John Hartnett’s Post

🌱✨ Excited to share our latest Croptracker Customer Showcase featuring Hollabaugh Bros., Inc.! 🌾🚜 For over a decade, Hollabaugh Bros., Inc. has been utilizing Croptracker's innovative solutions to enhance their farming operations. 🍎🍐 From detailed field mapping to robust spray tracking and efficient harvest management, Croptracker has been integral to their success story. 👨🌾 Located in Adams County, Pennsylvania, Hollabaugh Bros. is a third-generation family farm committed to sustainable land management and producing top-quality fruit and vegetables. With over 300 acres of diverse crops, they serve major retailers, farmers markets, and run a bustling on-farm market. 🗺️ Farm Manager: Croptracker's field mapping system has been a game-changer for Hollabaugh, enabling precise planning and organization of planting, land management, and resource allocation. The visual interface and accurate acreage calculations have streamlined their operations and supported informed decision-making. 💦 Spray: Hollabaugh Bros. relies on Croptracker's spray module for comprehensive record-keeping, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and worker safety. With over 20 spray reports available, they can easily generate required documentation for pack houses, GAP audits, and EPA regulations. 🌾 Harvest: By recording harvest yields with Croptracker, Hollabaugh Bros. gains valuable insights into crop rotations, replantings, and budgeting. Accurate harvest data also ensures food safety standards are met, aligning spray records with harvest timing for seamless compliance. The enduring partnership between Hollabaugh Bros., Inc. and Croptracker exemplifies how technology empowers sustainable farming practices and smart decision-making. 🌿💼 Here's to over a decade of collaboration, growth, and continued success! 🎉 Read more about their journey in our latest blog article at the link below: https://lnkd.in/gKvzjsBX #FarmingInnovation #SustainableAgriculture #CroptrackerSuccessStory #FarmManagement #AgriculturalTechnology 🚜📊

FarmWise has established a strong reputation for cutting-edge, AI-powered weeding solutions for vegetable growers. Vulcan, the company's latest product, has proven to be a key resource to combat constrained and increasingly costly hand labor on the farm by combining precision weeding with unmatched productivity. Taylor Farms and Barkley Farms are two of the leading produce companies in the Southwest that have adopted Vulcan as part of their farming operations. With this agreement, RDO Equipment Co. will bring Vulcan to more growers within existing and new regions as an exclusive sales and field support partner to FarmWise. "We are excited to join forces with RDO, a company that embodies the same vision and relentless focus on their customers. This partnership takes FarmWise's commercial and customer support capabilities to the next level and reinforces RDO's leadership in the adoption of productivity-enhancing technologies", says Tjarko Leifer, CEO of FarmWise. "For Taylor Farms, Vulcan builds on the foundation of success we have experienced working with FarmWise since 2019. We purchased our first Vulcan last December and today run two of them. We have weeded over 2,500 acres already this season. We are seeing strong value in our fields and expect Vulcan to be a significant part of our operations going forward because it helps address labor challenges in today's agriculture", says Ted Taylor, president of agricultural operations at Taylor Farms. "When we learned about FarmWise's Vulcan implement and its learning AI that can improve cultivating efficacy for different crops in varying field conditions, our team saw that this product fit perfectly into our commitment to helping growers do more with less without decreasing their longstanding history of quality," says Richard Arias, RDO's vice president of southwest agriculture." Our product specialists are excited to work alongside growers to mechanize weed management that reduces hand labor and costs to optimize weed control in their fields and improve crop uniformity and yield." Leveraging RDO's long history of effective customer support and large service network, Vulcan is poised to expand its offerings for current and new specialty crops. FarmWise and RDO are committed to continuing to develop chemical-free weed removal options that provide farmers with real savings.

Community Agriculture Alliance: Growing the future of agriculture America’s farmers are getting older. Farmers and ranchers age 65 and older are the fastest growing demographic in agriculture. Right behind them? Young producers. Agriculture is becoming a young person’s game. And while the majority of young producers have only farmed 10 years or less, their impact is real. Young producers already account for $80 billion in agricultural sales and are more likely to drive day-to-day decisions around land and livestock use, and how to market their products (AgCensus 2022). Their farming operation currently includes two leased parcels plus a wash-and-pack station and walk-in cooler in the garage of their home. The majority of their crop is started in the greenhouse from seed in early spring and transplanted. Some plants are directly seeded in the ground. Crop selection is largely driven by customer preference and seasonality. They’ve also stretched preconceived notions on the length of Routt County’s growing season, using their numerous sun-heated high tunnel greenhouses to grow leafy greens, beets, cabbages and more well past the first frost. In their first year, Mountain Bluebird sold their produce at the Steamboat Farmers Market. Today, they have a loyal following at the markets in both Steamboat and Vail, plus a robust community-supported ag program in the summer and fall and wholesale accounts with local restaurants. In addition, they are among the growing number of local producers who sell with and rely on the Yampa Valley Community Ag Alliance. #agri #agriculture #farm #agribusiness #agriculture #farmmachinery #tractor #moderagriculture #sustainableagriculture #sustainablefarming #farming #localagriculture Source: https://lnkd.in/dcfKeyGV

