XtremeAg’s Cutting the Curve Podcast, one of the best farming podcasts in America, hosted by Damian Mason. In each episode, top American farmers share their proven strategies for boosting crop yields and improving farm ROI. Learn from farming experts who provide tips on regenerative agriculture, new farm equipment, fertilizer recommendations, agronomy and farm efficiency. Whether you want to improve your crop yield for corn or soybeans, explore sustainable farming practices, or optimize your ...
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Farming Podcast | Cotton Trials & ROI Fertility Strategies
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27:44This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast previews the June 2025 XtremeAg field day in McGehee, Arkansas, led by Matt and Layne Miles. Cotton trials are front and center this year. The event highlights ROI fertility strategies, low-nitrogen trials, and partner-led field plots designed to cut input costs and boost yields. Listeners wil…
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Farming Podcast | Dryland Farming Strategies in Texas Heat
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38:54This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast features Todd Kimbrell sharing his strategies for growing dryland corn, cotton, and wheat in the face of extreme Texas heat. Kimbrell explains how early planting, soil conservation practices, and equipment efficiency help him farm without irrigation in unpredictable climates. Listeners will ga…
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Farming Podcast | Cost-Efficient Fertility & 30-Inch Soybeans | XtremeAg
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16:42This episode of the Cutting The Curve – farming podcast features Fertilizer for Soybeans trials from Chad Henderson’s 2025 Alabama field day. In this episode of the Cutting the Curve podcast, Chad Henderson previews his May 22, 2025, XtremeAg field day in Madison, Alabama. Key agronomic demonstrations include 30-inch soybean fertility strategies, s…
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Farming Podcast | Fertilizer Compatibility & Crop Protection | XtremeAg
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32:56In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason talks with Art Graves of Vive Crop Protection about how fertilizer compatibility directly impacts crop protection efficiency and overall farm productivity. The conversation centers on nano-encapsulation technology, which enables crop protection products—such as fungicides—to blend seamlessly with s…
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Farming Podcast | Hiring an Agronomist for Farm Success | XtremeAg
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44:54This episode of the Cutting The Curve - farming podcast features a deep dive into the value of hiring an agronomist. Johnny Verell and Brian Adams explain how to build a support system of consultants, crop scouts, and agronomic advisors that improve efficiency, reduce mistakes, and deliver a better bottom line. Learn what to ask for in a scouting c…
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Farming Podcast | How a Faster Sprayer Fill System Adds Acres & ROI with Temple Rhodes
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24:15This episode of the Cutting The Curve farming podcast explores how the faster sprayer system from Dura Products is transforming farm operations by cutting costs and boosting productivity. Temple Rhodes of XtremeAg reveals how his team now fills sprayers in just five minutes, sprays an additional 100 acres per day, and has completely eliminated chem…
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Farming Podcast | Farmland Values in 2025: Is a Correction Coming or Just a Plateau?
