SARA, Sandhills Area Research Association, South Plains, Texas, Conservation, Regenerative Farming, Soil Health, Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas, Sandhills Area, Farming, Ranching
SARA, Sandhills Area Research Association, South Plains, Texas, Conservation, Regenerative Farming, Soil Health, Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas, Sandhills Area, Farming, Ranching
SARA, Sandhills Area Research Association, South Plains, Texas, Conservation, Regenerative Farming, Soil Health, Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas, Sandhills Area, Farming, Ranching
RegSARA, Sandhills Area Research Association, South Plains, Texas, Conservation, Regenerative Farming, Soil Health, Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas, Sandhills Area, Farming, Ranching
SARA, Sandhills Area Research Association, South Plains, Texas, Conservation, Regenerative Farming, Soil Health, Agriculture, Lubbock, Texas, Sandhills Area, Farming, Ranching
SUPPORTING FARMERS,
FOSTERING SUCCESS,
and NURTURING OUR LAND.
Our organization is dedicated to advocating for the agricultural community through the identification of opportunities and facilitation of their growth. We possess a comprehensive understanding of farmers' needs, offering valuable assistance in regulatory compliance, resource accessibility, and market exploration. Our efforts aim to support farmers within the evolving agricultural landscape, contributing to the prosperity of rural communities. Through strategic collaborations with corporations, we establish mutually beneficial partnerships that align with sustainability objectives. Our work is guided by goals that encompass the promotion of soil health, conservation of water resources, advocacy for sound conservation practices, and fortification of local and regional food supply chains. We strive to educate both our rural and urban neighbors because food security is the foundation of human flourishing. Together, let’s expand a regenerative and resilient agriculture ensuring a healthy planet that provides for the generations to come.
Our mission is to develop programs and partnerships that align with our core goals:
Providing education and guidance to farmers interested in emerging "carbon-smart" farming markets.
Provide education to our urban neighbors on the factors that impact farming methods and economics that create food security
Collaborating with government agencies and conservation NGOs to advocate for farmers, ensuring they possess a comprehensive understanding of available programs and their associated benefits.
Investigating and promoting conservation practices that are grounded in the unique characteristics of regional ecosystems.
Advocating for water conservation and the restoration of playa lakes.
Collaborating to expand opportunities in rural areas through lending programs.
Meeting the goals of our partners by building strategic partnerships to advance sustainability objectives and drive positive change within our communities.
Serving Western Texas and Eastern New Mexico
NASA DEVELOP PROJECT
SARA is partnering with NASA DEVELOP, NASA Acres, and Colorado State University's Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory to explore the applications of satellite remote sensing data to support farming decisions. Specifically, a team of NASA DEVELOP interns will be attempting to map cover cropping since 2018 in several counties around Lubbock, Texas. Information about farming practices from farmers is critical to completing this mapping work. This form is designed to share details about this project and for SARA to collect these data from farmers.
The DEVELOP Program is a NASA Earth Science program that uses NASA satellite data to address land management issues. A team of four NASA interns will conduct a ten-week feasibility project investigating cover cropping mapping methods in this region to empower future assessments of cropping practices, address questions about cover cropping, and inform crop management practices. The results of this project will be shared at a virtual public presentation taking place the week of 11/17/2025 (exact date and time will be shared later). The team of four interns will engage with partners such as SARA, Bamert Seeds, Understanding Ag, and Texas A&M AgriLife and will be advised by scientists at Colorado State University, USGS, and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
The team will be adapting a cover crop mapping approach developed for other regions to the counties around Lubbock. The method uses freely and publicly-available satellite data from throughout the year to map the likelihood that an area was under cover crops. Data from farmers of their farming practices will be used to determine the accuracy of this method and to refine the approach to perform better in this area. To do this, SARA is collecting data from a wide variety of fields across the region — different crop types, data from wet and dry years ranging from 2018-2025, and fields with and without cover crops. This variety and coverage across the landscape help to build better maps that reflect what’s truly happening on the ground.
Playa Lakes Restoration
Tomorrow’s Water is Your Legacy
SARA is thrilled to partner with TxPCI to restore our playas. Serving as a pathway into the program, we are helping to identify landowners with an interest in this important project.
Why Restore Playa Lakes?
Playa lakes, those shallow, ephemeral wetlands that grace the Texas landscape, hold profound ecological significance. More than just scenic features, they serve as vital habitats for a diverse array of wildlife, including migratory birds, amphibians, and insects. Furthermore, playa lakes are essential for water filtration, groundwater recharge, and flood mitigation, making them indispensable for maintaining water quality and quantity in our region.
Dive deep into the world of sustainable agriculture with our podcast: Conservation Stories
Whatever your project, we are here to help.
Sandhills Area Research Association is proud to be an Official Conservation Partner of these organizations.
Meet our Team
Lacy Cotter-Vardeman, Founder (Right)
Tillery Timmons-Sims, Project Manager (Left)
The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA), formerly known as the Sandhills Area Recreation Association, was established in 2008 by Lacy Cotter-Vardeman, after she recognized the need for a conservation non-profit organization to support farmers on the High Plains.
While actively engaged in farming alongside her husband, Dean, she managed to grow a 20,000-acre ranch and raise three children. During those years, Lacy utilized SARA as a means to acquire grants from prominent organizations like the World Wildlife Fund and the Audubon Society. These grants were used to purchase specialized equipment, enabling farmers to participate in federal conservation programs. Simply through word of mouth, SARA has contributed to the conservation and preservation of approximately 15,000 acres of land to date.
Since 2017, Lacy has expanded her research efforts to explore innovative farming techniques that have enhanced soil health and boosted crop yields on her farm. This valuable research, conducted in collaboration with ARS (Agricultural Research Service), is accessible to farmers through SARA.
With the global focus shifting towards agriculture for climate change solutions, it is essential to eliminate unnecessary intermediaries and establish direct connections between farmers and new markets. This approach allows for greater efficiency and opportunities by opening up markets at the farm gate. By embracing this approach, we can harness the potential of agriculture to address the challenges posed by climate change.
SARA now stands ready to support and advocate for farmers by identifying opportunities and undertaking the necessary groundwork to capitalize on them. We understand the needs and interests of farmers and actively works to promote collaboration with trusted partners. Whether exploring new market opportunities, accessing resources, or navigating regulatory processes, SARA aims to empower farmers and help them seize available opportunities for the benefit of our farms, our communities, and our planet.