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Byline: Tom J Bechman Does applying starter fungicide to corn at planting pay? How about spraying fungicide over corn at the R1 stage? Purdue Extension corn specialist Dan Quinn can [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The goal of the Corn Watch project is to study the growing season through the lens of one cornfield in the Corn Belt. The field under [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The goal of the Corn Watch project is to study the growing season through the lens of one cornfield in the Corn Belt. The field under [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman There are hundreds of pictures logged away documenting what happened in the Corn Watch '22 field. The one appearing here boils it down succinctly. Hang it [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Tim Hassinger, CEO of Intelinair, gets right to the point. 'Through a combination of Intelinair's AgMRI early-season analytics around stand establishment and crop health, coupled with [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Heads turned when the Ryse Recon took off for a short demo flight at the Farm Progress Show this summer. Mike Wilson, editor of Farm Futures, [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Heads turned when the Ryse Recon took off for a short demo flight at the Farm Progress Show this summer. Mike Wilson, editor of Farm Futures, [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman A few companies offered short-stature corn developed through conventional breeding programs to farmers in '22. More companies will offer it for '23, and one major ag [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman A few companies offered short-stature corn developed through conventional breeding programs to farmers in '22. More companies will offer it for '23, and one major ag [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Last month I shared a funny story about a couple's lawn mower caper. Well, before the snow flies, I figure there's time for one more lawn [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Dave Nanda found good news and bad news when he visited the Corn Watch '22 field in central Indiana in early September. On the positive side, [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Many things grow in Jennings County, Ind., thanks in part to the Jennings County Soil and Water Conservation District. But contrary to the old saying, no [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman An Indianapolis-area radio personality promotes 'the popcorn moment.' He says, 'It's the story you must hear to believe. So, grab your popcorn.' This story is funny. [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman There were seven sheep to wash, shear and groom before our grandkids Graham and Addy took them to the fair. Grandma and Grandpa knew how long [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman There were seven sheep to wash, shear and groom before our grandkids Graham and Addy took them to the fair. Grandma and Grandpa knew how long [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman If you want to learn about a farm couple, listen to what others say. When you do that for Greg and Deb Smoker, you get a [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman If you want to learn about a farm couple, listen to what others say. When you do that for Greg and Deb Smoker, you get a [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman If your neighbors were Tom and Carol Nugent and an emergency happened at your farm, they would be two of the first people in your driveway, [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman 'Tom and Carol are one of the few farm families that go way above in helping others,' Gary Stuckey says. 'They have both provided countless hours [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Gary Woodruff believes you can prevent most potential grain storage problems before they start. First, pick the right moisture content as your storage target. Second, bin [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Is there is a rusty spot on an older bin that needs attention? Are you sure all motors on augers and fans will kick on when [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Few people worry if their toilet will flush ... until it doesn't flush. Gary Steinhardt, Purdue Extension soil scientist, says it's better to think about and [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman If you're still planting corn but face further delays due to rain, Bob Nielsen suggests beginning the thought process of switching to earlier-season hybrids. If you [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The annual report summarizing injuries and fatalities in U.S. agriculture issued in April contained bad news and not-so-bad news. The summary is compiled by the Purdue [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The spring of 2019 was cool, but crops weren't significantly impacted because virtually nothing was planted until June. Then 2020 brought the Mother's Day weekend freeze, [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The law of diminishing returns can be hard to grasp if you're programmed for top yields. However, with nitrogen prices at all-time highs, Purdue Extension specialists [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The law of diminishing returns can be hard to grasp if you're programmed for top yields. However, with nitrogen prices at all-time highs, Purdue Extension specialists [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Consider this statement. 'The public knows farmers do the right thing, so you can do whatever you want and not worry about it.' That's true, right? [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Consider this statement. 'The public knows farmers do the right thing, so you can do whatever you want and not worry about it.' That's true, right? [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Your crop consultant offers to take tissue samples for a minimal fee. You don't see the value, and besides, your dad raised 200-bushel-per-acre corn without tissue [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman One cause that Indiana Farm Bureau championed in the Legislature this year may not seem like a front-burner issue. Yet Jeff Cummins, associate director of policy [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman You've read about high-speed planting and realized how many more acres of corn you could plant in a timely fashion. So, you're ready to kick up [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Some ag economists have suggested farmers might consider cutting back on nitrogen and perhaps skipping fungicide applications on corn to hold down input costs in 2022. [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Tar spot grabs headlines for three solid reasons. It's relatively new, it strikes hard when conditions align, and it's spreading into new areas. Justin Petrosino, an [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman A five-step process can help you improve crop management practices on your farm. John McGuire, chief innovative officer for Brookside Labs and the Amplify network of [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman You haven't seen an energetic pup in action until you've met Steve. Whether he is Steve the Wonder Dog or Steve, it's a wonder he is [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman What lessons will you take from the current fertilizer and herbicide price spikes and shortages? Maybe you will want more on-farm storage to increase flexibility. If [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The best way to stay safe when handling grain is doing everything possible to keep grain in good condition. Gary Woodruff says that starts with preparing [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman There are feral cats; there are barn cats. Then there are Tom and Carla's feral barn cats. They're in a class by themselves. You can't pick [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman All grease is the same, right? Wrong, says Fred Whitford, director of Purdue Pesticide Programs. He says even though about 80% of your equipment may use [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman If you see a spray rig with Greeneye Technology painted on the tank, you may be looking at the future of spraying. Greeneye Technology, an Israeli [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman If you see a spray rig with Greeneye Technology painted on the tank, you may be looking at the future of spraying. Greeneye Technology, an Israeli [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman All grease is the same, right? Wrong, says Fred Whitford, director of Purdue Pesticide Programs. He says even though about 80% of your equipment may use [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Can you make more money by planting corn and soybeans at higher speeds? Based on results of Beck's Practical Farm Research studies, Jason Gahimer believes you [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Can you make more money by planting corn and soybeans at higher speeds? Based on results of Beck's Practical Farm Research studies, Jason Gahimer believes you [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Should you shut down if a zerk won't take grease? What happens if a bearing is so greasy it attracts dirt? Would it be better to [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Should you shut down if a zerk won't take grease? What happens if a bearing is so greasy it attracts dirt? Would it be better to [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman A farmer retiring in late 2021 sold two 10-year-old tractors for more than he paid new. Farmland, not development land, set records, with one parcel in [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman Nitrogen is always one of the highest variable costs in the corn budget. This year it may be the runaway winner, not counting cash rent. That [...]

Byline: Tom J Bechman The theory that certain hybrids respond differently to nitrogen rates and timing surfaced over 40 years ago. A crops consultant raised eyebrows four decades ago by [...]