It’s October, and the weather has finally cleared up for farmers to start harvesting crops in earnest. This time of year, is also one of the most dangerous times for people working in the fields. The combination of long hours, heavy machinery, unpredictable weather, and tight deadlines often creates a high-stress environment where safety shortcuts can lead to injuries or fatalities. Here are some tips to prevent accidents. The rush to harvest can lead to mechanical failure. Preventative maintenance is the first line of defense against farm accidents. Ideally, do daily inspections of equipment and perform a rigorous inspection of fluid levels, belts, tire pressure, and mirrors. Ensure all Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) and Power Take-Off (PTO) shields are fully intact and locked in place. Never operate machinery with missing safety guards. Remove dry chaff, dust, and crop buildup from engines and bearings regularly. This buildup creates fire hazards when exposed to extreme ...

Farmers spend a lot of time perfecting equipment: planting, spraying, and harvesting. However, it’s the microbes and the soil biology that contribute greatly to final yield. Understanding that biology is becoming even more important in modern agriculture. A key fungal microbe called Trichoderma (Tri) provides a lot of soil and plant benefits. Tri is a genus of filamentous, soil-dwelling fungi widely found in the rhizosphere (root zone) and decaying organic matter. It is non-pathogenic to plants and is valued in agriculture and horticulture for its beneficial relationship with plants, disease and pathogen control, and nutrient recycling. Tri stimulates beneficial microbial populations by producing enzymes that break down complex organic matter and secretes compounds that inhibit pathogens while promoting beneficial bacteria. Trichoderma (Tri) also enhance nutrient cycling by solubilizing insoluble nutrients like phosphorus, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc by secreting organic acids an...

A recent September 2026 U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study evaluated agricultural best management practices (BMPs) at an edge-of-field site in the Eagle Creek watershed near Findlay, Ohio. The project started in 2010, with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) working together. These three government agencies identified farm fields in priority watersheds—watersheds critically important to Great Lake health. Intensive BMP’s were implemented in five States to test the efficacy of best management practices, also referred to as agricultural conservation practices, to reduce sediment and nutrient runoff on agricultural fields. These fields were chosen as representatives of the priority watersheds because their farming practices and geographical conditions were common among farms in those watersheds. A farm site located near Findlay, Ohio, in the Eagle Creek watershed used two conservation practices, cove...

    Soil depth has a big impact on where the majority of beneficial microbes live. Most soil microbes live in the top 0-10 inches of the soil profile, concentrated heavily within the O (organic) and A (topsoil) horizons. The highest density of microbial activity is typically found in the top 2 inches of soil. As you move deeper into soil, microbial abundance and diversity drops exponentially fast. In soil profiles, the O Horizon (Surface Litter, 0-2 inches) is a hotspot for microbial activity; with decomposing plant litter, leaves, organic debris, and oxygen. Next, the A Horizon (Topsoil, 2-10 inches) holds the highest concentration of stable organic matter, nutrients, and oxygen; supporting dense populations of bacteria and fungus. Moving down, the B Horizon (Subsoil, 10-30+ inches), microbial populations plummet dramatically due to less organic material, compacted clay, and significantly less oxygen. The C & R Horizons (Substratum/Bedrock) have even less microbes, and ha...