Time for a weekday enlightenment! Get on board as we take you through Colorado's remarkable contribution to the US Agricultural Industry. We're shedding light on the face of new-age farming innovations and start-ups, all nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Don't miss out: https://lnkd.in/dMvyrXKS Featuring (and not limited to): 1. Plantgem: Founded by Julie S. Carson and Willow King, making gardening easy and convenient. 2. Harvest Today: An ambitious initiative by Brenda Langille that aims to revolutionize fresh food supply. 3. Blue Dog Hemp: A name changing the face of the agro-industrial scene. 4. Rocky Mountain Liners : One of the most reputable breeders in the industry. 5. Artsy: Cultivating creativity in Colorado. 6. Konbit Distribution: A Boulder-based start-up working in agriculture, farming, and food processing. 7. Farm: Conceived by Tim Luckow, working towards increasing the number of productive farmland acres. 8. Bulk CBD Distributors: Founded by John Piccone, a trusted wholesaler supplier of CBD and cannabinoids. 9. Renegade Plastics: A pioneering effort by Curran Hughes to promote a circular economy in industry and agriculture with fully recyclable materials. 10. Taurio: An invention by Julie Jackson, they're making clean farming a reality. 11. Mad Capital: Contributing towards building regenerative organic farmers in the agricultural sector. A massive shoutout to these agripreneurs who are revolutionizing the industry. Stay tuned for more same time tomorrow! #AgriStartups #ColoradoInnovations #InnovativeFounders #USagriculture #SpreadTheWord

Plenty Unlimited has launched the world's first indoor vertical farm dedicated to growing strawberries for Driscoll’s in Richmond, Virginia. The 40,000 sq ft facility will produce over 4 million pounds of strawberries annually, using advanced technology to optimize growth conditions without needing bees for pollination. The first crop will hit the market in early 2025, marking a major step in vertical farming’s evolution to support crop diversity and sustainable local production. Vertical farming facilities often require sanitary process piping, especially when dealing with food products like fruits and vegetables. Sanitary process piping ensures that water, nutrients, and other liquids used in the growing process are delivered in a hygienic, contaminant-free manner. In vertical farms, controlled environments such as hydroponic or aeroponic systems rely heavily on piping to transport and distribute water and nutrient solutions to the plants. Since these facilities prioritize cleanliness and food safety, sanitary process piping is essential to prevent contamination and meet regulatory standards for food production. This is where companies like Barnum Mechanical, with expertise in sanitary process piping and automation, play a crucial role in supporting high-tech, efficient, and safe operations in vertical farming. Barnum Mechanical is excited to see innovations like this driving efficiency and sustainability in agriculture. #VerticalFarming #IndoorFarming #Sustainability #AgTech #FoodInnovation #ProcessPiping #Automation #BarnumMechanical

Plenty Unlimited has launched the world's first indoor vertical farm dedicated to growing strawberries for Driscoll’s in Richmond, Virginia. The 40,000 sq ft facility will produce over 4 million pounds of strawberries annually, using advanced technology to optimize growth conditions without needing bees for pollination. The first crop will hit the market in early 2025, marking a major step in vertical farming’s evolution to support crop diversity and sustainable local production. Vertical farming facilities often require sanitary process piping, especially when dealing with food products like fruits and vegetables. Sanitary process piping ensures that water, nutrients, and other liquids used in the growing process are delivered in a hygienic, contaminant-free manner. In vertical farms, controlled environments such as hydroponic or aeroponic systems rely heavily on piping to transport and distribute water and nutrient solutions to the plants. Since these facilities prioritize cleanliness and food safety, sanitary process piping is essential to prevent contamination and meet regulatory standards for food production. This is where companies like Barnum Mechanical, with expertise in sanitary process piping and automation, play a crucial role in supporting high-tech, efficient, and safe operations in vertical farming. Barnum Mechanical is excited to see innovations like this driving efficiency and sustainability in agriculture. #VerticalFarming #IndoorFarming #Sustainability #AgTech #FoodInnovation #ProcessPiping #Automation #BarnumMechanical

