348: How a South Dakota Farmer Cut His Nitrogen Bill in Half

In this episode, we talk with Scott, a South Dakota farmer who is chasing better margins. What he has learned helped him cut nitrogen nearly in half and grow healthier crops.If you have ever wondered if there is a better way, this episode is for you.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• How Scott cut nitrogen rates almost 50% while maintaining yield• Why placement and timing beat adding more fertilizer• How healthier plants stay green longer and grain fill better

Today, let’s finish strong. Zinc may be small, yet it plays a big role in how your crop grows, uses water, and fills grain. When zinc is right, plants stay steady. When zinc runs short, yield quietly slips away.In this episode, we’ll show why early attention keeps crops moving forward all season.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• Why zinc matters from planting to harvest• How zinc drives hormones, enzymes, and seed formation• Why high phosphorus often leads to zinc troubleTest with purpose. Place it early. Protect what the seed already promised. That’s the better way to farm.

Manganese does not get much attention, yet it can make your fertilizer dollars work harder. Get it right and crops run smoother. Miss it and yield slips away without much warning.In this episode, we walk through why manganese matters, how it works with other nutrients, and why small fixes here can protect big yields.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• What manganese does inside the plant• How manganese helps phosphorus, calcium, and nitrogen work better• Why yellow striping often points to manganeseRemember that manganese is small money with big influence. It helps crops use what you already paid for. Tune in now!

Iron may be small, yet it plays a big role in how your crops grow, stay green, and fill the bin. If your plants look pale, weak, or slow early in the season, iron could be the missing link. Today, we’ll hear how strong roots, smart testing, and targeted foliar applications help keep crops dark green, growing strong, and producing sugar when it counts.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• Why iron is key to chlorophyll, photosynthesis, and sugar production• How to spot iron deficiency early before yield slips away• Why high pH soils make iron hard for plants to use

Let’s talk nutrients that do not get much airtime. Chloride and Moly can help a crop or hurt it. It depends on how they are used. In this episode, we’ll break it down so you can make better fertility calls and protect yield.This is not about chasing silver bullets. It’s about knowing what is helping your crop and what might be quietly holding it back.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• When and why chloride can strengthen plants and also cause real trouble• What moly does inside the plant and why it matters for nitrogen• How too much chloride can hurt soybeans and soil life

Let’s take a closer look at copper. It’s a micronutrient needed in very small amounts however, is critical to yield, stalk strength, and nutrient efficiency.In this episode, let’s see where copper fits, how to test for it correctly, and why balancing micronutrients is essential for getting more from every input dollar.🌱 What You’ll Learn:• Why copper keeps getting ignored• When N, P, and K stop working• How to take a clean tissue sampleIf you want your crop to finish strong and your fertilizer program to work as intended, this episode is for you.

If you’re pouring on nitrogen and not seeing the yield you expect, sulfur might be what’s missing. We used to get sulfur for free. We don’t anymore. And pretending we still do is costing us real money.In this episode, we break down sulfur in a way that actually makes sense—no fancy words, no guessing, just what works in the field.🌱 What You’ll Learn (Plain and Simple):• Why sulfur isn’t “extra” anymore—it’s essential• What sulfur deficiency actually looks like in the field• Why “just throw on 30 pounds” is a lazy adviceThink of it like this: Nitrogen is the fuel. Sulfur is what makes the engine run smooth.

Ever see yellow leaves and think, “I need more nitrogen”?🚨 Hold on. It might be magnesium waving a red flag.In today’s episode, we break down why magnesium is the heart of chlorophyll, why too much can be just as bad as too little, and how the wrong balance can tighten soils, waste fertilizer, and hurt yields.🌱 What You’ll Learn Today:• How potassium and nitrogen block magnesium uptake• The biggest mistake farmers make with yellow corn• When high-mag lime helps—and when it hurtsMagnesium isn’t optional. It’s not about more—it’s about balance. That’s how you farm smarter. Tune in for more!

Ever wonder why your crop just doesn’t finish strong—even when pH looks “fine”? 👀Today’s episode breaks down calcium, the quiet workhorse that keeps plants strong, roots growing, and soil life booming.Today, we clear up big myths, tell real farm stories, and show why calcium is more than just lime—it’s the key to better yields and healthier soil.🌱 What You’ll Learn Today:• How calcium helps roots, microbes, and nutrient flow• Why soil testing beats guessing—every time• How calcium helps your soil hold carbon and waterWhen it’s right, your soil works with you—not against you. Tune in for more!

In today’s episode, we’re talking about a nutrient that packs a punch: BORON. This powerhouse helps your crops bloom, grow, and increase yield. If you want bigger ears, fuller kernels, and better plants, this episode is for you!🌱 What You’ll Learn Today:• How boron helps pollen, silks, blooms, and seed development• Why waiting until you see a deficiency means lost yield• How boron boosts microbes, fungi, and even drought toleranceSoil tests show 90% of farms are deficient and that means lost bushels. Tune in for more!