Ag Geek Speak

Latest Episodes:

6.5 Soil Sample the Extremes Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

We dig into why skipping the lowest-yielding parts of a field can be the most expensive soil sampling decision you make. We lay out a simple “sample the extremes” plan that improves variable-rate fertilizer accuracy and helps put nutrients where they actually belong.

In this episode we discuss...
• reframing soil testing as nutrient placement, not just cost-cutting
• why red zones like hilltops, saline spots, and drown-outs often need sampling most
• how built-up phosphorus and potassium can hide in low-productivity areas
• using variable rate yield goals alongside soil test results for tighter fertilizer decisions
• choosing which management zones to sample and when to interpolate the rest
• splitting low zones into separate mods and sampling both when causes differ
• using ADMS to bring results back into zones and make educated interpolations
Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.

https://gktechinc.com/

6. ADAPT Made Simple For Precision Ag with Hudson Fuller Pt. 1 Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

We talk with Hudson Fuller from GK Technology’s product development team about the ADAPT standard and why ADMS X is adding an ADAPT export for prescriptions. We break down shapefiles versus JSON and GeoJSON, then connect those basics to real controller workflows like ISOXML task data for CNH monitors.

In this episode, we talk
• who Hudson is and how he works on ADAPT at GK Technology
• what ADAPT is and why AgGateway pushes an industry standard
• why shapefiles break so easily and how the DBF schema causes controller-specific issues
• how JSON and GeoJSON work as single-file containers for data and geometry
• why a common data language reduces export guesswork across monitors
• the difference between the 2014 ADAPT framework and the newer ADAPT standard
• how ADAPT plugins translate an internal model into controller-ready file types
• what ADMS X is testing with a beta ADAPT export to ISOXML task data
• which controllers use ISOXML task data, including IntelliView 12 and Pro 1200
• why task data can support more detailed prescriptions than typical shapefile exports
• what we still need to learn through in-cab testing and user feedback

ADAPT Framework Website: https://adaptframework.org/
At GK Technology, we have a map, and an app, for that!

https://gktechinc.com/

05.5 Don't Guess, Soil Test - Fall 2026 Soil Sample Preview Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

We’re staring at a messy fall where fertilizer prices are high, crop prices feel tight, and it’s not obvious what rotation makes the most sense next spring. We can’t control the markets or the weather, but we can find out what’s actually in our soil and make the most informed economic call.

In this Tiny Byte, we talk
• why 2026 feels like a high-stakes soil sampling year
• how fertilizer price uncertainty changes fall vs spring decisions
• drought vs flooding effects on mobile nutrients like nitrate nitrogen
• what drowned-out zones can mean for denitrification and leftover N
• lessons from prevent plant acres and mineralization turning organic matter into nitrate
• why phosphorus and potassium tests matter when P and K are expensive
• using soil test data to guide rotation choices and reduce risk
Don't guess. Soil test.

Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.

https://gktechinc.com/

5. Live! From Ag Mafia's Agronomy Conference Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Special episode! If the audio sounds a little different, we are live from Ag Mafia's Agronomy Conference. We trade precision agriculture hot takes with a room full of farmers and agronomists, starting with what makes a zone map trustworthy and ending with what “precision” really means when equipment, software, and agronomy do not line up. We share real field stories from prairie potholes, yield map pitfalls, fertilizer blending headaches, and the surprisingly fun side of variable rate prescriptions.

In this episode, you can find us...
• explaining GK Technology’s precision agriculture mapping tools and why field variability matters
• breaking down the three pillars of precision ag: agronomy, equipment, and software
• exploring why North Dakota adopts precision ag so fast, including field size, crop diversity, and zone sampling
• discussing complex variable rate fertilizer blending when P and K maps do not match
• debating what limits precision agriculture most: talent, equipment capability, controllers, and livestock knowledge gaps
• arguing that a final zone map should make intuitive sense to the farmer, with the farmer as a key data layer
• challenging the idea that precision ag always increases yield, focusing on ROI, realistic yield goals, and mineralization uncertainty
• unpacking why yield maps are useful but not sufficient, including calibration issues and different causes of low yield
• sharing favorite VRT projects, from IDC soybean maps to variable rate residual herbicides by pH and texture

Mentioned in the episode: Ag Geek Speak Episode 1: Pioneering Precision Agriculture https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/14357348

More info on Ag Mafia and their upcoming Agronomy Conference: https://www.facebook.com/agmafiallc/

https://gktechinc.com/

4.5 Tiny Bytes: The 5% That Runs The Soil Jul 22, 2026

Show notes

We break down what soil organic matter really is, from living microbes to old, dark humus that can take years to form. We also explain why that small slice of soil drives soil health through better structure, nutrient cycling, and water holding capacity.

We discuss
• defining soil organic matter as the biological legacy of a field
• connecting soil composition to the “critical” 5% organic fraction
• explaining humus as a stable end product of decomposition
• improving soil aggregation and aggregate stability for better structure
• boosting water retention and water holding capacity
• increasing negative charge and cation exchange capacity to hold nutrients
• chelating micronutrients like iron, copper, and zinc for plant availability
• releasing nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur through organic matter breakdown
• feeding soil microbes by expanding the soil food buffet
• building organic matter with compost, residue, manure, cover crops, and reduced tillage

Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.

https://gktechinc.com/

4. Getting Started with Management Zones - Spring 2026 Recap Pt. 2 Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

High fertilizer and seed costs make field-by-field efficiency feel urgent, so we walk through how variable rate technology turns “I know my field” into something your equipment can actually run. We also share the simplest places to start, what details matter with controllers and file exports, and how older gear can still deliver real ROI.