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44:57This episode of the Cutting The Curve Farming Podcast dives deep into farmland values for 2025. Join host Damian Mason with South Dakota farmer Lee Lubbers and First Dakota Bank’s Nathan Sparks as they unpack what’s driving land prices, how rising interest rates are shaping the ag market, and whether a price correction is on the horizon. Learn how …
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Farming Financial Strategies Podcast | Smart Strategies from Commodity Classic 2025 with Kelly Garrett
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18:42In this episode of the Cutting The Curve Farming Podcast, Damian Mason sits down with Kelly Garrett to unpack key insights from the 2025 Commodity Classic. In a tight farm economy, it’s not just about cutting costs — it’s about spending smarter. From adjusting input strategies to leveraging cost-saving technologies, Kelly shares practical takeaways…
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Farming Podcast | Sam Coutu’s Bold 2025 Strategy for April Soybean Planting in Quebec
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14:43This episode of the farming podcast delves into soybean planting with Quebec farmer Sam Coutu. He reveals his strategies for April soybean planting, focusing on optimizing fertility timing and adjusting plant populations to boost yields. Additionally, Sam discusses how to effectively utilize recent equipment upgrades to cut costs and enhance crop m…
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Farming Podcast | Bringing the Department of Phosphorus Efficiency to Your Farm | Reduce Costs, and Improve Crop Yields
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38:44This episode of the Cutting The Curve farming podcast dives into phosphorus efficiency, focusing on how to get phosphorus into soil effectively. Damian Mason hosts experts from AgroTech USA and XtremeAg, who discuss how farmers can raise phosphorus levels in soil through optimized fertility programs. They reveal practical strategies to reduce input…
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Milo for the Win: Diversification, Lower Costs & Soil Health with Lee Lubbers
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30:37Thinking about adding grain sorghum—aka milo—to your operation? Lee Lubbers shares why this crop is a game-changer for his farm. From lower production costs compared to corn to boosting organic matter where soybeans fall short, milo is earning its place in his cropping system. In this episode, Lee talks with Damian about his strategy for maximizing…
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No Flinging! How Temple Is Dialing-In Nutrient Application Strategies in 2025
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35:46Temple Rhodes did a large scale trial in 2024 eliminating applied dried fertilizer and replacing it with plant-applied nutrients. It worked. So he’s making some big changes to his nutrient application strategy this year to focus on the crop, not just the soil test. A few side benefits include: reduction of salts in the soil, bigger yields, and less…
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Chad’s 2025 Game Plan: More Strip-Till, Smarter Seed Treatment & Better Data
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22:57Strip-till isn’t just about conservation—it’s a game-changer for nutrient availability and soil health. That’s one of Chad Henderson’s key strategies as he heads into the new season. In this episode of XtremeAg's Cutting the Curve, Chad shares why he’s doubling down on strip-till, upgrading his data collection with cost-effective tech for his equip…
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Beware of “Saving” Yourself Into a Loss – Matt Miles on Fertility & Rotation Mistakes
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20:07Can cutting input costs actually cost you more in the long run? Farmer Matt Miles shares hard lessons from his 2024 season, where saving $50 per acre on potassium ended up costing him $150 per acre in lost yield. He also reveals the hidden costs of skipping crop rotation after a seven-bushel decline in non-rotated soybeans. In this episode of Cutti…
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Cover Crops in Corn: A Radical 2025 Farming Strategy with Kelly Garrett
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37:12In this episode of XtremeAg Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason sits down with Kelly Garrett and TJ Kartes to discuss a bold move for 2025—interseeding cover crops into growing corn as early as June. Kelly shares the agronomic, economic, and sustainability benefits of this approach, from erosion control to carbon sequestration and livestock forage…
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Farm Data Management: Are You Maximizing Farm Management Technology for Bigger ROI
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31:03Most farms today rely on data management software and on-implement hardware—but are you truly maximizing these tools for bigger returns and streamlined operations? In this episode, Layne Miles teams up with Ryan Stien to break down Deere’s Operations Center and how it helps Miles Farms make smarter, more profitable decisions. As Layne puts it, “If …
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Sprayer Savings: Eliminating Sprayer Passes & Optimizing Nutrient Investment
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25:03Johnny Verell is on a mission to trim up to $20 per acre in expenses by strategically adjusting his spraying regimen. By eliminating one sprayer pass and an airplane pass, he’s cutting costs without cutting corners. But instead of simply saving, he’s reinvesting—reallocating his nutrient budget and timing fertility applications based on moisture co…
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The Evolution of Autonomy & Farm Machinery Automation
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26:48It started with auto steer on tractors — or maybe even before that — where automation ends up, is still an open discussion. Damian Mason hosts that discussion in this episode with XtremeAg’s John Verell and John Deere’s Michael Porter. The evolution of farm machinery automation rolls forward on America’s farms. Johnny Verell explains how autonomy h…
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2025 Changes: Strip Tilling Dry Fertilizer & Better Inventory Management on the Farm
