704 Testing New Practices
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In this edition I talk about how I evaluate new agricultural practices and tools before recommending them to clients. From the challenges of staying current to the importance of third-party data, I share my approach to separating useful innovation from flashy distractions.
Intro
I’d thought of just skipping July when work (and garden) demands overwhelmed me, but this year I have a content calendar with everything planned out. The August episode is timely for harvest time, so I don’t want to just push it to September.
So, what’s been happening in my neck of the prairie? Rain. And hail. We are a pocket of the prairies that has been getting more rain than normal, and this has been causing some problems. It’s good for anyone that has irrigation water rations, but it also makes irrigation decisions tougher. Just this weekend the forecast went from 25mm of rain, to 15mm, to zero; and then we got 45mm. Small areas got lots and some areas got nearly nothing.
Also, I had to go assess hailed fields again. This was the second time having to do this. My little drone is very useful for checking to see if there are areas that got hit harder than the rest. This will eventually show up in the satellite images but there has been a problem with them this year: clouds. It has been so rainy that I have missed entire weeks with daily imagery capture. Two sunny days in a row white puffy clouds showed up mid-day and photo-bombed the fields. It’s not just the clouds that cause the problem, it’s also the shadows they cast.
Add onto this that my gardens are exploding in growth from the rains and I have short windows to get out and do something, the podcast kept getting pushed off. Anyways, it is finally here, and hopefully the next one will be not long after.
So, if you're new here, let me introduce myself. My name is Scott Gillespie and I'm an author and independent agronomist rooted in the Canadian Prairies focusing on Climate-Smart Agriculture. I share science-based practices that benefit the planet while contributing to the profitability and resiliency of those who farm it.
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Testing New Practices
Last month I mentioned how I had tested out the organic weed control principles that I'd been learning after many years of working with organic growers. I also shared my top resources for science-based and grower-tested ways to combat weeds. The big drawback that I mentioned was losing soil moisture from all of the tillage. This month I've learned another drawback: cats.
I really enjoy having neighbourhood cats in my gardens. For the most part they are a great addition. A few of them are friendly and like to come talk with me. Many are just here for a quick hit of the catnip. One in particular seems to spend more time with me than she does with the neighbour who feeds her. I have seen her catch mice along the fruit bushes before. I'm sure the constant scenting of plants and the soil helps to deter the mice as well. There's just one thing I don't like. They like to dig in the vegetable garden for pooping.
I've tried a motion sensor sprinkler. It works well, but as soon as it's off they just ignore it. One morning I came out to see fresh poop directly in front of it! I've tried chili flakes and even a commercial pepper deterrent. I think this work a little bit, but there’s one that really likes to dig. For seedlings I have chicken wire tunnels (they look like lobster traps with no bottom). However, once the seedlings get too big then I must take them off. If anyone has suggestions, please let me know.
This ties in well with an article that I was interviewed for and was published late last month. I'll be highlighting in the next section. I'll also highlight an article that was written about my book, Practical Regeneration. My book expands upon a lot of what I mention in the article. There are so many great ideas out there, but do they actually work?
Note: There is no new article of mine from Better Farming Prairies this month because the switch to a bi-monthly publication schedule over the summer.
Agronomists share tips for evaluating new crop products and tech: Part 2
While I wish there was a flashier headline for this, it highlights a growing challenge for agronomists like me: sorting through the flood of new products, practices, and technologies in agriculture - and figuring out what actually works. With fewer government researchers and more pressure on farmers to get a return on rising input costs - reliable, independent, information matters more than ever.
In the piece, I share how I rely on third-party research - especially field-scale trials from applied research and commodity groups across Western Canada - before making recommendations. I also talk about the difficulty of evaluating new practices that require expensive equipment, like strip tillage or precision planters, and how I sometimes have to look to well-established U.S. data to assess their potential fit here in southern Alberta.
I also spoke about my cautious, but hopeful, use of AI tools like ChatGPT to sort and synthesize research—saving time and helping identify which sources are worth digging into further. When it first hit the headlines a few years ago it would make things up and had no sources, or sometimes even made up sources! But now it can give links to references and I've even found that I can challenge it on things, and it will look again. In many ways it's like a human - we all make mistakes and don't ever have perfect information. But through careful evaluation we can learn from each other.
Check out the full article to see how I - and other independent agronomists - are helping farmers navigate a landscape full of bold claims, tight budgets, and constant change.
Book sees both sides of regenerative agriculture
This article highlights the motivations behind my book Practical Regeneration, including concerns about exaggerated claims and the need for on-farm practices that are both climate-smart and economically realistic.
