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?” [...]
CHAOS. That’s the first word that comes to mind when I think about what you as a grower will have to face when deciding what to do for your 2025 CROP PLAN. Hopefully, I can help provide some clarity for you, at [...]
If you follow Darren and me on TV, radio, workshops, field days, or anything we write, you are probably getting tired of hearing us talk about tiling – BUT THAT'S OKAY. There is still a shocking amount of acreage in the U.S. that is not [...]
If you’re investing in a crop protection application of a fungicide, herbicide, miticide, or insecticide, you want to make sure you’re getting the best performance out of each dollar you spend. Unfortunately, the weather conditions can make a big difference in how those products work [...]
Patrick Gottsch, founder of RFD-TV and Rural Media Group, fierce advocate of rural folks, and longtime friend and supporter of Ag PhD, passed away at the age of 70 on May 19, 2024. During the first couple years of doing our television show, Ag PhD, [...]
The longest day of the year is the Summer Solstice, which occurs around June 21 each year (although I’d contend it always used to be on the last day of school before summer break). After the Summer Solstice, each day gets a few minutes less [...]
BUG PROBLEMS CAN STRIKE WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT THEM... About 35 years ago, we had “woolly bear caterpillars” invade our farm, causing us to spray most of our acres. I had never heard of that insect prior to them showing up in massive numbers in [...]
SO FAR THIS SEASON, we’ve seen farms everywhere making adjustments from their ‘NORMAL’ plan to the point where I have to wonder what even counts as ‘NORMAL’ anymore... Some were able to plant in early April, while most are just finishing up now. Crops that [...]
THERE ARE SO MANY GREAT FUNGICIDES ON THE MARKET... AND FOR ONCE, THERE ARE NO SUPPLY ISSUES! This is exciting news, but deciding which product to go with can seem overwhelming. Here are our best suggestions on how to navigate these choices. By [...]