The Rogue Agronomist

Are agronomists telling you what to do because they think they can run your farm better than you do, or because that's their job to help you?

New insects, new diseases, neighbors spraying all get everyone worried, but how much attention should you pay to it? Why I don't get too worked up and how getting worked up may cost you in ROI.

Do you only pay attention to the data that confirms your ideas, or do you have a science mindset that allows you to make changes based on new data and changes in methods?

We've all heard it, "I can't afford to do that" but is that really the reason for not trying or upgrading to new technology?

Your worst fields are usually always your worst fields, do you focus on salvaging them or focus on managing the fields that have the potential to make you the most money? One of my biggest struggles every year is getting farms to focus on the fields that look good at 55mph and not the ones that look bad no matter how fast you drive.

I work hard at my job, but then again so do most people in agriculture. I know there are some people that don't particularly care for me, but that's for a good reason.

We're are seeing the driest soil conditions since maybe 2016, so why am I being cautious about planting right now?

Are you struggling with making a decision? The worst thing you can do for your business or even mental health is to be indecisive. Examples of why I've changed my habits the past few years and become more decisive and owned my decisions.

Does your agronomist practice acceptable risks or do they just hit the easy button and assume no risks? Blanket recommendations could increase your yields but may also negatively affect your ROI, don't fall into those traps.

Agronomists base decisions on past experience, probabilities, and knowledge but we're not right 100% of the time. There are 1,000 variables that affect your crop, sometimes Mother Nature throws a few curve balls.

There have been a lot of mental health stories in Ag lately, here is mine as I dealt with acne as a kid, and took a medication that caused suicidal thoughts. Also some thoughts on our prevent plant journey and how getting help isn't something to feel bad about.

Talking about organic growth as it pertains to your farm and the value of understanding costs and ROI. Also, covering the value of on farm testing and understanding whether micronutrients could pay for your farm.

For some reason we all have the inclination to tell people they are wrong online. Reasons I think that is wrong and what I did to stop myself from doing it.

After talking about how my wife responds to questions about what I do we decided to have her come up with her questions about what I do on a daily basis and my career history.

Has your input supplier dragged their feet in getting pricing to you in December every year? There may be a reason, and often its the same one.

It's fall again and that can only mean one thing...seed salespeople want to ride in your combine. Stories on how not to do it and thoughts from the farmer and seed seller sides.

We've all had some nostalgia for corn hybrids but where does that come from? Why there is a difference between having nostalgia for a corn hybrid and making a good seed decision. Christmas and corn hybrids are very similar, both should be enjoyed for the memories but only once a year.

Do you refer to any corn with the rootworm trait as "triple stack"? Why is true triple stack corn going away and what replaced it. How long will that last and what other advancements have we seen with insecticides and seed treatment.

If you sell only on price and constantly have to defend business every year, maybe you're not really bringing anything else to the table. Don't get stuck in the addition by attrition trap.

Whether it's shyness, being afraid of conflict, or even worry about asking a "dumb" question sometimes the biggest obstacle for people is asking questions. How you or others handle it can make a huge impact on your company or their career.

Sports metaphors galore, talking about putting in the work to understand the hybrids you plant and what we sell.

My struggles with balancing a new routine and how the past year's weather hasn't helped with my sanity.

Scouting adventures from being approached by the sheriff about marijuana to skunks, and being "attacked" by Air Force Reserve Unit F-16's and everything in between.

How do you value your time and where do you spend your time? If someone asked you how much your time is worth how would you respond, and when you look at the tasks you do how important/urgent are they?

Are you a retailer that has only a Facebook page? Are you struggling to create content that reaches your core customer base (agronomy)? It's cheaper and easier now than ever to create excellent content.