There are no shortcuts to building a profitable farm. The biggest gains often come from understanding your soil, making smarter decisions, and improving a little every season.

In this episode, a Minnesota farmer discuss the lessons he learned from years of testing, field trials, and education. From breaking compaction and improving soil health to fine-tuning nitrogen, tissue testing, and late-season nutrition, we explain why strong fundamentals continue to outperform guesswork.

What You'll Learn:

• Why healthy soil is the foundation of higher yields
• How split nutrient applications improve crop performance
• Why soil and tissue testing remove the guesswork

Key Takeaways!

🌱 Remove limiting factors before expecting higher yields.

🚜 The best farms aren't built on one product. They're built on knowledge, consistency, and a willingness to keep learning.

In this episode, one Wisconsin farmer shares how moving from a one-size-fits-all fertility program to field-specific nutrient management transformed his operation. Through soil testing, tissue testing, foliar feeding, and a focus on micronutrients, he pushed his soybean yields from 75 to 97 bushels while building a system designed for long-term profitability.

His story is a reminder that better yields start with better management, and every season is another chance to improve.

What You'll Learn:

• Why tissue testing improves in-season decisions
• How field-specific fertility helps break yield plateaus
• How foliar feeding boosted soybean performance

Key Takeaways!

🌱 Every field should be managed based on its own needs.

🚜 Investing in the right nutrients pays when they're backed by data.

Foliar feeding can boost yields, yet small mistakes can do more harm than good. In this episode, we break down how to avoid crop burn.

What You'll Learn:

• Why temperature, humidity, and timing matter
• How application overlap and tank mixes affect crop safety
• Best practices for crop staging and foliar applications

Key Takeaways!

🌱 Foliar feeding works best when conditions are right.

🚜 Precision application protects both yield and crop health.

Every year, farmers hear about the next product that's supposed to change everything. Things like amino acids, enzymes, and biologicals. The promises can sound exciting, but the results are what matters.

In this episode, Rod takes a closer look at the science behind amino acids and enzymes. He explains why crops need balanced nutrition before any specialty product can deliver real value. Instead of chasing shortcuts, build a strong foundation first.

Good agronomy isn't about buying more products. It's about making every input earn its place.

What You'll Learn:

• Why healthy plants make their own amino acids
• How balanced nutrition supports enzyme activity
• Why the fundamentals should come before specialty products

Key Takeaways!

🌱 The best farm investments are backed by research, not marketing.

🚜 Don't chase trends before mastering the fundamentals, and

🌱   Ask why a product works before deciding to buy it.

Today we talk with an Illinois farmer about how small changes lead to big results. From soil and tissue testing to spoon-feeding nutrients throughout the season, Brent shares how managing every field based on its individual needs has improved yields, forage quality, and profitability.

Success doesn't come from guessing. It comes from learning, testing, and making better decisions.

What You'll Learn:

• Why every field deserves its own game plan
• Why micronutrients can unlock hidden yield potential
• How soil and tissue testing remove the guesswork

Every acre you spray starts with water. If your spray water has the wrong pH, it can reduce the effectiveness of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides before they even reach the field. In this episode, Rod explains why testing water pH is one of the easiest ways to improve spray performance.

Learn why water quality matters, how the right acidifier can protect your investment, and why a small step before spraying can save you money and improve weed control all season long.

What You'll Learn:

• Why spray water pH affects chemical performance
• How acidifiers help protect active ingredients
• How proper water management can improve weed control and reduce resistance

Key Takeaways!

🌱 High pH water can reduce the effectiveness of many crop protection products.

🚜 A quality acidifier can protect your spray investment and improve weed control.

Yellow soybeans after a glyphosate application may seem like a temporary problem, yet the yield loss can be very real. In this episode, Rod explains what causes yellow flash, why manganese plays a critical role, and how farmers can reduce stress on their soybean crop.

You'll hear real-world examples, research insights, and practical strategies that can help protect yield potential and improve profitability with a simple addition to your spray program.

What You'll Learn:

• What causes yellow flash in soybeans after glyphosate applications
• How reducing crop stress can protect yield potential
• Why manganese is essential for healthy soybean growth

Key Takeaways!

• Fully chelated manganese is important for compatibility and effectiveness.
• Every management decision either creates stress or helps the crop overcome stress.
• Yellow flash can reduce soybean productivity and may cost valuable bushels.
• Small investments in stress mitigation can lead to significant returns at harvest. 🌱🚜

Foliar feeding has been debated for years. Some farmers swear by it. Others are not convinced. So what separates success in Foliar Feeding from disappointment?

In this episode you’ll hear from farmers across the Midwest using foliar feeding in corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. From consistent yield increases to improved crop performance across every acre, they explain what worked on their farms and why.

If you have ever wondered whether foliar feeding is worth it, this episode gives you the roadmap.

What You'll Learn:

• Why tissue testing is essential
• Common mistakes that cause foliar feeding to fail
• The only growth stages to spray at

Key Takeaways!

🌾 Foliar feeding is about applying the right nutrients, at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place.

What if micronutrients are more than tools for growing bigger crops…What if they play a major role in building stronger soil biology?

In this episode of A Better Way to Farm, Andrew sits down with farmer and researcher Curt to talk about how micronutrients influence the living system beneath your feet. 

This episode goes beyond yield and focus on creating healthier, more efficient system that works for years to come.

What You'll Learn:

• Why zinc, manganese, and boron are critical for soil biology.
• How micronutrients support soil microbes and nutrient cycling.
• Why testing should guide every fertility decision.

Key Takeaways!

🌾 Micronutrients help power the microbes that recycle nutrients, break down residue, support root growth, and improve efficiency across the farm.

🧪 The goal is not to apply more products. The goal is to understand what your field needs through proper testing and then make informed decisions that build both soil health and profitability.

Boron might be one of the most overlooked nutrients in agriculture, and it could be quietly stealing yield from your operation. In this conversation, Rod breaks down why boron plays a much bigger role than most farmers realize and why focusing only on N, P, and K may be leaving profitability behind. 

You’ll learn why boron impacts pollination, root growth, sugar movement, nutrient uptake, and stress tolerance. Rod also explains why timing matters more than simply applying more product and why split applications consistently outperform large single applications. 

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why boron is critical for crop performance

• How boron affects phosphorus and potassium uptake

• Why split applications win

• The danger of waiting for visual deficiency symptoms

• How foliar feeding strategies impact ROI

If your soil test does not include boron levels, this episode may change how you look at fertility planning moving forward.