Ag Geek Speak

Hosted by A Podcast for Precision Agriculture Geeks

Technology Science

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Episodes

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

GK Technology Inc Team Members, Jodi Boe and Sarah Lovas talk about precision agriculture, agriculture mapping, agronomy and drainage.

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60 recent

October 8, 2026Episode 712 min

7.5 Tiny Bytes: Penetrometers and the Real Cost of Compacted Soil

We dig into why soil compaction is more than “hard ground” and how it quietly limits roots, water, and oxygen in ways that can cut yields. We also walk through how a penetrometer works, what PSI numbers actually mean, and how to take readings that do not fool you. In this episode we talk about... • soil compaction as reduced pore space and increased root resistance • common field hotspots like headlands and wet-traffic scars • impacts on oxygen movement, water uptake, root depth, drought resilience, and fuel use • why compaction severity varies and how that changes tillage decisions • penetrometers, cone index readings, and what 200 PSI and 300 PSI suggest • texture changes in the soil profile that can feel like compaction • best timing for testing at field capacity and why wet or dry soil skews results • sampling tips like steady pressure, avoiding tracks unless diagnosing, and clearing surface litter 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/

September 30, 2026Episode 732 min

7. What If Farm Data Had One Common Language? ADAPT with Hudson Fuller Pt. 2

We keep pulling back the curtain on why monitor compatibility is still hard in precision ag, even when everyone says they “just need a shapefile.” Hudson Fuller explains how AgGateway’s ADAPT standard and plugins can shrink guesswork, speed up exports and imports, and move the industry toward clearer data interoperability. In this episode, we also talk • AgGateway’s role in setting precision agriculture data standards • Why interoperability matters for yield data, soil tests, and controller exports • The hydraulic hookup analogy for incompatible monitor formats • Real controller constraints like polygon limits, vertex limits, and file size • ISOXML, GeoJSON, and GeoParquet differences and when each helps • Why GeoParquet can reduce file size but not polygon count • GeoTIFF prescriptions as raster surfaces with per-pixel values • How ADAPT targets GeoParquet for vector and GeoTIFF for raster • Plugin-based workflows vs hard-coding new proprietary formats • Estimated engineering time for new exports with and without plugins • ADAPT imports for viewing as-applied and yield maps in ADMS • Batch exporting multiple fields through ADAPT export in ADMS X • Using the ADM plugin and ADAPT Visualizer to validate prescriptions List of companies who have publicly announced they are utilizing ADAPT and support the project: https://adaptframework.org/companies-supporting-adapt/ As always, with GK we have map, and an app, for that! https://gktechinc.com/

September 23, 2026Episode 68 min

6.5 Soil Sample the Extremes

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/

September 16, 2026Episode 631 min

6. ADAPT Made Simple For Precision Ag with Hudson Fuller Pt. 1

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/

September 9, 2026Episode 56 min

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

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/

August 12, 2026Episode 540 min

5. Live! From Ag Mafia's Agronomy Conference

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/

July 22, 2026Episode 48 min

4.5 Tiny Bytes: The 5% That Runs The Soil

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/

July 15, 2026Episode 427 min

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

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/

July 8, 2026Episode 314 min

3.5 Tiny Bytes: Landsat vs Sentinel for NDVI and Variable-Rate Maps

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/

July 1, 2026Episode 328 min

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

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/