In this episode of Dirt and Bull, Chris sits down with Tillery Sims, a fifth-generation Texas farmer whose story stretches across West Texas, the Permian Basin, and a lifetime of adapting to the realities of modern agriculture. From her family’s roots in Terry County to the unexpected pivot into the energy sector, Tillery opens up about the challenges that pushed her family off the farm, the bankruptcy that reshaped their future, and the skills they carried with them into new careers, new industries, and new influence. Her story reflects the grit and reinvention that defines rural families navigating change on the High Plains.

Tillery shares how she transitioned from farm life to becoming deeply involved in land work, title research, and eventually the conservation and policy conversations shaping the future of West Texas. What started as a project helping a producer explore hemp turned into a deep dive into agronomics, economics, and the realities of emerging crops. Along the way she met mentors who recognized her talent, encouraged her leadership, and pushed her into roles she never imagined for herself. Her journey highlights how agriculture builds skills that matter far beyond the field — attention to detail, resilience, skepticism, and a determination to figure things out.

The conversation covers Tillery’s growing role in conservation and her work with the Sandhills Area Research Association, a re-launched nonprofit focused on practical, community-level conservation efforts. From seed drills to federal programs to the political barriers that keep funding from reaching the ground, Tillery explains how local leadership, nimble thinking, and grassroots collaboration make or break conservation in the Southern High Plains. She also offers a clear-eyed look at the issues shaping the region today — water scarcity, produced water, alternative energy, rural economic transitions, and the policies that often miss the mark when they bypass the people closest to the land.

Tillery closes with the principles that guide her work today, question everything, understand your numbers, balance detail with the big picture, and never stay still when people depend on you. Her family may no longer be farming full time, but they remain deeply connected to agriculture through tenants, conservation, energy, and advocacy. This episode is an honest, layered look at heritage, hardship, reinvention, and what it takes to steward land and community in a region built on grit.