Regenerative Agriculture Podcast
Alle afleveringen
236 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
-
Weather Resilience Through Cover Cropping - A Panel Discussion
17 juli 2019 · 54 min
Record rainfall has resulted in an unprecedented number of unplanted acres in 2019. Farmers must now consider how best to manage these fields for the remainder of the season. In an otherwise fallow year, cover cropping options abound during a unique summer planting window. Lees meer
In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John Kempf hosts a panel of American Midwestern agronomists and farmers, Steve Groff, David Kleinschmidt, Brad Hobrock, and David Chance, to discuss wet weather, the inability to plant in sodden areas and the options to sow cover crops in empty fields.
David Kleinschmidt, a midwestern agronomist, and owner of Progressive Agronomy Consulting Services, consults with growers across the Midwest where his in-depth knowledge of soils and soil health helps farmers realize better yields.
Brad Hobrock is the owner of AgriBio Systems in Illinois where he farms several thousand acres of corn and soybeans. His voice and experience show the issues of cover cropping and weather challenges from a farmer's perspective.
David Chance, the owner of Chance Farms and several thousand acres in Indiana, shares his expertise on cover crop mixes, dry weather planting, and farm subsidies.
Steve Groff, the Cover Crop Coach and founder at Cover Crop Coaching, is based in Pennsylvania. He travels across the country teaching farmers the techniques and value of cover cropping systems.
John and his guests outline the challenges farmers are facing this season, with a record number of unplanted corn and soybean acres throughout the Midwest due to excessive rain and flooding. They explain how cover crops can pay for themselves by decreasing the need for fertilizer applications while improving soils and yields in subsequent years.
Listen to hear a broad array of perspectives on:
The benefits and drawbacks of various species and their best uses
How to determine your cover crop mix with your goals and budget in mind
A comparison of simple one or two-species blends ver…
-
The Carbon Capture Business with Jerry Hatfield
11 juni 2019 · 53 min
In this episode of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, John interviews Dr. Jerry Hatfield, Ph.D., a plant physiologist who runs the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames, Iowa. Jerry has done extensive research on the interactions between soils, plants, and the environment. Jerry describes his findings from some of these tests which track interactions among different types of cover crops with different soil and plant variables. Jerry also studies agriculture as a molecular geneticist, testing which genes are activated in plants during drought versus flood conditions and other environmental factors. Lees meer
John and Jerry also discuss the differences between the terms sustainable agriculture and regenerative agriculture, and answer the questions: What are the steps to regenerative agriculture? What is the return on this type of system?
To quote Jerry, "If you go down this road of improving your soil, you increase your profitability, you increase your yield stability, and you'll sleep better at night."
In this episode John and Jerry cover:
The carbon balance in terms of improving the soil-plant-health continuum
The roadmap provided by regenerative agriculture for increased profitability
The needs of biology and how to fuel those needs to provide climate resilience
Listen to learn how the carbon cycle can shift and change when growers begin to manage soils and crops differently with regenerative management, rather than with present mainstream management. Jerry says, "Agriculture is in the carbon capture business," and this episode explains why, drilling into the role of carbon in regenerative agriculture.
The Community Impact Partner for this episode is the Regenerative Organic Alliance, the developer of the Regenerative Organic Certification, a holistic agriculture certification encompassing pasture-based animal welfare, fairness for farmers and workers, and robust requirements for soil health and…
-
A Geological Perspective On Regenerative Agriculture with David Montgomery
15 mei 2019 · 52 min
In this episode, John interviews David Montgomery, Professor of Geomorphology at the University of Washington. John and David discuss soil regeneration at length, pulling from David's experience developing new topsoil in dead, stony ground and his deep dive into the science behind it. Lees meer
David came to the field of regenerative agriculture from a unique position. As a geologist studying erosion, he became curious about agricultural impacts on soils.
When David set out to write his first book, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, he imagined it would tie the subject of landscape formation over millennia to how soil erosion affected ancient civilizations. He ended up writing about the history of farming, because that's where soil erosion and degradation connects back to human societies. Spending more than a decade looking at how agriculture has influenced soil loss resulted in an epiphany that led him to see regenerative agriculture as the solution to historically degenerative agricultural problems.
In this thought-provoking interview, John and David discuss:
How conventional farming practices have contributed to mining the soil, and how this impacts the future of global societies.
David's observations of rebuilding soil at scale and the science behind it
The 3 principles of successful soil regeneration:
Minimal ground disturbance
Keep the surface covered
Grow diverse crop rotations
How the key to rapid restoration of soil fertility is about kick-starting the biology
Why David is an unrepentant optimist on the issue of reversing soil degradation, something he didn't think would happen when he wrote the book on erosion.
John and David explore the soil-life effects of glyphosate as an antibiotic and mineral chelator, and conjecture as to it's human health impacts. There is a fascinating glimpse of a South African farm that doubles as a cheetah rehabilitation area, that may spur new ideas on meshing agriculture with wildlife conservation. David shares about his t…
-
The Regenerative Orchard: Cherry Success with Mike Omeg
16 april 2019 · 1 uur 25 min
Mike Omeg is a 3rd generation cherry grower who has spent the last few decades farming 350 acres of cherries in The Dalles, Oregon. Mike is an innovator with the vision for new approaches and the analytical mind to measure results. He's tested myriad techniques in his quest for the best and most profitable methods of growing cherries, and was awarded the Good Fruit Grower award by the Fruit Grower News in 2017. Lees meer
In this conversation, John and Mike delve into the type of bio-intensive system Mike has developed and the data he has collected in his trials. Mike has shown that profitable large-scale agriculture and regenerative practices are entirely compatible and speaks to how his operation has scaled regenerative practices. He also thinks deeply about return on investment, the economic growth of his operation, and discusses the positive impact that regenerative methods have had.
Believing that one of the fastest ways to improve soils is to grow a healthy crop, Mike explains his view of the tree as the conduit for putting carbon into our soils more efficiently than mulch or compost. Supported with the correct nutrition, the tree is simultaneously building this year's crop and boosting nutrient levels in the soil for building future crops.
In the episode, Mike gives in-depth information on his experiments with different types of cover crops saying, "When we talk about having a return on our investment, we need to have every seed that goes into that mix be there because we know it's going to earn us a return - not because we want to feel good that we're maybe doing something that we read in a book was important."
