A Better Way To Farm Podcast

High input costs and tight margins are forcing farmers to look harder at every dollar. In this episode, Ryan talks with Stephanie Fackler from John Deere Financial about how financing decisions impact profitability more than most producers realize. Many farms rely on the same operating loan year after year without understanding the hidden costs. This conversation breaks down better ways to manage...

In this episode, we talk with Robbie, a farmer from Mississippi who decided to question the way things had always been done. After floods, lost seasons, and rising costs, Robbie knew the “old way” was not working. He shares why putting nutrients exactly where the plant needs them made a real difference on his farm. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • Why questioning old habits can protect your farm • How targ...

Farming carries heart, pride, and purpose. Today, we talk with Sam, a sixth generation Iowa farmer, who shares how learning, teamwork, and belief helped his farm grow again. With guidance and education, his farm found new energy. His joy for farming returned. His family gained confidence. This episode reminds us that farming is better when we grow together. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • How simple agron...

In this episode, we talk with Scott, a South Dakota farmer who is chasing better margins. What he has learned helped him cut nitrogen nearly in half and grow healthier crops. If you have ever wondered if there is a better way, this episode is for you. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • How Scott cut nitrogen rates almost 50% while maintaining yield • Why placement and timing beat adding more fertilizer • How...

Today, let’s finish strong. Zinc may be small, yet it plays a big role in how your crop grows, uses water, and fills grain. When zinc is right, plants stay steady. When zinc runs short, yield quietly slips away. In this episode, we’ll show why early attention keeps crops moving forward all season. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • Why zinc matters from planting to harvest • How zinc drives hormones, enzymes...

Manganese does not get much attention, yet it can make your fertilizer dollars work harder. Get it right and crops run smoother. Miss it and yield slips away without much warning. In this episode, we walk through why manganese matters, how it works with other nutrients, and why small fixes here can protect big yields. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • What manganese does inside the plant • How manganese hel...

Iron may be small, yet it plays a big role in how your crops grow, stay green, and fill the bin. If your plants look pale, weak, or slow early in the season, iron could be the missing link.  Today, we’ll hear how strong roots, smart testing, and targeted foliar applications help keep crops dark green, growing strong, and producing sugar when it counts. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • Why iron is key to ch...

Let’s talk nutrients that do not get much airtime. Chloride and Moly can help a crop or hurt it. It depends on how they are used. In this episode, we’ll break it down so you can make better fertility calls and protect yield. This is not about chasing silver bullets. It’s about knowing what is helping your crop and what might be quietly holding it back. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • When and why chloride...

Let’s take a closer look at copper. It’s a micronutrient needed in very small amounts however, is critical to yield, stalk strength, and nutrient efficiency. In this episode, let’s see where copper fits, how to test for it correctly, and why balancing micronutrients is essential for getting more from every input dollar. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • Why copper keeps getting ignored • When N, P, and K st...

If you’re pouring on nitrogen and not seeing the yield you expect, sulfur might be what’s missing. We used to get sulfur for free. We don’t anymore. And pretending we still do is costing us real money. In this episode, we break down sulfur in a way that actually makes sense—no fancy words, no guessing, just what works in the field. 🌱 What You’ll Learn (Plain and Simple): • Why sulfur isn’t “extra...

Ever see yellow leaves and think, “I need more nitrogen” ? 🚨 Hold on. It might be magnesium waving a red flag. In today’s episode, we break down why magnesium is the heart of chlorophyll, why too much can be just as bad as too little, and how the wrong balance can tighten soils, waste fertilizer, and hurt yields. 🌱 What You’ll Learn Today: • How potassium and nitrogen block magnesium uptake • Th...

Ever wonder why your crop just doesn’t finish strong—even when pH looks “fine”? 👀 Today’s episode breaks down calcium, the quiet workhorse that keeps plants strong, roots growing, and soil life booming. Today, we clear up big myths, tell real farm stories, and show why calcium is more than just lime—it’s the key to better yields and healthier soil. 🌱 What You’ll Learn Today: • How calcium helps...

