Engineering Your Farm
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 engineeryourfarm@gmail.com with comments and suggestions and follow us on Twitter @IAFieldAgEngrs
Episodes
28 episodes
Swine Barn Winter Readiness
Tony Mensing and Brett Ramirez discuss the importance of preparing swine barns for winter. Key steps include ensuring equipment functionality, particularly fans and heaters, and maintaining a tight barn to prevent air leaks. Regular maint...
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Season 1
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Episode 28
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21:53
Challenges During Soybean Harvest
Fall harvest is here and in this episode we discuss adjusting combine settings, measuring field and harvest losses, and ensuring the safe operation of equipment. Publications mentioned in the podcast are
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Season 1
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Episode 27
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19:56
Biochar: A Multipurpose Tool for Improving Agricultural Sustainability
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 ...
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Episode 26
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24:12
Managing Aeration With the Grain Aeration & Storage App
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 Departme...
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Episode 25
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17:25
Digging Into the Underground World of Soil Health
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 Min...
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Episode 24
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25:50
Revolutionary Robotics - Making No-Till Farming Without Chemicals a Reality
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-...
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Episode 23
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27:39
From Black to Green: Turning Engine Exhaust Into Productive Crops with the Bio-Agtive Emissions Technology System
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 t...
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Episode 22
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36:03
On-Farm Production of Green Anhydrous Ammonia
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, a...
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Episode 21
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18:36
Improving Water Quality With the Weedoo Aquatic Weed Harvester
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 runof...
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Episode 20
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20:28
Keeping Livestock Cool and Comfortable During the Dog Days of Summer
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, evaporativ...
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Episode 19
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31:28
Seed Conditioning: The Science Behind High Quality Seed
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...
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Episode 18
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21:37
Planter Setup and Maintenance for Optimal Performance
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 th...
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Episode 17
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32:55
Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck With Spring Manure Applications
In this episode we discuss spring manure application strategies, yield implications, and adjustments for dry weather and high fertilizer prices to help you maximize the value of spring applied manure. Our guests are Dr. Dan Andersen, associate ...
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Episode 16
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26:16
Managing In-Season Nitrogen and Cover Crop Applications Autonomously With the Rowbot
Properly managing in-season nitrogen and cover crop applications can be both challenging and profitable. In this episode we sit down with Kent Cavender-Bares, co-founder and CEO of Rowbot Systems, to discuss their autonomous Rowbot technology f...
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Episode 15
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41:52
Directed Energy: A New Strategy for Weed Control
Listen in as we sit down with Jon Jackson, President and founder of Global Neighbor, a company that is pursuing a new weed control strategy called Directed Energy Floral Control. We discuss how directed energy technology works and how it could ...
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Episode 14
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25:40
Getting More Conservation on the Ground With Conservation Agronomists
Join us as we dive into the exciting new field of conservation agronomy. In this episode we have a wide-ranging conversation with Ruth McCabe, conservation agronomist with Heartland Cooperative, and Zach Timm, conservation agronomist with Dubuq...
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Episode 13
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42:02
Maximizing the Value of Fall Manure and Nitrogen Applications
In this episode, guests Kristina TeBockhorst, field agricultural engineer, and Joel DeJong, field crops specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, join Brian Dougherty to discuss optimal timing for fall manure and commercial ...
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Episode 12
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22:52
The Hands Free Farm Project and the Future of Autonomous Agriculture
Join us for a discussion with Jonathan Gill about the Hands Free Hectare and Hands Free Farm projects, which achieved a world first by farming a hectare of land (now 35 hectares) entirely autonomously. Jonathan is a robotics engineer with a res...
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Episode 11
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37:38
Preventing and Addressing Soil Compaction
In this episode we sit down with Jodi DeJong-Hughes, Regional Extension Educator with the University of Minnesota Extension, to discuss how to prevent and address soil compaction issues. Topics include the effects of tillage, the role of ...
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Episode 10
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27:03
Bringing Diversity Back to the Farm With the Stock Cropper
In this episode Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Agricultural Engineer Brian Dougherty sits down with Zack Smith, co-inventor of the Stock Cropper, to discuss his vision for diversifying farms by incorporating livestock into r...
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Episode 9
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26:41
A Watershed Approach to Water Quality and Flood Mitigation Efforts in Iowa
Listen in as host Brian Dougherty sits down with Dr. Larry Weber from the University of Iowa, John Rathbun, watershed coordinator in Clear Creek Watershed, and Jamie Benning from Iowa State University, to discuss the Iowa Watershed Approach pro...
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Episode 8
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39:08
Drones in Agriculture: What's All the Buzz About?
Ever wondered how a drone can help you better manage your farm? Check out the latest 'buzz' about drones as Iowa State University Extension and Outreach field ag engineer Brian Dougherty chats with Ryan Gibbs, owner of Gibbsfield Ag LLC, about ...
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Episode 7
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31:40
New Approaches for Manure Management
Listen in as Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Field Agricultural Engineer Brian Dougherty sits down with Dr. Melissa Wilson, assistant professor and Extension specialist in manure management and water quality at the University of Mi...
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Episode 6
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33:00
Fix It or Nix It - Should you Repair or Replace Damaged Grain Storage Facilities?
Listen in as Iowa State University Extension Ag Engineering Fields Specialists Kapil Arora and Shawn Shouse discuss how to determine whether you should repair or replace damaged grain facilities. Kapil and Shawn also give some tips on managemen...
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Episode 5
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28:10
The Stinky Science of Measuring Farm Odors
In this episode of Engineering Your Farm, host Shawn Shouse discusses olfactometry and the science behind what causes farm odors with Dr. Jacek Koziel, Professor in the Department ofAgricultural and Biosystems Engineering at Iowa State Univ...
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Episode 4
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38:32