Close to the end of this conversation, Omeg says, "I'm excited for every day to bring new challenges in farming. And focusing upon biological and restorative agriculture has just brought a real sense of joy to me when I walk through the orchard. It's exciting, and I love it." Mike is truly an important figure in the landscape of stone fruit production. Chec…
-
A Conversation With Plants & Pascal Fafard
12 maart 2019 · 1 uur 19 min
Pascal Fafard is a consultant and crop advisor in Quebec, Canada, working primarily with fruit and vegetable growers. Lees meer
He holds a bachelor's degree in agronomy and has been supporting and mentoring fruit and vegetable growers for more than 25 years. While working in IPM, nutrition and vitality advising, and the typical agronomic considerations, he realized that taking care of growers is as important as the grower taking care of plants.
This shift in focus led to his unique take on agriculture that has inspired advisors and growers to adopt more intuitive farming practices in the hopes of fostering greater peace of mind, increased clarity and enjoyment, better plant vitality and improved business productivity.
As you will hear, Pascal is committed to life in all its many forms and brings a perspective that stresses the importance of a close partnership between man and nature. His innovative approach encourages advisors and growers to unlock their full potential and to strive to realize what is most important to them.
This episode is largely the story of Pascal's thought journey on the nature of farming, the relationships we hold with nature, and the opportunity to make both more meaningful. He and John talk about the development of techniques to increase communication between growers and their plants, and a much more subtle way of interacting with our crops, which is intended to provide greater fulfillment to the grower, and better results.
We may be challenged to step outside our comfort zones, hearing what Pascal offers, but one may find it to be of great value.
"If there is something I want to say today...my only desire is... open new possibility to the grower, and if there is something that resonates in themselves from what I say, just take it. If there is something that doesn't talk to you just...throw it in the garbage."
In this episode, John asks the question "What is it that plants desire from the grower?"
This episode introduces a Regenerative Agricu…
-
Season 2 Kickoff with Don Huber
16 februari 2019 · 53 min
Hi Friends! Lees meer
Welcome to Season 2 of The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast!
Thank you for listening, spreading the word, and helping to make this show such a hit, while expanding our community in the fast-growing regenerative agriculture movement.
It is my honor to be part of this community along with you as we launch Season 2 of this show.
For this season-opening episode, we are immeasurably pleased to bring Dr. Don Huber back again, sharing more of his wealth of accumulated knowledge. Don was our first guest on the show in Season 1, and you can listen to the first-ever Regenerative Agriculture Podcast episode with Don, here.
Dr. Don Huber is a leading plant pathologist, Professor Emeritus at Purdue University, and prolific author, contributor, or editor of more than 300 published academic writings and three books.
For more than 50 years, Don has been a renowned researcher and principal voice in the field of crop-plant pathology, especially as it relates to the overlapping spheres of mineral fertility and microbial ecology.
As a research partner, consultant or advisor, he has contributed to work in more than a dozen countries and been awarded numerous honors and awards for his copious scientific contributions.
Critical among these, has been his work in: nitrogen efficiency; nitrification inhibitors; plant and microbial metabolite interactions; development of aminopeptidase profiling, whereby unknown micro-organisms can be rapidly identified and then cultured, by their amino acid profile; and copious work vastly furthering the understanding of mineral/ microbe/ disease/ herbicide interaction.
There are some heavy science topics in this show that may compel your own further research. But no matter what or where you grow, there are some truly high-value practicalities laid out in this conversation.
This all makes him a really exciting guest to have on the show.
In this episode, listen as Dr. Don Huber covers the following and more:
Reducing vs. non-reducing …
-
LIVE at ACRES 2018 with Ed Curry
7 december 2018 · 58 min
John Kempf and Ed Curry take the stage in Louisville, KY at the ACRES Conference 2018 — a hotbed for regenerative agriculture practitioners for the last 30 years — to record the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast's first ever LIVE show. Lees meer
The Acres Conference isn't just another trade show or conference; this is a gathering of passionate and purposeful people working to share information and tools, and challenge the status quo in agriculture for the greater good. This is why we chose Acres 2018 for our first ever Podcast LIVE and why John and Ed make such a great pair to co-create this inaugural episode at this event.
Ed is an old-school breeder and grower with a new-school mentality. More than 90% of the green chiles grown in the US and Mexico are from Ed's breeding program. He is now the only breeder of his kind in the world.
Even if you don't grow chiles, you can certainly learn something from this discussion.
The show covers important topics such as:
The art of visual phenotyping
Soil health's impact on genetics
Increase in yield by maximizing genetic potential over time
Visually measuring the yield and quality of a chile crop within 30 days of planting
The relationship between early vigor and crop yield
How Ed's management practices have brought steady decreases in Phytophthora and Xanthomonas bacterial spot
Ed's prediction for the coming capsaicin revolution and its many positive benefits
One of the most powerful things Ed says is, "The soul of farming is the soil." We agree.
The finale of our first season, episode #30, represents a huge milestone and our first ever Podcast LIVE. A huge THANK YOU is in order to all our amazing listeners around the world in the regenerative ag community who have supported this show and helped to make it such a success.
We hope you have a lovely holiday and we look forward to sharing the second season of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast with you in the new year.
Thank you,
The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast Team… -
Biocontrols for the future, with Pam Marrone
30 november 2018 · 36 min
"It's a very exciting time to be in agriculture, and a really great time to be a farmer, I think, and a great time to be an entrepreneur." ~Pam Marrone Lees meer
Pam is the founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, a leader in bio-pesticide research and manufacturing. She is a Ph.D. entomologist, turned entrepreneur. Pam is an inspiration to not only the next generation of microbial Ag researchers but to women in science and business. In addition, her work has helped farmers who are looking for more benign ways to address pest challenges.
Marrone's career has taken her from Monsanto and Novo Nordisk to entrepreneurial ventures such as Agraquest Inc. and MBI.
Her research screening for microbes and their products has yielded a library of tens of thousands of potentially useful microbes, and has given the world several of it's most widely used Bio-Pesticides.Pam also co-founded the Biological Products Industry Alliance to help growers understand HOW to make the best use of these materials in a combined whole farm program.
Throughout this fascinating conversation you will discover:
50% of pharmaceuticals are derived from natural products, but only 15% of pesticides
Environments where one is more likely to find insecticidal microbes compared to fungicidal microbes
Technologies that are enabling faster and more effective microbial and metabolite research
Microbial shifts observed due to different farming practices
Ecological and profitable advantages of BioControls over synthetics
The great need for more multifactor, on-farm, holistic research as opposed to single-factor, silver bullet research
Why it's not necessarily the bacteria or fungi themselves, but the compounds they produce that we are looking for
Enjoy!
