Farming

Lee Lubbers says farmers too often— and too early — give up on their crop. We get it. It’s hot. It’s dry. Things don’t look good and the prospect of bumping out a respectable yield seem unlikely. But, as Lee has learned, you gotta continue to round the bases even during a drought year like he just experienced. Lee explains to Damian how he’s adjusting for success in 2024 with amended practices he’s already performing.

As temperatures are predicted to climb into the upper 90's and heat indexes expected in the 100's next week, Kevin is loading up the sprayer and taking it to the field with an mix of products that he hopes will protect his crop.

Kelly believes the drain tile he installed to eliminate wet spots is also helping this crop get through the extremely dry times. Here is why.

Cytokinins play a crucial role in the plant's response to various environmental stresses, including heat stress. They help plants cope with adverse conditions by regulating the expression of stress-responsive genes, protecting cellular structures, and maintaining proper water balance. In the case of corn plants, cytokinins have been found to alleviate the negative effects of heat stress, enhancing their resilience and productivity. Damian talks with Johnny Verell and Steve Williams from Stoller USA about protecting Johnny's corn crop from high heat.

Mike Evans discusses fungicide application plans and what he plans to put in the tank with the fungicide.

Mike Evans talks about what they are doing on Kelly's farm to get the crop ready for a potential drought.

Seaweed does not have an easy life. It just might be the plant that experiences the most stress on a daily basis. Under water for part of the day and then in the hot dry sun for another part of the day. Every day! What if we could harness that unique trait and apply it to your crop? Kelly talks with Steve from Agricen about their new seaweed based stress mitigation product that is being used in Kelly's drip-zone trial.

Lee Lubbers farms in a pretty tough neighborhood, weather wise. Gregory, South Dakota receives about 18 inches of annual precipitation — and on dry years Lee reports less than 10 inches of precipitation. So, how does a farmer yield a good crop and produce a profit under such conditions? Lee explains his drought resistant practices and his product selection to produce a crop when it’s dry. Lee also discusses the personal side of farming in a drought and how he goes about managing a healthy mental state in the face of stress. Be sure to listen to the very end as Mr. Lubbers saved his best advice ’til the end!

It's a hot southeast Arkansas day and Matt's corn is starting to roll up. But why exactly is it rolling up? Should Matt rush to turn on the irrigation? Is it a natural defense mechanism that means he has healthy corn? Is it possible to irrigate too soon? Matt and Robbo talking about differing points of view on the subject of rolled corn.