agronomy

Episode 150 – Water Management

by at

For many parts of Ohio, water management used to mean draining water off a field. Today, with drier summers, it can mean a wider range of activities. Dr. Vinayak Shedekar is the state specialist for agriculture water management. He has conducted extensive research in not only drainage, but many aspects of field water management.

In this episode we will talk about current trends in water management, what research is underway and what farmers can expect from the future of the drainage industry. For more information, please visit: go.osu.edu/agwater.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 146 – Agrivoltaics

by at

Agrivoltaics is combining agriculture and solar energy production. In partnership with Savion Energy, we were awarded a Department of Energy grant to investigate the feasibility of forage production, grazing and impacts on solar health at the Madison Fields solar site near Rosedale, Ohio.

In this episode we share the details of the project and what we have learned so far in our first growing season. You can follow along on our progress at Energize Ohio.

To find details on upcoming field days, please visit: https://agcrops.osu.edu/events.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 144 – Dealing with DON

by at

There is nothing more frustrating than getting rejected at the elevator due to high vomitoxin (aka DON) levels. DON is produced by a fungi produced on the ear and is usually infected at the time of pollination. To give farmers a better perspective of what happens behind the scenes at a grain elevator, we interview 3 grain merchandisers on their process when DON test levels start creeping up.

Jason Beckman (Poet), Lisa Mitchell (Gerald Grain), and Seth Miller (The Anderson) take us behind the scenes of their operations to look at testing, grain flow and market impacts. We end with some quick reminders about DON management and to check the C.O.R.N. Newsletter for updates and research on corn fungicide and disease.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 142 – Summer ’24 Weather Outlook

by at

Dr. Aaron Wilson joins us for our summer weather update. We look back on a spring that was quite opposite of last year and what we can expect this summer. We also answer listener questions on a variety of weather topics!

Sign up to receive 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.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 140 – 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification Celebrates 10 Years!

by at

The 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification program is celebrating 10 years in Ohio. Ohio is the founding state for this certification and we are proud of the retailers and farmers who choose to follow 4R recommendations. Aaron Heilers, Executive Director of the program, joins us to discuss what the program has accomplished over the last decade.

To learn more about the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification or to contact Aaron, please visit: https://4rcertified.org/ohio-about/.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 138 – Planting Green

by at

We caught up with Drs. Alyssa Essman and Dan Quinn at Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference to pick their brains about planting corn and soybeans into green cover crops. They share information on how to ensure good seed furrow conditions at planting and how to manage the cover crop at different stages. We also discuss herbicide strategies and advantages when planting green.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 134 – Winter Wheat Tips

by at

Temperature ups and downs over the winter have us wondering what impact it will have on potential wheat yield. Dr. Laura Lindsey, Soybean and Small Grains Specialist, walks us through getting wheat off to a good start, evaluating it in the spring and how much correlation that has with yield. She also shares the latest research and technology developments to look for in the future.

For advice into the growing season, subscribe to the C.O.R.N newsletter.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 132 – 2023 eFields

by at

Our topic for this podcast is on-farm research and the 2023 eFields report. The eFields program is OSU Extension’s on-farm research network. Ohio farmers are encouraged to learn with us by partnering to conduct trials and share data through the annual report. Elizabeth give us a summary of the 2023 report and we talk with Wayne Dellinger and Nick Eckel, county Extension Educators and fellow contributors, about projects they have conducted over the years. 

You can view the 2023 report, along with previous years, at efields.osu.edu. The Knowledge Exchange provides unique ways to sort through all eFields research projects: kx.osu.edu/efields.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 129 – Farming the first Thanksgiving

by at

With this episode releasing right before Thanksgiving, we wanted to celebrate by diving into how the food eaten during the first thanksgiving over 400 years ago came to be. While farming was simpler in a lot of ways, it is intriguing to consider what the pilgrims were up against trying to survive in a new land and how the Native Americans had adapted to raise and protect crops without today’s modern technology. This is a fun one to put on in the car with whole family as you head to Grandma’s house. Happy Thanksgiving!

Further Reading:
Soils: https://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/what-type-of-farming-challenges-did-the-pilgrims-face/

Livestock domestication: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3491550?seq=7 

First foods: https://modernfarmer.com/2016/11/foods-at-first-thanksgiving-meal/

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Episode 123 – Tar Spot

by at

If you grow or scout corn in Ohio, you have probably heard rumblings of a new disease called Tar Spot. Pictures from neighboring states to the north and west show bleak images of entire corn fields dead before their time. While researchers are still assessing the threat potential for tar spot in Ohio, it has made appearances across the state and has many farmers quite concerned. To tell us more about this new disease, Dr. Stephanie Karhoff joins us to share what she has seen and learned in her time in NW Ohio.

Stay up-to-date on the latest in agronomic issues by subscribing to the C.O.R.N. Newsletter.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download