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17:41Kevin Matthews is shaking up his fertility practices in 2025 with a hybrid approach to crop care. While he remains a firm believer in trickling liquid fertilizer “just in time” for crop development, he’s turning to dry fertilizer to tackle problem areas. But there’s a catch—it requires upgrading to strip-till equipment. In this episode, Kevin share…
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Farm Finances 101: Working Capital Strategies for 2025
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34:12Is your farm financially prepared for 2025? Economic pressures are mounting, and staying solvent requires a solid strategy. In this episode of Cutting The Curve, Jeff Janssen joins Kelly Garrett and Damian Mason to tackle critical topics like working capital, cash flow, cost of production, and aligning your financial goals with your banker’s expect…
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Upgrade Your Farm Tech: Precision Ag on a Budget
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35:10New paint is sexy. We get it. We’re farmers too and we like shiny new machinery! But farming is a business and a business faced with reduced revenue must make adjustments. How do you stay on the cutting edge of Agricultural technology with older machinery? With precision equipment upgrades, that’s how. XtremeAg’s Kelly Garrett and John Deere’s Clin…
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Cut Costs Not Profits with These Farming Strategies
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27:15Are farm finances tighter than usual? Discover how to save money while maintaining yield and revenue in this must-listen episode. Host Damian Mason talks with XtremeAg’s John Verell and Meristem’s Peter Rousonelos about cost-effective farming practices using the “R’s” of crop cost removal: Reduce, Recycle, Re-use, Repurpose, and Re-Think. Learn inn…
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324-Bushel Corn with Only 151 Pounds of Nitrogen? Here’s How!
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30:48Award-winning results, less nitrogen. Kelly Garrett, with agronomist Mike Evans, achieved an impressive 324 bushels per acre with just 151 pounds of applied nitrogen—earning him recognition in the National Corn Growers Association’s new Nitrogen Management Class. In this episode, they join Damian Mason to share their game-changing methodology and d…
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Biological Technology for Bigger Root Mass, More Biomass, and Bigger Yields
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33:40Kelly Garrett and Temple Rhodes were both highly skeptical when they received their small plastic bags of pink powder with instructions to treat their seed corn. The pink powder was New Leaf’s bacterial technology, which is now available in products from four different companies. Kelly and Temple share results and lessons from their trials. Both sa…
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Maximizing ROI from Precision Ag Tech in the Off-Season
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27:44The off-season isn’t just about oil changes and wear part replacements anymore—technology has revolutionized winter prep for farmers. In this episode, Damian Mason is joined by Ryan Stien and Christopher Murray from John Deere to explore how farmers can maximize the return on investment (ROI) from their precision Ag technology during downtime. From…
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The Road to Regenerative: Why & When Change is Coming to Conventional Farming?
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45:53Conventional farming is evolving. Whether driven by regulations, financial incentives, or the undeniable benefits, many farmers are starting to adopt regenerative farming practices. In this episode, Kelly Garrett and Dr. Josh Miller dive into the why and how of this transition. They explore the tangible benefits of soil health, reduced input costs,…
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Continuous Corn: Strategies for Success in Corn-on-Corn Systems
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32:39In this episode, Damian Mason talks to Kelly Garrett about why he’s shifting away from soybeans and committing to continuous corn on his farm. From economic advantages to agronomic challenges, Kelly breaks down his decision-making process. Joined by Clint Frese and Mike Evans of Calibrated Agronomy, the discussion dives deep into managing corn-on-c…
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Farm Economy: Reality, Outlook, and Opportunity
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36:27Kevin Matthews has weathered multiple economic downturns in Agriculture. What’s different about this one? He discusses that with Damian Mason in this episode of Cutting the Curve. The two “middle age farm guys" provide historical context and comparison — from the PIK program to revamping CRP, what might the USDA roll out? What tactics can farmers d…
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Harvest Smarter: The Case for Custom Harvesters
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49:35Could hiring a custom harvester transform your farming operation? Chad Olsen of Olsen Custom Farms and XtremeAg farmer Lee Lubbers share their insights with Damian Mason in this compelling episode. Chad’s team harvests crops across 17 states, using 90 combines and 80 semi trucks operated by 150 employees. Lee explains how partnering with Chad has b…
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Precision Farming Secrets: Maximizing Soybean Yields with Perfect Timing & Placement
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22:31Farming success hinges on precision, and this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting the Curve Podcast dives deep into the importance of getting the right source, rate, time, and place for your crops. Host Damian Mason chats with Alabama farmer Chad Henderson, who is pushing the limits with a cutting-edge trial on double crop soybeans. Joined by Drew Ewing …
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Wheat Secrets: How Lee Lubbers Makes Money Growing Wheat
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33:33Think wheat farming can’t be profitable? Think again. Lee Lubbers, fresh off a victory in the 2024 National Association of Wheat Growers yield competition for South Dakota, joins Damian Mason to share how he hit an incredible 138.35 bushels per acre. From evolving production practices to the strategic use of products and precise timing of applicati…
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Is Your Grain Set-Up Degrading Grain Quality & Costing You Money?
