Farmers have relied on fertilizer to improve crop yields, harvesting crops and losing nutrients from the soil year after year, then tilling the soil. This cycle often leads to severe soil degradation, topsoil loss, and nutrient depletion. While modern synthetic fertilizers offer a quick, short-term boost to plant growth, they fail to sustain the long-term vitality of the soil. Incorporating animal manure into agricultural fields is widely recognized as one of the most effective and sustainable ways to restore and maintain overall soil health. Soil health is defined as the soil's capacity to function as a vital living ecosystem. Animal manure bolsters nutrients, enhances the microbes and organisms in the soil, the biology; and improves the physical soil aspects like soil structure, drainage, and water holding capacity. From a chemical perspective, animal manure is an outstanding, multi-nutrient fertilizer. Synthetic alternatives typically focus strictly on the primary macronutrients...

  Traditional soil testing was never designed with biology in mind. Conventional soil tests may not be telling the full story about your soil. Soil testing isn’t just about nutrient levels; it’s about understanding which organisms are being selected. Traditionally growers use standard soil tests to guide fertilizer decisions. They collect soil samples, receive numerical results, and apply fertilizer based on the results. In biologically active soils, these conventional tests may not be telling the whole story. Chuck Schembre, a soil scientist who has spent more than two decades studying soil fertility, says classic soil testing was never designed with biology in mind. Most conventional soil tests just show pH and your nutrients (N-P-K) and maybe some micronutrients. The methods, developed before and refined after World War II, were built to support fertilizer recommendations, not to capture the dynamic, living processes happening in the root zone. That gap matters more than ever as...

Due to a late spring planting and wet variable weather this fall, fall grain planting and harvest are behind schedule. Soil moisture levels in Ohio are adequate to surplus. This week, the weather looks to be mostly favorable, so expect a lot of farm activity with harvest. However, some farmers may still be considering planting wheat or small grains (cereal rye as a cover crops, or even barley). Here are some guidelines. It is generally too late to plant winter wheat in Ohio once you pass 3 to 4 weeks after your county's Hessian fly-safe date (typically pushing into late October or early November). The optimal start time to plant wheat is the 10-14-day window starting immediately after the Hessian fly-safe date (which spans late September through early October depending on whether you are in northern, central, or southern Ohio). The late window is 3–4 weeks post-fly-safe date. Planting this late increases risks of reduced fall growth and lower winter hardiness, though yields can st...

Grain harvest has started but not without problems. Late planting, and a wet summer, especially with the wettest August on record; is causing grain problems in both soybeans and corn. Harvest lately has been delayed due to slow dry down and wet weather. In soybeans, farmers are reporting black soybeans. Black discolored soybeans at harvest can is often linked to dry and wet soybean growing stress and fungal diseases affecting the plants during their growth cycle. Saprophytic fungi can colonize dead plant material, leading to black dust clouds during harvest.  Fungi like Cercospora or Diaporthe can cause discoloration and some viruses may cause discoloration. Enlist soybeans also has a trait that causes soybean coat discoloration which is not related to fungi or virus infection. A drying (drought like) cycle followed by repeated wet cycles can cause seed discoloration and mold, particularly in areas with late rains in August and September. While primarily causing purple discoloratio...

  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...

Robots are invading the world of agriculture. Robots can do a lot of labor-intensive work, are very precise, are helping to boost yields, and reducing nutrient applications leading to more sustainable agricultural production. With less nutrient runoff, less erosion, less soil compaction; robots are helping farmers make their farms and the environment a cleaner and safer place to live. Here’s how robots are affecting agriculture. Farmers are now using robots (some self-driving or autonomous) to operate tractors and seeders to plant crops. The tractors use GPS (satellite signals that show where the robot is located in a field), AI (artificial intelligence or internet programs) that plant seeds at the right depth and right spacing for optimal yield. Robots can also identify weeds and insects using computerized sensors for vision and link that with AI to apply herbicides, zap them, or mechanically remove weeds or even pests; reducing the use of chemicals by up to 80%. Often quite small, th...

  Diesel fuel and fertilizer prices are soaring motivating farmers to look for ways to reduce costs. This past year, many Midwest farmers started no-tilling to reduce fuel costs. With healthier soils, fertilizer costs should decrease. Healthy soils promote higher microbial levels. Each soil microbe is a soluble bag of fertilizer and your nutrient use efficiency improves, so less commercial fertilizer is needed. The soil has a huge bank of tied up plant nutrients just waiting for healthy soil microbial populations to release them to plant roots. Starting no-till is the first step. Soil compaction is usually a big problem. Excess tillage and a lack of roots in the soil profile causes soil to lack the soil organic matter (SOM) to form healthy soil macro-aggregates. The roots form macro-aggregates with the help of soil microbes. The macro-aggregates store active carbon (glues for good soil structure), improve water infiltration, increase water storage. Micro-aggregates allow good gas e...

  Rain this past week caused some flooding, especially in the several counties around Lima, Ohio and further south and west. Rainfall amounts of 9-10 inches were recorded. Most of Northwest Ohio got several rainfall events over several days. Officially, the 5-year drought appears to be over. Flooding effects on corn and soybean development varies and depends on crop stage of development, soil types, and how long water remains in the field. For the State of Ohio, if the corn was planted early and the corn is more mature (dough to dented), the flooding effects may be less severe; unless the corn stands in water for extended period of time (past 2 days). For northwest Ohio, delayed spring planting delayed corn growth development. Corn has caught up somewhat but a lot of corn is just past the tasseling stage and is setting kernels. This can be a tough stage for corn development if fields remain flooded for extended periods of time. Some corn fields may have had high winds, lodging and ...