XtremeAg: Cutting The Curve Podcast

In this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting the Curve podcast, Damian Mason talks with Jared Cook of Calibrated Agronomy about why water quality matters far beyond simple H2O. The discussion explains how irrigation water, spray water, and even rainwater can carry mineral and biological “baggage” that affects soil balance, nutrient availability, herbicide performance, and crop management decisions. Jared outlines how calcium, bicarbonates...

At Commodity Classic, Damian Mason speaks with Kansas farmer and Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission chairman Brant Peterson and Texas Panhandle producer Jason Birkenfeld about the future of grain sorghum. The discussion focuses on sorghum’s drought tolerance, lower water requirements compared to corn, and expanding opportunities in livestock feed, forage silage, ethanol, exports, and food-grade markets. As irrigation challenges grow a...

Are farmers actually reducing crop stress… or just reacting to it after the damage is already done? That’s the question Damian Mason throws out during this live panel at the Nachurs booth at Commodity Classic with Matt Miles, Johnny Verell, Temple Rhodes, and Tommy Roach. The conversation covers everything farmers deal with every season—too much rain, not enough rain, weak roots, high nighttime temps, and nutrient timing. The panel...

At Commodity Classic, a panel featuring Kelly Garrett, Chad Henderson, and Kevin Matthews digs into one of the most overlooked problems in crop production—nutrient imbalance. The conversation goes beyond the usual N-P-K talk and gets into the real challenge farmers face: how micronutrients, timing, and plant demand all work together to determine whether fertilizer actually turns into yield. From SAP analysis and sulfur shortages to...

In this episode, Damian Mason speaks with Texas farmer Todd Kimbrell, who operates 70 miles south of Dallas and grows corn, wheat, cotton, and double-crop sesame—all without irrigation. Todd outlines the unique production calendar and environmental challenges he faces compared to farmers in the Midwest, including early planting windows, reliance on rainfall, and crop marketing strategies influenced by distinct regional market force...

Using Carbon Technology to Improve Nutrient Uptake and Reduce Inputs

With increasing economic and environmental pressure, American farmers are seeking ways to improve crop nutrition without increasing reliance on synthetic inputs. One promising solution? Carbon-based soil amendments.

In a recent episode of Cutting the Curve, Arkansas farmer Matt Miles joined host Damian Mason, alongside Brad Benson and Brandon Laws of Activated Car...

In 2025, many row-crop farmers across the Midwest experienced surprising yield losses—not due to lack of fertility or weed control—but because of unmanaged or mistimed corn disease pressure. From southern rust reaching further north to recurring outbreaks of tar spot, growers were challenged with invisible yet economically significant threats to plant health and grain fill.

I...

In this episode, Damian Mason hosts a discussion with Temple Rhodes, Chad Henderson, and Nachurs agronomist Tommy Roach, focused on re-evaluating common fall fertility practices. The group addresses the economic inefficiencies and agronomic downsides of outdated fertilizer applications, particularly the tendency to broadcast fertilizer in the fall without tying it to actual nutrient demand. By breaking down the science of nutrient ...

Know Your Seed Treatment: Why It Matters More Than Ever

In modern agriculture, seed treatment has evolved from an optional layer of protection to a critical component of crop success. Yet many farmers are still in the dark about what's actually on the seed they plant. In this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason speaks with Paul Johnson, a 30-year industry veteran and Seed Treatment Portfolio Manager at UPL, t...

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason speaks with Tommy Roach of Nachurs and Texas farmer Todd Kimbrell about moving away from conventional fertility practices toward more efficient, cost-effective nutrient strategies. The discussion centers on reducing or eliminating fall-applied nitrogen and phosphorus, and instead using in-season applications of micronutrients like zinc, sulfur, boron, copper, and potassium acetate....

Farm financial success requires more than strong yields or land appreciation. In this episode, Damian Mason speaks with Jeff Janssen of JC Ag Financial Services and Iowa farmer Kelly Garrett to explore the elements of a real financial stress test. They cover critical areas like calculating true cost of production, identifying hidden expenses, and managing financial pressure through operational scale and revenue diversification. The...

In this episode of XtremeAg’s Cutting The Curve, host Damian Mason is joined by Kelly Garrett and TJ Kartes of Bio Till to explore how farmers can achieve better results with cover crops by moving beyond cereal rye. The discussion focuses on reducing disease risks, improving nutrient cycling, and tailoring cover crop strategies to specific cropping systems. The conversation also covers the benefits of interseeding, chemical program...

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason speaks with South Dakota native Derek Skogsberg about building a modern, financially viable farming operation while living out of state. With a professional background in agronomy and agribusiness, Skogsberg shares how he returned to his family’s legacy farmland after decades in other industries, creating a business model that balances investment, operational efficiency, and genera...

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason is joined by Temple Rhodes and Barrett Ersek to explore the concept of "Thriveability" — a farmer-driven mindset focused on improving soil health, reducing inputs, and enhancing long-term economic outcomes. Barrett, founder of Holganix, explains how the company has shifted from selling crop inputs to becoming a partner in soil health by leveraging microbial technologies, inten...

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, host Damian Mason discusses the results of the Economic Fertility Challenge with farmer Johnny Verell and agronomist Stephanie Zelinko. The challenge, conducted in partnership with AgroLiquid, aimed to maximize wheat yields with a $30 foliar fertility spend per acre. Johnny Verell achieved the highest yield at 114 bushels per acre and won on both yield and ROI, outperforming fellow farmers Kell...

In this episode of Cutting The Curve, Damian Mason hosts Temple Rhodes, Chad Henderson, Kevin Matthews, Joe Leslie, and agronomist Stephanie Zelinko to discuss the Economic Fertility Challenge—a collaborative in-furrow fertility trial with AgroLiquid, aiming to maximize ROI under a $40/acre fertility budget. The challenge was conducted on irrigated corn with a 300-bushel yield goal, testing varied nutrient strategies across differe...

In this episode of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason hosts Temple Rhodes and agronomist Rebekah Muench of Concept Agritek to address how growers can reduce phosphorus fertilizer costs without sacrificing yield. With phosphorus sources like DAP and MAP becoming prohibitively expensive, the conversation centers on improving phosphorus efficiency by unlocking tied-up nutrients in the soil, utilizing banded and seasonally timed applicati...

In this episode of Cutting The Curve, host Damian Mason is joined by Kevin Matthews and Jeremy Geerts from SprayTec to explore the hidden costs and risks associated with foam in spray applications. Excess foam in the spray tank can reduce effective volume, distort herbicide rates, tie up active ingredients, and cause off-target environmental contamination. The conversation outlines how foam affects agronomic performance and profita...

In this special edition of Cutting the Curve, Damian Mason sits down with the next generation of XtremeAg contributors—Connor “Vern” Garrett, Alexander Evans, Danielle Venable, Jackson Henderson, and Layne Miles—joined by Caleb Coots of Teva Ag. The discussion centers on adaptability in agriculture: economic pressures, changes in herbicide regulations, evolving input strategies, and shifting mindsets. With real-world examples from ...