The 30-year dominance of formula farming based on herbicides, GMOs, pesticides and NPK is cracking under the latest cost-price squeeze. However,  innovators who’ve learned their way into biological-based production are reflecting optimism. Question is: How do you choose among the astonishing and widening array of “bio” products? December 15, 2018 — Ad-supported farm magazines like Farm Journal, Progressive Farmer and Successful Farming […]

AgriEnergy Resources tops off its 30th year of steady growth with a major advance: Teaming with a nationally-known firm to build a new Plant Health Division in a nationally-used firm, Douglas Products. December 14, 2018   By Jerry Carlson — AgriEnergy’s owner, Paul Aley, and the management team of AgriEnergy Resources has explored several growth alternatives for

  The U.S. Geological Survey didn’t get much press coverage a few days ago when it announced a new assessment of a potential 49-year (or more) recoverable oil supply in shale formations of west Texas and southeast New Mexico. It projects a potential for American energy independence which is even more encouraging than existing fracking formations which are

Corn growers are testing several ways to battle early corn die-down. Late-season nutrition appears one of the most cost-effective. Some suppliers recommend spraying fungicides during kernel fill, but that’s a means of coping with disease instead of keeping corn naturally healthy. Dec. 6, 2018 — We’ve waited since mid-October to publish this photo from one of our clients in

67-year-old Swiss dairy farmer Armin Capaul is counting on his personal passion — and social media — to protect Swiss cows and goats from dehorning. Voters across Switzerland will decide Sunday, Nov. 25, whether to subsidize farmers 190 francs — almost $190 American dollars — per cow or goat which the owner allows to remain horned. Swiss dairyman Armin

As of this Thanksgiving Day, only one person has reminded me of that first discovery which enabled the Plymouth Colony to survive, thrive and start America’s Thanksgiving tradition:  My favorite analyst and adventurer, Jack Wheeler. November 22, 2018   By Jerry Carlson — There may still be some American schoolkids who are taught how the Plymouth Colonists learned corn-growing from Squanto, a surviving Patuxent

Maverick to Mainstream, A History of No-Till Farming, is a magnum opus by Frank Lessiter, founding editor of No-Till Farmer magazine.  November 20, 2018  By Jerry Carlson — You may call this full-color, glossy volume a “coffee table book.” At our house, we keep Maverick on the kitchen table. My wife Jill and I browse a few pages at a

Biodyne USA’s “Environoc 401” microbe mix for in-furrow application has shown positive yield responses on corn the past two seasons here in the upper Midwest. Now, Biodyne USA offers “BioCast” so farmers without in-furrow gear can capture biological benefits too.  November 19, 2018 — The pace of innovation accelerated again this season as farmers tested new microbial mixes