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Pioneer Mindset: Audio Field Day, Part 1: The Strip Crop Trial

Reference: Podcast Corner



Episode 132: Audio Field Day, Part 1: The Strip Crop Trial
August 18, 2026 | Pioneer Mindset Podcast | with Garrett Ruskamp


When's the last time you went to somebody else's farm and just tried to learn something?

Field days are one of the most underrated things in agriculture and this episode is my version of one. Nothing fancy or formal, just me walking you through what we're actually doing on our farm this year and what we've learned along the way.

Before we get into it, I share a thought that's been on my mind heading into field day season: we tend to over-expect what we're going to get out of events like these. We walk in expecting to be blown away and walk out disappointed. The reality is if you pick up just one thing, one idea that makes you curious enough to learn more, that's a high ROT on your time. That's the bar.

This episode is part one of an ongoing audio field day series. Today I'm walking through our strip crop trial: eight rows of corn, eight rows of beans, 20-foot strips, lots of trial and error and a few things I'd do differently next time. I talk through how we set up the planter, how we handled weed control and fertility across two different crops in the same field, and what harvest is going to look like this fall.

Thanks for tagging along for this one and be sure to listen in on part 2 in the next episode!





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Welcome to Pioneer Mindset! A podcast for rural ag business owners who want to challenge their mindset and address the discomfort in their business and personal lives by finding clarity resulting in bold conviction. Your host, Garrett Ruskamp, is a 5th generation farmer, husband and father from rural Nebraska. In the last 10 years of farming, he has experienced many challenges that business owners face on a day to day basis that stem from disorganization and being financially unaware. He understands the weight of uncertainty that comes from operating in a state of mind triggered by these struggles. Join Garrett as he shares his journey of the struggles he's faced in agriculture as a farmer and family man. He will dive into honest conversations to tackle the mindsets surrounding these issues, that will ultimately help you gain control leading to a profitable and sustainable business.

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