Renewable Farming

March 2021

Farm Journal’s Daily Scoop: “The Biologicals Race is on”

For 30 years I’ve encouraged Renewable Farming: a focus on biological products and cover crops to restore soil health, long-term yield gains and wider profit margins. March 31, 2021  By Jerry Carlson  I was enthused to see that Farm Journal’s March 29 e-mail, the Daily Scoop, featured an accurate overview of farmers’ successes with biological products and […]

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Two signals of megatrends pushing farmers toward financial and federal captivity

Today, two stories popped up on my computer which coincided to dramatize how farm consolidation, technocracy and federal “help” are making farming less resilient and more stressful. March 28, 2021  By Jerry Carlson — Sunday. I’ve long resolved to avoid writing for our website on Sunday. But today, the Wall Street Journal bannered a feature by Jesse

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Belize, a little-known “Jewel of the Caribbean,” discovers Renewable Farming

  This brief report links you to a new 40-page Belize Ag Report, giving you a glimpse of fascinating farming diversity in Central America. Belize is the only Central American nation whose official language is English. A substantial number of American farmers have found that convenient — they’ve established farming operations in Belize. March 24, 1021 by

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Winter experiment indicates that BioEnsure helps corn tolerate soggy spring soil

A research-minded farmer sent us these photos of a winter corn-growing test with BioEnsure, a beneficial fungus organism which helps crops endure stress. He’s cautious about big conclusions from a small experiment, but two observations indicate that the BioEnsure endophyte, which lives inside the crop, does help against late, wet spring soil stress. March 16, 2021 By Jerry Carlson

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Consultant Bob Streit cites meteorologist who sees drought spreading eastward

Iowa agronomic consultant Bob Streit often refers to an unorthodox meteorologist, Simon Atkins, who incorporates many factors into his seasonal forecasts. Here’s an excerpt from Bob’s weekly report to his clients which bears on the upcoming 2021 growing season. March 11, 2021  Bob cites another consultant, Jerry Scheppele, a Northeast Iowa crop advisor we’ve known for

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Root-building biologicals are your best friend if drought hits this summer

Here’s another small but dramatic demonstration that deep, fibrous corn roots with abundant mycorrhizal fungi can save bushels under dry-weather stress. March 11, 2021 — Since January, we’ve repeated several greenhouse trials to drought-test young corn. We were looking for first-hand evidence of how specific fungi and bacteria which live inside living corn tissue can enhance the crop’s ability to tolerate

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Your farm or ranch: Best place to live now! Best business to own!

February 22, 2021 By Jerry Carlson  Living and working on your farm or ranch is a haven from pandemic paranoia, cultural clashes and financial fears tormenting families in locked-down cities. Our small farm in northeast Iowa is home for three family generations.  Here are 12 reasons why your on-farm base is especially valuable now. 1. Prices of corn, soybeans, wheat and other

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