In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason speaks with Tommy Roach of Nachurs and Texas farmer Todd Kimbrell about moving away from conventional fertility practices toward more efficient, cost-effective nutrient strategies. The discussion centers on reducing or eliminating fall-applied nitrogen and phosphorus, and instead using in-season applications of micronutrients like zinc, sulfur, boron, copper, and potassium acetate. Kimbrell shares his transition to foliar feeding, wide drop applications, and targeted nutrient timing. This episode emphasizes the value of rethinking traditional approaches to fertility to improve nutrient use efficiency, soil biology, and return on investment—without increasing input costs.

Presented by BASF

Farm financial success requires more than strong yields or land appreciation. In this episode, Damian Mason speaks with Jeff Janssen of JC Ag Financial Services and Iowa farmer Kelly Garrett to explore the elements of a real financial stress test. They cover critical areas like calculating true cost of production, identifying hidden expenses, and managing financial pressure through operational scale and revenue diversification. The discussion also highlights strategic decisions around grain storage, marketing risk, and preparing for conversations with lenders. This episode offers practical, actionable insights to help farmers strengthen cash flow management and improve long-term profitability.

In this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting The Curve, host Damian Mason is joined by Kelly Garrett and TJ Kartes of Bio Till to explore how farmers can achieve better results with cover crops by moving beyond cereal rye. The discussion focuses on reducing disease risks, improving nutrient cycling, and tailoring cover crop strategies to specific cropping systems. The conversation also covers the benefits of interseeding, chemical program compatibility—especially related to atrazine—and how diverse mixes including oats, brassicas, and peas can enhance soil health, livestock feed options, and overall return on investment. Farmers are encouraged to consider both agronomic data and future regulatory trends in planning their cover crop systems.

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason speaks with South Dakota native Derek Skogsberg about building a modern, financially viable farming operation while living out of state. With a professional background in agronomy and agribusiness, Skogsberg shares how he returned to his family’s legacy farmland after decades in other industries, creating a business model that balances investment, operational efficiency, and generational preservation. Farming approximately 1,000 acres—half owned, half family-managed—Skogsberg details the transition from investor to operator, the importance of pro forma financials, equipment investments, hiring the right personnel, and using tools like John Deere Operations Center to farm remotely. He emphasizes treating the operation as a standalone business and offers key insights for families considering a non-traditional path to maintaining farm viability.

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason is joined by Temple Rhodes and Barrett Ersek to explore the concept of "Thriveability" — a farmer-driven mindset focused on improving soil health, reducing inputs, and enhancing long-term economic outcomes. Barrett, founder of Holganix, explains how the company has shifted from selling crop inputs to becoming a partner in soil health by leveraging microbial technologies, intensive data collection, and prescriptive agronomic support. Temple shares real-world results from implementing Holganix's fall and spring biological products, including measurable gains in soil structure, water infiltration, and crop performance. The conversation highlights how integrating soil health strategies into a farming operation — paired with quantifiable metrics and optional carbon credit opportunities — can deliver immediate and long-term financial returns while improving the resilience of the land.

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason discusses the results of the Economic Fertility Challenge with farmer Johnny Verell and agronomist Stephanie Zelinko. The challenge, conducted in partnership with AgroLiquid, aimed to maximize wheat yields with a $30 foliar fertility spend per acre. Johnny Verell achieved the highest yield at 114 bushels per acre and won on both yield and ROI, outperforming fellow farmers Kelly Garrett and Temple Rhodes. The discussion highlights strategies such as spoon-feeding nutrients, leveraging crop tissue testing, and aligning applications with growth stages. Despite depressed commodity prices and high input costs, targeted foliar nutrition proved to be a viable approach to maintaining yields while managing budgets.

In this episode of Cutting The Curve, Damian Mason hosts Temple Rhodes, Chad Henderson, Kevin Matthews, Joe Leslie, and agronomist Stephanie Zelinko to discuss the Economic Fertility Challenge—a collaborative in-furrow fertility trial with AgroLiquid, aiming to maximize ROI under a $40/acre fertility budget. The challenge was conducted on irrigated corn with a 300-bushel yield goal, testing varied nutrient strategies across different farms without revealing treatment identities to eliminate bias. The discussion emphasizes budget-conscious fertility planning, precision placement, and how real-world application on different soil types impacts results. Farmers share insights on phosphorus prioritization, micronutrient selection, and the efficiencies gained from targeted in-furrow applications—highlighting that agronomic effectiveness and profitability can be achieved even under financial constraints.

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason hosts Temple Rhodes and agronomist Rebekah Muench of Concept Agritek to address how growers can reduce phosphorus fertilizer costs without sacrificing yield. With phosphorus sources like DAP and MAP becoming prohibitively expensive, the conversation centers on improving phosphorus efficiency by unlocking tied-up nutrients in the soil, utilizing banded and seasonally timed applications, and enhancing microbial activity through residue management. Muench explains the science behind phosphorus availability and tie-up, while Rhodes shares practical methods from his own operation, including a transition to liquid fertility, pH optimization, and spoon-feeding nutrients during key growth stages. The episode offers practical, cost-saving strategies to maximize phosphorus ROI under tightening margins.

Presented by BASF

In this episode of Cutting The Curve, host Damian Mason is joined by Kevin Matthews and Jeremy Geerts from SprayTec to explore the hidden costs and risks associated with foam in spray applications. Excess foam in the spray tank can reduce effective volume, distort herbicide rates, tie up active ingredients, and cause off-target environmental contamination. The conversation outlines how foam affects agronomic performance and profitability, including increased risk of weed resistance and wasted product. Jeremy provides insights into proper tank mixing practices and how SprayTec's FullTec adjuvant supports foam mitigation and water conditioning. Kevin shares real-world management tips to ensure accurate applications and improved efficacy.

In this special edition of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason sits down with the next generation of XtremeAg contributors—Connor “Vern” Garrett, Alexander Evans, Danielle Venable, Jackson Henderson, and Layne Miles—joined by Caleb Coots of Teva Ag. The discussion centers on adaptability in agriculture: economic pressures, changes in herbicide regulations, evolving input strategies, and shifting mindsets. With real-world examples from each operation, the group explores how young ag professionals are responding to tighter margins, input bans, changing technologies, and the stress of expansion. They also challenge conventional ideas around growth, highlighting the need for operational efficiency and long-term sustainability.

Presented by TEVA