John
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-49…
-
Practice of Biological Farming with Gary Zimmer
26 november 2018 · 57 min
This week, we present a follow-up to the interview I conducted last week, in Episode 27, with Gary Zimmer. I hope you enjoy the chance to dive deeper into some of the topics raised in the previous episode. Lees meer
Gary has been a key figure in the development of regenerative agriculture in America, is a sought-after speaker, and is the author of both The Biological Farmer (now available as an updated and expanded second edition), and Advancing Biological Farming. He is the founder of Midwestern BioAg, a consulting and fertility provision company headquartered in Madison Wisconsin.
Gary's consulting has largely been in broad-acre crops and dairy, but the powerful information he offers can be universally transferred to any crop. Gary's analogies between ruminant digestion and soil mineralization helps us understand concepts in biological farming. This talk is sprinkled with fast-paced wisdom, anecdotes, research, and philosophy.
The conversation centered on three topics which are critical to every farm:
Trace Minerals
Gary's preferred trace mineral nutrition sources and distribution methods
A lively discussion on sap, tissue, soil and dairy ration testing
Using mineral inputs when and where needed, with purpose, based on data
Nitrogen Management
Nitrogen management is NOT merely a numbers game
Digestibility and solubility are the critical considerations in N management
The use of various nitrogen stabilizers such as polymer coatings, humates and carbohydrates
The use of S, Mg and Mo to stabilize nitrogen in the soil
Growing crops without purchased nitrogen
Removing N availability as a limiting factor by growing N
Carbon
A perceived N response which is actually caused by solubilizing carbon and releasing CO2
The economics of mineral balance in terms of yield bump vs. yield loss
How to best think about cover crops and their use
Thank you to Gary for joining us twice and hope everyone enjoys the show!
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is br…
-
Concepts of Biological Farming with Gary Zimmer
9 november 2018 · 35 min
Gary Zimmer's impact on modern regenerative agriculture technique and proliferation is hard to overestimate -- with an enthusiasm and zeal that are positively infectious -- we are privileged to have him as a guest on the podcast. Lees meer
Zimmer is the founder of Midwestern BioAg, a company which advocates similar principals to Advancing Eco Agriculture, while focusing on dry soil amendments.
He farms with his family in Sauk County, Wisconsin and is the author of two seminal books on biological agriculture, which I highly recommend: The Biological Farmer (now available as an updated and expanded second edition), and Advancing Biological Farming.
In this episode, Gary:
Provides stories and insights from his decades-long career
Clarifies the distinction between soil-correction and crop-fertilizer
Reiterates the need to focus on biology in our soils and to use crop variation
Warns against simply replacing fertilizer sources point-for-point when transitioning to organic production
The discussion is lively, informative and short. Thus, we decided to invite Gary back for a follow up episode which will air next week, where Gary and I dive deeper into specific actionable steps growers can take to better manage nitrogen and trace mineral nutrition delivery from the soil.
Hope you enjoy!
John
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get …
-
From Dirt To Soil with Gabe Brown
2 november 2018 · 45 min
Gabe Brown is a clear, collected, and inspired voice for regenerative agriculture, having implemented and seen great changes on his family's ranch in North Dakota over time. In fact, Gabe's A-Horizon (topsoil) is 27 in, and the soils on surrounding farms only have 4-6 in of topsoil! Lees meer
Gabe is the author of the recently published and highly-acclaimed book, Dirt To Soil, from Chelsea Green. I highly recommend reading this truly inspiring and informative book.
Speaking and teaching about the practical steps for soil regeneration and farm profitability for more than 15 years, Gabe is also a partner with Soil Health Consultants LLC, an all-star group of ag thinkers and doers engaged in challenging the status-quo of agriculture.
In this episode Gabe and I speak about:
The time when Dr. Norman put a 4 ft long probe into the ground and the soil would collapse with only 2 ft in the probe because of tremendous pore space.
The reception of his book and the increased adoption of regenerative agriculture he's observed.
How to drive wholesale change in agriculture: the role of producers (most), consumers (a lot), processors (plenty) and government (not much!).
His desire to educate consumers regarding their role as potential Regenerative Ag advocates who leverage their food purchasing power.
The need for growers to focus on photosynthesis, carbon cycling, and support of biological systems.
The relative value of soil testing, which test is most valuable, and what to measure.
The idea that Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium are abundant enough in soils and the atmosphere to supply all NPK needed for crop and livestock production, and can be made available through cover cropping and biological cycling.
Dr. Norman's research on Gabe's farm documenting soils with up to 70% pore space.
The real potential to increase nutrient density, environmental conditions, and farm livelihood in the near-term.
And the one thing he wishes every farmer in the country would do.
This is G…
-
Traits of Exceptional Farm Managers
25 oktober 2018 · 42 min
In this episode, I explore the characteristics shared by farm managers whose operations are exceptionally successful, and consistently outperform similar farms in the region. Lees meer
In my experience as a field consultant and working with AEA's growers, I've observed a set of distinctive managerial patterns in the more successful growing operations. These traits bring outstanding results when farmers apply them over time. Listen to this episode for insights on these characteristics, and how they make growers more successful on their operations.
This podcast episode was originally recorded an exclusive webinar and received such fantastic feedback, I wanted to share it with you. Because this was a webinar, the audio quality is a somewhat lower than usual.
The concepts I cover include:
Focusing personal energy on increasing revenue, while delegating responsibility for decreasing costs to managers
Developing an intimate understanding of the agronomic science needed to increase revenue
Focusing on developing manageable data, measuring, and documenting which techniques work or don't
Making decisions based on data, particularly economic data
Having an intuitive heart connection to your crops
Click here sign up for our email list and get updates when new episodes are available.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Related Resources
Extraordinary farm managers do more of these things, than others:
Focus their time and energy on increasing revenue (spend 80% of own finance related planning time)
Delegate decreasing costs to accountants, advisors, and/or other staff (spend 20% of own finance related planning time)
Develop an intimate knowledge of the science needed to increase revenue
…
-
Fungi Matters with Peter McCoy
18 oktober 2018 · 51 min
Peter McCoy speaks for the fungi. Lees meer
His mission is to increase awareness, appreciation and the practical use of all manner of mushroom and mycelia. Peter is a co-founder of the grassroots advocacy group, Radical Mycology. He is also the author of a book by the same name which I've found to be the most thorough, current, and inspiring mycological reference available.
