Search Results

Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Welcome back to the EZ Ag podcast where innovative farming meets practical solutions. I'm Matt Long, and today's episode is your reminder to carpe diem ‒ seize the day. Because while it might feel like a slow time on the farm, the best producers I know are grinding away, dialing in next season's Max Yield System plan right now. Let me tell you, the best time to plan for a record 2026 crop is right now, not next spring. Why? Because the struggles of this season, whether it was a tough stand, nutrient deficiencies, pest pressure, or late weed escapes, those pain points are fresh. And that means we've got the clarity and urgency to make smart data backed changes for next season. So today I'm breaking it down. What goes into a Max Yield System plan and how can you start now to reduce stress, increase yield, and build a system that works harder and smarter for you next year?  Part 1 is the cropping plan.  Your Max Yield System starts with a clear cropping plan. What's going into each field next year? First, identify what crop you will have on each field on your farm next year. Will it be corn on corn, corn into wheat stubble or Milo stocks? And is it dry land or irrigated production? Pull out your APH records, look at historical planting populations, start mapping out field by crop combinations. And then take it a step further by identifying your bushels per thousand plant goal for each individual field for next year. That single number drives the rest of the system's decisions. You're not just aiming for a good crop, you're engineering for yield backed by data.  Part 2 is the fertility plan. Next, let's build a fertility plan. And this isn't just NPK. Start pulling samples and getting a good solid base of soil test data. Match your yield goals to real fertility requirements. Then layer in biological fertility tools that feed microbes, unlock tied up nutrients and improve nutrient use efficiency. And here's where we see massive returns when we pair high efficiency fertility with advanced seed treatments. These aren't just insurance policies anymore, they're active contributors. The right treatment supports early growth, combats early season pathogens and insects, and feed soil biology from the moment the seed hits the dirt. This is not a plan based on gut feelings. This is a science based roadmap to help your crop convert fertility into bushels efficiently and profitably. Part 3 is the crop protection plan. We're not just reacting to weeds and pests. We're protecting yield potential from the very start. That means building a plan around weed control with residuals, insect and disease prevention, not just treatment, and smart integration of foliar nutrition during postemerge applications. The goal is to keep the plant growing healthy and efficient all season long. We feed the crop to maintain yield, not chase it. And this plan, like everything else, is rooted in the two key principles of the Max Yield System. First, high yield planting principles and second, the top five factors to produce a top crop. You know, soil conditions at planting time, seed placement, seed quality, right hybrid, right field, and post planting management.  So what do you need to get started? Here's your homework to build your 2026 Max Yield System plan now. Gather up a list of every field on your farm and the current and past crop history of the field for the last three to five years. Get together your APH in historical plant population data. Pull in all your soil test results. Add to that notes on biological or seed treatment tools you've used, and then take your scouting notes from past seasons on weed escapes, disease or insect problems. Start organizing this now in July and you'll be ahead of the curve come budgeting, booking and planting time.  Here's my final thoughts on why you should seize the day and start planning for 2026 now. From what I see across the area each year, the guys who win the yield contest aren't lucky. They plan early, they think differently, and they act while others are asleep at the wheel. So don't be lulled into thinking with planting and wheat harvest in the rear view mirror. This is the off season. Right now is prime time for planning, learning, and improving. That's how we reduce stress, increase efficiency, and build a system that grows not just more bushels but your legacy. This is your call to action. Carpe diem, take the next step in your 2026 Max Yield System plan today. Reach out and we'll help you get started. We're here to help you seize the day.  Thanks for tuning in to the EZ Ag podcast. Until next time, remember, ag is easy when you tune into the EZ Ag podcast. That's all for today. I'm Matt Long. Grow your yield, grow your legacy, grow strong with Axis Seed!

