Author: douridas.9@osu.edu

Episode 187 – Spring Update: Planting progress, cold damage, and more

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Planting season are never normal and 2026 is no exception. With the southern half of Ohio nearing completion and the northern half struggling to make headway, there was a lot of crop variability as below freezing temperatures hit the state. Expected prolonged cold and wet weather as another wrinkle. Dr. Jason Hartschuh, Field Specialist with OSU Extension, joins us as we talk about the potential impacts on corn, soybean, wheat and alfalfa. We share what to look for now and in the coming weeks as we deal with a cooler, wetter May.

This CORN Newsletter has two articles on freeze impacts to soybeans and wheat: https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2026-12. The Purdue photo gallery on freeze damage can be found at: https://www.agry.purdue.edu/ext/corn/news/articles.01/Frost_Corn_Soy-0418_Gallery.html.

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Episode 185 – A Slippery Situation: Battling Slugs in Row Crops

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Slug pressure has become an increasingly common and frustrating challenge in crop fields in recent years, driven by wetter springs, heavy residue, and changing production systems. In this episode, we dig into why these slippery pests seem harder to manage than ever. With Kelley Tilmon joining us, discuss the limitations of traditional control options and what growers should realistically expect from different management strategies. From scouting and risk factors to cultural, biological, and chemical tools, we’ll break down what we know and how to make informed decisions when slugs start putting your stand at risk.

For more information, visit aginsects.osu.edu where you can find publications, fact sheets and ID cards. Most slug info is found under the soybean section.

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Episode 183 – Planting Weather Outlook

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After a grueling winter, spring is arriving across Ohio and we are itching to get the planters rolling. After looking at where this past winter landed in the books, we talk with Dr. Aaron Wilson about what we can expect for this season. With drought conditions lingering in some parts of the state and heavy rains across others, we have our fingers crossed for a good growing season. Will Mother Nature deliver? Tune in to find out.

Sign up to receive monthly and quarterly updates from the State Climate Office: climate.osu.edu. Check out mrcc.purdue.edu/ to find useful tools such as the GDD calculator and freeze predictor. You can also reach out to Aaron at wilson.1010@osu.edu.

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Episode 181 – From the Ground Up Research

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Two farmers, Fred and Josh Yoder, discuss one conservation focused research project developed by a group of farmers in Ohio. They are part of a multi-state, four-university effort to discover how to increase conservation adoption on farms. Our farmer-led team is working to improve real-world, on-farm performance of conservation practices to ensure they better generate the outcomes – e.g. profitability, yield stability, and protection from extreme weather events – that farmers need.

To learn more about this project, visit: https://ftgup.org/.

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Episode 179 – Busting Weather Myths

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After a brief weather outlook/lookback we get into discussing weather myths and conspiracy theories. Dr. Aaron Wilson takes us through a few common ones. What are chemtrails? Are we seeing weather modification in Ohio? These are a couple of the big ones we talk about. Listen in and see what you think.

For more on weather modification, you can utilize noaa.gov. You can also connect with the State Climate Office at climate.osu.edu.

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Episode 177 – Transitioning to Organic Grain Production Part 2

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We continue our discussion with Eric Richer, OSUE Field Specialist, by digging into more hurdles of organic grain production. From nitrogen sources to paperwork, we take a realistic look what farmers can expect in an organic system compared to conventional.

To dive deeper into this topic, we recommend attending the 2026 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference January 7-8. For more details, visit: https://offer.osu.edu/events/2026-OrganicGrainsConference.

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Episode 176 – Transitioning to Organic Grain Production Part 1

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Transitioning to organic production is not a consideration farmers can take lightly. The intensive management, restrictions on inputs and changes in marketing must be well understood. To help us wrap our heads around that process, Eric Richer, OSUE Farm Management Field Specialist, joins us to dive into the opportunities and challenges organic production presents in Ohio.

To dive deeper into this topic, we recommend attending the 2026 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference January 7-8. For more details, visit: https://offer.osu.edu/events/2026-OrganicGrainsConference.

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Episode 175 – Pasture Renovation

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To renovate or not to renovate? That is the question many pasture managers face, especially after two dry summers. With a large commitment of time and money, it is a question that should be carefully considered. To help us do so, Dr. Emma Matcham, State Specialist for Integrated Forage Systems, walks us through the process from start to finish. We consider stand evaluation, timing, seeding methods and more as we discuss the nuances farmers face in making this decision.

Additional resources:

Giving new life to tired pastures: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0159
Forage management after drought and a tough growing season: https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2025-36
Ohio Agronomy Guide: https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/ohio-agronomy-guide-16th-edition/

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Episode 173 – All in on Harvest Data – Part 2

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We continue our discussion with Dr. John Fulton on how to increase the reliability of harvest data. This time we focus on the in-field practices. With bigger machines, it is getting more difficult to collect high res data. Tune in for recommendations on things such as how long passes should be and more to increase the quality of your yield data.

For more resources on harvest data, visit: https://digitalag.osu.edu/precision-ag/research-focuses/harvest-technologies.

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Episode 171 – All in on Harvest Data – Part 1

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Farmers write some big checks based on harvest data. How confident are you in the quality of that data? We’re getting into the weeds with Dr. John Fulton about how to ensure confident decisions can be made based on what is collected in the field this fall. In the first of this two part series, we talk about how yield measurements are collected in the combine, provide advice on calibration and discuss how unintentional mistakes can lead to big missteps with input decisions.

For more information on calibration, visit: https://digitalag.osu.edu/precision-ag/research-focuses/harvest-technologies.

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