For those of you new to the wonderful world of Fungi and regenerative agriculture, mycology is the study of fungi (mushrooms, lichens, molds, etc.) and is a fundamental element of building soil health and profitable regenerative systems.
Peter is in high demand -- appearing in publications, speaking, and recently starting the world's first mycology school (Mycologos), dedicated to the practical arts and science of working with fungi and, after much fanfare, being successfully funded on Kickstarter.
Peter is well-versed in fungal impacts on agriculture systems on which this podcast episode focuses. His advocacy also covers ecological restoration, medical research, manufacturing, human nutrition, and more.
Actionable Information Within This Episode:
Why fungi should be considered a primary component in agricultural systems.
Types of fungi to know in farming and how to encourage them.
Utilizing fungal roles in the carbon cycle, soil aggregation, stability, and porosity.
Calcium syncing and phosphorous harvesting.
Myco-remediation techniques for neutralizing toxins.
Drought, heat and disease resilience and tolerance.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Related Resources
Animation: Mycorrhizal Fungi in Action
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast: Eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizer with Kris Nichols
Good …
-
How Nutrition Impacts Dairy Performance with Silvia Abel-Caines
31 augustus 2018 · 54 min
Dr. Silvia Abel-Caines is a Veterinarian with a Ph.D. in Ruminant Nutrition, who is currently working as the Staff Ruminant Nutritionist for Organic Valley. She has researched neonatal immunity and colostrum supplementation in dairy calves and has also performed research on improving the fatty acid profile of milk through nutrition. Lees meer
Combining the knowledge from her experience with ruminants and her technical training and research, Dr. Silvia Abel-Caines provides grazing insights and key information on maximizing dairy production by managing all aspects of cow health.
On this episode of the podcast, Silvia and I talk about
The roles of key trace minerals in plant health and performance
The science behind immunity with nutrition
How the lack of key mineral access leads to plants being largely comprised of nitrogen
Animal behavior and the feeding sequence
How farmers can change what ruminants graze for by what they are fed prior to letting them out to pasture
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
The Farm as EcoSystem by Jerry Brunetti
Grass, the Forgiveness of Nature by Charles Walters
Management-Intensive Grazing by Jim Gerrish
The Albrecht Papers
The Art and Science of Grazing by Sarah Flack
Soil, Grass, and Cancer by André Voisin
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE reco…
-
How To Prevent Nitrogen and Phosphorous Leaching
10 augustus 2018 · 50 min
In this episode, John discusses specific methods for the management of nitrogen and phosphorous for maximum benefit while reducing leaching, runoff, and pollution. Learn how to address nitrogen and phosphorus from both organic and conventional approaches. This episode contains effective, actionable information geared towards responsible and regenerative fertilizer management. Lees meer
This episode is sourced from a previously recorded AEA webinar and contains specific AEA product recommendations -- which means, you can also tap into visual versions of this information, here:
Recorded Webinar presentation (video)
Webinar Slide deck
Preventing Nitrogen and Phosphorous Leaching - Episode Highlights
Key Points:
Plant nutrients should be available without being water soluble
Nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers can be stabilized to prevent them from leaching
We can maintain and increase yields while reducing nutrient runoff when the right technology is used
Phosphorus exists in the soil in four states:
Plant available inorganic, orthophosphate (1 lb per acre)
Microbially complexed, organic, unavailable (50 lb per acre)
Adsorbed to soil particles, unavailable (150 lb per acre)
Mineral, (includes precipitated), unavailable (up to 9000 lb per acre)
Phosphorus can be lost to water by:
Loss of soluble inorganic P shortly after applying
Loss of small soil particles with adsorbed P (majority)
Plant available inorganics:
Become rapidly complexed
Adsorption
Precipitation
Binds with Fe, Al, Mn in acidic soils, and Ca in alkaline soils
Best availability at ph 6-7
Microbial Complexed
Microbial processes mineralize and release orthophosphate,
Can tap into adsorbed P and mineral P
Optimal soil temperature of 65-105º F
To prevent phosphorus leaching
Accelerate the mineralization process to release more P from unavailable reserves
Mychorrizal fungi and phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (BioCoat Gold)
Apply P that is available but not soluble
Add stable humic substan…
-
3 Things To Do When Plants Don't Respond to Nutrient Applications
31 juli 2018 · 10 min
Sometimes growers apply fertilizers to crops that don't respond to the applications like they're expecting. When plant health and vigor is in a decline, and nutrient applications don't move the needle, how can we reclaim the situation? Lees meer
Through our consulting experience, we have learned that when nutrient applications bring little response and plants are going downhill, applying the right biology will reverse the direction of a declining crop with a speed and effectiveness that is almost magical. I discuss the three steps we take to flip directions in short order.
Enjoy!
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.
-
The Job of a Farmer is to Feed the Soil with Sarah Singla
27 juli 2018 · 36 min
Sarah Singla is a farmer, agronomist, and educator from Southern France. Her family farm has been in no-till production since 1980. When she took the reigns in 2010 she additionally pursued a wonderfully complex diversified cover-cropping, mixed species, multi-income-stream approach that is highly thought-out, yet fluid. Lees meer
Sarah has visited growers the world over in direct communication about their production systems. Her experience is broad, yet she consistently finds the most successful producers reducing erosion, increasing soil microbiology and working with nature. She has since become a champion of regenerative agriculture.
In this episode, you will find particularly useful information on cover/crop/animal/bee systems in grain-based production. Sarah expands on her compelling vision for the regenerative future in agriculture with multiple examples and options to fit any farm.
We discuss:
How learning and education for farmers is linked to farm profitability
Goal-based thinking in agriculture - what it is and how it works better than following any one methodology such as organic, no-till, sustainable, etc.
Techniques for preventing erosion
Techniques for reducing fuel consumption of tractors and equipment
Improving degraded soils
Fertilizer reduction
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
Dirt, The Erosion of Civilizations, by David Montgomery
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via e…
-
Ecosystem Diversity Prevents Insect Pressure with Jonathan Lundgren
20 juli 2018 · 55 min
Jonathan Lundgren is an agroecologist, Director of the ECDYSIS Foundation, and CEO of Blue Dasher Farm. He received his Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Illinois in 2004 and was a professional pesticide evaluator with USDA-ARS for 11 years. Lees meer
Jonathan's research and education programs focus on assessing the ecological risk of pest management strategies and developing long-term solutions for sustainable food systems. His ecological research focuses heavily on conserving healthy biological communities within agroecosystems by reducing disturbance and increasing biodiversity within cropland.
