Field Notes reporting from the field, well, the bar. We sit down with Mark Keller of Kellercrest Holsteins of Mt. Horeb and Chelsea Zegler, Outreach Specialist with Extension’s Ag Water Quality Program, at the Mt. Vernon Tap to talk phosphorus and how farmers can work to draw down excessive levels and save money in the […]
Drawing Down Soil Test Phosphorus
Media Type: Podcast
Good Bugs and Planting Naked Seed
Treated seed is the default for planted soybean (60-80%) and especially corn (close to 100%) acres across the US. While there are certainly advantages to some seed treatments, especially fungicidal treatments for early planted soybeans, others like insecticidal seed treatments can have a negative effect on the beneficial insects–aka good bugs–that prey on major pests […]
Grazing Cover Crops Interseeded into 60″ Row Corn
Whereas most grain farmers with a livestock grow crops to feed their cattle, Jeff Gaska a farmer between Beaver Dam and Columbus in Dodge County is trying to grow his cattle to feed his crops. One of the ways he is moving towards this goal is by grazing cover crops interseeded into 60″ row corn. […]
A Farmer’s Take on the Dollars and Sense of Conservation Agriculture
Much time has been spent on the environmental benefits of conservation agriculture. But, do practices like reduced tillage and cover crops pencil out for farmers, and how do we figure that out? In the second episode on the economics of conservation, we talk with Jake Kaderly, who works as a crop consultant under the name […]
Building Better Waterways: Installing Woodchip Bioreactors
Woodchip bioreactors are a useful tool in reducing nutrient loss, particularly nitrate, from tile-drained fields before the water is discharged. In this episode of the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Podcast, farmer Brian Corkill and contractor David Johnston join Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership’s Helen VanBeck to discuss the recent installation of a bioreactor on Corkill’s farm, the process behind it, […]
Theory vs Practice in Soil Health with Frank Rademacher
Eisenhower famously said “Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field.” That resonates with a lot of farmers who know the theory of farming doesn’t always directly translate to the practice. Farmer and agronomist Frank Rademacher joins us to talk about what’s working on […]
Diversity in Crops and Business Models with Jay Baxter
Delaware farmer Jay Baxter grows soybeans, corn, sweet corn, and lima beans on Baxter Farms. Jay is the fourth generation to do so along with his sister, who farms with him as well as some other family stakeholders that include his 93 year old grandmother, who is still engaged with the farm. In addition to […]
Seven Generations of Stewardship with Susan Watkins
When it comes to sustainability, it’s hard to argue with results. For Virginia farmer Susan Watkins that means seven generations and counting of stewarding highly productive farmland. In this episode we get to talk about that rich history and the soil health building practices that she is implementing on her operation. We talk to Susan […]
Beef and Cover Crops with Ed Lammers
Fine-tuning any system that involves biology and mother nature is going to take time, especially when all of those changes have to happen while also running a business. Nebraska farmer Ed Lammers has spent over 30 years implementing new practices and business models on his farm. He joins the show to talk about cover crops, […]
Building Soil Health as a First Generation Farmer with Ryan Bivens
It’s always neat to hear of farms that have been with a family for generations, but is it still possible for a first generation farmer to get started? Ryan Bivens is proof that it is possible, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. First generation Kentucky farmer Ryan Bivens talks about his path to getting started […]