“For the first shovel out of the ground to find an earthworm, that’s just unheard of in Arizona,” Robert Boyle says. Managing editor Noah Newman shares more observations from his visit with the Strip-Till Innovator in Coolidge, Ariz.

Time flies during planting season, and this year has been no exception. But let’s pause for a moment and talk about something that doesn’t get covered enough in agriculture throughout the year — mental health.

For farmers who use drones for crop scouting, imagery, or spraying, this program marks an important shift in how drone rule violations are handled — and why staying compliant matters more than ever. Adam Gittins explains what the DETER program is, why it was created, and how it applies to ag drone operators.

I studied agronomy at Iowa State after growing up on a diverse farm, and while I was there, decided to double major in horticulture, which turned out to be the greatest thing I’ve accidentally done. 

While scrolling X (formerly known as Twitter) the other day, I came across an interesting discussion between a few longtime strip-tillers from different regions.