In this episode, Jonathan and I discuss
How diversity in insect populations decreases pest problems
Why the term "pesticide safety" is meaningless, and the ecological implications and risk assessment of pesticides
How to develop agroecosystems that reduce the need for insect management products and other agrochemicals
How to design a proactive pest management system
Beekeeping, varroa mites, overwintering, and other interesting aspects of bees and honey production
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
Ploughman's Folly
One Straw Revolution
Mark Winston
Carl Sagan
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.
-
The Fallacy of Perfect Soil Reports
16 juli 2018 · 15 min
Soil analysis should be used as a milestone to monitor progress towards growing healthy crops; they should not be used as a goal. Every nutrient and soil amendment application needs to produce a strong crop response, not just a soil analysis response. When we apply this understanding properly it means that we will not apply uneconomical quantities of soil amendments to balance a soil analysis that do not first provide a benefit to the crop. Lees meer
On the mini-episode this week, I talk about
where soil tests are needed for optimal farm performance
how a soil test can be a detriment
what to look for in a soil report
what the numbers aren't telling you
why you can decrease your annual fertilizer inputs and get a better crop response
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
https://www.advancingecoag.com/soil-samples-analysis
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.
-
Microbial Influences on Crop Quality with Greg Pennyroyal
13 juli 2018 · 55 min
Greg Pennyroyal is the Viticulture and Enology Coordinator at Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards in Temecula, California. He is also the Professor of Viticulture for Mt. San Jacinto Community College. Greg has worked in many industries including medicinal organic herb production, traditional eastern medicine, and botanical medicine research and development. Greg has been active in researching neurodegenerative diseases in conjunction with the University of California, Santa Barbara and has a breadth of knowledge about plant health that is a true delight. Lees meer
In this episode, Greg and I discuss
How the microbiome determines 'terroir' and influences flavor and quality,
Using plant sap analysis, and how well it correlates with field observation
Can you produce fruit with more flavor and metabolites in a stressed environment, or in an optimal environment?
Plus many more highlights
Support For This Show
This episode is brought to you by AEA - Advancing Eco Agriculture - leading regenerative agriculture since 2006.
Visit www.advancingecoag.com today and learn how AEA can help you increase quality + yield.
Resources
The Farm as Ecosystem by Jerry Brunetti
Science in Agriculture: Advanced Methods for Sustainable Farming by Arden B. Andersen
Mineral Nutrition and Plant Disease by Lawrence E. Datnoff, Wade H. Elmer, Don M. Huber
Tuning In To Nature by Philip S. Callahan
Nutrition Rules! by Graeme Sait
Postmodern Winemaking: Rethinking the Modern Science of an Ancient Craft by Clark Smith
Chemistry Made Simple: A Complete Introduction to the Basic Building Blocks of Matter by John T. Moore
Khan Academy
Acres U.S.A.
Music Greg recommends:
For a musical translation of what it's like when you feel a sense of elation when new concepts click into place: Beethoven's 9th Symphony, otherwise known as the Ode of Joy
For when you gotta clean out your barn: Led Zeppelin Whole Lotta Love
Episode 16 - Greg Pennyroyal - Highlights
2:30 - Greg's journey bringing him to where…
-
Vegetative and Reproductive Nutrients with John Kempf
10 juli 2018 · 22 min
I've been asked a lot recently about how to manage vegetative growth versus reproductive growth. On the mini-episode this week, I talk about which nutrients drive strong vegetative growth, and which drive strong reproductive growth and development, along with the hormonal interactions which drive plant dominance. Nutrients in both categories interact with and synergize or antagonize certain plant hormones. These interactions shape how trees and plants develop reproductive buds and fruitwood versus shoot growth. On this episode, I talk about which nutrients are vegetative, which are reproductive, and how to switch plant dominance between vegetative and reproductive stages. Lees meer
4 Vegetative Growth nutrients:
Nitrate Nitrogen (not ammonium or urea)
Potassium
Chloride
Calcium
Reproductive nutrients:
All other nutrients will bring a slight reproductive response but the below 3 drive the strongest reproductive growth.
Manganese
Phosphorus
Ammonium
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.
-
Rethinking Plant Physiology and Absorption of Nutrients from the Soil with Gerald Pollack
30 juni 2018 · 1 uur 6 min
Dr. Jerry Pollack is a pioneering water researcher whose work in structured water and cell biology has been described as being some of the most important research that will be conducted in the 21st century. His research creates a completely new paradigm of cell biology and nutrient absorption. He is recognized worldwide as a dynamic speaker and author, whose passion lies in plumbing the depths of natural truths. Lees meer
Dr. Pollack received the 1st Emoto Peace Prize and is a recipient of the University of Washington's highest honor, the Annual Faculty Lecturer Award. He is founding Editor-in-Chief of the research journal WATER and Director of the Institute for Venture Science. Dr. Pollack's (award-winning) books include The Fourth Phase of Water (2013), and Cells, Gels, and the Engines of Life (2001). Dr. Jerry Pollack maintains an active laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle.
In this episode, Jerry and I discuss
How water moves to the top of a 100-yard tall redwood
How nutrients are absorbed across cell membranes and plant roots
The role of EZ water in moving nutrients through vascular tissue
How plant roots can absorb complete compounds from the soil solution
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
Cells, Gels and the Engines of Life
The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor
Episode 15 - Dr. Gerald H. Pollack - Highlights
4:50 - What is exclusion zone water? (EZ Water)
We all learned water had 3 phases, but the idea that water could have a phase between liquid and solid has been around for some time
EZ water is between solid and liquid. Gel-like, almost like raw egg whites
EZ water has a negative charge, unlike ordinary water
Energy …
-
Why Regenerative Agriculture with John Kempf
26 juni 2018 · 8 min
On the mini-episode this week, I focus on why we should develop regenerative agriculture, how it is different, and why it is important. In the past 10 or 12 years, a lot of conversation has been had on sustainable agriculture. In this episode, I explore what it is that we want to sustain, why regeneration is important, and how regenerative farming systems impact the bottom line in a way that sustainability cannot. Lees meer
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Feedback & Booking
Please send your feedback, requests for topics or guests, or booking request have a Podcast episode recorded LIVE at your event -- to production@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com. You can email John directly at John@regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com.
Sign Up For Special Updates
To be alerted via email when new episodes are released, and get special updates about John speaking, teaching, and podcast LIVE recordings, be sure to sign up for our email list.
