CropTalk

Tips and tricks for successful thrips biocontrol from extraordinary experts on this #CropCareConvos episode. 👍🏼Dr. Rose Buitenhuis (Vineland Research Innovation Centre) and Charlie McKenzie (#CropWalk) share insights into ordering, receiving, applying, scouting for, and supporting populations of the common #biocontrol agents used to manage #thrips. 👍🏼Rose and Charlie discuss quality control of...

Dig into the details of integrating prairie strips into row crops with Dr. Matthew O'Neal from Iowa State University on this Crop Care Convo. LetsTalkCrops! 🎙on this #CropTalk #podcast, Bobby Shearer gets into the details of a very cool research program with his guest, Dr. O'Neal, who has worked with over 300 farmers implementing #NativePlants into their fields for some incredible results.🌾 Prair...

Traditional scouting efforts can keep you aware of what is going on in your crop, mostly at a macro level. What you really need is the ability to see on both a macro and micro level. Not every scouting program is made the same. Some growers haphazardly waltz through the crop with no real objective, turn over some leaves, peek at a few sticky traps and call it a scouting trip. The understanding the...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Frank Pica of Native about his journey from startup to co-founder, focusing his energy on giving the grower access to data after their product leaves the farm. We discuss how branding is a highly important component to success for the modern agriculture business and knowing thy customer is key.

Growing a great smokable hemp flower crop is one thing.  Drying and curing that crop so that the plant can share its' full phenotypical expression all the way through to consumption, is vastly different.  Jesse Porter joins series host, Pat Jack, and Charlie McKenzie to share his pure inspiration and insights as a member of the InSpire.ag team. Inspiration is the vehicle driving Jesse to actualize...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Alastair Monk, Vice President Digital Services at Priva about how he got involved in horticulture, moving from a startup to a larger company and the changes he experienced. We discuss different technologies that may be used in future controlled agriculture, including AI, VR and automation. Alastair also gives his ti...

Inventory of pest pressure is the first stage in developing the details of a well-understood cropping system (of which hemp is still not), part of the development phase. Melissa Schreiner, Colorado State University's Horticultural Entomology Lab manager, shares what she's found surveying arthropod pests on US high plains and Rocky Mountain hemp farms over the last five years. On this episode of #C...

On this special episode of #CropTalk our series hosts sit down to discuss the insights they have gained from their respective series (#KyleTalksAgTech, #CropCareConvos, #SmokableHempFlower). Get the low down from the man that started it all as he explores his journey through the growth of #CropTalk Media as a #podcast, and as a platform. 💡Learn about what our hosts find valuable about spending ti...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Austin Smith, US Commercial Account Manager at Grodan about how he got involved in horticulture, rockwool substrates and what the future of hydroponics may hold. 

The Spotted Lanternfly is likely to become a terrible pest for California's grapes, fruit trees, nuts, and other high-value crops. Luckily, Dr. Mark Hoddle (University of California Riverside entomologist) is conducting biocontrol research. He's looking into a parasitic wasp. Very cool stuff. And important work to protect farmers from this devastating invasive species already wreaking havoc in the...

On this special episode of CropTalk, Charlie McKenzie and Kyle Barnett (#KyleTalksAgTech host) talk about Kyles career move from Hort Americas to WestRock, from a focus on Pre-Harvest supplies like substrates, fertilizers and LED lighting to a new focus on Post-Harvest supplies like tags, labels, clamshells, and all sorts of unique packaging solutions for grow operations everywhere

Wouldn't it be great to screen pest populations for insecticide resistance to best select your last-resort chemical control?! Well, it's in the works! In this episode of #CropCareConvos, Bobby Shearer is joined by CropTalk Content Collaborator Matthew Gates for a conversation with Dr. Scott Ferguson from EntoGenomics, who is developing a molecular test kit for common pests starting with the serpen...

What's are the components of a solid IPM program? How do they work together and with other aspects of operational plans? 🌱🐞 On this episode of #CropCareConvos, Bobby speaks with Dr. Surendra Dara (University of California Cooperative Extension Integrated Pest Management expert and CropWalk scientific advisor) about his 2019 publication, "a new IPM paradigm for the modern age," which was the most...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Sandro van Kouteren, Managing Director at Parus-Europe about LED horticulture lighting spectrum, efficiency, his advice for buying LEDs and what the future may hold for LED lighting & indoor farming.  

Releasing beneficial insects vs attracting biodiversity to your crops is a controversial biocontrol topic, but on this episode of #CropCareConvos, Bobby brings the passion out of JP Michaud (Kansas State University professor and CropWalk scientific advisor) as they discuss conservation (attracting insects) vs. augmentation (releasing insects) approaches to biological control in Integrated Pest Man...

On the second of this two-part episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Robert Spivock, Director of Technology at GE Current about what makes an LED horticulture light truly reliable, using cars as a reference point and what the future may hold for LED lighting. 

On the first of this two-part episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Robert Spivock, Director of Technology at GE Current about what makes an LED horticulture light truly reliable, using cars as a reference point for the listeners.  

Part 2 of 2. 🌱 Casey O'Neill from HappyDay Farms shares how his family achieves their farm's goals using regenerative agriculture practices. They maximize growing season length , crop diversity , and productivity using techniques he shares here. He and Bobby Shearer discuss principles relevant for all farm managers in this episode of #CropCareConvos.

Much of the hemp crops grown thus far in the United States have been grown using horticultural practices.  Many tobacco and vegetable farmers have adapted their practices and equipment to grow quality cannabinoid-rich hemp crops.  As hemp crops become more prevalent in the US, farmers will work to mechanize and scale production, especially in traditional largescale mechanized row crop farming regi...

Part 1 of 2. 🌱 Casey O'Neill from HappyDay Farms shares how his family achieves their farm's goals using regenerative agriculture practices. They maximize growing season length , crop diversity , and productivity using techniques he shares here. He and Bobby Shearer discuss principles relevant for all farm managers in this episode of #CropCareConvos.

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Benjamin Kant about his journey in farming and how he is helping shape the future of food at Bowery Farming in his current position as Manager of Startup & Launch as the company expands. 

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Danielle Ferreira, Grower Lead & Plant Health Specialist at Fifth Season, powered by Robotany in Pittsburgh. Danielle speaks about how her experience in conventional horticulture has assisted greatly in her work at the vertical farm, the importance of company culture and taking care of the local community & the advi...

Throwback Saturday!  This is a conversation recorded during #MJBIZCON2019.  It features Tate Dooley, the CEO of Key to Life.  During the conversation, Tate describes how their Super Plug and Bulk Separator allow them to reduce variability and cost, as well as increase profitability.  #LetsTalkCrops

Consistency is powerful.  Consistency in crop time, yield, potency, terpene profile, as well as the reduction of input costs, is what will keep your cannabis cultivation facility in business, long-term.  Creating a Six Sigma culture and adopting its' principles is one way that your cannabis businesses can gain the edge in this rapidly commoditizing market.  That's why I had Maxwell Cranford, of Cr...

On this episode of the CropTalk series, #KyleTalksAgTech, Kyle Barnett speaks with Jeffrey Bednar, Founder of Profound Foods and Profound Microfarms. Jeff speaks about how he's been able to pivot his businesses to have success through the COVID-19 pandemic from mostly restaurants to a residential delivery model & the advice he has for struggling growers on how to get through this tough period.