In this episode, we talk
• spring 2026 recap through the lens of input costs, weather, and markets
• asking field-level questions that reveal profitable variability
• building the workflow from boundary to variability map to prescription
• choosing between zone maps from imagery and grid sampling maps
• understanding why controller type changes how a shapefile must be written
• reducing frustration by matching prescriptions to controller capabilities
• starting with variable rate seeding for corn and soybeans
• adjusting populations on droughty hilltops and sandier soils
• making air seeders and multi-tank carts part of a precision ag plan
• using research, forums, and testing to make older controllers work

If you're interested in how GK can help you get started implementing VRT on your farm, check out our website for more information.

https://gktechinc.com/

3.5 Tiny Bytes: Landsat vs Sentinel for NDVI and Variable-Rate Maps Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

We take a practical trip into satellite imagery and explain how Landsat and Sentinel support real agronomy work like NDVI analysis and variable rate mapping. We break down what makes these datasets reliable, how resolution changes what you can see, and why revisit timing matters when clouds get in the way.

In this episode, we tackle:

• free government-operated imagery through NASA USGS and the European Space Agency
• using multi-band satellite data to calculate NDVI for crop vigor mapping
• why sun-synchronous orbits create consistent lighting and shadows
• resolution explained as ground area per pixel and why 10 m shows more detail than 30 m
• Landsat program timeline and the Landsat 7 data gap problem
• constellations as a backup plan and a way to increase image frequency
• Sentinel revisit cadence vs Landsat revisit cadence and what that means during the season
Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.

Related episodes:

S1 20.5 Tiny Bytes: Choosing Quality Imagery https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/16135793
S2 1.5 Tiny Bytes: Check Out GK Technology's Imagery Library https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/16524859

GK Technology Info on obtaining satellite imagery: https://gktechinc.com/data-links/

https://gktechinc.com/

3. Winter Is Chasing Us And So Is Urea - Spring 2026 Recap Pt. 1 Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

Fertilizer prices and spring weather pressure forced a hard look at how we manage time, logistics, and precision across every field. We break down why variable rate fertilizer is becoming the practical choice, especially given the conditions of spring 2026 and how soil testing and better planning help keep expensive inputs from getting underutilized.

In this episode, Sarah and Jodi discuss
• fertilizer prices reshaping decision-making around variable rate technology
• balancing fast spring logistics with precise input placement in short seasons
• using fall planning to line up soil sampling, maps, prescriptions, and controller readiness
• why soil tests unlock better zone decisions, especially in saline and low-yield areas
• adapting sampling depth to region, moisture, and nitrogen movement
• using post-harvest and in-season nitrate tests to measure overapplication in corn
• operational constraints like one-bin applications driving creative fertility timing and placement
• noticing field variability first, then building a realistic plan to improve over time
Need a precision map or the software to make your own? Check our website out!
www.gktechinc.com

https://gktechinc.com/

02.5 Zone Soil Sampling: Making Fertilizer Dollars Go Farther Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, Sarah and Jodi dig into why zone soil sampling pays off when fertilizer prices are high and every pound has to earn its keep. We explain why composite soil sampling can hide field extremes and how better sampling leads to smarter variable rate fertility prescriptions.

We talk:
• high fertilizer prices driving interest in variable rate fertilizer and better prescriptions
• composite soil samples providing an average while hiding extremes like low pH pockets
• pH variability on sandy ridges and why missing it increases yield and input risk
• sampling every zone at least once to build a dependable baseline
• sampling high and low productivity zones to capture the true spread
• low productivity areas often holding excess phosphorus and potassium from years of flat-rate applications
• using soil test data to cut back safely in poor zones and reallocate dollars to higher return acres

Tune in next time for a Tiny Byte of Knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.

https://gktechinc.com/

Spring Planting Playbook: Precision Ag Prep for Every Planting Season May 27, 2026

Show notes

We walk through what we’re thinking about for spring planning in 2026, from realistic yield goals to the map decisions that actually save money when inputs are high. We keep it practical by tying variable rate strategies to agronomy, controller readiness, and the real limits in each zone.

In this episode, Sarah and Jodi talk
• setting realistic yield goals for averages and zones
• handling fields without recent soil sampling using yield potential and zone logic
• separating salty areas from other low zones to avoid wasting fertilizer
• using variable rate seeding to manage sand, salinity, IDC, drought and disease pressure
• balancing population changes with weeds, canopy and row spacing
• treating soil pH as a high-cost lever and avoiding too-good-to-be-true fixes
• improving phosphorus and zinc efficiency through banding and seed safety planning
• exploring variable rate residual herbicides with pulse width modulation
• powering up controllers early and running test prescriptions to avoid spring surprises

Thanks for listening and come back next time for another episode of Ag Geek Speak! At GK Technology, we have a map, and an app, for that.

VRT Herbicides with Kyle Okke pt. 1: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18096941-15-variable-rating-herbicides-with-kyle-okke-pt-1
VRT Herbicides with Kyle Okke pt. 2: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18144514-16-variable-rating-herbicides-with-kyle-okke-pt-2
VRT Herbicides with Kyle Okke pt. 3: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18216234-17-variable-rating-herbicides-with-kyle-okke-pt-3

Seed Safety Calculator (SDSU): https://extension.sdstate.edu/starter-fertilizer-calculator-and-final-report

https://gktechinc.com/

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