-
BioEnergetics in Agriculture with Steve Diver
23 juni 2018 · 45 min
Steve Diver has earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Horticulture and has conducted research on fruit and nut production, and seasonal changes in elemental concentration in pecan fruit and leaves. He has served as the Extension Horticulture Agent in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, and has also worked as an Agriculture Specialist with the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. In 2010, he established an independent firm, Agri-Horticultural Consulting, which provided soil analysis and consultancy services in eco-agriculture, organic and sustainable farming, and environmental sciences. Lees meer
In this episode, Steve and I discuss rock powders, biology, and bioenergetics, the oxidation/reduction potential in soils, the use of liquid biological agents in soil health and crop success, and the value of bioenergetics in agriculture. Steve has some really great knowledge from his many years of experience in the lab and in the field.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
Acres U.S.A
William Albrecht, Gary Zimmer, Neal Kinsey
Korean Natural Farming (KNF)
Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF)
Episode 13 - Steve Diver - Highlights
3:06 - What are Steve's memorable moments leading him to where he is today?
Steve got a good introduction to organic and biodynamic farming
4:35 - What did Steve encounter that was different compared to the work he had been doing?
Steve has been interested in organic agriculture for a long time
3 pillars of eco agriculture: minerals, biology, bioenergetics
6:50 - What lead Steve add bioenergetics to minerals and biology in these pillars?
9:10 - Discussion around Oxidation/Reduction Potential -Eh (Redox)
12:40 - What is something that has surprised St…
-
How Soil Health Impacts Performance of Cherry Varieties with Lynn Long
20 juni 2018 · 45 min
Professor Lynn Long has worked in sweet cherry research and Extension at Oregon State University since 1988. At that time, the main cherry variety being grown was Bing on a Mazzard rootstock, leading to disease and susceptibility to weather pressure. Lynn has been an advocate for diversity in varieties and rootstocks, maintaining a cherry variety trial since 1996, and evaluating nearly 100 varieties and selections for potential adoption by the sweet cherry industry in the Pacific Northwest. He has been instrumental in progressing the use of dwarfing rootstocks and new training systems in commercial orchards. Long has authored many publications and has spoken in grower oriented meetings in 16 countries around the world. Lees meer
In this episode, Lynn and I discuss the future of sweet cherry production. Lynn believes the future development of tree fruit will emerge when we begin better managing 'the other half of the tree' - the root system.
How soil health and compost applications contribute to varietal performance
How modern dwarf rootstocks compare to older varieties
What is the future of biological and mechanical solutions to automate harvesting
Successfully reducing bacterial canker with plant nutrition
...And more!
Very thought provoking for any tree fruit grower!
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
Cherries: Botany, Production and Uses
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/people/lynn-long
Episode 12 - Lynn Long - Highlights
2:45 - What are some memorable moments that have lead Lynn to where he is today?
In the 90's, cherry production was focused on one single variety. There wasn't a lot of diversity at the time.
In 1994, Lynn went to Europe and gained knowledge th…
-
Eliminating the Need For Synthetic Fertilizers with Kris Nichols
16 juni 2018 · 59 min
Dr. Kris Nichols has conducted innovative research on soil biology, understanding how to regenerate soil health quickly. She is the founder and principal scientist of KRIS (Knowledge for Regeneration In Soils) Systems Education & Consulting Services. Dr. Nichols has also been the Chief Scientist at Rodale Institute and a Research Soil Microbiologist with the USDA. Lees meer
In this episode, Kris and I discuss how to harness the power of fungi to decrease the use of synthetic fertilizers, the symbiosis between bacteria and water retention, and climate-resilient crops.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources
David Montgomery
Judith Schwartz (Cows Save the Planet, Water in Plain Sight)
Kristin Ohlson (The Soil Will Save Us)
William Schlesinger (Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change)
Episode 11 - Kris Nichols - Highlights
3:00 - What are some of the highlights that have lead Kris to where she is today?
Kris researched mycorrhizal fungi at the University of Minnesota
Kris worked with USDA and fell back in love with agriculture, especially when seeing concepts from the lab being practically implemented
7:00 - Not being able to regenerate soil to full potential when using synthetic fertilizer
Organisms in the soil have huge potential to resolve nutrient issues in plants
In a lab, Kris could see this to be true - but many growers were still relying on synthetic fertilizers
Need to put the tools in place to optimize organisms in soil (mycorrhizal fungi especially) to maximize effects on plants
10:10 - Applying soluble phosphorus fertilizers removing the need for a symbiotic relationship between plants and mycorrhizae
Timing is very important when adding amendments - mak…
-
Jerry Hatfield on Why Should We Care About Soil Health
30 mei 2018 · 41 min
Dr. Hatfield is the laboratory director for the USDA's National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment. He has also served on the faculty of the University of California-Davis and is a Past President of the American Society of Agronomy. Lees meer
In this short but very powerful episode, Jerry and I discuss the mechanics of improving plant efficiency in capturing water, nutrients, and light and put that into productivity. We talk about the role that the soil-plant continuum plays in not only developing the productivity but also the quality of the products that plant is harvested for. Jerry and I discuss the fundamental functions of the soil aggregate structure and the value of gas exchange and water infiltration.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Episode 10 - Jerry Hatfield - Highlights
3:10 - What have been some of the highlights that have lead Jerry to where he is today?
What drives Jerry: Finding out how can we improve the efficiency of plants to capture water and light, and put that into productivity
What is the role of all this in increasing productivity and quality of what is harvested
5:30 - Why should we care about soil health?
What does the surface of the soil look like? (Aggregation structure)
Getting air and water into the soil helps drive the biological processes under the soil
This determines what the plants are doing (how well they can take up nutrients)
We need to care because this makes the whole plant system much more efficient - the soil health is the unifying factor
11:10 - How does soil quality improve so many various characteristics of plants
Creating a more balanced soil - creating a condition for the plant to store more carbohydrates more efficien…
-
Plant and Insect Communications in Biological Cropping Systems with Larry Phelan
18 mei 2018 · 51 min
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Larry Phelan, a professor at Ohio State University where he heads research programs studying the role of soil communities in plant health and susceptibility to disease and insect pests in biological farming systems. Larry also heads programs researching the identification and behaviors of plant secondary compounds and insect pheromones that affect host finding and other behaviors. Lees meer
In this episode, Larry and I discuss plant and insect communications, soil communities, and the concept of biological buffering - the capacity of biology in the soil to absorb large amounts of nutrients that are applied and contain those in their cells and release them over a period of time. We also talk about Larry's new initiatives in the city of Cleveland to incorporate urban agricultural systems. I had a lot of fun with this episode - some of the topics Larry touches on are absolutely fascinating.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Episode 8 - Larry Phelan - Highlights
3:10 - What are the memorable moments leading up to where Larry is today?
