In this solo episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith Lois takes listeners through the nitty-gritty details of implementing the Baseline RX program for the 2026 growing season. Moving beyond theory, Faith breaks down exactly what the process looks like—from zone creation using water flow and elevation maps to interpreting an Indicator soil test and building custom fertility scripts.

Faith addresses the elephant in the room: the anxiety many farmers are feeling right now. She challenges listeners to control the controllables and shift their mindset from "we've always done it this way" to understanding why they are applying every pound of fertilizer. Whether you're looking to start small with one field or overhaul your entire operation, this episode is a blueprint for taking accountability, gaining confidence in your decisions, and finally understanding the limiting factors holding your yield back.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Who Baseline RX is For: Growers tired of guessing, ready to move beyond standard PPM soil tests, and willing to take an active role in their farm's management.

The Implementation Process: A step-by-step guide to zone delineation (using water flow, elevation, and soil texture), sampling points, and why grouping "like with like" removes artificial variability.

Interpreting the Data: What happens after the samples come back? Faith explains the consultation process, including discussing WEOC (Water Extractable Organic Carbon), CSAT scores, and setting realistic yield goals based on APH and historical NDVI maps.

The Scripting Phase: How fertility scripts are built to disperse yield goals across zones, utilizing tools like Ferticast to fast-track nitrogen decisions and optimize budget allocation.

Mindset Shifts: Why "we've always done it this way" are the most expensive words in agriculture, and how understanding your data leads to confidence in conversations with retailers and suppliers.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Follow Faith on X @FaithLois12

After You Listen:

• Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodes
• Share this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionals
• Ready to stop guessing? Email Faith [email protected].

In this episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith is joined by Mason Claude, a self-described "agronomy nerd" and BW Fusion agronomist. They dive deep into why relying solely on yield to evaluate product performance is a mistake that could be costing you money. Together, they challenge the "trend line yield" mindset and offer practical, data-driven methods for evaluating what’s actually working on your farm—from measuring stalk diameter to understanding why 50 pounds of phosphorus might perform exactly the same as 100 pounds.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The Yield Trap: Why benchmarking success solely on yield is flawed, especially if you aren’t calibrating your yield monitor or accounting for field variability.

Phenotypic Indicators: How to use biomass, stalk diameter, and root mass as early indicators of product performance long before the combine rolls.

The "Secondary Root" Reality: Why roots developed before V4 don't matter as much as the secondary root system, and how stalk diameter directly correlates to late-season nutrient uptake.

Data vs. Your Data: Why aggregate industry data means nothing if it doesn't apply to your specific limiting factors, and how to set up valid on-farm trials (3 reps, 3 fields, 3 hybrids).

The Macro-Micro Connection: How over-applying macronutrients like phosphorus can induce micronutrient deficiencies (like zinc), forcing you to spend money to fix a problem you created.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Follow Faith on X @FaithLois12

After You Listen:

• Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodes
• Share this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionals
• Join the conversation—send your questions, field observations, or feedback to [email protected].

In this special Christmas episode of Rhizometrx, Faith and Sean Nettleton (host of CropCast) continue their deep dive into agronomy's "hard pills to swallow." Building on last week's discussion about grid sampling and planting populations, Part 2 tackles even bigger misconceptions.

The duo explains why traditional PPM values on a soil test rarely correlate to actual nutrient uptake, citing recent grain removal analysis data. They also dissect the linear relationship between over-applying nitrogen and needing multiple fungicide passes, and why "fungicide season" in crops is a lot like "flu season" in humans—often a result of stress and imbalance rather than just disease pressure.

As you reflect on the 2024 season and plan for 2025, this episode challenges you to rethink fertility efficiency, micronutrient application, and the true cost of chasing high yields.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

PPM vs. Uptake: Why high soil test levels (PPM) don't guarantee that nutrients are getting into the plant. Faith and Sean discuss how CSAT scores (WEOC/CEC) are a better indicator of nutrient availability.

The Nitrogen-Fungicide Link: Sean shares his observation that fields with excessive nitrogen often require more fungicide. Overloading N can thin cell walls, burn up carbon, and weaken the plant's natural immunity, making "fungicide season" a symptom of management rather than just weather.

Grain Removal Analysis: New data suggests that standard university removal rates might be overestimating what crops actually take off the field, further challenging the "build and maintain" fertility mindset.

The "Moron" Theory: The misconception that adding more on (more fertilizer, more plants) automatically leads to more yield. The hosts discuss why high-yielding zones are often efficient because they cycle nutrients better, not because they have higher applied fertility.

Kernel Weight vs. Kernel Count: Why chasing kernel count might be less effective than managing for late-season grain fill and heavier kernel weight.

Human Health Parallels: Just as "flu season" is often driven by stress and poor diet (sugar/alcohol), plant disease pressure is often driven by nutritional imbalances and environmental stress.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• The CropCast: Sean’s podcast powered by BW Fusion
• Follow Faith on X @FaithLois12

After You Listen:

• Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodes
• Share this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionals
• Join the conversation—send your questions, field observations, or feedback to [email protected].

In this episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith is joined by Sean Nettleton, host of the Crop Cast and Technical Agronomist at BW Fusion. Sean has been a key mentor in Faith’s journey away from traditional agronomy, and together they tackle the "hard pills to swallow" that many growers face when rethinking their management strategies. From admitting that grid sampling might be inducing variability to questioning high planting populations and nitrogen rates, this conversation is all about giving yourself permission to change your mind as you learn.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The "Wrong" Way vs. The Better Way: Why shifting away from traditional methods isn't about admitting failure—it's about upgrading your toolkit with better information.