It’s tempting to think the busy season is behind us. Spring spraying turned into planting, planting gave way to wheat harvest, and now it’s time for family vacations, county fairs, and getting the kids ready for school. But let me remind you, whether you’re wicked or righteous— now is not the time to rest . The truth is, there’s too much at stake to go to sleep on this crop or your 2026 plans. The work you put in this spring is starting to show, and for many, that means outstanding stand uniformity, a cornerstone of the Max Yield System  and a huge indicator that you’re on the track to meet your bu/1000 goals. So what now? Protect What You’ve Built When you have a high-potential crop, you have to protect it at all costs. That means staying vigilant and proactive against threats like disease and insect pressure . Moisture brings yield potential, but it also brings risk. Fungicide  applications are critical during wet conditions. Rain makes grain, but only if you keep disease from stealing your bushels. Scout early and often. Insecticide  timing is just as critical. Corn Rootworm beetles, Western Bean Cutworm, and Corn Earworm all threaten grain fill. Target applications when pests are vulnerable: CRW beetles are most active in the canopy around pollination, and ear feeders are most susceptible to insecticide just after hatch and before they burrow deep into the ear. Choose insecticides that are safe on beneficials, but lethal to pests . Steward EC, for example, offers a solid fit for that approach. Don’t Forget the Feed With timely rains and strong yield potential, it's time to re-evaluate your nutrition plan . Wet conditions improve natural nutrient release from organic matter, but they also increase the risk of leaching synthetic nutrients  like nitrogen and sulfur. Feeding your crop during fungicide or insecticide passes makes smart agronomic and economic sense. Products like BW Fusion’s AmiNo  or RCP-NKBS from Radicle Crop Performance  are great options to replenish what's been lost and boost grain-fill. Eyes on the Future While you're out scouting and protecting this year’s crop, don’t lose sight of what’s next. This is also the best time to start planning for 2026. Your recent challenges and wins are still fresh. Use that insight to shape a field-by-field cropping and fertility plan  that builds on what’s working. Even in a season full of fairs, family, and summer fun, don’t sleep on your goals . Max Yield doesn’t happen by accident.  Whether you’re wicked, righteous, or just somewhere in between— Grow Your Yield, Grow Your Legacy, Grow Strong with Axis Seed.

Hello everyone. I hope the wheat harvest went well for you all. Every year I often wonder what kind of spider mite season we will have. I did some looking into this and found some of the following factors that affect spider mite severity: 1. Weather Conditions Weather plays a critical role in spider mite population dynamics. Hot, Dry Conditions:  Spider mites thrive in hot, dry weather. Temperatures above 85°F with low humidity promote rapid reproduction, often leading to exponential population growth. Rain and Humidity:  Wet and humid conditions help suppress mite populations. Rain can wash mites off plants and encourage fungal pathogens that naturally regulate their numbers. 2. Natural Predators Biological control is an important, often overlooked factor. Predatory Mites and Insects:  Predators like Phytoseiulus persimilis  (predatory mites), lady beetles, lacewings, and minute pirate bugs feed on spider mites. Pesticide Use:  Broad-spectrum insecticides can kill beneficial predators, which may unintentionally allow spider mite populations to explode in the absence of natural control. 3. Crop Stress and Health Stressed corn plants are more susceptible to mite damage. Drought Stress:  When corn lacks adequate water, it becomes more vulnerable to feeding damage and less capable of compensating for mite injury. Nutrient Deficiencies:  Poorly nourished plants are less resilient to pest pressure, which can lead to more severe infestations. 4. Nearby Hosts and Overwintering Sites Spider mites often build up on other vegetation before moving into cornfields. Edge Effect:  Mites may migrate from weedy field edges, roadsides, or alfalfa into corn. Cover Crops and Alternate Hosts:  Certain weeds or cover crops can harbor spider mites early in the season, especially if nearby crops are terminated or harvested. 5. Time of Infestation The timing of spider mite arrival can affect the extent of the damage. Early-Season Infestations:  If mites establish in corn during early vegetative stages, damage potential is much greater, as they have more time to reproduce and affect critical growth periods. Late-Season Infestations:  Later infestations may cause less yield loss but can still reduce grain fill and plant health if severe. 6. Corn Hybrid Selection and Resistance Some hybrids tolerate or resist mite feeding better than others. Leaf Structure and Waxy Coatings:  Some hybrids have traits that make it harder for mites to colonize or feed. Stress Tolerance:  Varieties bred for drought resistance or stronger root systems may withstand mite injury more effectively. 7. Field Management and Scouting Vigilant monitoring and responsive management make a difference. Regular Scouting:  Early detection of mite hotspots allows for targeted interventions before populations explode. Threshold-Based Treatments:  Applying miticides based on economic thresholds helps protect yields while minimizing unnecessary chemical use. Spider mite severity in corn is not the result of a single factor but a combination of weather, biological interactions, plant health, and field management practices. By staying informed and proactive, corn growers can minimize the damage from these persistent pests and preserve their crop’s productivity. With all that is going on this time of year, please be safe. - Dwayne

Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Welcome back to the Ez Ag Podcast, where innovative farming meets practical solutions. I'm your host, Matt Long.  Today we're going to talk about one thing that could cut your stress in half, boost your yield, and totally change the way you farm.  A written field specific plan. That's right, a real plan, not just good intentions. The tool to make it happen ‒ the Max Yield System.  Let's just pause for a second and ask yourself a question. How did your planting season go? Was it smooth and efficient, or were you rushing around stressed out, making last minute decisions that you could have made months ago? I talk to a lot of growers this time of year, and one thing I hear over and over is, “man, I wish I planned this out sooner.” Well, you could have and you still can. Truth be told, failure to plan is one of the biggest sources of stress on the farm. It's not the rain and the breakdowns, those happen, but being unprepared, that's on you and that's what causes the most stress.  The thing you can control, but aren't taking the time to control is your plan.  When you don't know what hybrid is going where, what fertility plan matches your goals or how you're going to manage getting all of the work done, of course you're stressed out. You're building the plane while you're flying it and that's a recipe for a plane crash. But here's the thing, I'm not guessing when I say that a real plan reduces stress by at least 50% because I've lived it.  Our plans for next year have already started. I get it we're still in the middle of this season, but we're looking ahead to the next one and even the one after that. Why? Because we don't guess we plan to maximize yield and we have our plans written down because a plan that's not written down isn't a plan, it's a wish. And you know what they say about wishing? Well, just wait to start planning and you'll see which hand fills up faster. When we start making our plans, we use historical data, crop rotations, and data we're collecting every day on portfolio performance, earflex, and drought tolerance.  And we use that information to find, tune our decisions for the next year. And we'll still be refining it for months, but guess what? The core of our plan is already done 10 months before the planter is ever going to roll. That gives us time to research, source the best products, and tailor our management strategy for every single field to maximize yield. So here's my question to you. Why haven't you sat down with us at Axis Seed to create your Max Yield System plan?   Why don't you believe having a plan in place far in advance of planting works?  Is it because you're already growing crops 30 to 50% better and more efficiently than your neighbors? Or is it because the stress of not having a plan has you paralyzed and doing the same thing you've always done? That might sound harsh, but sometimes the truth needs to sting a little bit before it sticks.  Here's what I can tell you. The farm has never caused me stress because I have a plan, and my plan is to make the best decisions I can before I'm in the heat of the battle. Let the rest be what it is. That's freedom. That's confidence. That's farming with the Max Yield System. And building that plan isn't complicated.  Here's a few of the basic steps of building a Max Yield System Plan: Know your history. Basing a plan of some pie in the sky idea is unrealistic. The Max Yield System plans build off where you are today and help you make significant improvements over time. Know your goals. Just because you're basing your plan off history doesn't mean you don't need to have a future goal. Are you pushing for 300 bushel corn on a good irrigated circle? Or are you wanting to increase efficiency? Are you looking to reduce cost/bushel? You have to make a goal in order to achieve one, and the Max Yield System is all about setting a goal, identifying and correcting yield limiting factors that you create, and achieving step changes in yield over time. Use field by field planning.  No, two fields are the same, neither should your plan be. Write and review your plan.  Put it on paper, review it often, and refine it.  That's it, and we're here to help you through all of it. So here's the challenge I have for you. Make your 2026 crop year resolution today. Create your Max Yield System plan before August 15th. What do you have to lose? More importantly, what do you have to gain? Peace of mind, a clear direction, better yields, fewer regrets. That sounds like a lot, and it all starts with a simple conversation. Thanks for tuning in to the Ez Ag podcast. If you're ready to reduce your stress and grow your legacy, reach out to us at Axis Seed ‒ Red Barn will help you build your Max Yield System plan. Until next time, remember, ag is easy when you tune into the Ez Ag Podcast. That's all for today, I'm Matt Long. Grow your yield, grow your legacy, grow strong with Axis Seed.

If you want Max Yields next season, planning needs to start now. At Axis Seed – Red Barn, we don’t wait for harvest to start planning. We use the Max Yield System  to get ahead—because real yield is built long before the seed hits the soil. Right now, while this crop is still in the ground, we’re already finalizing our plans for next year. Not talking about it. Not guessing. Writing it down. Field by field. Why? Because early planning with the Max Yield System  gives you: Less stress  when planting rolls around More time  to research, and dial in decisions More consistent results  across your acres Better control  over the outcome Growers who follow the Max Yield System  aren’t scrambling in the spring. They’re executing a plan that’s been shaped by real data, not last-minute guesses. Think back to this season’s planting. How much stress came from not having a clear plan? How many decisions did you make on the fly? Now imagine making every one of those calls months ahead—with confidence. That’s what the Max Yield System  delivers. Use this summer to gather data and dial in the best plan for your farm's future. Assess your systems, make the changes you need to, and grow your yield. Then use that information to guide your plan for next season— in writing . We’re ready to help build it with you. We’ve already started building ours. So here’s the real question: Why haven’t you started your Max Yield System plan yet?

