Gaerte Ag Service

05/18/2026

'An inconvenient agronomic truth,' he says.

05/16/2026

Took a major leap backwards on the Demo farm. Multiple side by side comparisons were lost along with many hours of scouting. We had no cover crop vs. Cover crop, cover crop burned down vs. Cover crop tilled under, cover crop roll crimped vs. Cover crop burned down, cover crop roll crimped vs. Cover crop burned down and later rolled (not crimping) over at planting and various stages of emergence on soybeans. Timing of various rolling with at least one to coincide with 1st trifoliate, shown to increase yield. As well, some Haney Soil tests were planned to reduce nutrient input.
That being said, we are looking to collaborate with some growers in the Kosciusko, Fulton and Miami county IN areas this coming fall for the 2027 growing season. Reach out if you have an interest.

05/16/2026

It’s years like this that make one wonder why they prayed for patience. Farmers in northern Indiana (and beyond) have sure been put to the test with all this rain!

🚜 80% of compaction happens on the first pass across the field which means patience is soooo important.
💧Compaction reduces pore space for air and water holding capacity
🌱 Healthy soils have good soil structure, 50% solids and 50% pore space, for proper plant growth all season long—and for years to come!

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

This rhizosheath is more than soil stuck to roots — it’s a living interface built by root hairs, exudates, microbes, and fungi working together. Research shows that root hairs are one of the biggest drivers of rhizosheath formation, increasing soil adhesion and improving the plant’s ability to access water and nutrients.

Why it matters:

✅ Improves water retention at the root-soil interface
✅ Enhances nutrient uptake
✅ Fuels microbial activity and carbon cycling
✅ Protects roots during drought stress
✅ Helps build soil structure and aggregation

Studies have also found rhizosheaths can contain significantly higher water content, organic carbon, and microbial biomass than surrounding soil.

Healthy soils grow healthy roots. Healthy roots build healthy soils. 🌾

05/14/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BLrwHrXdx/

05/07/2026

05/07/2026

Our customers are creating phenomenal organic matter %'s with our continual Cereal Rye Cover Crop fall applications.

04/25/2026

Rye termination☠️ is coming soon! How will we do it? On this field as of today, the rye averages about knee height. Past crop: Soybeans, going back to soybeans. Not particulary worried about nitrogen tie up. Right now we're using the cover crop as a moisture control tool as we wait to pull the trigger 🔫. It's been fairly wet here in northern IN/NW Ohio. This rye will transpire nearly an inch of water per week this time of year, allowing the grower to get on these fields earlier than his conventional till neighbors. Not only that, while the rye continues to mature, photosynthesis of the rye plants will continue to pump out root exudates back feeding the soil Microbiology 🪱🦠 that will make natural soil nutrients more available to the coming cash crop. The more top side growth we have the more w**d suppression mat we look to have. Timing! Its awlays been part of the farming game. Less applied nutrients, less herbicide is the goal. Where's your margin going??