In today’s episode, we’re talking about a nutrient that packs a punch: BORON. This powerhouse helps your crops bloom, grow, and increase yield. If you want bigger ears, fuller kernels, and better plants, this episode is for you! 🌱 What You’ll Learn Today: • How boron helps pollen, silks, blooms, and seed development • Why waiting until you see a deficiency means lost yield • How boron boosts micr...

Want better yields and more profit without wasting money? Then this episode is for you because we’re breaking down why potassium is a game-changer. Plus, how using it the right way can help you win big. 🌱 What You’ll Learn Today: • Why potassium is one of the hardest-working nutrients in your crop • How CEC changes what “low” and “high” potassium really means • Why drought makes potassium deficie...

Today, we break down why phosphorus is a BIG DEAL for your crops. It’s one of the “Big 3” nutrients, and it’s the one that helps your plants build strong roots, grow faster, and finish before frost hits. This episode is full of clear steps you can use to farm smarter, cut losses, and keep more dollars in your pocket. 🌱 What You’ll Learn Today: • Why phosphorus is the root-building powerhouse of y...

Nitrogen is the “big one” in farming.  However, using too much can hurt your crops and your wallet. In this episode, let’s break down tips that help you apply nitrogen wisely, protect your soil, and cut waste. What You’ll Learn Today : • Why too much nitrogen can actually lower your yield • How timing and placement make a big money difference • How other nutrients (like sulfur, zinc, and phosphoru...

Many farmers worry that using liquid fertilizer will “mine” or hurt their soil. But truth is, when nutrients go into the plant—and not just on the ground—you can actually build better soil and better yields over time. Farming has a lot of opinions. But results come from: ✔ Real tests ✔ Real science ✔ Real numbers ✔ Programs that actually build soil and yields 🌱 Here’s What You’ll Learn: • Why soi...

With rising costs and tighter margins heading into 2026, so today were walking through the real numbers and simple steps that help farmers keep more money in their pockets while still growing strong crops.  This episode lays out the practical, proven ways to cut waste, boost efficiency, and make every acre pay. 🌱 Here’s What You’ll Learn: • Why soil testing is the fastest way to stop wasting fert...

In this episode, Rod and Curt dig into something big… the untapped nutrients beneath the soil surface. After deep soil testing this year, we’ve proven there are thousands of pounds of nutrients just waiting for roots to find them.  If you want more profit per acre without spending more money, this is the episode for you. 🌱 Here’s What You’ll Learn: • The simple shifts that help crops grow deeper...

In this episode, we talk with Ryan Wolf. He shares practical tips that can make your soil healthier and your yields higher. You’ll hear real talk about what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid costly mistakes. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • Smart ways to manage moisture, weeds, and nutrients • Why timing and management matter way more than seed choice • How to make cover crops part of a soil health pla...

Today, Roger Wright joins us to unpack what’s really happening in the grain markets. Soybean Prices just hit a 13-month high, and Roger explains what that means, why China’s buying matters, and what you can do right now to lock in profit and protect profit. This episode is packed with simple, clear advice to help you make smart moves for your farm. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • How to know when it’s tim...

Today we’re talking about the hidden cost of baling cornstalks. Is it really worth it? Or are you losing more than you gain? In this episode, we break down real numbers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to show just how much nutrient value you’re giving away when you haul off those stalks. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • Why cornstalks are worth more than you think; • How much N, P, and K you really...

Is your soybean program plant them, spray them, cut them, and complain about them? If that’s your plan, you’re leaving money on the table. In this episode, we break down how higher management and a few simple changes can turn average yields into 80 or even 100s. From soil testing to foliar feeding, you’ll learn the steps that separate average from awesome. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • How a soil test i...

Don’t let residue steal your profits!  Learn how to turn your leftover stalks into nutrient gold with one easy recipe that really works. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • When and how to spray for best results; • Why residue can help or hurt your yields; and • How to recycle nutrients and save on fertilizer.

In this episode, we take on a big question many farmers face: Should I bale and sell my cornstalks? It might look like quick cash, but Rod lays out the real value of what’s leaving your field in nutrients, organic matter, and future yield potential. If you want to keep more profit in your pocket and protect your soil for years to come, this episode is a must-listen. 🌱 What You’ll Learn: • Why res...