Episode 56: Conservation Starts at the Kitchen Table: Generational Wisdom & Rural Renewal with the Lyons Family
In this heartfelt episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims visits with multi-generational farmers and ranchers Pug, Cade, and Lane Lyons in Brownfield, Texas, to discuss land stewardship, legacy, and the realities of rural life. With candor and care, the Lyons family shares their experiences navigating decades of change in West Texas agriculture—from soil health to succession planning. Together, they reflect on the resilience it takes to operate through drought, low commodity prices, and evolving consumer expectations. The conversation touches on everything from intergenerational learning and the emotional weight of ownership, to how young people are finding new purpose in continuing family traditions while adapting to modern conservation challenges. Tillery also opens up about her personal connection to the land and the importance of storytelling in bridging the past and the future. This episode is a moving reminder that conservation isn’t just about practices—it’s about people, place, and the power of listening across generations.
More about our guests:
Pug Lyons -Area 1 Board Member for the Soil and Water Conservation District
Along with his sons: Lane and Cade Lyons.
Regenerative Texas Facebook Page
Texas Soil and Water Conservation
For more information about SARA, please visit sara-conservation.com
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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:
• Bridget Scanlon Research Professor University of Texas at Austin
• Todd Baughman Center Director Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Extension Center
• Jane Dever, Professor and Director, Clemson University Pee Dee Research and Education Center
