So the last Thursday in July can mean only one thing: the Ag PhD Field Day in Baltic, SD. Brian and Darren Hefty of the Hefty Seed Company and hosts of Ag PhD radio and TV shows have one of the finest field days anywhere. There are exhibitors, plots and equipment that draw thousands from all over the US and 25 countries. At the start of the day, Brian and Darren get on a flatbed and lead the attendees down the rows of plots and exhibitors talking about them and what they have to show. See the AgroLiquid logo on the red and white tent in the background?
And that includes the AgroLiquid tent full of knowledgeable people to set you straight on crop fertility.
But there is more than just that one tent. AgroLiquid was part of the first ever Learning Center as it was called. This was a collaboration of several companies that worked together to feature a more complete crop input program from many angles. It was AgroLiquid for nutrition, FMC for crop protection, Hypro for spray nozzle selection, and Farmer's Edge for decision making inputs. There were a number of Agro plots. Here we see Dr. Zouheir Massri showing how he measures beneficial microbe activity, ammonia volatility and nutrient movement in the soil. I guarantee that there has never been a demonstration like this at this Field Day. He was easily the busiest of the Agro crew with a steady stream of interested farmers through his root pit. Darren Hefty, on the left in orange, listens to what Zouheir has found in is unique methodology. In fact, Darren announced to the crowd on the tours that there was a world famous soil scientist on staff there. And again on Friday as we were driving back to Michigan he talked about Zouheir and his work on the daily Ag PhD radio show. So now Zouheir is even more famous and will certainly be demanding top billing and his own dressing room.
NCRS Researcher Tim talks to some farmer attendees about the fertilizer and planter plots. Although that is long-time Agro customer Marvin Krohn on Tim's right who also sells Liquid fertilizer, seed and Precision Planting equipment. I have know Marvin for close to twenty years. That's his "little" boy on Tim's left that I used to see when visiting his farm in Minnesota. Good to see them.
As in the past, there are a variety of things for entertainment, like the Vanguard Squadron of stunt planes. There are four of them that do all sorts of aerial acrobatics. What is unique is that the planes run on 100% ethanol fuel. I still shake my head in my home state of Oklahoma where the gas stations advertise that their fuel has no ethanol because those Okies think ethanol harms engines.
Well would these planes be able to make a heart indicating their love of ethanol if their engines were at risk?
So that was fun. I have been to every Ag PhD field day since 2010 and it is a treat to see the growth and learn what is new each year. I almost forgot to mention that ALL of the plots for all of the chemical and seed companies are fertilized with AgroLiquid fertilizer. No wonder they look so good. Give your crops a gift of top nutrition from AgroLiquid. I mean we don't do all of this work just to look good at shows. Although we do. As one of the speakers said: It's a great time to be in Agriculture!
