As the seasons change, so do our farming practices. This year, we’re making a big shift in how we manage our fields, moving away from solely strip-tilling our corn fields and streamlining our operations with one corn planter that can do it all for better efficiency. This change cuts down on manpower, fuel, and time—allowing us to do more with less while maintaining soil health and productivity.
Smarter Technology, Stronger Yields
Advancements in farming technology are making it easier than ever to enhance nutrient availability for our crops. Our corn planter is now equipped with tools that allow us to better utilize fertilizers, ensuring stronger yields and better nutrient uptake. By cutting down on strip-tilling every acre, we simplify our planting process while still achieving excellent results.
Tyler has been mapping the fields with our John Deere app, and with the new sprayer and planter technology, our units and spray booms will automatically shut off where needed down to the singular plant. This eliminates the need to manually trace waterways and headlands with a tractor, which in turn, reduces overlap and wasted product. Our new sprayer is equipped with ExactRate technology—the same precision system used in our corn planter—allowing us to shut off each spray nozzle individually when needed. This saves time, reduces safety hazards, and improves efficiency across the board.
Upgrading Our Chemical & Fertilizer Handling
Come March, we’re taking another big step forward by building a new chemical and fertilizer mixing & loading facility with a 15,000-gallon stainless steel tank and three 78,000-gallon poly tanks. A new 40×40 shed will house our liquid fertilizer mixer which makes handling, loading, and mixing much safer. Pre-loading everything at the facility also means we can transport it directly to the field, minimizing risks and maximizing accuracy.
Equipment & Field Prep for Spring Planting
Paul and Josh have been hard at work getting our equipment ready for the planting season. The corn planter is nearly finished – next up is the air seeder. All our tractors are fully serviced and ready to roll. Meanwhile, Ron and Dennis have been busy hauling grain to Didion and United Grain Producers (UWGP), and Rich has been out in the fields trimming treelines with our forestry cutter. Our men all play an integral role in our farming practices and culture at Holtz Farms.
2025 Means Grain Gains
This year, we’re going heavy on corn, planting approximately 2,000 acres. With soybean prices lower than usual, corn is the more profitable option for our high-yielding fields. However, we’re still planting 750 acres of soybeans, particularly on land that requires a 50-50 crop rotation due to soil conditions. Poorer soil types, like sandy fields, can’t handle corn-on-corn, so we balance our rotation accordingly. Additionally, we’re planting 60 acres of rye as a cover crop to continue our soil conservation efforts.
By embracing new technologies and refining our processes, we’re setting ourselves up for another strong season. Here’s to efficient farming practices, better yields, and a successful 2025!
2025: A New Approach to Our Farming Practices – As the seasons change, so do our farming practices. This year, we’re making a big shift in how we manage our fields, moving away from solely strip-tilling our corn fields and streamlining our operations with one corn planter that can do it all for better efficiency.…
Spring Planting: A Season of Growth and Preparations
Planting Soybeans and Strip Till Fertilizer We kicked off our spring planting season on April 15th with enthusiasm and determination. Our focus was clear: to prepare our fields for a productive season ahead. We wasted no time and planted 650 acres of soybeans and have already completed 650 acres of strip till fertilizer application. This…
