MY BROTHER, DARREN, IS OUR FAMILY'S SEED EXPERT. He can tell you the genetics and defensive traits on almost anything out there, and he knows how all of our corn and soybean lines compare to everyone else’s. I appreciate all that he brings to the table [...]
In early October, I bought everything we need for our farm for the upcoming season in terms of seed and crop protection products. I believe either fertilizer prices will go down or crop prices will go up, so we haven’t bought a lot of fertilizer [...]
As harvest progresses across the Upper Midwest, many decisions for 2025 are being finalized based on observations made from the combine cab, from hybrid quality, herbicide performance, fertility adjustments, and more. But when do you make decisions about Naturals products? [...]
THERE ARE REASONS WHY SEED COMPANIES TELL YOU NOT TO PLANT CORN EARLY... However, by the time the word reaches you at the farm gate, those reasons are rarely articulated clearly. Here’s what’s causing seed companies to ask you to wait to plant. [...]
LETTING A FEW WEEDS GO TO SEED THIS YEAR LIKELY MEANS FIVE YEARS OF FIGHTING WEEDY FIELDS COMING UP. With all the flooding, prevent plant, delayed or skipped applications due to wet weather, and weed resistance issues, many of us are likely facing a weedy [...]
Here are 4 things I encourage you to consider if you are trying to either save money on fertilizer, better invest your fertilizer dollars, or both. Wait for fertilizer prices to come down. In the last 15 years, [...]
The most widely-planted soybean trait packages in 2025 will once again be ENLIST, XTEND, AND XTENDFLEX. However, with the pending new labels for dicamba products, there is uncertainty heading into the upcoming season. Let’s dig into these traits and the best weed control programs for each [...]
ROUNDUP AND ALL GLYPHOSATES ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE,AS IS DICAMBA AND JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO USE FOR A FALL BURNDOWN, WITH ONE EXCEPTION – 2,4-D. BELOW ARE SOME OF THE COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BURNDOWN AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, ALONG [...]
WHEN MOST FOLKS REACH THE AGE OF 60, they start looking forward to a quiet, stress-free retirement. Not so for Dwayne Ostrem. For him, 60 sounded like a good age to start farming. Dwayne grew up on his family’s farm north of Lanesboro, [...]
When I get overwhelmed with too much work that needs to be done all at the same time, my wife will often ask me this question: “If time could just stand still, how long would it take you to catch up on everything you need to get done?” [...]