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23:40Humidity and temperature management inside your bins are the two most critical factors to maintaining stored grain quality, but they’re hardly the only factors. Mold, toxins, foreign material, leaks, lack of air flow, damaged seed….these are but a few of the problems farmers might face when managing their grain. In this episode, host Damian Mason g…
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Winter Weed Control: Expert Tips to Protect Your Fields and Boost Spring Yields
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26:28Don’t let winter weeds steal your nutrients or turn your field into a springtime nightmare. Join Damian Mason as he talks with farmer Kelly Garrett and FMC's Gail Stratman about why late fall and winter are crucial for weed management. Discover strategies to tackle winter annuals, protect your soil's productivity, and ensure cleaner fields come pla…
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Feeding the Crop, Not the Soil: How Activated Carbon Can Revolutionize Fertilizer Use
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36:11In production agriculture, improving fertilizer efficiency is more critical than ever, with up to 90% of applied fertility feeding the soil rather than the crop. Could activated carbon be the solution? Brad Benson and Brandon Laws of Activated Carbon Technologies join Arkansas farmer Matt Miles to share results from two years of farm trials that ar…
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Harvest Insights: Management Notes from the Combine for a Better Next Year
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15:56Fall is one of the busiest times of year for farmers, but it’s also prime time to gather insights that can drive next year’s success. In this episode, Kelly Garrett and FMC's Gail Stratman join Damian Mason to discuss how you can turn real-time observations during harvest into actionable plans that improve yield and profitability. What clues are yo…
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The Squeeze: Strategies For Surviving the Financial Squeeze in a Downward Farm Economy
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48:00As 2024 unfolds, the agriculture industry faces what could be the start of several tough financial years, with farm economics taking a stark downward turn. For many in agriculture, the strains of high input costs, inflated machinery prices, and soaring interest rates are hitting home. What do these economic realities mean for the future of farming?…
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Harvest Tools: Innovations To Gain Harvest Efficiency and Farm Faster
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22:03In this episode, we chat with Johnny Verell from XtremeAg, who reveals why your header transport trailer deserves more attention. Johnny shares how adding two high-speed, all-wheel-drive header trailers to his farm transformed harvest season, from speeding up field transfers to cutting down combine idle time. He also added grain tank extensions tha…
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Nitrogen Problems: Are you Using More Nitrogen Than You Need?
