities around soil health, strengthening local food systems, and industrial hemp production.
2
Use the Soil Sisters podcast platform to showcase family farms, ranches, and independent producers integrating regenerative practices as a means of both healing the land and providing additional financial verticals to the “traditional” farming/ranching operation.
3
Encourage the diversification of farming operations with industrial hemp and helping to secure consistent, reliable buyer/partners for their feedstock.
4
Advocate for the legalization of industrial hemp as a nutrient-dense feed source for cattle and other animals used as a protein source for humans.
TX SOIL SISTERS Foundation
Mission:
TX Soil Sisters Foundation intends to educate, inform, support, and uplift all life above the soil by inspiring students and communities to understand the vital importance of the life within the soil.
VIsion:
TX Soil Sisters Foundation envisions a world that supports all life—one in which small family farms, ranches, and independent producers sustain themselves and feed and support their communities through healthy, diversified local and regional food systems.
Board of Directors & Advisors
Johanna Nuding
Johanna is a fifth-generation land steward, a seasoned solution facilitator, and strategic communicator who helps organizations drive business growth through the power of storytelling. With more than 25 years of experience across media, marketing, and sales, she brings a unique blend of creativity and insight to every engagement.
Executive Director
Crystal Nuding
Crystal is a fifth-generation land steward who teaches sustainable living in life and in agriculture. She’s been an organic gardener for more than twenty years and leads the TX Soil Sisters volunteer and corporate gardening operations.
Board of Directors - President
Board of Directors - TreasurerChris Fullbright, CLTC
With over 20 years in the financial services industry, Chris brings seasoned insight and a strong entrepreneurial spirit to TxSSF. He lives in Austin but daydreams about the little piece of the Hill Country he and his wife are rehabbing to raise livestock and grow their own food upon retirement.
Kristy Glomb
Kristy operates a cottage food business in Lockhart, TX, and owns the 1/4 acre where we’re building Main St. Gardens. Kristy was inspired to donate the land lease to Soil Sisters because she wants her granddaughter to witness the wonders of nature and develop a firsthand relationship through growing food and flowers.
Board of Directors - Secretary
Dr. Nelson Coulter
Dr. Nelson Coulter’s experience as a career educator in public schools of all shapes, sizes, and contexts - and as a superintendent willing to divorce the national school lunch program and encourage a learning garden on his school's campus are a few of the reasons he’s on our advisory board. Nelson currently serves as Assistant Professor of Professional Practice at Louisiana State University - Shreveport. And as interim Superintendent at Jayton High School where he taught and coached both Crystal and Johanna at Jayton High School in the early 1990’s.
He also walks the walk on his own land and grows food and raises livestock with his beautiful bride in the harsh conditions of west Texas.
Advisory Board
Advisory BoardHoward Vlieger
Howard Vlieger is a regenerative farmer and researcher who proclaims himself a student of the soil. Howard has dedicated decades of his life to research and experimentation on the effects of GMO crops and glyphosate on livestock and ecosystem health. He and his family steward Vlieger Family Farm in Maurice, IA. They raise and sell natural meat (beef, pork, lamb, poultry). Howard is also instrumental in educating lawmakers and the agricultural community on soil health and gut health through his efforts with scientists and doctors such as Dr. Michelle Perro, along with RFK, Jr. and the MAHA movement.
Troy Swift
Troy Swift is a lifelong outdoorsman. After more than 25 years at CFAN, a partnership of General Electric and Safran, Troy retired as the Manufacturing Manager. He then became a pecan farmer, now owning and operating two farms (266 acres) located in Caldwell County, Texas. The two Swift River Pecan (SRP) orchards include over 1,000 planted and or grafted pecan trees of 13 different varieties and close to 1,000 native pecan trees. SRP has been a member of Texas Pecan Growers Association since 2001 where Troy recently served a term as President. He’s also a past President and current supporter of the Texas Pecan Board. In addition, Troy serves on the Merlin Tuttle Bat Conservation board and partners with Noble Research Institute to test the potential importance of orchard bat houses for improved natural pest control.
In addition to growing and selling pecans and honey, SRP also operates a large-scale saw mill. SRP is a GoTexan member.
