Conservation Stories

In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims sits down with Dr. Kathryn Simpson, Associate Professor of Urban Horticulture and Sustainability at Texas Tech, to talk about an unexpected West Texas opportunity: guayule (pronounced “why-YOO-lee”)—a desert shrub that produces natural rubber and latex.

Dr. Simpson explains why guayule matters right now, from global supply-chain disruptions to the growing need for hypoallergenic latex that doesn’t carry the proteins that cause many allergic reactions. She breaks down how guayule is grown, where the rubber lives in the plant, and what it takes to move a crop from research plots to a real-world supply loop—seed, cultivation, processing, and end-use products.

The conversation also explores “rubber dandelion,” how Texas Tech fits into a multi-university research effort, and why West Texas may be a perfect testing ground for the next generation of water-smart, high-value crops.

More about our guests: 

Dr. Kathryn Simpson, Associate Professor of Urban Horticulture and Sustainability at Texas Tech

Email Catherine

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For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com

Support the Conservation Stories Podcast

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Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

Upcoming Episodes Include: 
• Randy Jordan and Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz

In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims talks with Kerry Siders, Extension Program Specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife, about the critical role applied research plays in West Texas agriculture. Drawing on decades of experience at the Barker Research Farm, Kerry shares how extension bridges the gap between university science and on-the-ground decision-making for producers.

The conversation covers cotton production, integrated pest management, emerging threats like the cotton jassid, and how research and education help farmers adapt to changing conditions while balancing innovation and conservation. This episode offers a concise look at how practical research supports resilient farms and rural communities across the South Plains.

Resource: About the Cotton Jassid

More about our guests: 

Kerry Siders, Extension Program Specialist, IPM
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Email Kerry

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.

Upcoming Episodes Include: 
• Randy Jordan and Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz

In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims sits down with Brandon Lipps to unpack the realities of hunger, food insecurity, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through the lens of Brandon’s extensive experience in agricultural policy and public service. Drawing from his work on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, leadership at USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, and ongoing involvement with Midwest Food Bank, Brandon offers a balanced, firsthand perspective on how SNAP works, who it serves, and why it remains both essential and deeply complex. The conversation explores misconceptions around fraud, the challenges faced by families living on the economic edge, the role of food banks during crises like government shutdowns, and the difficult policy tradeoffs surrounding benefit levels, work requirements, and long-term solutions. Grounded in both data and compassion, the episode emphasizes the human impact behind policy decisions and the importance of thoughtful, solutions-driven leadership when addressing hunger in America.

More about our guests: 

Brandon Lipps, Co-Founder & Principal, Caprock Strategies

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.

Upcoming Episodes Include: 
• Kerry Siders
• Randy Jordan and Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz

In this episode of Conservation Stories, Tillery sits down with Dr. Jason Headrick, a Kentucky-born farm kid turned leadership professor in Texas Tech’s Department of Agricultural Education & Communications. From growing up on a tobacco and timber farm to researching civic leadership in rural communities, Jason shares how his roots shaped his passion for people, place, and the “social side” of agriculture.

Together, they dig into the importance of bridging the gap between consumers and producers, tackling misinformation about agriculture and food systems, and teaching students how to think critically about the news they consume. Jason also introduces his “We Love West Texas” project—an ambitious study across 41 counties looking at rural strengths, challenges, mental health, access to healthcare, and the surprising tension around cost of living. The conversation turns to who holds power in rural communities, how to make room for new and underrepresented voices at the table, and practical ways people of all ages can get involved—through surveys, local committees, festivals, and simply showing up.

If you care about the future of rural communities, leadership, or what it really means to belong and participate where you live, this episode is for you.

More about our guests: 

Dr. Jason Headrick, Assistant Professor of Leadership & Community Development, Texas Tech University, Department of Agricultural Education & Communications

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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.

Upcoming Episodes Include: 
• Todd Baughman and Peter Dot
• Brandon Lipps, Co-Founder & Principal, Caprock Strategies

In this episode of Conservation Stories, Tillery Timmins-Sims sits down with Chase Head, Chief Development Officer of the South Plains Food Bank, to unpack what hunger really looks like across their 19-county service area. Chase shares his journey from cotton R&D and agribusiness into professional fundraising, and explains how the food bank leverages the national Feeding America network and its own buying power so that every donated dollar can provide roughly three meals.

They dig into the realities behind SNAP and TFAP, who actually needs help (often working families), and how recent USDA cuts and the government shutdown have created a “perfect storm” of higher demand and less federal support. Chase also highlights the Food Bank’s youth leadership program (formerly GRUB) and five-acre garden, where local teens gain agricultural, kitchen, and workplace skills while growing fresh produce that now goes directly to client families. Throughout, Tillery and Chase return to a central theme: community generosity—through financial support, partnership, and smarter systems—is essential to keeping neighbors fed and helping the next generation break cycles of poverty.

More about our guests: 

Chase Head, Chief Development Officer, South Plains Food Bank

Email

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook

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.

Upcoming Episodes Include: 
• Todd Baughman and Peter Dot
• Brandon Lipps, Co-Founder & Principal, Caprock Strategies