Larry was trained as a chemical ecologist - where he would identify pheromones and plant attractants
As he started talking to organic farmers, he noticed they had fewer issues with insect pests than conventional farmer neighbors
5:30 - What were the differences that Larry noticed in organic farming?
During this time, many organic farmers were doing their own research
Many organic farmers had animals integrated into their farms
"If we have healthy soil, then we are going to have a healthy plant, and insects don't like healthy plants" - Larry was seeing the truth to this and wanted to test
Larry wanted to…
-
Winning the Weed Control Challenge on Organic Crops with Klaas Martens
12 mei 2018 · 1 uur 5 min
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing a great farmer and friend of mine, Klaas Martens. Klaas has been farming for more than 30 years and has driven the adoption of sustainable farming practices through his work with numerous national organizations and advisory committees. This episode contains some really great information from Klaas's many years of experience developing sustainable farming systems. Lees meer
In this episode, we talk about the cultural practices that form the basis of weed control, how Klaas thought he had discovered a pathogen that could become a new herbicide, and what it turned out to be, how to see and monitor field variables, crop rotations, and how Klaas has managed the weed control on his farm in upstate New York for the past 30 years.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Episode 8 - Klaas Martens - Highlights
2:50 - Going from conventional farming to completely organic
3:40 - Having to unlearn some things from a university education
4:20 - Klaas was noticing that his observations in farming were contradicting his learned models and assumptions
5:15 - What have been the memorable moments that have lead Klaas to where he is today?
Learning that cultural practices form the basis of all weed control - chemicals are auxiliary only
Cultural practices are everything you do in the tending of your fields - what you do to set up the situation the crop is growing in
What happens if you abandon a field? See the crop rotation in nature
10:20 - Why was Klaas looking for info in books written before 1945?
These chemicals were all recent - agriculture had existed long before
Knowledge was lost when chemicals came long
12:00 - How does this relate to how Klaas m…
-
Erosion, Soil Balance, and Cover Crops with Steve Groff
5 mei 2018 · 1 uur 3 min
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Steve Groff, a farmer and cover crop pioneer who has also worked with the University of Maryland on extensive cover crop research. Steve founded Cover Crop Coaching in 2016 and has spoken to audiences across North America, Europe, Australia, Japan, and many other parts of the world on the use of cover crops across the full range of agricultural applications. Lees meer
In this episode, we talk about important management tools to incorporate with cover crops, the causes of erosion in a soil system, and how farmers can supply consumer demand for nutritional value. We also discuss farm economics, the books Steve read that started him in cover cropping and a step by step guide for growers who want to start developing healthy soil.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Resources recommended by Steve
Growing a Revolution: Bringing Our Soil Back to Life by David R. Montgomery
The Biological Farmer: A Complete Guide to the Sustainable & Profitable Biological System of Farming by Gary F. Zimmer
Stubble Over the Soil: The Vital Role of Plant Residue in Soil Management to Improve Soil Quality by Carlos Corvetto Lamarca
The One-Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming by Masanobu Fukuoka
Episode 7 - Steve Groff - Highlights
3:00 - What are some of the memorable moments that have lead Steve to where he is today?
Steve started no till in the early 80's - Solely to stop soil erosion
A key moment for Steve was 3 years into doing no till - He noticed his soil was beginning to "mellow out"
Today we can transfer to no till much faster than ever before
In 1995 Steve started researching cover crops - he noticed after a drought year that he had 2…
-
Symbiotic Relationships in Ecology with Don Huber
28 april 2018 · 1 uur 26 min
In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Don Huber, a leading plant pathologist and Professor Emeritus at Purdue University. We discuss how to manage soil-borne diseases by managing crop rotations, and the management needed to grow 500 hundred bushels corn. Lees meer
Don shared intriguing observations on how soil-borne disease pathogen populations remain present in the soil constantly and are actually 'beneficial' saprophytic fungi until the right environment is present. Root diseases are a result of the soil environment, not a result of the presence or absence of the organism.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Related Resources
Mineral Nutrition and Plant Disease by Lawrence E. Datnoff (Author, Editor), Wade H. Elmer (Editor), Don M. Huber (Editor)
Marschner's Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants by Horst Marschner (Author)
Episode 4 - Dun Huber - Highlights
2:40 - What are Don's most memorable moments leading him to where he is?
Don has fun wherever he is!
3:10 - What has puzzled Don in his research work?
Studying soil ecology is looking at a black box. Need to slowly build a picture of everything involved.
4:10 - What is something that has surprised Don?
How seemingly contradictory things all work together, such as a lot of nutrient relationships
Secondary functions of things like manganese and iron start to come into play
What are the ecological niches that make the system work?
6:30 - Challenge of manganese availability. What is contributing to that?
It's a dynamic relationship with soil and fungi.
Need organisms and nutrients to increase uptake
Need the bacteria that are responsible for the valiant state - oxidizing groups and reducing groups
Manganese…
-
The Value of Nutrient Density with Matt Kleinhenz
21 april 2018 · 1 uur 5 min
In this episode, I interviewed Dr. Matt Kleinhenz, a professor at the Ohio State University in vegetable crop physiology who has done research in many areas of horticulture and crop sciences. We talk about high quality food production, how growers and consumers view nutrient density, how farmers can influence the market, Matt's views on nutritional yield, and how growers can stay up-to-date on the latest crop breakthroughs. Lees meer
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Episode 5 - Dr. Matt Kleinhenz - Highlights
[0:03:20] - Matt's memorable moments that have brought him to where he is today
Matt's interactions with growers bringing him questions, especially focusing on "how to produce more of a better quality product?"
[0:04:10] - Where is the demand coming from for growers who want to produce a higher quality product?
Some demand comes from grower's ethics who see themselves as part of a larger picture.
Business wise - maybe coming from complaints or questions of the quality of their product.
[0:05:00] - What defines quality for growers? What are they seeking to produce?
What does quality mean in the eyes of a particular group? Shape, size, texture, aroma, flavor, etc.
[0:07:00] - What has Matt observed in terms of nutrient density? Will there be a demand for "nutrient dense" foods?
Nutrient value/density is a complex topic, and we need to be specific when discussing it.
Will there be a time when more people are paying more attention? Matt thinks so, but we aren't there yet.
[0:11:00] - Is there evidence we have lost nutrient density in our food supply?