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31:17You’re probably applying too much nitrogen. It’s not your fault, you -- along with most of America’s farmers — have been conditioned to do so. More “N” means more corn, so crank up the “N!” This over- application of Nitrogen is about to come to a halt as nutrient management plans are likely part of future farm legislation. With that in mind, why no…
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Grain Storage: Avoid Costly Downtime with These Expert tips
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22:24Depending on size and age, you could have more investment in your grain set up than your machinery. But do you maintain it with the same diligence as you tend to your rolling equipment? If your grain dryer, leg, or unloading system goes down during harvest, how much time might this cost you? Superior Grain’s Dave Wehlander and Rodie Jelleberg team …
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Maximize Yield with Less Fertilizer: Proven Results from Field Trials
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34:31In this episode of Cutting the Curve, we dive into a groundbreaking fertility reduction trial conducted at Matt Miles' farm in Arkansas. Joined by Kelly Garrett from XtremeAg and AgroLiquid’s Galynn Beer and Stephanie Zelinko, the team tested different fertility prescriptions to see how low they could go while still maintaining strong yields. The s…
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Big Planter Upgrades for Big Results: Johnny Verell Reveals The Changes He Made to His Planter in 2024 and the Results He Saw
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23:14Johnny Verell is shook things up with some major planter upgrades before the 2024 season. In this episode, Johnny sits down with Damian to discuss his decision to consolidate from three 40-foot planters to two 60-foot planters, along with modifications to his 2x2 application and a shift to wider rows. Johnny shares the reasoning behind these change…
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Rotor Loss: Combine Adjustments to Maximize Harvest Efficiency
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33:23Are you leaving money in the field? Harvest loss is a costly problem that too many farmers face, often unknowingly. Kevin Matthews believes, “There is no acceptable loss,” especially when your hard-earned yield is blowing out the back of your combine. In this episode, Kevin and Brian Robertson from Estes Performance Concaves break down the hidden l…
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How To Maximize Your Dry Fertilizer Efficiency Without Losing Yield
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26:31Thinking about cutting back on dry fertilizer applications to save costs? Before you make a decision, tune in to this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting the Curve. Host Damian Mason sits down with Kelly Garrett and Scott Lay from Agricen to explore how you can reduce your dry fertilizer usage without compromising yield or depleting your soil. Learn how …
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Securing Farm Revenue with Crop Insurance: A No-Nonsense Guide
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1:02:46Crop insurance might not be the most thrilling part of farming, but it’s crucial for long-term success and profitability. In this episode of XtremeAg's Cutting the Curve, Kelly Garrett teams up with financial advisor Jarod Creed of JC Ag Financial Services ([email protected]) to break down how crop insurance and grain marketing can work hand-in-…
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How Soil Pathogens Steal Your Yield: Expert Insights to Boost Crop Health
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35:42Could hidden pathogens in your soil be silently robbing your farm of yield? According to Kelly Garrett, the impact of soil-borne diseases on his farm was greater than expected after ramping up disease testing this summer. In this episode, Rebecca Helget from Integrated Ag Solutions joins PatternAg’s Mike Tweedy to explore cutting-edge advancements …
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Is Tillage Necessary to Prevent Nutrient Stratification?
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25:07There’s a fallacy still held by some farmers that fertility doesn’t work if it’s not incorporated into the soil. To that end, Damian Mason posed the question to Vern Garrett: Does tillage fix nutrient stratification? The answer from XtremeAg’s next generation farmer: “Trying to solve nutrient stratification with tillage is kind of like, you stubbed…
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Generations: Farming Challenges and Opportunities Faced By The Next Generation of Farmers
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39:48In this episode, Damian sits down with Jordyn Burco, a rising star in agriculture, and Mark Coots from Teva Corporation, to explore the future of farming. Jordyn shares her journey of returning to her family farm and the strides she's made over the past five years. The discussion dives deep into the challenges and opportunities of generational hand…
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How Farmers Can Survive the Corn Price Dip: Strategies for Surviving and Thriving
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37:02With corn prices dipping below $4, farmers are facing unprecedented challenges. Johnny Verell, who has been trialing various corn strategies over the past five years, joins forces with Brian Adams of Volunteer Ag Service to share how Verell Farms plans to adapt and stay afloat. From innovative approaches to cost-cutting measures, they delve into th…
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The System: Maximizing Agricultural Efficiency With A Systems Approach To Farming
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38:58In this episode, Damian Mason, Chad Henderson and Kevin Matthews dive deep into the "systems approach" to production agriculture, breaking down what this approach entails, starting with the planter and in-furrow practices and carrying them all the way through to harvest. Tune in to learn how this holistic method is revolutionizing the way they mana…
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Successful Strategies For Early Planted Soybeans
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35:22Matt Miles and his son Layne reveal the impressive results of their three-year trial on early-planted soybeans. Discover how their February-planted beans achieved a remarkable yield of 90 bushels per acre and learn about the benefits of early harvesting, including a positive price basis. Matt also shares exciting news about their double crop soybea…
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