Farming the Countryside with Andrew McCrea

Jason Clay is back and brings with him many thought provoking ideas that can have an impact locally and globally. We discuss the push to grow more with less and how we get there. We discuss everything from school bonds vs. food bonds to potential changes in the farm bill of the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many acres of pasture ground have been converted to row crops. Is there a future for grazing cattle? What could you do to make those pastures more profitable so that raising livestock makes sense? We explore technology that helps ranchers better evaluate the decisions they make and how to get more out of the acres that are grazed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most cattle producers put up hay to feed during the year, but do you really need to do so? Eric Bailey says there’s a better way to feed cattle that can increase profitability and better utilize forages. We discuss the changes we should consider to run a more efficient operation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crop margins are tight and every bushel counts. How do you make sure you get every kernel possible out of the field? We talk about pro harvest tips that will help us get the maximum out of our fields. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Higher interest rates and lower commodity prices have put pressure on machinery prices. So is the time to make a deal? Machinery Pete is tracking the data and he says this may be the sweet spot to make a trade. We discuss what segments of the market are falling the fastest and where prices remain strong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parts of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota were hard hit with too much rain early this season. We talk with farmer Lisa Peterson about her crop and where she’s seeing people tightening their budgets. Plus we talk about what it takes to come back to the farm, especially when no one expects you to make the move. How do you navigate conversations with your siblings so you maintain harmony maintain the farm acres to make a living?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pro Farmer Crop Tour recently concluded and it appears a record harvest may be on the way. With lower commodity prices this fall, how should we look to market our grain? Is it the time to sell, store, or take another position in the market. We take a look at the big crop and what to do with it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It appears that the U.S. will grow a very good, if not record crop this year. However, lower prices have decreased crop margins, making it more difficult to pencil a profit. How is that trend, as well as higher interest rates, impacting land and rental values? Are there signs of weakness? What other areas of the farm economy are being impacted by current trends? We talk about ways to operate with more discipline and evaluate changes in values to make the best plan for the road ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cattle market continues to move steadily higher, reaching record setting prices. That leaves many people asking how long this trend can continue and what producers should do to protect their gains and prepare for the future. We’ll touch on those topics and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many farm families have more than just one child in the family. Passing the operation onto the next generation can have challenges of course. Today we meet a farmer’s daughter who began full time production agriculture when her older brother transitioned out of that role. Learn how to think through the steps of moving a farm to a next generation and how to help your daughters succeed in production agriculture as well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Davis Michaelsen is a man of many talents. We discuss global factors impacting crop and input prices. What are the areas to watch as we move into the second half of the calendar year? Plus, we discuss a new podcast features some of agriculture’s best “side hustles” to make extra cash on the farm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jimmy Emmons is always experimenting with ways to help his soil. It’s been a practice they’ve been using on their west Oklahoma farm for many generations. You’ll enjoy hearing about some of his latest experiments, what’s working, what’s not and his ideas that could work on our farms and ranches – including something called “Jimmy Juice” that is one of the formulas he’s developed for his farm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear a lot about immigration today and the challenges at the U.S. border with Mexico. How are those challenges impacting agriculture? How might the upcoming presidential election impact the need for labor in the ag industry? And, what are farms of all sizes doing to acquire the labor they need in a tight job market? We talk about these issues and much more on this edition of our show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly Garrett is always looking at better ways to grow his crops. He’s recently been replacing fungicide applications with micronutrients and making gains as a result. He’s also taking another look at where and how much Nitrogen he applies each year. His findings provide some very interesting information that can have a big impact on yields and the bottom line.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we celebrate Independence Day weekend we take time to celebrate a part of American history. Out trip takes us to the Green River Valley of Wyoming where 200 years ago where a mix of mountain men, supply trains and Native Americans assembled for what were known as the Mountain Man Rendezvous. It’s an interesting piece of American history that speaks to the qualities of freedom, entrepreneurship and survival in the wild west. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You hear the following question asked quite a bit in farm country and beyond – “How do I become a full-time farmer if I didn’t grow up on a farm or inherit a farm?” Matt Adams can help answer that question. While he was no stranger to agriculture, he built his farm from scratch and is today a successful full-time farmer. We talk about how he raised capital, purchased land and found ways to get started in the ag industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us don’t care for pastures the same way most would care for row crops, yet those pastures are growing grasses and legumes that are critical to a cattle herd. So how do you begin to evaluate and renovate your pastures to improve the feed available to cattle? We talk with one farmer that has spent several years renovating his pastures and measuring the feed efficiency of his herd. It’s hands-on advice that could be helpful to many of us.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PJ Haynie farms ground in Virginia that his great, great grandfather purchased just after he came out of slavery in 1867. Today, the farm has not only grown in acres and locations farmed, but they are expanding the enterprises they cover, moving to a model that has their products positioned closer to the end user. We discussed how and why they’ve made those decisions to best position their operation for future success.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donnell Brown and the RA Brown Ranch have long been known for their progressive view of the cattle industry. The way we may make genetic advances now and in the future is changing. How could we help create a herd that is more resistant to disease or may handle heat better in certain climates? Plus we discuss a way the ranch is implementing rotational grazing without moving a fence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Agriculture has been ranked last among U.S. industries in technological adoption. That may surprise many of us who feel we use plenty of technology every day in our operation. We take a look at where many of us are lagging and what technology we can adopt to help our bottom line. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine working hard to build your farm and then having the government step in and take everything from you – land, equipment and home. That is what happened to this man and many others in Northeastern Nebraska. The story is from many years ago, but it is a fitting tribute on Memorial Day weekend to look back at a story and a court case that every American should know.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.