We talked about efficient fertilizer use, evolving tech – like precision mapping, and how many Prairie farmers are already ahead on sustainability, even if they’re not chasing buzzwords. I also touched on carbon markets, the risks of unproven biologicals, and how small, practical changes – like using stripper headers – can add up to real soil health improvements over time.
The piece also covers my background, from early days growing up on a farm in Ontario to my consulting work across southern Alberta. It’s a great intro for anyone curious about my approach to agronomy and regenerative practices.
Read the full article to explore more about the book, the philosophy behind it, and how I help farmers make sense of what works—and what doesn’t.
https://www.producer.com/news/book-sees-both-sides-of-regenerative-agriculture/
And if you like it, please get a hold of me to buy the book, or find a way to order it in your country:
Related Reading
I'll finish with some articles I've come across that fit this theme of testing new practices. Farmers and agronomists are inundated with new ideas all of the time. Many of them are from well-meaning people that really want to make a difference. But like I've said before, you need to step back and think about whether something is really going to work before barrelling ahead. We are seeing now that the Silicon Valley mantra of "Move fast and break things" can work in certain circumstances, but it can't be your modus operandi for every problem.
Rhizophagy and Quorum Sensing: Don’t Fall for the Merely Fascinating
Here's the opening paragraph:
“If you’ve heard of rhizophagy or quorum sensing, it’s probably because of regenerative agriculture. The movement has popularized these soil processes through videos, articles, social media influencers, and even a researcher or two, painting them as solutions that reduce or eliminate the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Yes, plants really can get nutrients directly from microbes by rhizophagy, and yes, bacteria really communicate with chemicals to coordinate actions through quorum sensing. However, does this matter for crop production? Let’s take a careful look at these processes.”
If that has piqued your interest, I highly recommend you take the time to read this. I see this time and time again. Researchers discover something new about the way life works and then they (or others) think that that is the key to a completely new way of doing things.
I also notice that there are a certain number of people that want to believe something new is true. They want to feel like they are ahead of the mainstream. Conspiracies can aid their cause when they think the mainstream is trying to shut them down.
Like many things, there is a kernel of truth here. Modern breeding has probably selected for crop varieties that don't rely on these processes as much because the breeding work happens in fields with good fertility and pests controlled by their human helpers. The leap in logic is that if breeding work is combined with regenerative practices, we'd be able to eliminate fertilizer and chemical usage. It's an appealing idea, but lets get some greenhouse trials followed by field trials first before just extrapolating from lab bench observations.
https://csanr.wsu.edu/rhizophagy-and-quorum-sensing-dont-fall-for-the-merely-fascinating/
The false climate solution that just won’t die
This article is behind a paywall. I read it somehow when it first came out. Maybe it's free when first published? But now when I try to read it they want a membership. Anyways, it still a great article. It goes through the flaws in the Kiss the Ground & Common Ground star-studded "documentaries" on regenerative agriculture. The people making the film want to believe it will work and they have the people that are ready to show it to them. I cringe trying to watch these. They are full of images of what they see wrong with agriculture (showing the worst) and what they see agriculture could be (showing the best). I like it that some news organizations are seeing behind the slick video and editing splices.
https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/409940/regenerative-agriculture-kiss-the-ground-common-ground
Roadside habitat: Boon or bane for pollinating insects?
Here's some science I can really dig into. Roadsides seem like a great place for nature, but are they? In my area I find it fascinating seeing the green strips along roads stay greener longer than the rest of the prairies around them. The reason is that all the water from the roads drains into these areas. Every rain is multiplied 2-3x what they would normally get. It's sad seeing them get mowed (or hayed) each year. However, I know they need to be cleared for visibility and snow management once the winter comes.
I'm not a roadside manager. But I think a lot of the ideas could be used when looking for messy areas around fields. There are always areas that are hard to farm. Many times, these areas don't make any money. They may even cost money every year. This article is a deep dive, but I think it will be a great resources for years to come when looking at what a farmer has, when the constraints are, and what can economically be done to use that area well and benefit the farm.
Closing remarks
Thanks for your attention! If something resonated let me know. I love to hear from you. Also, sharing this episode in your social networks, whether a post or to small group of your friends, colleagues, or clients, is very much appreciated. You can also support me by picking up a copy of my book, Practical Regeneration, or reaching out for agronomy support.
All the information can be found on my website:
www.plantsdigsoil.com
Here’s to growing more, believing less, and always digging a little deeper.
