Farming

In the Arkansas delta, where cotton was king, cropping systems were dictated by what was good for cotton. When Matt Miles started producing corn in 2006, he planted single row corn on 38 inch spacing on raised beds with furrow irrigation between the beds. Then he experimented with twin rows atop each raised bed and the results have never varied — twin rows trump single rows by at least ten bushels per acre. Matt and Layne Miles explain the practices they employ to maximize twin row production.

Lee Lubbers and his brother Terry surveyed their wheat in 1998 and determined they needed stronger plants to prevent lodging. Their search for a solution took them to the specialty crop arena where they discovered plant growth regulators. At the time, PGR’s weren’t commonly used in broad acre Ag outside of cotton. Even today, applying plant hormones to crops isn’t a widespread practice. Lee and Stoller’s Dale Hanke discuss Lee’s quarter century journey with applied plant hormones. Lee shares what he’s learned, and how he’s making bigger yields via PGR’s, even after a hailstorm nearly annihilated his soybeans!

Temple Rhodes discusses the steps he has taken to overcome yield drag in consecutive bean planting seasons. Stay tuned for a podcast episode on this topic this winter. Become a member to get details on the program he used.

Kelly reveals the results from his AgroLiquid soybean trial. Despite a difficult year with drought and other issues, he saw improvements in soybean yield. Both Sure-K and Kapitalize, initially used in corn, were tested in in this soybean lab. The application was done at the R1 stage along with a fungicide, using an airplane.

Grain carts have evolved over the years, mostly in that they’ve become enormous. Aside from size, what else is happening with the ubiquitous implements running beside combines at harvest? Right hand discharge and dual augers are two new technologies already available. The future promises autonomous grain catchers, in-field grain reservoirs, and more. Damian talks to Demco’s Troy Woelber and Benji Vande Griend.

In this episode of Cutting The Curve, Kevin shares his experience of switching to lime sourced from coastal areas or even from out of state. Understand why simply correcting soil pH isn't enough. Learn about the crucial calcium to magnesium ratio and its effect on soil composition. Matthews Farms observed immediate improvements in their fields after this change. How can the right lime can lead to balanced soils, enhanced porosity, increased organic matter, and more efficient fertilizer use. Remember, your closest lime source is not always your best lime source.

He appreciates the performance, but he's particularly impressed with the quality of the grain sample.

Kevin talks about how a big root system in his soybean crop starts with 2 products in-furrow.

While combining his Concept AgriTek double crop beans trial, he decides to "spill the beans" on something he didn't mention planting time.