05.5 Don't Guess, Soil Test - Fall 2026 Soil Sample Preview

We keep talking with Chandra Langseth about what it takes to turn precision ag students into confident problem solvers, not just software clickers. We break down the classes she teaches, then zoom in on fundamentals like data organization, controller exports, and communication that holds up under real farm pressure. In this episode we talk about:• Precision ag and agronomy courses that build job-ready skills fast • Internship preparation and why on-the-job learning matters • Fundamentals first approach for agronomy and precision agriculture • Critical thinking as the skill that connects precision agriculture with soil, weather, inputs, and economics • Teaching mapping software by starting with computer literacy • File organization, naming conventions, and habits that prevent lost work • Farm field data structure that makes mapping and sharing possible • Exporting and importing prescriptions across different equipment controllers • Testing controller workflows before the day of application Podcast mention:8. A Practical Look at Precision Agriculture Training and Farm Tech with Chandra Langseth Pt 1https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/2002608918. Yes. He Mapped Lawns Too Preston Sundeen Pt1https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18257891 19. Preston Sundeen Pt 2 Teaching Precision Ag That Works Todayhttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18293575https://gktechinc.com/

We sit down with North Dakota State College of Science's Precision Ag Tech & Precision Ag Program Coordinator and farmer Chandra Langseth to talk about the winding path that took her from a non-farm background into soil science and agriculture. We also get into what precision ag looks like on a working North Dakota farm and how she brings real farm decisions into her classes at NDSCS. In this episode we chat about• Chandra’s background in North Dakota and how she finds her way into agriculture • switching majors and discovering soil science through key classes and mentors • why agriculture needs non-farm perspectives to solve real challenges • how soil variability changes management decisions across a single operation • corn, soybeans, and sunflowers plus the realities of irrigation and drainage work on-farm• remote irrigation monitoring that texts when pivots stop • starting variable rate fertility with limited equipment capability • using a real farm as a class problem for mapping and decision-making • what she teaches at NDSCS: intro precision ag, mapping, scouting, pesticide prep, weed ID • how NDSCS programs split between precision ag tech and precision agronomy career paths Find out more about NDSCS's Agriculture Program here: https://ndscs.edu/agriculture/https://gktechinc.com/

We trade puns and practical advice while breaking down what soil electrical conductivity really measures and why soils can carry electrical current. We compare lab EC numbers to on-the-go EC mapping so you can spot salinity risk without over-reading a single map layer. In this episode we talk• soil electrical conductivity defined as soil water carrying current • soluble salts as a major driver of EC and why saltier water conducts better • other EC influences including porosity, texture, clay mineralogy, moisture, temperature, and organic matter • how cation exchange capacity ties into conductivity in clay and organic matter • lab EC as a standardized measurement that supports comparison across fields and years • on-the-go EC mapping as a way to see field variability while staying mindful of non-standard conditions • Va=eris depth measurements using discs and why dry soils can distort results • EM38 and magnetic susceptibility plus why it may handle dry soil differently • calibrating EC maps with soil cores and lab tests to understand what variability means • interpreting soil test EC thresholds such as EC over 4 dS/m being considered saline in NDSU guidance Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that. Other episodes mentioned:S2E17.5 Cracking the Code of Salty Soils https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18217995https://gktechinc.com/

We dig into why soil compaction is more than “hard ground” and how it quietly limits roots, water, and oxygen in ways that can cut yields. We also walk through how a penetrometer works, what PSI numbers actually mean, and how to take readings that do not fool you. In this episode we talk about...• soil compaction as reduced pore space and increased root resistance • common field hotspots like headlands and wet-traffic scars • impacts on oxygen movement, water uptake, root depth, drought resilience, and fuel use • why compaction severity varies and how that changes tillage decisions • penetrometers, cone index readings, and what 200 PSI and 300 PSI suggest • texture changes in the soil profile that can feel like compaction • best timing for testing at field capacity and why wet or dry soil skews results • sampling tips like steady pressure, avoiding tracks unless diagnosing, and clearing surface litter Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.https://gktechinc.com/

We keep pulling back the curtain on why monitor compatibility is still hard in precision ag, even when everyone says they “just need a shapefile.” Hudson Fuller explains how AgGateway’s ADAPT standard and plugins can shrink guesswork, speed up exports and imports, and move the industry toward clearer data interoperability. In this episode, we also talk • AgGateway’s role in setting precision agriculture data standards • Why interoperability matters for yield data, soil tests, and controller exports • The hydraulic hookup analogy for incompatible monitor formats • Real controller constraints like polygon limits, vertex limits, and file size • ISOXML, GeoJSON, and GeoParquet differences and when each helps • Why GeoParquet can reduce file size but not polygon count • GeoTIFF prescriptions as raster surfaces with per-pixel values • How ADAPT targets GeoParquet for vector and GeoTIFF for raster • Plugin-based workflows vs hard-coding new proprietary formats • Estimated engineering time for new exports with and without plugins • ADAPT imports for viewing as-applied and yield maps in ADMS • Batch exporting multiple fields through ADAPT export in ADMS X • Using the ADM plugin and ADAPT Visualizer to validate prescriptions List of companies who have publicly announced they are utilizing ADAPT and support the project:https://adaptframework.org/companies-supporting-adapt/As always, with GK we have map, and an app, for that!https://gktechinc.com/

