[00:09] The western prairie is an unforgiving land where water is scarce and wind abundant.

[00:16] Many homesteaders struggled to make a living on small farms unsuited for continual cultivation and grazing in this harsh environment. Over time, the prairie sod turned to dust.

[00:27] On a sprawling cattle ranch in central South Dakota, two generations of the Mortenson family have spent the past 50 years restoring and increasing the productivity of their land.

[00:38] Todd Mortenson, Mortenson Ranch Manager
'We went from abundance to, you know, the other end of the extreme where there wasn't much here, and now we're going back the other way again. We see changes every year.'

[00:48] From dam-building to replenish groundwater, to a vegetation-enhancing cattle management plan that mimics how buffalo graze, the Mortenson Ranch serves as a model of profitable ranching working in harmony with nature.

[01:01] Todd Mortenson, Mortenson Ranch Manager
'We're running twice as many animals as this place is rated for right now. And it's not smoke and mirrors. You know, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't economically viable to do it.'

[01:12] Jeff Mortenson, Mortenson Ranch Native Seed Operation
'And that's the fun part of it now is just to watch these plants reclaim what was once their natural habitat...'

[01:18] '...And dad always told us, he said the way to look at land is leave it in such a state to where somebody won't starve to death because you were so shortsighted in your lifetime.'