Recorded: 2/26/25 

 Get ready for spring green-up with this two-episode series on assessing your spring small grain and forage stands! In this episode, we talk to extension educator Zack Curtis about the technical aspects of taking qualitative and quantitative stand assessments.  

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guest: Zachary Curtis. Penn State Extension

Links:
Wheat Stand Assessment
Evaluation and Considerations on Newly Established Forages
Are My Forages Dead or Dormant?

Photo credit: Ryan Spelman, Penn State Extension

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 2/11/25 

With seemingly ever-increasing fertilizer costs, it is important to apply nitrogen fertilizers with as much precision as possible when growing corn and measuring soil nitrate levels in the early part of the season is a critical step to making these precise applications. In this episode, Ryan and Justin discuss the ins and outs of utilizing a Pre-sidedress Soil Nitrate Test (PSNT) to do exactly this with Penn State Extension specialists Dr. Charlie White and Dr. Robb Meinen. 

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guests: Charlie White and Robb Meinen, Penn State

Links:
Pre-sidedress Soil Nitrate Test for Corn
Pre-Sidedress Nitrate Test for Corn (PSNT)
Pre-sidedress Soil Nitrate Test (PSNT) for Corn Sample Submission Form

Photo credit: Charlie White, Penn State

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 1/14/25 

 As farmers and ag workers begin preparations for the upcoming field season, they may be wondering what new pest management technologies and information are available. In this episode, Ryan and Justin sit down with plant pathology specialist Dr. Paul Esker to discuss new alfalfa fungicide recommendations, updated recommendations for soybean white mold and tar spot control, as well as new scouting platforms available to farmers. Entomology specialist Dr. John Tooker joins us to discuss new Bt traits, and updated information on slug management. 

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension

Guest: Dr. John Tooker, Penn State

Links:
Penn State Agronomy Guide
Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Corn Foliar Diseases
Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Soybean Foliar Diseases
Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Alfalfa Diseases
Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Wheat Diseases
Handy Bt Trait Table for U.S. Corn Production

Photo credit: John Tooker, Penn State

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 1/14/25 

As farmers and ag workers begin preparations for the upcoming field season, they may be wondering what new weed management technologies and information is available. In this episode, Ryan and Justin sit down with weed specialist Dwight Lingenfelter to discuss new herbicide technologies, products, and resistance issues moving into the upcoming season.  

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension

Guest: Dwight Lingenfelter, Penn State

Links:
Order the new Penn State Agronomy Guide
Corn Growth Stages
Soybean Growth Stages

Photo Credit: Andrew Frankenfield, Penn State Extension

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 12/9/24

Winter is here, and temperatures are in the single digits across Pennsylvania, so what better time than now to talk about wintertime livestock feeding and pasture management! Join Ryan and Justin in a conversation with Dave Hartman about the agronomic considerations behind feeding livestock over the winter, reducing livestock damage to pasture, and planning your wintertime grazing rotation.  Formerly a Penn State extension educator, Dave Hartman now serves as the program director of PAGLC (Pennsylvania Grazing Lands Coalition).

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guest: Dave Hartman, Former Extension Educator

Links:
Cold Stress and Beef Cattle
CA SoilWeb
Pennsylvania Grazing Lands Coalition

Photo Credit: Sjoerd Duiker 

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 12/20/24

Happy New Year! On this episode of the Agronomy Highlights Podcast, Ryan and Justin reflect on our favorite episodes of 2024, and quiz each other on the topics covered over the past year. Tune in and play along on this special episode! 

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 11/21/24

Pennsylvania winters can bring low temperatures, high moisture, and often fluctuating conditions. These conditions can be abusive to stored farm equipment and machinery. On this episode, extension educators and resident farm equipment experts, Zack Curtis and Andrew Frankenfield, share winter storage tips, discuss how to prepare equipment for storage, and how to minimize problems that can arise during storage. 

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guests: Andrew Frankenfield and Zachary Curtis, Penn State Extension

Links:
Preparing and Storing Farm Equipment for Winter

Photo credit: Zachary Curtis

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 11/21/24

In this episode, we're diving into the world of organic field crop production with Kristen Loria, Extension specialist at Cornell University. Kristen shares her broad expertise in building successful organic field cropping systems, including her experience in reducing tillage and improving crop diversity in organic field crop rotations. Kristen also discusses her experiences producing organic dry beans in New York (starting @ 40 min).

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guest: Kristen Loria, Cornell University

Links:
Penn State Organic Crop Production Guide
OGRAIN - Organic Grain Resources and Information Network
Buttermilk Bean

Photo Credit: Kristen Loria

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 11/21/24

Let’s talk crap! As harvest season wraps up and manure pits continue to fill, farmers may be wondering how and if manure may be applied to cropland in winter conditions. In this episode, we are joined by Penn State Extension experts Dr. Robb Meinen and Leanna Duppstadt to discuss how to safely and effectively spread manure in the winter. We also discuss the value of writing manure management plans.

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guests: Robert Meinen and Leanna Duppstadt, Penn State Extension

Links:
The Do's and Don'ts of Winter Manure Spreading
Manure Management Plan Overview and Connections to Resources
Manure N-P-K Economic Value Calculator

Photo Credit: Ryan Spelman 

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!

Recorded: 10/28/2024

Ever wondered what it takes to become a successful multi-generation farm? In this episode, Ryan and Justin investigate the often-tricky process of farm succession and transition planning. Guests Joy Kirkpatrick and Darlene Livingston discuss what farm succession and transition planning means to producers, tensions that may arise during the process, and how to start your own farm plan. 

Hosts: Ryan Spelman and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guests: Joy Kirkpatrick and Darlene Livingston

Links:
Cultivating Your Farm’s Future
Pennsylvania Farm Link Resource Hub
Farm Succession with Pennsylvania Farm Link

Photo Credit: Ryan Spelman

Sign up for our newsletter, Field Crop News, and follow us on Facebook!