Regenerative Agriculture Podcast

Jake Ewing farms 1,300 acres of corn in Western Illinois, a relatively small operation compared to neighboring farms. Jake’s farm has been shaped by the need to compete in a region dominated by large-scale commodity crop production, forcing him to rethink traditional approaches to corn farming, and developing a focus on innovative, cost-effective practices.  Jake’s journey toward regenerative agriculture began with the purchase of a high-clearance sprayer, initially intended for conventional applications. This led to experiments with foliar fertilizers and reductions in herbicides and fungicides. His focus on soil health and plant nutrition has boosted yields to 275-285 bushels per acre, surpassing county averages while lowering costs. In this episode, John and Jake discuss: Reducing nitrogen applications to 160 pounds per acre, with only 100 pounds soil-applied, using foliar urea for efficiency. Foliar applications of manganese, copper, and cobalt to improve plant health and delay senescence, increasing