Soil Health Stories: Hank McGowan — A UNL Alum Turning Soil into a Living System

In this installment of the Soil Health Stories series, Nebraska farmer Hank McGowan shares how integrating livestock, cover crops and biology-focused management transformed his ground, improved livestock performance, boosted soil test scores and reshaped his understanding of resilience and profitability. Hear how curiosity, community support and Nebraska Extension’s local soil health network helped him shift from struggle to stewardship — and why he now sees soil biology as the most future-ready risk management tool on his farm.