Roots + Ruminants

Yes, you read that right. Hosts Justin and Jared sit down with Vivian Georgalas of AgSpire to discuss five grants that are providing new and added income sources for farms and ranches across the country. Many of these grants operate differently from other government or carbon programs in the fact that they don't necessarily require "added" practices to be eligible for incentive payments. Tune in for details!

Meet Roots + Ruminants third international guest, Steven Bennett. Steven is the International Sales Manager for PGG Wrightson, a New Zealand-based seed company. Hosts Jared and Justin got together with him at the Western Seed Trade Association meeting to talk all things brassicas.

David Larson is a Minnesota farmer, and he's putting Jared and Justin to the test with a fall-themed graze it, harvest it, rent it challenge. If you've ever been to a pumpkin patch and your mind was spinning about all the ways you could use the seasonal crops and expansive acres, this episode is for you. 

Walker Farms is located outside the Twin Cities in Minnesota, and they market all their products direct to the customer. Tune in to hear how Andy Walker continues to innovate their products and processes to meet customer needs.

Justin is at the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. Tune in to hear a special dairy-themed graze it, harvest it, rent it challenge, Jared's bingo card for the show, and an update on show vs production genetics in the dairy industry.

Apparently we're giving away 300 gallons of rye whiskey now? Tune in to find out why. You'll also hear about an art gallery unveiling Justin and Jared attended (yes, you read that right), and the latest graze it, harvest it, rent it scenario. Watch on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/34_R16KdFD0

Wilde Air Service is a Brookings, SD based aerial application company focused on serving their customers well and finding a way to get the job done - even the hard jobs. Tune in to this episode of Roots + Ruminants to hear from Tom and Brodie about a day in the life of flying on cover crop seed, chemicals, and more.

Compost tea is created by extracting beneficial microorganisms from compost using a brewing process. This tea is essentially a vitamin boost for the crops, helping them fight pests and diseases. Brian Fruechte, a farmer in western Minnesota, started making his own compost tea to boost his cash crops, and he's sharing all about the what, the why, and the how of his process. And bonus: Brian is the brother of co-host Justin Fruechte – our first family feature on the podcast!

Justin and Jared are LIVE on video with their first edition of graze it, harvest it, rent it: a new challenge where they're given three cropping scenarios and have to assign a strategy to each one: graze it, harvest it, or rent it out. They also talk state fair and silage harvest.  Tune in, or catch the video version on YouTube at Roots and Ruminants: https://www.youtube.com/@RootsAndRuminants

Ever heard of taking two grain crops and crossing them to make a forage? Meet Triticale: the valuable rye/wheat cross that has the vigor and hardiness of rye, with the agronomics and quality of wheat. Racey Padilla is the Small Grains Research Director for the largest triticale breeding program in North America, TriCal Superior Forage.  His farmer-first perspective fuels his breeding efforts – he's always trying to improve the stress tolerance and feed quality of the crop. Come along with Justin and Jared on this fascinating interview to learn about the behind-the-scenes of triticale breeding!