Building on this idea of how you Grow Your Legacy, I thought this month I would reflect on the idea of what a legacy is and how we can help you grow yours. Legacy is defined as “the long-lasting impact of particular events, actions, etc. that took place in the past, or of a person’s life.” This definition allows you the ability to define what legacy you plan to grow. For most of us in production agriculture the legacy we are likely planning to grow is the farming operation we hope to pass on to the next generation of our family.  A couple of our core values here at Axis Seed – Red Barn are to provide leadership to help our customers achieve their goals, and to support our rural communities. Together we believe these will help us grow a legacy, in the form of a business to support our family, your farms, and the communities we serve throughout West Central and Southwest Kansas. So how do we do that? The Max Yield System is the tool to help you Grow Your Legacy. This tool is built on years of experiences we have had on our own farm, as well as with you, our customers and friends, producing results from planning for success long before the crop is planted, and supporting the crop to achieve maximum yield. Through the process of developing a Crop Plan, Seed Plan, Fertility Plan, and Crop Protection plan we help you overcome the obstacles you face on your farm that limit your yield and profitability. And profitability is the #1 factor in achieving your goal to grow a legacy farm for the next generation.  So how do you get going on using the Max Yield System to Grow Your Legacy? Just let us know you’re ready. We are here and ready to help you execute your plans for 2025 Profitability now! -Matt Long

Our Goals For The Future of Axis Seed – November 4th As mentioned in my letter at the beginning of this year’s seed catalog , Thank You for the confidence and trust you have placed in Jenny and I as we embarked on our journey as Axis Seed – Red Barn. Each fall, I take time to reflect on our business and identify areas for improvement for the upcoming year. Winter is also a great time for all of us to evaluate our farms and consider adjustments for continued growth. Today, I’d like to share my observations and goals for the year ahead. Strongest Hybrid Portfolio Axis Seed provides us with a unique advantage, allowing us to develop a hybrid portfolio with the best products tailored for our region, sourced from any genetic and trait platform available in the market. And it shows! This year’s yield data from our experimental hybrids, combined with the success of collaborating with genetic and trait providers, demonstrates our commitment to delivering top products suited for our region. This is the strongest hybrid portfolio we’ve had in our 15 years of business, and we look forward to continuing testing and promoting top products to help you Grow Strong with Axis Seed. More Local Data This past year, our team committed to building the most comprehensive local data set on both commercial and experimental hybrids. With hundreds of data points on each hybrid, I believe we achieved that goal. Going forward, we will continue to scrutinize each hybrid, especially new experimentals, to determine their fit in our portfolio and how they best fit your farm. Our dedication to making data-driven decisions remains strong, and we believe that localized data leads to better outcomes. This is why we hope to work with you to gather even more data from additional test locations, possibly including your farm. Best Service Guaranteed Our commitment to the products we sell goes far beyond the order and delivery process. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are dedicated to providing the best service guaranteed . This winter, I encourage you to take a moment to evaluate your operation: Where are you focusing? Are you seeing the desired results? What can you do to build on your success and ensure continued growth? ~ Matt Long

When agricultural consultants consider options for improving yield or addressing a specific pressure, they draw on conventional wisdom, personal experience, and research results. The rapid progression of technology and the knowledge it provides has led to innovative approaches and new products to benefit modern farmers. What Drives Innovation in Agriculture? Three things drive innovation in agriculture: specific obstacles that have limited or no current solutions, better responses to known pressures, and environmental or sustainability concerns. These drivers have spurred scientific advances that have deepened our understanding of how crops grow. Chemical and physical properties of soil, the influence of microorganisms in a crop’s rhizosphere, and plant metabolic processes are a few example topics that have provided opportunities to tailor agricultural responses in ways that improve yield , efficiency, and sustainability. NUTRIENT FIXATION AND SOIL PROPERTIES Soil characteristics such as pH, pore size, organic matter, and chemical composition directly determine which nutrients are present and how well plants can access them. This is called nutrient fixation. Nutrient fixation is the chemical and physical binding of nutrients within soil. Without conditions to hold them in the soil, nutrients easily leach away. But