Matt thinks it's possible.
The market is not demanding nutritional value, so it makes sense farmers are not focusing on it.
… -
How Insect Pests Identify Unhealthy Plants with Tom Dykstra
17 april 2018 · 1 uur 11 min
This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Tom Dykstra, the founder and laboratory director at Dykstra Labs, who also has advanced degrees in entomology and has worked with Dr. Phil Callahan. Lees meer
In this episode, we talk about plant and insect communications, and how plants can only see and feed on plants who are unhealthy (insects are only attracted to unhealthy plants). We also discuss Dr. Dykstra's current day work in bioelectromagnetics, entomology, and agriculture. This episode is a truly amazing glimpse into these very fascinating areas and how they relate to plant physiology.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Episode 4 - Dr. Dykstra - Highlights
3:00 - What memorable moments lead Tom to where he is today?
Getting fired at the University of Florida leading to the path he's on now
Work with flea larvae leading into Tom's PhD project
Insect bioelectromagnetics
5:40 - What is the potential impact of Tom's work on agriculture? What might farmers be able to apply?
Optimizing photosynthesis to optimize Brix level - leading to healthier plants
8:30 - Photosynthesis thoughts. How much is it possible to increase photosynthesis beyond what is normal? What tools can optimize it?
You can increase it substantially
Most plants between 4-8 brix. 12 serious insect damage stops. 14 is a genuinely healthy plant
Plants are not working up to anywhere near their potential
It's a matter of getting the photosynthetic rate up
Need to not be putting up blockages - ex. pesticides
Brix is by far the easiest thing to do to measure plant health
Need to be weaning off pesticides immediately
17:30 - What can we do to increase energy flow in the soil profile?
How much can you afford …
-
Disease Resistance and Regenerating Soil with Michael McNeill
14 april 2018 · 52 min
In this episode, I had an awesome time interviewing Dr. Michael McNeill, who is an agronomic consultant with several degrees in soil fertility, plant physiology, and quantitative genetics. We discuss how fertility and genetics impact plant response to disease invasion, what causes the suppression of soil health, Michael's experience quickly regenerating soil, how farming has changed since the green revolution, and how to develop a plant profile that protects against disease. Lees meer
Mentioned In This Episode:
N. A. Krasil'nikov SOIL MICROORGANISMS AND HIGHER PLANTS
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, Episode 3 Timestamps:
4:10 - Michael's background
Michael's seen the transition of his farm going from all horses, to the GPS guided tractors they use today.
He sees a need to bring back certain aspects of the type of farming he learned from his grandfather, especially In terms of improving soil health and maintaining soil fertility.
Michael's operation has gone completely organic.
Around 42,000 acres of organic crops in Michael's area, with farmers ranging from 320 acres to 15,000 acres of organic area.
6:50 - Michael's professional work
Michael left the farm for a few years for a degree at Iowa State University, majoring in agronomy for a B.S. degree in soils and soil fertility. Michael has a masters degree in plant physiology, and a PhD in quantitative genetics.
After university, Michael studied the impact of diseases as weapons and how to defend crops against diseases.
Michael learned about how fertility and genetics can create environments that can defend against pathogenic invasion.
Michael had experimented with GMO's and moving genes from …
-
Social Impacts of Regenerative Agriculture with Gabe Brown
14 april 2018 · 1 uur 6 min
In this episode, I interviewed Gabe Brown, a rancher who is a veteran no-tiller and the owner of Brown's Ranch in Bismarck, N.D.. Lees meer
We discussed Gabe's experience farming without applying any fertilizers, the ability to feed more people with regenerative agriculture than with the current system, the economics of grazing beef, and the tremendous opportunity of growing non-commodity crops. This episode is a great look at the practical applications of regenerative agriculture systems.
Gabe's new book, Dirt to Soil, will be available in fall 2018 from Chelsea Green and Amazon.
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Episode 2 - Gabe Brown - Highlights
0:02:40 - What moments have lead Gabe to where he is today?
Since Gabe wasn't born and raised on a farm, he didn't have any preconceived notions, and was open to new ideas
Gabe went to no tillage
Gabe learned how to use the land without the use of synthetic inputs
0:04:40 - What were the key pieces Gabe changed to how he had been farming?
Incorporating livestock
Lowering synthetic inputs
0:07:20 - How important is it to incorporate livestock?
Soil health revolves around carbon
We can still definitely improve soil health without livestock, however they will not reach the levels of soil that had livestock
Cover crops are still a no-brainer, however!
0:12:00 - Commodity crop mindset
We have a human health crisis
Nutrient density is a fraction of what it used to be
Health of soil ecosystem is causing downward trend in nutrient density
Focus on human health is a coming wave
0:16:40 - Do we actually have a food production problem?
We have a distribution problem, not a food production problem.
0:20:50 - Iowa's change from 1946
…
-
Increasing Biological Populations with Robert Kremer
14 april 2018 · 1 uur
In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Robert Kremer, a microbiology scientist for the USDA who also works as a professor in plant sciences at the University of Missouri. In this episode, we discuss Robert's project with the USDA decomposing weed seeds in soil, native soil microorganisms and microbial interactions, and the implications of AMPA and glyphosate on soil biology. We also discuss Robert's thoughts on the challenge of manganese availability, how growing GMO's impacts soil health, building soil carbon, how to choose soil inoculants and many more fascinating insights from a highly respected soil scientist. Lees meer
Support For This Show & Helping You Grow
This show is brought to you by AEA, leaders in regenerative agriculture since 2006.
If you are a large-scale grower looking to increase crop revenue and quality, email hello@advancingecoag.com or call 800-495-6603 extension 344 to be connected with a dedicated AEA crop consultant.
Episode 1 - Dr. Kremer - Highlights
0:03:00 - What are Robert's memorable moments leading up to where he is today?
Robert was asked by the USDA Agricultural Research Service to look at the possibility of decomposing weed seeds in soil used in microbiological approaches.
Robert saw in the 80's, weed and pest management was mainly chemical based.
Through trying natural ways of controlling weeds and attempting to understand what pesticides do, which lead him soil quality/health.
0:05:50 - Has Robert had success in developing biological controls? Are there tools available for farmers to use today?
Robert found it almost impossible to control all weed growth.
Modern input based agriculture ecosystems built up many weed seeds in the operations Robert was working on.
Robert's work has helped set the stage for other work that has been done in this area.
0:08:10 - Is Robert aware of any development relevant to fruit and vegetable production systems? Or in areas where ecosystems have longer crop rotation incorporating …