As you load seed into your planting equipment, the thought has to go through your mind, “Is this the best variety for my soil and for this growing season?” I get a chance to make that decision for each of my fields, and there is always a debate between several good choices. The other fun thing for me is I get to pick varieties for our seed brand to carry across a huge geographic footprint.

WHAT’S YOUR GOAL?

If your goal is to pick the highest-yielding variety each and every time, prepare for disappointment. It’s an impossible task.

You can quickly prove that to yourself by choosing three hybrids and planting blocks of all three of them in several fields. At planting time, predict what the highest-yielding variety will be in each field and which one will finish last. Good luck! Rather than striving for the perfect one-time yield, shoot for minimizing risk while catching as much upside as you can.

Hefty Brand Seed is one of the fastest-growing brands in the country in large part because of how we’re doing things differently. It all starts with picking the right varieties and hybrids.

Here’s what we look for and what we’d recommend for your individual farm, as well.

DIVERSITY

Spread your risk with a wider maturity range, several planting populations, and diverse genetics. The old saying, “don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” is definitely true in farming. Following this strategy helps you play the odds for every kind of growing season that could come your way.

Building a seed brand is similar. We add the top-end yielders, but we also bolster the lineup with dependable stress-tolerant products, so you can plant a mix that’s tough to beat. We also have relationships with the best breeders, so you can choose a diverse mix of genetics all within one company’s book.

AVOID FORBIDDEN FRUIT

Sometimes I see a variety that’s way better than everything else. There’s almost always a catch. If it’s a flaw that could be a disaster, such as a non-existent root system or a high risk of greensnap, I call it “forbidden fruit.” These are varieties we just won’t take.

For your farm, don’t get greedy and plant the whole farm to a “one-year wonder” with tons of risk. It’s just not worth it.

DEFENSIVE GEMS

Everyone has a few acres (or even more) that are frankly tough to grow a decent crop in. We pride ourselves on having some defensive gems in the lineup at every maturity. They are not going to win the yield contest in a perfect environment, but across a whole field that has some problem areas, these defensive winners really shine and make you look great with your neighbors and your accountant.

Our strategy is not to just look at yield and certainly not to look at multi-trial summaries. It’s looking at the details of individual trials that stands out to us. We walk as many (or more) plots as anyone in the industry. One goal is to learn where the tough spots are so we can make critical evaluations where they matter most. It’s the sandy spots, the poorly drained areas, the gumbo ground, and the tough hillsides that we want to know more about because knowing what can still be successful in those areas of our growers’ fields is our job.

PLANT STRUCTURE

Finally, the agronomic characteristics may not always lead to more yield, but they can set you up with the best chance to win. I equate this to basketball. If you need a rebound, the seven-foot-tall player in the middle has a great chance to get it. The lightning-quick guard may not get every steal, but if you need it, she gives you the best shot. Whether it’s standability in soybeans or stalk and root strength in corn, choosing a majority of your varieties with desirable agronomics pays in the long term.

For your farm, ask a few more questions when picking varieties and include plant characteristics in your discovery process. If two hybrids are rated evenly in terms of yield but one has better agronomics, take the safe play and lower your overall risk.