CCSI-HAT Soil Health Podcast

Recorded on 9/17/24, Delaware County farmer Joe Hamilton and Fayette County farmer Andrew Bernzott discuss the steps they take when picking up a new field or farm. Hamilton returned to a full-tillage corn/soy family farm after spending 12 years as a mechanical engineer. Bernzott took over a 30-year no-till farm. Both farms are now in a 100% no-till / 100% cover crop system.

Both start by taking soil samples, paying close attention to base saturation of calcium and magnesium in addition to phosphorus and potassium needs, because if soil fertility isn't taken to critical levels, one really doesn't have a starting point. Both concentrate on getting cover crops seeded and discuss the details of their strategies, including the importance of covers in their use of poultry litter for phosphorus needs.

Recorded in May 2024, Scott Gabbard, Purdue On The Farm (POTF) Coordinator, and Sarah Brackney, Purdue Ag and Natural Resources Extension Educator (Daviess County) discussed current and future activities of POTF.

The POTF has created more opportunities for Extension Educators like Sarah to work with farmers as they create their own on-farm trials with POTF assistance. These efforts are leading to more insight for Purdue staff on farmers' research requests. It is expected that 30-40 Educators will be doing this work across the state each year. These educators have taken soil samples at various depths, pulled leaf foliar samples, scouted for weed/insect/disease pressure. By working closely with plant and pest diagnostic lab, their efforts have helped researchers identify counties exhibiting those pressures. The farmer-participants receive in-season reports on their fields as well as aggregated data with insights from researchers.

This has provided opportunities for farmers to as "what if" questions on conservation practices. When a farmer has an idea of a conservation practice, the POTF team has been able to set-up demonstrations - for example, strips of balansa clover seeded at different rates by members of the Purdue UAV team. This has provided an element of learning side-by-side, in essence a bottom-up side of research and extension.

Those interested in working with POTF can either reach out to their county Extension or go to the Purdue On The Farm Website

On 08/14/24, FarmAdvisors a truly farmer-designed and farmer-led mentoring program was launched (www.FarmAdvisors.Ag). Four of the founding farmers talked about the development of the program: Jim Mosely, former Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; Rodney Rulon, Hamilton County; Mike Brocksmith, Knox County; and Aaron Johnson, Orange County.

The rollout occurred just under a year from the first meeting of farmers - along with a few ag advisors. Rulon - led a group of six individuals, including Brocksmith and Johnson, who met almost weekly OVER PLANTING SEASON to develop a business plan and key points of the program.

The farmers involved have dedicated their time and passion to "pay it forward' to help ensure that farmers adopting a soil health practice are SUCCESSFUL.

08/03/24 - Aaron Johnson, Vice-president of Riverview Farms out of Orleans, Indiana - and manages their crop production systems - has been planting double-crop CORN after wheat for several years - with very respectable yield results. Jeremiah Windell, a precision agronomist with Advanced Agrilytics out or Corydon, IN has been working with Aaron for years, including their double-crop systems.

Johnson typically plants double crop corn sometime between June 25 - July 1, because of accumulation of GDUs when the double crop is planted, he often uses 109-113 day varieties. He's seen soil organic matter rise faster in a wheat/double crop corn vs wheat/soybean cover crop. Between deeper roots and heavier residue, they have seen returns in subsequent years.

Recorded on 06/18/24 - Hans Schmitz, CCSI / Purdue On The Farm Soil Health and Climate Smart Ag Specialist, and Austin Pearson, Midwest Regional Climate Center Climatologist, talk about what causes a heat dome, the potential of a "flash drought' and steps you can take to build soil health - and therefor resiliency - for your farm.

When the podcast was recorded, Indiana was experiencing and early season heat dome. Because of tough spring planting conditions, crop staging was all over the map. Because the crops planted later had not grown to reach deeper soil layers, they were more at risk for the affects of heat and drought. In addition, stress degree days (over 88F) restricted crop growth.

Avoiding effects of rapid onset drafts include implementing soil health principles: Maximizing Soil Cover (residue), Minimizing Disturbance, Maximizing Living Roots Year-Round, Maximizing Bio-diversity. Those principles help increase soil organic matter, retain moisture, and improve soil function.

Southeast Purdue Ag Center (SEPAC) Superintendent Joel Wahlman and Purdue Entomology research Christian Krupke talk about the work of establishing field-scale regenerative ag plots - alongside existing tillage systems. The projects not only incorporate no-till and cover crops, but also IPM to reduce insecticide and herbicide treatments as well as the impacts of seed treatments on the soil ecosystem. The plots will incorporate a long-term, multidisciplinary approach to research on acres much larger than "traditional research" and will be available for demonstration to farmers, landowners, and other stakeholders. At SEPAC, the long history of no-till and cover crop research makes the leap easier than some of the other PACs that have focused more heavily on higher tillage systems.

Not everyone "leads from the front". Some people make an indelible impact on their day to day efforts. For those who aren't the "front of the room" speakers, this podcast is for you - because you, like Fred Woods get to make a difference every day. Fred Woods was one of those individuals. In this podcast, join Barry Fisher, an independent soil health consultant and one of the first people hired at a newly-fledged USDA-NRCS Soil Health Division, along with Chris Lee, Southwest Indiana NRCS Area Conservationist, as they talk about the long-lasting impressions Fred made upon their careers and conservation ethics.

In this very special episode, David's son Jay Brandt talks with Oklahoma regenerative farmer-rancher Jimmy Emmons about the about the many seeds David planted across the globe and his lasting impact on farming. Not only did Dave's farming practices change the family farm's soil classification from a Cardigan Clay to a "different performing product", he changed the lives of countless people worldwide through his honesty, humility, and great sense of humor. Learn how David and Jay discussed the changes they were seeing on the farm - through a chemists lens and a farmers eye - and how he encouraged people like Jimmy to "just try it somewhere." Also learn about one of David's passions: working with the Dominican Sisters on the Fields of Sinsinawa (WI).

In 1993 the inaugural National No-Till Conference was held in Indianapolis. In 2024, the conference returned to Indy. Expecting 200 attendees, some 800 people attended in that first year and really fast-tracked the adoption of no-till systems. Mike Lessiter, son of Frank Lessiter, founder of No-Till Farmer magazine and the conference talks about that initial conference as well as the history of no-till and the need for farmers to form networks to ensure their success in adoption of the systems. In addition, Hans Kok consultant out of Indiana (and present at the launch of CCSI), talks about the significance of no-till systems and the impacts of the conference - including farmers sharing information about their stumbles... to help others avoid them.

Father-Son duo Cameron and Devon Churchill, Harrison County Indiana, are joined by Pete Huff, Wallace Center/Pasture Project for a slightly mind-bending conversation on grazing croplands. Just for a couple of teasers, the Churchill's have used intensive regenerative grazing to decrease round bale consumption in the cow calf operation from 2000+ to 700-750 bales! They are also turning cattle out into stalk ground after harvest to graze AND take advantage of hoof action to increase seed-soil contact of broadcast cover crops, improving stand establishment. Meanwhile, Huff provides information on additional resources - from grazing exchanges to practical management guides. Take a listen!