if they are bound too tightly, plants cannot access the nutrients. The term “fixation” is often used to refer to the latter. The fixation of different nutrients requires different approaches. For instance, potassium (K) fixation between layers of clay and phosphorus (P) fixation is due to the chemical formation of molecules with minerals like iron, which are bound in different ways. Improving soil structure is likely to help with potassium fixation since the potassium is still in a water-soluble form. However, phosphorus in low pH soils will react with iron to form chemical compounds with very low solubility. Agricultural consultants will need to investigate why a particular nutrient isn’t available before making a recommendation, but due to ongoing research into soil chemistry, products are available to reduce the possibility and effects of nutrient fixation. BIOTECHNOLOGY AND GENE EDITING Biotechnology is based on naturally occurring processes. Using advanced techniques, those processes are altered to produce a specific desired result. Pivot Bio PROVEN 40 is an example of biotechnology that offers an innovative alternative to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. Pivot Bio selected microbes that already share a mutualistic relationship with corn. Using gene editing, their researchers altered the microbe’s own DNA so that the microbes would provide nitrogen in quantities that helped offset the demands necessary for modern farming. Agricultural consultants have a range of products, including Pivot Bio, to choose from because of how gene editing technology is applied. PESTICIDES AND METABOLIC SUPPORT  Research into pesticides and plant metabolism has shown that there are drawbacks even for pesticide-resistant crops. Pesticide tolerance does not mean that the plant can ignore a particular pesticide; the plant metabolizes the pesticide and converts it to a non-toxic form. The plant’s defense response is still triggered, and there are still negative effects on the pesticide-resistant crop.  Metabolizing the pesticide takes a lot of energy. That energy could have been used for additional growth but is wasted on processing the pesticide. Additionally, the pesticide alters the plant’s hormones, further impacting root growth, flowering, and more. Because pesticides remain an important method for protecting crops, innovations include plant growth regulators, hybrid seed development, and biopesticides derived from plants. Recommendations based on data and advances in agriculture provide modern farmers with maximum yield and return on investment ROI. Targeted and timely approaches like those supported by Red Barn Enterprise s balance innovation and reliability. They combine The Max Yield System planning and products they believe in to support farmers. The results are better yields, better profits, and a better world. Red Barn Enterprises: Agricultural Consultants Looking Out For You At Red Barn Enterprises, our agricultural consultants are dedicated to providing tailored solutions that address your specific farming needs. With a deep understanding of the latest innovations in agriculture, our experts blend conventional wisdom with cutting-edge technology to maximize your yield and efficiency. We prioritize sustainable practices, ensuring that our recommendations not only boost your productivity but also contribute to long-term soil health and environmental stewardship. Trust Red Barn Enterprises to support your farming endeavors with personalized, data-driven strategies designed to optimize your operations and enhance your profitability. Getting Started With Red Barn Enterprises Partnering with Red Barn Enterprises means unlocking an agricultural consultant team of experts with 40+ years of knowledge and experience dedicated to your farm’s success. Our agricultural consultants work closely with you to understand your unique challenges and goals, providing customized solutions that integrate the latest advancements in agriculture. From soil analysis to crop management and biotechnology, we offer comprehensive services designed to maximize your yield and sustainability.   See how a Red Barn agricultural consultant can help you “Farm Differently“

Hello everyone. Hopefully planting has been going well for you all. It won’t be too long until those pesky rootworms will start showing up and then they will turn into the adult rootworm beetles.  Most corn hybrids are using a combination of two or more Bt events to keep ahead of the growing rootworm resistance. However it doesn’t hurt to check your fields for rootworm larvae and damage to the roots. Another sign of damage could be if you see areas of corn looking stressed even though there is adequate soil moisture. And of course the common sign of U-shaped or “goose-necked” plants. Often these issues will start to appear in affected fields in late June and early July if rootworm damage is present.  The main damage we see from adult rootworm beetles is silk clipping which can cause poor pollination. Best time to spray for adult corn rootworm beetles is 7-10 days after tassel emergence when the corn is pollinating and the ears are silking. That is when most of the adult beetles have matured and emerged from the soil.  This is a very busy time of the year with wheat harvest and the start of irrigation season. Please let me know if there’s any way I can help you stay ahead of these pests.  So, be safe. — Dwayne

Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Welcome back to the EzAg podcast, where innovative farming meets practical solutions. I’m your host, Matt Long, and today we’re gonna dig into what June looks like in the field and how real time scouting and smart adjustments can help you optimize your Max Yield System for the season ahead. We’ve talked a lot this year about how success starts with early planning, but June is when your field starts talking back, and if you’re not out there listening, walking, checking, scouting, you’re missing critical opportunities to course correct and fine tune your Max Yield System.  So let’s talk about how to scout smarter, how to react when the crop speaks, and how to use tools like BW Fusions, Full Sun, Amino, and Relax Rx, which can help you turn your Max Yield System plan into Max Yield System results. June is not just about hoping your crop takes off, it’s a turning point. The crop is transitioning from vegetative growth into yield setting mode, and the management decisions you make this month can either push potential forward or quietly hold it back. You can’t afford to be passive in June. You’ve got to be out in your field, asking three big questions: Did we hit our planting goals?  Where can we enhance or protect yield right now?  What threats are coming that we can prevent? Let’s unpack that. You probably already did a basic stand count, but in June it’s time to go deeper and evaluate your net effective plant stand. Evaluate your stand. Is emergence uniform across rows and plants? Are there skips and doubles that impact your spacing? Are the rump plants that won’t compete? This is your first big checkpoint. The uniformity of your stand is a leading indicator of how much potential you’re really working with, not just your target population, and any PS number helps guide your nutrient and irrigation strategies. There’s no use pushing hard on a poor stand, but on good ground with solid emergence, it’s go time.  Next, you’ve got to read the crop leaf by leaf. You should be looking for paler streaked leaves, which would indicate possible nitrogen or sulfur deficiencies. Burned edges or twisted whirls, which could be herbicide or environmental stress. Uneven height and vigor that come from compaction, sidewall issues, or early disease or insect feeding, particularly doing ratworm digs, looking for cutworm or armyworm damage. June is about scouting, being proactive, not reactive. If you wait until you see yield loss, it’s already too late. Once you see what’s happening in the field, use that intel to adjust your Max Yield System plan. Here’s where BW Fusions tools come in. Full Sun is your go to for driving photosynthetic energy. It gives the crop what it needs to accelerate vegetative growth and boost sugar production, especially important as the canopy begins to close. AmiNo helps with stress recovery and nutrient delivery. If your crop has been through wind, heat, or herbicide stress, this is a product that helps it bounce back stronger. Not just survive and Relax Rx, it’s our shield during critical herbicide application windows. If you’re making post passes around V5 to V10, the corn is working hard to determine its maximum ear size. Don’t rob energy with a hot herbicide pass. Pair it with Relax Rx to keep the crop calm and focused on yield. These aren’t just rescue tools, they’re optimization tools. They allow you to respond to real time conditions in the field without derailing your overall plan.  This is also the month to start building your nutrition roadmap for July. Tissue sampling, when combined with your infield observations, helps you get ahead of hidden deficiencies that don’t show up visually until it’s too late. And while you’re at it, get in those test plots. Walk your hybrids. Take notes on vigor, disease tolerance, early root development. The more you observe now, the better decisions you’ll make in July and August when you start developing your Max Yield System plan for 2026.  Let’s bring this home. June is where planting and planning meet execution. It’s the part of the Max Yield System where you take what you planned six months ago, hold it up against what the field is telling you, and make small intentional adjustments to bring it all together. That might mean tweaking your fertility approach, tightening up your weed control program, or adding a full layer pass that helps your corn stay on pace for maximum yield.  Remember, if you’re not measuring, you’re really just guessing. And in a year when every dollar counts, that’s a risk you can’t afford. So over the next couple of weeks, take your scouting seriously, use the tools available, trust your observations, and keep refining your Max Yield System plan.  Thanks for tuning in to this episode of the Ez Ag podcast. If you’re walking fields this week, we’d love to see what you’re seeing. Send us a pic and your thoughts or reach out and tag us online with your questions and insights. Until next time, remember, Ag is easy when you tune into the Ez Ag podcast. That’s all for today. I’m Matt Long. Grow your yield, grow your legacy, grow strong with Axis Seed.

