Engineering Your Farm

Mar 21 2023 11

Engineering Your Farm Podcast artwork

This podcast is produced and hosted by the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Agricultural Engineering Team. We are a group of agricultural engineers that work with farmers and agribusiness professionals to help improve the efficiency, profitability, and environmental outcomes on farms. This podcast will feature information and interviews with ISU Extension field ag engineers and others with expertise in engineering and environmental issues in agriculture. We will cover a variety of topics including grain drying, handling and storage issues, livestock facility design and ventilation, soil and water management, manure management, machinery management, composting, farm safety, and more. We will also discuss solutions to common problems with homes and farmsteads, including energy efficiency improvements, indoor air quality, and well water quality. You can find our episodes on many of your favorite podcast players. Please subscribe to the Engineering Your Farm podcast and stay tuned for new episodes. Email us at [email protected] with comments and suggestions and follow us on Twitter @IAFieldAgEngrs

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Biochar: A Multipurpose Tool for Improving Agricultural Sustainability

Mar 21 2023 24 mins

What is biochar and how can we use it to improve the sustainability of animal agriculture? In this episode we sit down with Carly Graves, a graduate research assistant in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering North Carolina State University. Carly recently co-authored of a review paper evaluating the use of biochar to improve the sustainability of animal product

Managing Aeration With the Grain Aeration & Storage App

Feb 22 2023 17 mins

Variable weather conditions can make managing grain aeration challenging, but a tool for fine tuning aeration is now at your fingertips with the Grain Aeration & Storage App. Join us as we chat with Dr. Dirk Maier, professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University, and developer of the app. We discuss different tools within the app

Digging Into the Underground World of Soil Health

Jan 05 2023 25 mins

Soil health - what is it? How do you know if you have it? How do you improve it? Join us as we chat with Dr. Anna Cates, State Soil Health Specialist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil, Water, and Climate at the University of Minnesota. We discuss soil health principles, testing, and how to get started with improving soil health on the farm. Visit mosh.umn.edu to lea

Revolutionary Robotics - Making No-Till Farming Without Chemicals a Reality

Dec 08 2022 27 mins

Can we really farm without using tillage or chemicals to control weeds? Listen in as we chat with Clint Brauer, 3rd generation farmer and CEO of GreenField Incorporated, a company on a mission to eliminate the need for chemicals in no-till agriculture. We discuss different robotic platforms that can provide both preseason and in-season weed control for row crops, and what challenge

From Black to Green: Turning Engine Exhaust Into Productive Crops with the Bio-Agtive Emissions Technology System

Nov 02 2022 36 mins

Gary Lewis invented the Bio-Agtive Emissions Technology System to turn a problem into an opportunity: how to capture nitrogen from engine exhaust and use it to grow crops. In this wide-ranging conversation we dive into the details of how this technology has evolved from the goal of capturing nitrogen to increasing soil organic matter levels and boosting plant productivity, all whil

On-Farm Production of Green Anhydrous Ammonia

Sep 23 2022 18 mins

Producing your own anhydrous ammonia on the farm with renewable energy might seem like a pipe dream but it's about to become a reality. Fuel Positive is a Canadian company that is rolling out a containerized system that uses air, water, and either grid-tied or renewable electricity to produce anhydrous ammonia. In this episode we chat with Ian Clifford, Board Chair and CEO of

Improving Water Quality With the Weedoo Aquatic Weed Harvester

Aug 16 2022 20 mins

In the episode we venture into the wet world of water quality and aquatic invasive plant removal with Tara Lordi, owner and COO of Weedoo Greenboat Inc. Tara discusses challenges to water quality due to pesticide applications and nutrient runoff and how removing excess vegetation can be a win-win for water quality and the environment. Learn more at weedooboats.com

Keeping Livestock Cool and Comfortable During the Dog Days of Summer

Jun 30 2022 31 mins

In this episode we chat with Nancy Vander Byl, North American Territory Manager for Core Cool Systems, about how to keep livestock cool and comfortable by managing airflow and humidity in barns. We discuss the importance of airspeed, evaporative cooling, and other factors for keeping animals comfortable to maximize productivity. You can learn more at corecoolsystems.com and https:/

Seed Conditioning: The Science Behind High Quality Seed

May 09 2022 21 mins

Seed conditioning encompasses a critical and underappreciated set of processes and technologies to ensure that we have viable high-quality seed to plant. In this episode, we sit down with Alan Gaul, a Seed Conditioning Specialist with the Seed Science Center at Iowa State University. The discussion covers both the history and current industry trends in seed conditioning, as well as

Planter Setup and Maintenance for Optimal Performance

Mar 31 2022 32 mins

Listen in as we discuss important planter maintenance items, planter setup in the field, how to assess your planter performance, and the pros and cons of high-speed planters. Our guest is Ryan Bergman, a technical project specialist in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State University. Check out https://www.abe.iastate.edu/ and https://crops.extensi