Grid vs. Zone Sampling: Sean's hot take on why grid sampling actually creates artificial variability, while zone sampling identifies the true, natural variability of the field.

The Population Paradox: Why more plants don't always equal more yield, especially in carbon-depleted zones, and how lower populations can lead to healthier plants and better ROI.

Nitrogen & The High Yield Myth: The misconception that high-yielding zones always need more nitrogen, and how over-applying nitrogen can block potassium uptake and lead to late-season stalk issues.

Be Curious, Not Judgmental: The importance of staying open to new data and tweaking your approach year after year, rather than treating any agronomic practice as set in stone.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• The CropCast: Sean’s podcast powered by BW Fusion
• Follow Faith on X @FaithLois12

After You Listen:

• Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodes
• Share this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionals
• Join the conversation—send your questions, field observations, or feedback to [email protected].

In this episode of RhizoMetRx, host Faith is joined by Nebraska natives Kyle Olson and Chase Perry to dismantle the "grid sampling" status quo. Together, they explore the shift to zone management through the Baseline protocol and share real-world examples of "ground truthing" soil data. 

Listeners will gain insights into why nature doesn't grow in perfect squares, how to interpret advanced soil metrics like WEOC and PSAT, and practical strategies for improving nitrogen efficiency and farm profitability.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

The Grid Sampling Disconnect: Why traditional grid sampling fails to capture biological and physical reality compared to zone management based on water-holding capacity and elevation.

Ground Truthing the Data: How visual field indicators—such as weed pressure lines, cover crop establishment, and corn stalk diameter—consistently confirm zone boundaries.

Indicator Test Metrics: The difference between H3A (plant-available) and standard PPM, and how to use Phosphorus Saturation (PSAT) scores to decide between banding, broadcasting, or cutting starter fertilizer.

Carbon-Nitrogen Balance: The critical role of Water Extractable Organic Carbon (WEOC) and why overloading nitrogen on low-carbon soils can lead to late-season disease and poor stalk quality.

Efficiency Over Yield Chasing: Strategies to identify where you can cut unnecessary inputs without sacrificing yield, allowing you to reallocate dollars to the zones that need them most.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Dirt2Dollars: Kyle and Chase’s educational video channel

Creekside Agronomy (Kyle Olson)

CMP Enterprises (Chase Perry)

After You Listen: 

• Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodes
• Share this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionals
• Join the conversation—send your questions, field observations, or feedback to [email protected].

In this episode of RhizoMetRx, host Faith sits down with agronomist and Next Level Ag Labs part-owner Jason Schley to explore why traditional fertility models often fall short—and what growers can do instead. Together, they dive into the development of the Indicator Test, the value of zone-based management, and how understanding soil biology can unlock yield potential.
Listeners will gain insights into modern soil health metrics, nutrient release dynamics, and practical strategies for improving both crop performance and farm profitability.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why traditional soil test PPM values often fail to correlate with actual plant uptake
• How the Indicator Test was developed and why it provides a more accurate picture of nutrient availability
• Why grid sampling misses key physical and biological field variability
• How the “Baseline” zone management approach identifies limiting factors—especially water-holding capacity
• The critical role of Water Extractable Organic Carbon (WEOC) and how over-reliance on synthetics can suppress soil biology

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Next Level Ag Labs
• Agronomy 365 / BW Fusion
• Follow Faith on X @FaithLois12

After You Listen:

• Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodes
• Share this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionals
• Join the conversation—send your questions, field observations, or feedback to [email protected].

Welcome to the launch of RhizoMetRx, the podcast where agronomy meets actionable insights. In this episode, host Faith—farmer’s daughter, farm wife, entrepreneur, and agronomist—shares her journey from growing up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin to running a seed and agronomy business in Northeast Illinois.

Faith explains what inspired her passion for understanding soil fertility, plant nutrition, and crop performance beyond traditional checklists. She dives into her experiences with soil testing, tissue sampling, and field trials, revealing the “aha moments” that changed the way she approaches agronomy—and how these lessons can help growers make data-driven decisions for better yields and farm profitability.

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start using root-zone metrics to improve your operation, this episode is your starting point.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Faith’s journey from farm life to agronomy and entrepreneurship
• Why traditional soil tests don’t always tell the full story
• The importance of tissue testing, field trials, and understanding nutrient interactions
• How actionable agronomy can transform crop performance and profitability
• The story behind RhizoMetRx and what “turning roots into revenue” really means

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Agronomy 365: https://www.agronomy365.com
  
  
• Follow Faith on X @FaithLois12

Calls to Action:

• Subscribe to RhizoMetRx so you never miss an episode
• Share this podcast with fellow growers, agronomists, or anyone curious about better crop performance
• Join the conversation! Email or comment with your agronomy questions, experiences, or debates: [email protected]

Agronomy didn’t begin in a lab—it started in the field, guided by instinct, observation, and a deep understanding of the land. But somewhere along the way, the art of agronomy was squeezed into formulas, checklists, and oversimplified recommendations that no longer meet the realities growers face today.

RhizoMetRx is here to change that.

Hosted by Faith—farmer’s daughter, farm wife, entrepreneur, and agronomist—this podcast digs beneath the soil surface to uncover the chemical, physical, and biological forces that truly drive crop performance. Each episode explores the “hidden half” of the plant and the root-zone metrics that too often go overlooked in modern production agriculture.

With industry experience and a passion for challenging outdated systems, Faith breaks down complex concepts into real, actionable agronomy so growers can move beyond guesswork and toward greater profitability—starting at the root.

If you’re ready for agronomy that evolves with your operation, not against it, you’re in the right place.
 

New episodes drop every Thursday beginning December 4th.