Five ways the Center for Regenerative Agriculture is cultivating growth in Missouri For centuries, American farmers have strived to produce more crops. In recent years, challenges such as an unpredictable climate and shifts in consumer demands and agricultural policy have ramped up the pressure for farmers to grow even more. Rob Myers, the director of the University of Missouri’s Center of Regenerative Agriculture, has solutions — for Missouri and the rest of the country. Since opening in 2021, the center has already attracted more than $40 million in resources to support programs implementing cover crops, silvopasture, regenerative grazing and more with the goal of setting Missouri farmers up for a stable and productive future. Here are five ways Mizzou’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture is stewarding sustainable farming in Missouri and beyond: 1. Conservation for a brighter future Raised on a Midwestern farm in a time when farming involved a lot of tillage and dust storms were prolific, Myers knows that protecting soil from erosion is vital. One strategy to alleviate erosion is introducing climate-smart practices, such as cover crops — plants designed to protect and improve soil during a time when other crops are not being grown. In an effort to implement these protections across Missouri, the center’s work is supported by several large grants, including two new grants totaling $1.5 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF). The funding will allow the center to help farmers participate in programs that implement sustainable practices on their land. One of the new grants will be coordinated by Myers on virtual fencing for cover crop grazing. The second will be led by Kelly Wilson, the Center’s associate director, and will help guide women landowners and operators in developing management plans and implementing best practices for conservation through the NFWF Conservation Partners Program. Source:https://lnkd.in/gtBDuaRu

How can technology take the guesswork out of harvest planning and ensure optimal #fruit picking? Dive into our latest blog to uncover the future of smart harvesting. https://lnkd.in/d52ZJwnU #AgriTech #SmartFarming #HarvestPlanning #PrecisionAgriculture #DigitalFarming #InnovationInAgriculture #SustainableFarming #FarmTech

Strategies for Transitioning to Organic Farming 🌾🌿 To successfully transition to organic farming, consider adopting strategies to reduce tillage intensity and manage weed pressure effectively during the process. Here are some tips to guide your transition: 1️⃣ Minimize Initial Weed Pressure: Aim to lower initial weed pressure as much as possible at the start of the transition period. 2️⃣ Utilize Cover Crops and Residue: Incorporate cover crops and heavy residue to suppress weed growth and provide a natural mulch layer. 3️⃣ Optimize Timing: Focus on timing to enhance the success of your farming season. Mowing or rolling cover crops before they go to seed can prevent weed-like growth. 4️⃣ Choose the Right Machinery: Select machinery that aligns with a lower-intensity tillage approach. Look for equipment that can effectively terminate cover crops, leave mulch on the ground, and prepare the soil. 5️⃣ Consider No-Till Systems: Explore no-till systems like the Rodale Institute's "one-pass no-till system," which combines a roller crimper with a no-till planter for efficient cover crop termination and planting in a single pass. 6️⃣ Adopt Winter Crop Residue Management: Retain crop residue on the soil surface, especially in row crops like corn and soybeans. This practice can enhance weed seed predation, protect soil, and promote early spring weed germination. By implementing these organic farming strategies, you can reduce tillage intensity, manage weed pressure, and promote sustainable practices in your agricultural operations. #OrganicFarming #WeedManagement #CoverCrops #TillageStrategies #SustainableAgriculture #NoTillFarming #WOG #WorldOrganicGroup

Why Choose Nebraska Popcorn, Inc.? At Nebraska Popcorn, Inc., we pride ourselves on being a fifth-generation family farming operation with over half a century of expertise in growing, producing, and supplying top-tier popcorn kernels. Here's why popcorn retailers and fundraisers should partner with us: 1. Unmatched Quality - Premium Products: We specialize in producing Premium Mushroom popcorn, delicious Yellow butterfly popcorn, and creamy White popcorn, ensuring a superior popping experience and exceptional taste. - Consistent Excellence: Our commitment to high standards means that every kernel is meticulously grown, harvested, and processed to maintain the highest quality. 2. Vertical Integration - Control from Farm to Market: Our vertically integrated operation allows us to oversee every step of the process, from planting to packaging. This ensures traceability, consistency, and unparalleled quality control. - Family Heritage: With five generations of farming experience, we bring a legacy of knowledge, dedication, and innovation to our popcorn production. 3. Customer Satisfaction - Tailored Solutions: We understand the unique needs of our customers and work closely with retailers and fundraisers to provide tailored solutions that meet their specific requirements. - Reliable Service: Our reputation is built on trust, reliability, and a strong commitment to customer service. We aim to exceed expectations with every order. - Global Supplier: We ship domestically in the United States, as well as to over 60 International companies and organizations. 4. Innovation and Sustainability - Cutting-Edge Practices: We continually invest in the latest agricultural and processing technologies to enhance our products and operations. - Sustainable Farming: Our farming practices are designed to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, ensuring a positive impact on our community and the world. 5. Community and Tradition - Local Impact: As a family-owned business, we are deeply rooted in our community. We support local initiatives and contribute to the well-being of our region. - Tradition of Excellence: Our long-standing tradition of excellence is a testament to our dedication to producing the best popcorn available. Nebraska Popcorn, Inc. is not just a supplier; we are a partner dedicated to delivering the highest quality popcorn while ensuring complete customer satisfaction. By choosing us, popcorn retailers and fundraisers are not only getting exceptional products but also supporting a legacy of farming excellence and innovation. Trust us to provide the premium popcorn that your customers will love and your events will thrive on.