XtremeAg: Cutting The Curve Podcast

Can A Biological Made From Living Fungi Produce Better Crops?

Lee’s been using Heat Shield every crop year since 2016 with good results. The best part: with three options of application — seed treatment, in-furrow, or foliar — Lee likes the versatility as well as the results. What are the results, you ask? Trials show a 6 to 16 bushel corn yield bump at a cost of about 8$ per acre. Lee is joined by Hefty Naturals' Lead Agronomist Rob Fritz and Brand Manager Matt Thompson to explain the benefits of heat stress mitigation via biologicals. They also discuss handling differences between a living biological product and conventional crop chemistry.
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems

Why Did My Corn Mature Too Early?

Crop production presents a lot of challenges and dozens of variables. When a crop fails, or underperforms, you have to put on your detective hat to go about finding out what happened. Was it soil condition, fertility, water, the wrong input, seed germination issues? What if, as it turns out, it’s none of those things? Iowa farmer Kelly Garrett joins Tommy Roach, VP of technical services for NACHURS to discuss their detective strategy when investigating a crop problem and what they found — sometimes Mother Nature has the final say!
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems

ROI Driving Crop Rotation Decisions

There’s a lot to consider heading into any new crop year but especially as we prepare for 2022 with record run-ups in input prices, lack of input inventory, Covid marketplace impacts, and uncertainty. One consideration always in play is whether or not to alter the crop rotation. XtremeAg farmer, Chad Henderson explains why he’s staying the course in 2022 with his usual crop acreage splits. That is, unless the weather throws him a curve ball this spring. Chad explains the reasons and experiences that guided his decision against making radical changes to his cropping plan. Principal among them: "Crop rotation makes bushels and bushels make us money.”
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems.

4 things Lee Lubbers Learned in 2021

Lee Lubbers brought his notes on the lessons gleaned from last year that he thinks all of us can apply for a more prosperous 2022.
Lee shares:
- Experiences working with NRCS for an 1,100 acre drainage project.
- The importance of soil fertility during a drought.
- The value of advanced planning.
- Why money management is crucial to longevity.
- How interaction with your family’s next generation can be instructive as well as satisfying.
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems

Integrating Crop Insurance, Government Programs, And Crop Marketing To Achieve Profitability

Farmers tend to focus on production, which is important but production alone won’t guarantee profitability. That’s why business-minded operators devote energy to the other sources of farm revenue — crop insurance and government programs — and integrate them with crop marketing to achieve farm profitability. Bryce Guse and Jared Clark with Silveus Financial explain.
Presented by Silveus Financial
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Nutrient Management With Drip Irrigation

Fertilizer and diesel prices are up considerably. Meanwhile farms are under increasing environmental pressure. These forces combine to create a real opportunity for manure utilization via drip irrigation. Drip irrigation, as we’ve discussed in previous episodes, is a more efficient means of delivering moisture to your crop. But drip is also a very effective means of nutrient management which saves time, machinery hours, and diesel all while eliminating the soil compaction common with manure application. Then there is the environmental concern and complaints associated with manure that are eliminated by using in-ground drip application.  Kurt Grimm with NutraDrip joins XtremeAg’s Kelly Garrett to explain.  
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems

What 2021 Taught Chad & Applying It To 2022

Winter is a good time to reflect back on what the prior farming season taught us and how we can apply those lessons for success in the new year. Alabama farm operator and XtremeAg co-founder Chad Henderson discusses some of his 2021 investments and ventures.  He also covers the business and personal lessons he’s applying for a more prosperous 2022.  From installing drainage (for the first time!), to practicing patience as a manager, Chad has plenty of lessons to share from the year that was.
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems

Perfecting Practices Learned In 2021

Kevin Matthews is always looking for a way to improve upon how he does what he does on his North Carolina farming operation.  In 2021 he implemented changes in how he plants, how he sprays, and how he harvests. Looking ahead to crop year 2022, he discusses how he’ll perfect his newly implemented changes. Remember, if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten. And that simply won’t do for an XtremeAg producer!

Tax Management Versus Tax Avoidance

It’s the end of the year and the farm belt has made money. That means farmers will be at the implement dealer's counter, checkbook in hand, ready to get money off their books, right? Well, maybe, but not for Lee Lubbers. Mr. Lubbers shares tax strategy and how Lubbers Farms goes about making machinery and tax decisions on their operation. They don’t make any rash purchase decisions at new year’s time or solely based on the prior year’s profitability. The biggest tax management decision the Lubbers employ: they invite their lender into the tax planning meeting with their CPA! Lots of good info you can apply to your farm business — whether it’s year end or not!
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems.

Fertility Alternatives in the Face of Availability Issues and Cost Constraints

Fertilizer prices are up dramatically heading into 2022. You’re likely already familiar with that fact. But are you familiar with the range of alternatives you can employ to decrease your fertilizer input costs while still maintaining fertility levels in your soil? Kevin Matthews discusses alternatives from chicken litter to biologicals to less popular fertilizer products that’ll give you the nutrients you need without breaking the bank. The best part: you’ll still get a big crop and a profitable return!
Presented by Advanced Drainage Systems