Advisory Board
Allen Williams
Allen William’s land stewardship career spans over twenty years. He currently serves as educational habitat, landscaping, & gardens director for Texas’ Region One Educational Service Center (ESC). He became the 1st Landscape Habitat Specialist for the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD in 2013. In 2017, Allen co-founded the Lower RGV Learning Landscapes Collaborative with Santa Ana NWR, Quinta Mazatlan, and PSJA Educational Gardens. Allen is passionate about creating gardens and educational curriculum connecting young minds to the wonders of nature. And he’s received many accolades and awards for his efforts from organizations like the National Wildlife Refuge Association and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Advisory BoardTx Soil Sisters Foundation Initiatives
Main Street Gardens
A community outdoor learning center for Lockhart, TX.
Financial donations are used to support the development of this demonstration garden— to pay for pros to guide the building of rainwater capture, a shaded learning area, garden infrastructure, to purchase seeds, starts, supplies, natural inputs, rent any necessary equipment, and organize educational events and activities.
If you’re local to Lockhart, dig in with our gardening group and help feed food-insecure families in our county.
Together we’ll Learn, Grow, Harvest and share
‘Hands in The Dirt’ Student Education
Our collective efforts will bring hands-on regenerative soil education to Texas public schools and create a generation of responsible land stewards who understand the vital importance of growing soil and local/regional food systems. The timing feels ripe to create a blueprint we can roll out across our state and eventually across the country.
And we’re starting at Lockhart ISD in collaboration with the Career and Technical Education (CTE) department within the Texas Education Agency (TEA). CTE is a division under the College, Career, and Military Preparation (CCMP) division, dedicated to ensuring students are prepared for high-skill, high-wage, and high-demand careers with a focus on aligning curriculum with regional workforce needs through Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards.
"In Lockhart, we’re fortunate to have community partners like the Soil Sisters who help us bring learning to life. Our Career and Technical Education programs are incredibly diverse, and through our conversations with the Soil Sisters, we’ve discovered exciting opportunities to collaborate across multiple pathways. From Plant Science courses exploring gardening and regenerative soil practices, to Culinary Arts classes using fresh herbs and vegetables grown in our community, to Business and Marketing students learning customer service and strategic marketing, and finally to Arts and Audio/Visual students documenting our journey with video—every program of study benefits from this partnership.
When local experts and passionate educators come together, we create authentic, hands-on opportunities that inspire students to learn, grow, and see themselves as future leaders. This is how we turn skills into futures, and futures into community impact."
-Katie Ratliff, former Lockhart ISD CTE Coordinator
Stories of Rehabilitating Texas farm & Ranch Land
We began recording the Soil Sisters podcast in April 2024. As the show grows in popularity, soil sisters and misters are asking for videos. Nothing beats show and tell!
Donations made to this initiative help fund travel and A/V expenses to visit farms and ranches across the state and showcase stories of regeneration.
These videos will be the foundation of a documentary about rehabilitating Texas farm and ranch land using regenerative practices - from examples of responsible land stewardship and intentional farm and ranch planning to growing industrial hemp, ancient grains, and nutrient-dense food for our communities.
If you're a newbie to regenerative agriculture or simply curious to grow healthy food for your family, support this initiative and join us on the journey.
Industrial Hemp Innovation
Here we’re exploring hemp as a means of ecological and economic renewal and growing the community of farmers and advocates who see the infinite potential in this versatile plant.
There are massive opportunities for manufacturers through plant-based derivatives - from the marine, automotive, construction, fashion, and flooring industries to consumer goods and even rocket fuel and chemical-free fire retardant.
We’ll get students thinking creatively and critically about this plant through an industrial hemp innovation contest with winners receiving financial scholarships to be applied to their trade school or higher education fees.
If you’re bullish on hemp, you can earmark your financial donation to go directly to this scholarship fund.
Get in touch.
Let’s work smart and collaborate with our youth since they’re the next generation of land stewards.
Complete this form to inquire about supporting our programs and collaborating on experiential ag education for your school and community.
You can also submit your resumé here for internship and job opportunities at TxSSF and within our regenerative agricultural network.
Snail Mail: PO Box 988, Lockhart, TX 78644
Together, we are creating the foundation for responsible (and profitable) agriculture in the Lone Star State.
“Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man.”
— George Washington
