Recorded: 5/1/2024

With warm spring temperatures, the first cutting of hay is just around the corner for forage producers. During this episode, we are joined by Ron Hoover and Andrew Frankenfield of Penn State Extension to discuss the management considerations to be aware of going into this first cutting. Aside from their roles with Penn State, Andrew and Ron are avid hay farmers and share a wealth of knowledge and experience in producing a successful forage crop. 

Links:
Speeding up the Hay Drying Process

Hosts: Ryan Spelman, Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guests: Ron Hoover, Andrew Frankenfield, Penn State Extension

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Recorded: 3/18/2024

Few researchers anywhere in the world probably know as much about soybean cyst nematode as Dr. Greg Tylka. Originally from Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, Dr. Tylka now works for Iowa State and provided us with a broad-ranging discussion on the history of SCN, as well as how to manage it. If you want to take a deep dive into nematodes, this is the episode for you.

Links:
The Soybean Cyst Nematodes Coalition
Take the Test to Beat the Pest: Soybean Cyst Nematode
Plant Parasitic Nematodes Explained


Hosts: Joseph Akins and Justin Brackenrich, Penn State Extension
Guest: Gregory L Tylka, Iowa State University

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Image credit: Penn State Department of Plant Pathology & Environmental Microbiology Archives, Penn State University, Bugwood.org 

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Recorded: 3/6/2024

It’s rare that we get a cropping season where the weather is absolutely perfect, but luckily corn is relatively resilient. In this episode, Dr. Jeffrey Coulter from the University of Minnesota joins us to discuss how corn deals with weather-related stressors and how that may impact a grower's nitrogen management strategy. This is an interesting one and a very valuable listen as we come off this very mild winter and approach planting time for 2024.

Links:
Nitrogen Fertilization of Corn
Nitrogen Recommendations for Corn That Credit Cover Crops and Soil Organic Matter
Managing Drought Stressed Corn


Host: Joseph Akins, Penn State Extension
Guest: Jeffrey A Coulter, University of Minnesota


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Recorded: 2/13/2024

Sulfur is a critical secondary crop nutrient, especially for corn production. In this episode, Dr. Charlie White joins us for a hearty discussion on why, when, and how to apply sulfur to crops. We also get into the specifics of why it’s difficult to accurately assess sulfur levels in the field, as well as the chemical nature of sulfur and its level of availability.

Links:
Sulfur Fertility Management for Grain and Forage Crops

Host: Joseph Akins, Penn State Extension
Guest: Charles White, Penn State


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Recorded 2/12/24

Certain weeds seem to be tough to control no matter what we do, and for many row crop farms in Pennsylvania, pokeweed and burcucumber certainly fit this description. If you’re struggling to manage one, or both, of these weeds, then this episode will give you some valuable management recommendations on how to get these nuisances under control. We are joined again by one of our resident weed control experts, Mr. Dwight Lingenfelter, who helps shed light on how to alter herbicide programs and use good cultural practices for dealing with pokeweed and burcucumber.

Links:
Managing Burcucumber in Agronomic Crops
Pokeweed Control in Corn and Soybean

Host: Joseph Akins, Penn State Extension
Guest: Dwight Lingenfelter, Penn State Extension

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Recorded: 2/5/24

Many farmers have expressed interest in trying to grow hemp in recent years, but understanding the agronomics of producing this crop is essential. In this episode, Dr. David Suchoff joins us to discuss the many aspects of what it takes to grow a successful hemp crop for fiber. We get into his research experience, new possibilities, obstacles, and how to go about growing hemp for the first time.

Links:
Industrial Hemp Production
Hemp Crop Outlook 2024
Potential for Hemp Production in Pennsylvania

Host: Joseph Akins, Penn State Extension
Guest: Dr. David Suchoff, NC State Extension

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Recorded: 1/19/2024

When it comes to fertilizer, we often discuss things like urea, potash, MAP, and DAP. However, a whole world of organic fertilizer sources exists outside of the traditional inorganic fertilizers most large-row crop producers are accustomed to using. In this episode, we are joined by two very knowledgeable members of our Penn State team to go over the benefits and drawbacks of organic fertilizers. We also discuss how folks interested in organic production might go about making the switch to organic. 

Links:
The National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory
Using Organic Nutrient Sources

Host: Joseph Akins  
Guest:  Dr. Elsa Sanchez and Megan Chawner, Penn State University/Penn State Extension

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Recorded: 1/5/2024

I was once asked a question about whether fungicidal seed treatments negatively impacted beneficial soil fungi. While researching this question, I came across the work of Dr. Jim Germida from the University of Saskatchewan. In this episode, we get into a broad-ranging conversation about the many aspects of soil microbiology with a true expert. This is a valuable conversation for anyone looking to learn more about what’s happening below the soil in their fields!

Links:
James J. Germida's Citations

Host: Joseph Akins, Penn State Extension
Guest: James J. Germida, University of Saskatchewan

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Recorded: 12/19/23

In this episode we are joined by Dr. Glen Harris from UGA to discuss how, when, and why to apply foliar fertilizers. If you think your crop may be deficient in a key nutrient, a proper foliar fertilizer application can remediate the deficiency and help to achieve higher yields. If you’ve ever considered a foliar fertilizer application, this episode will help give you some great foundational knowledge. 

Links:
Plant Tissue (Total) Analysis
Foliar Application
Glendon Harris

Host: Hosts: Joseph Akins, Penn State Extension
Guest: Dr. Glendon Harris, University of Georgia

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Recorded: 11/30/23

In this episode, we are joined by two very knowledgeable researchers from UC Davis to discuss the effects fertilizer can have on soil microbial populations. Often, we are told that mineral fertilizers are deleterious to soil microbes, but you might be surprised to find that it’s not quite that simple! In addition to fertilizer impacts, we also discuss the effects of tillage practices, organic matter levels, and how microbes behave in agricultural field settings versus more natural settings.

Links:
Does Long-term Use of Mineral Fertilizers Affect the Soil Microbial Biomass?

Host: Hosts: Joseph Akins, Penn State Extension
Guest:  Dr. Kate Scow and Dr. Daniel Geisseler 

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