June is where yield potential turns into yield reality—if you’re paying attention. The planter may be parked, but the season is far from set. Now’s the time to get serious about identifying yield-limiting factors and managing your irrigation with purpose. At Axis Seed – Red Barn, we believe if you want to Grow Your Yield, you’ve got to do more than hope for rain and hope the crop turns out okay. You need to walk your fields, observe with purpose, and make smart adjustments that drive ROI. Step 1: Evaluate What You’ve Got By June, your early-season decisions are either paying off—or showing stress. But that doesn’t mean it’s too late.To Grow Your Yield, you have to measure where things stand and take action where needed. Start with Net Effective Plant Stand (NEPS) — Not just how many plants emerged, but how consistently they emerged. Uniformity matters just as much as population. Scout intentionally. Look for nutrient deficiencies, stressed plants, early signs of disease, or weather- and herbicide-related injury. Tissue test where needed, especially in fields you plan to push. The data you gather now sets the tone for mid-season nutrition and water strategies. Every yield-limiting issue you catch in June is one you can still do something about. Step 2: Use Water to Build Yield—Not Just Maintain It Irrigation isn’t just about keeping corn green. Done right, it’s one of the most powerful tools to Grow Your Yield—but only if it’s managed strategically. Water slow and deep. June is the time to promote deep rooting and build subsoil moisture for reproductive stages ahead. Shallow watering leads to shallow roots and missed potential. Take advantage of rainfall. If you get a good shot of rain—pause the pivot. Let your soil do its job. Every inch of rain you receive is an inch you don’t need to pump which is a win for both your profit margin and the aquifer. Know your profile. Use probes, moisture sensors, or even a shovel. Know what’s in the tank before you decide to refill it. We say it often, and it bears repeating: every inch you pump is an inch you can’t put back into the aquifer—and a cost to your bottom line. Smart irrigation protects both your crop and your legacy. Step 3: Grow with Intention, Not Assumption If you want to Grow Your Yield, you have to resist the urge to assume every acre is on track. The best growers are the ones who: Reevaluate based on conditions. Invest where the crop can still pay them back. Protect what they’ve already built with smart, intentional management. June is the month to decide: are you managing your crop—or just watching it grow? Every Pass Is a Chance to Grow Your Yield You don’t need to overhaul your plan—you just need to focus it on the last push to Max Yield. The crop is talking. The question is: are you listening? At Axis Seed – Red Barn, we’re here to help you stay focused on your goals, fine-tune your Max Yield System, and make every pass count. Give us a call and let us know how we can help you reach your Max Yield this season and start developing your Max Yield System plans for next year. Grow Your Yield. Grow Your Legacy. Grow Strong—with Axis Seed.

There’s a common adage in our industry that states, “For every pound of fertilizer applied, you unlock an additional bushel in yield.” And because this knowledge has been passed down for the last few generations, we’ve stopped truly thinking about the math behind this advice. The reality is, the amount of nitrogen your crop is accessing is less than the amount that is being applied . So when it comes to controlling your fertility plan – instead of letting it control you – you have to be willing to ask yourself tough questions like, “What am I trying to accomplish by applying 100 pounds of fertilizer?” and “Is my nitrogen-based fertility plan really working?” If you’re in the business of asking these tough questions, follow along with the final installment of “A Hands-On Approach to Soil Fertility” which will will cover the following topics:  The most efficient method to spoon feed your crop nitrogen Why you shouldn’t look at Pivot Bio’s products like snake oil biologicals Putting your nitrogen program to the test   Spoon Feeding Your Crop Nitrogen When feeding your current crop nitrogen, spoon feeding that crop through split applications is by far the best approach to maximizing results. And there is no better product on the market today designed to do just this than Pivot Bio’s Proven 40 . Although a corn crop mostly uses nitrate, it does prefer a balance of both nitrate and ammonia. Pivot Bio products are the ultimate spoon feeding program because the microbes live on the root of your corn, fix atmospheric nitrogen daily, and provide that back to the crop in the form of ammonia. Which is important because ammonia is a more efficient form of nitrogen as it’s closer to the final need of the plant. Here’s how it works: First, nitrate is converted into nitrite, then from nitrite into ammonia, and from ammonia to an amino acid, which is converted into protein that is a building block of yield.  When applying nitrate as part of our fertility plan we’re two steps away from becoming ammonia, which means the plant needs to spend energy converting that nutrient into an amino acid. But when the plant is receiving this nutrient as ammonia, you’re a step closer! The less energy the plant is spending on this process, the more it can spend on grain fill and establishing that final yield.  