We dig into why skipping the lowest-yielding parts of a field can be the most expensive soil sampling decision you make. We lay out a simple “sample the extremes” plan that improves variable-rate fertilizer accuracy and helps put nutrients where they actually belong. In this episode we discuss...• reframing soil testing as nutrient placement, not just cost-cutting • why red zones like hilltops, saline spots, and drown-outs often need sampling most • how built-up phosphorus and potassium can hide in low-productivity areas • using variable rate yield goals alongside soil test results for tighter fertilizer decisions • choosing which management zones to sample and when to interpolate the rest • splitting low zones into separate mods and sampling both when causes differ • using ADMS to bring results back into zones and make educated interpolations Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that. https://gktechinc.com/

We talk with Hudson Fuller from GK Technology’s product development team about the ADAPT standard and why ADMS X is adding an ADAPT export for prescriptions. We break down shapefiles versus JSON and GeoJSON, then connect those basics to real controller workflows like ISOXML task data for CNH monitors. In this episode, we talk• who Hudson is and how he works on ADAPT at GK Technology • what ADAPT is and why AgGateway pushes an industry standard • why shapefiles break so easily and how the DBF schema causes controller-specific issues • how JSON and GeoJSON work as single-file containers for data and geometry • why a common data language reduces export guesswork across monitors • the difference between the 2014 ADAPT framework and the newer ADAPT standard • how ADAPT plugins translate an internal model into controller-ready file types • what ADMS X is testing with a beta ADAPT export to ISOXML task data • which controllers use ISOXML task data, including IntelliView 12 and Pro 1200 • why task data can support more detailed prescriptions than typical shapefile exports • what we still need to learn through in-cab testing and user feedback ADAPT Framework Website: https://adaptframework.org/At GK Technology, we have a map, and an app, for that!https://gktechinc.com/

We’re staring at a messy fall where fertilizer prices are high, crop prices feel tight, and it’s not obvious what rotation makes the most sense next spring. We can’t control the markets or the weather, but we can find out what’s actually in our soil and make the most informed economic call. In this Tiny Byte, we talk• why 2026 feels like a high-stakes soil sampling year • how fertilizer price uncertainty changes fall vs spring decisions • drought vs flooding effects on mobile nutrients like nitrate nitrogen • what drowned-out zones can mean for denitrification and leftover N • lessons from prevent plant acres and mineralization turning organic matter into nitrate • why phosphorus and potassium tests matter when P and K are expensive • using soil test data to guide rotation choices and reduce risk Don't guess. Soil test. Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that. https://gktechinc.com/

Special episode! If the audio sounds a little different, we are live from Ag Mafia's Agronomy Conference. We trade precision agriculture hot takes with a room full of farmers and agronomists, starting with what makes a zone map trustworthy and ending with what “precision” really means when equipment, software, and agronomy do not line up. We share real field stories from prairie potholes, yield map pitfalls, fertilizer blending headaches, and the surprisingly fun side of variable rate prescriptions. In this episode, you can find us...• explaining GK Technology’s precision agriculture mapping tools and why field variability matters • breaking down the three pillars of precision ag: agronomy, equipment, and software • exploring why North Dakota adopts precision ag so fast, including field size, crop diversity, and zone sampling • discussing complex variable rate fertilizer blending when P and K maps do not match • debating what limits precision agriculture most: talent, equipment capability, controllers, and livestock knowledge gaps • arguing that a final zone map should make intuitive sense to the farmer, with the farmer as a key data layer • challenging the idea that precision ag always increases yield, focusing on ROI, realistic yield goals, and mineralization uncertainty • unpacking why yield maps are useful but not sufficient, including calibration issues and different causes of low yield • sharing favorite VRT projects, from IDC soybean maps to variable rate residual herbicides by pH and texture Mentioned in the episode: Ag Geek Speak Episode 1: Pioneering Precision Agriculture https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/14357348More info on Ag Mafia and their upcoming Agronomy Conference: https://www.facebook.com/agmafiallc/ https://gktechinc.com/

We break down what soil organic matter really is, from living microbes to old, dark humus that can take years to form. We also explain why that small slice of soil drives soil health through better structure, nutrient cycling, and water holding capacity. We discuss• defining soil organic matter as the biological legacy of a field • connecting soil composition to the “critical” 5% organic fraction • explaining humus as a stable end product of decomposition • improving soil aggregation and aggregate stability for better structure • boosting water retention and water holding capacity • increasing negative charge and cation exchange capacity to hold nutrients • chelating micronutrients like iron, copper, and zinc for plant availability • releasing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur through organic matter breakdown • feeding soil microbes by expanding the soil food buffet • building organic matter with compost, residue, manure, cover crops, and reduced tillage Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.https://gktechinc.com/