Welcome back to Beyond the Crops, where farm life meets real life! Join your hosts, Jena Ochsner and Mary Pat Sass, as they bring in a special guest – MP's husband Josh and brother in law, Ryan Sass. 

With planting season just around the corner, they're diving deep into the process, benefits, and challenges of treating their own soybean seed right on the farm. 

📌 What We Cover in This Episode:
✅ Introducing Ryan and his agronomy-focused role on the family farm (his passion for plant science, health, and fertility).
✅ The decision to treat seed on-farm: How they started, the learning curve, and the significant cost savings involved.
✅ Why they treat seed close to planting season (inoculant shelf life, flexibility for weather/market changes).
✅ The risks involved: The importance of precise mixing and measuring, and potential costly mistakes (including a real-life equipment failure example!).
✅ Advice for farmers interested in treating their own seed (talk to other farmers, dealers, understand the "art" vs. science).
✅ Busting misconceptions: Knowing exactly what products and rates are being applied to your seed.
✅ Seed treatment's role in protecting potential early against soil-borne threats vs. later foliar applications.
✅ Preparing for planting season beyond the seed (mental prep, home front support, project prioritizing).
✅ Ryan's perspective on navigating planting season while expecting a new baby and the importance of family support.
✅ Encouragement for farm families facing the busy season: Give grace, have patience, and maintain perspective.

💡 Key Takeaways:
✨ Treating seed on-farm can offer significant cost savings (approx. $10/unit mentioned) and flexibility, but requires diligence and carries risk.
✨ Timing is strategic: Treating close to planting maximizes inoculant effectiveness and allows adaptation to conditions.
✨ Knowledge is power: Understand exactly what treatments and rates are being applied to your seed, whether you do it yourself or buy it treated.
✨ Seed treatment is primarily for early-season protection against soil-borne diseases and pests, maximizing the seed's potential from the start.
✨ Precision matters: Mistakes in mixing or application can negate savings quickly. Start small if unsure.
✨ On-farm treating is an investment in time (estimated 3 days for their operation) and equipment, which has its own costs and potential failures.
✨ Communication (or lack thereof!) and defined roles are part of the reality of working with family.
✨ Give grace, be patient, and maintain optimism and perspective during the demanding planting season. God's got your back.

🙌 Join the Conversation!
We’d love to hear from you! Do you treat your own seed, or rely on retailers? What's one takeaway from this episode, or one way you're preparing for the upcoming planting season? Share your thoughts and tag us @beyondthecrops_.

#SeedTreatment #OnFarm #Soybeans #PlantingSeason #FarmLife #BeyondTheCropsPodcast #Agronomy #FarmWife #AgPodcast #FarmFamily #ROI #FarmManagement #RiskManagement #WomenInAg #AgTwitter

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