Podcasts

Kevin Matthews of Matthews Family Farms in Yadkinville, NC joins Dr. Ruhiyyih Young of BASF to discuss how to achieve great results with proper soybean fungicide treatment. Kevin’s approach to soybeans is all about maximizing daylight for maximum plant performance. Once you’ve got the timing worked out, fungicide application — and its proper timing— can set you on the path to higher yields.

In the old days if you wanted a bumper crop of corn, you sprayed copious amounts of Atrazine and put down a lot of nitrogen. While some farmers may think that’s still the game plan, Kevin Matthews attains record yielding corn with a different approach — he maximizes micronutrients with a big assist from the folks at Agroliquid. That company has multiple product corn fertility trials in place on Kevin’s North Carolina farm where he has 135 acres devoted to experimentation. Galynn Beer and Stephanie Zelinko from Agroliquid join Kevin to explain nutrient management and how to get huge bushels with efficient nutrient utilization.

Matt Miles once believed a yield monitor was a nice — although not completely necessary — gadget for the combine. Today, he won’t let the combines roll if the yield monitor isn’t working properly. Matt and next generation son, Layne Miles, explain the adaptations their farm has made since Layne joined the farm full time in 2016. Technology and data analysis allows the Miles to reduce water use, manage resources, and even keep an eye on straying employees. They explain how they go about gathering and applying data and how you can do the same on your farm to achieve better — more profitable — outcomes!

Planters have come a long way since the old days but there’s more to making your planter profitable than just paying for new paint. Dan Luepkes explains the Precision Planting system on his retrofitted planter. We start in the machinery shed overviewing the components of the equipment then move to the field. Throughout this hands-on “field trip,” Dan tells us the why and how of maximizing your seeding effort through precision planting. If you want bigger yields, watch this!

Every successful farming operation has practices that make the business. Likewise, farms are owned and operated by humans. Humans are prone to habit — both good and bad. And all businesses have experienced set backs, but those setbacks make you stronger if you’re willing to learn from them. Generation three and four of fifth generation Henderson Farms sit down for a discussion about practices, habits and failures.

In a previous episode we explained Plant Growth Regulators (PGR’s). In this episode, Peter Rousenelos and Gunther Kreps of AgXplore join Iowa farmer Kelly Garrett to further explain the mode of action and benefits of using PGR’s on your farm. The big benefit of course is yield — which equals dollars. Even if you’re already familiar with PGR’s, give this a listen as the AgXplore team discusses trials — there’s a reason the company has seen a 3.5 times increase in acres treated! Kelly’s experience with application methods and timing offer practical lessons you can use.

The marketplace is in constant motion. Weather events, foreign trade and production occurrences, crop reports, and other factors create opportunities for gains (and losses!). Seasoned farm operators understand the need to exploit higher returns when the marketplace allows an opportunity to do so. Matt Miles discusses his grain facility expansion and dryer addition. The upgrade creates grain handling efficiencies and this year it’s making him an extra dollar or so per bushel by selling into an inverted market.

In most of the corn and soybean growing regions, we envision center pivots when we think of irrigation. But in an Ag world impacted increasingly by environmental forces compelling us to till less and drastically reduce resource consumption, we may utilize more drip irrigation. Dan Luepkes explains the Netafim drip irrigation system he uses to set yield records on his Illinois farm. You’ll see command central, the distribution infrastructure, and head in field to see the results.

Plant Growth Regulators (PGR’s) have been available since 1979 according to Mark Coots, founder and CEO of Teva Corporation. That’s news to a lot of farmers who are still unfamiliar with the products 42 years after their alleged introduction. Mr. Coots and his plant biologist son, Caleb, join Kelly Garrett to explain PGR technology and the results farmers can attain when PGR’s are used in conjunction with other best farming practices.