A Biological Built and Backed by Science Yes, you read that last paragraph right. I’m telling you that a biological product can be key to improving your nitrogen plan. But I’m not recommending just any biological, I’m recommending Pivot Bio’s. And here why:  As I type this post, there are naturally-occuring microbes in the soils outside of my window that fix atmospheric nitrogen and produce ammonia. And as these microbes fix atmospheric nitrogen once they sense there is enough ammonia available in the soil, they don’t continue to give that feely back to the soil. They use it as their own energy source to reproduce and survive.  The difference between these naturally-occurring microbes and the microbes in Pivot Bio’s Proven40 is that Pivot’s microbes are gene-edited to do this process more efficiently and effectively than the ones we find in our fields today.  Here are the changes they made and how it works: Deleted the Inhibitor: Pivot’s microbes have been altered to fix nitrogen even in the presence of nitrogen. Where a naturally-occuring microbe would stop this process due to adequate nitrogen available in the soil, these microbes will continue to fix nitrogen regardless of the soil levels of the nutrient. Increased Regulation: Pivot Bio scientists upregulated the microbe’s expression to increase nitrogen fixation. We can compare this process to a computer, the more RAM a computer has the faster it can upload and download information. By upregulating the microbe’s expression rate, they enabled this microorganism to fix nitrogen at a higher rate than their naturally-occurring counterparts.  Created Continual Nitrogen Fixation: Pivot Bio’s microbes have been edited so instead of taking the excess and using it as their own food for reproduction and survival, they continue to fix nitrogen and release it into the soil for your crop’s use.  Not only is the above science pretty amazing, but Pivot Bio takes over 12,000 in-field crop samples annually to ensure the above process actually occurs in farmer’s fields. They’re even using pretty innovative packaging to ensure these microbes arrive in your fields alive and healthy enough to do the above processes. It’s a ton of science and innovation that I will save for another blog post, but believe me, no one else on the market today is taking biologicals this seriously, which is why we at Red Barn take them seriously. Putting Your N Program to the Test with Pivot Bio “Ok, Matt. I used Pivot Bio and I saw a bigger greener plant, but no impact on yield. How does this happen?” First of all help me understand how you set up your Pivot Bio test. Did you replace nitrogen with Pivot Bio or did you use Pivot Bio on-top-of a full or reduced synthetic nitrogen program? And based on our in-field test results maybe even more importantly, did you do a reduced rate synthetic nitrogen trial to understand if your field is Nitrogen Responsive?   If you reduce your entire field by 40 pounds of nitrogen and use Proven 40, you’re technically still using an over the top application, it’s just on top of a reduced rate. But if you reduce the rate of the entire field by 40 pounds and then apply an extra 40 pounds of nitrogen on your test strip, then you’re looking at Pivot Bio versus the full rate nitrogen program.  With the second approach, you’re looking apples to apples so you shouldn’t expect to see significant yield increases because you’re applying the same amount of nitrogen to the crop thus success is parity, NOT a yield increase. Utilizing a reduced rate synthetic nitrogen trial along with your Pivot Bio trial is important because we are finding more and more fields where yields are simply not responding to additional fertilizer.  How you see this is by seeing parity between your treated, untreated, and reduced strips, and this means not only are you not seeing a response from Pivot Bio but you are not seeing a response from synthetic nitrogen. Remember for every pound of fertilizer you add you should add a bushel of yield, and economically you need to add at least one bushel of yield for every 5-6 pounds of fertilizer. Putting your nitrogen program to the test takes a more directed approach than applying blanket rates and coffee shop theories, using a systems approach and developing your Max Yield Systems plan will help you both test and know you’re getting what you paid for. So, are you applying 100 pounds of nitrogen because there is an economic benefit OR because it’s what you’ve been told to apply for your entire farming career? It’s products like Pivot Bio that give us the opportunity to rethink some of these long-held fertility plan practices, and it’s what gets our team excited about when we partner with you to create your very own Max Yield System Fertility Plan. Are you in Control of Your Fertility Plan? I had to break up fertility planning into a three part series because it’s simply too much information to try and squeeze into a single post.  The soil test we discussed in Part I will help you understand the specifics of what you need to ladder up to that yield creation. The fundamentals of your fertility plan we discussed in Part II should extend beyond the traditional NPK mindset to help you truly utilize fertility to unlock yield potential. And finally, when investing in a big ticket input like nitrogen, when was the last time you truly measured its return? And are you ready to start thinking differently about this input? The economics of farming are only getting tighter, meaning there is no better time for a mindset shift. The information we’ve shared these last three weeks combines to create a complex equation that spans the entire growing season, and you need to ensure you’re compiling strong data points to understand the impact of these practices. If you want to take control of your fertility plan by dialing in the data that supports a positive ROI of this plan, contact us! We love a good math problem and we love to help our customers unlock yield and profitability!