Alex Fulton joins Farm4Profit to share his journey from horse racing and landscaping to building a thriving first-generation livestock farm in Maryland.

Today, Alex raises registered Berkshire hogs, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and laying hens while selling premium meat directly to consumers through multiple weekly farmers markets. Along the way, he explains how direct marketing, quality genetics, customer education, and diversification have allowed his family to create a profitable business in one of the country's most competitive regions.

The conversation also dives into Berkshire genetics, premium pork production, direct-to-consumer marketing, grinding your own feed, Maryland Pork Producers, excavation, social media opportunities, and even Alex's background as a steeplechase jockey.

Topics include:

• First-generation farming
• Berkshire hogs
• Direct-to-consumer meat sales
• Farmers markets
• Premium pork production
• Sheep and lamb production
• Pasture poultry
• Maryland Pork Producers
• Grinding your own feed
• Plenish high oleic soybeans
• Small farm profitability
• Equipment buying
• Excavating business
• Marketing premium food
• Starting a farm without family land
• Steeplechase horse racing

Whether you're dreaming of starting your own farm, expanding into direct marketing, or simply love hearing unique agricultural stories, Alex proves there are still many paths into agriculture for people willing to build something from the ground up.

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Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

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Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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What makes Ag PhD Field Day one of the premier educational events in agriculture every year?

In this What's Working in Ag segment, Darren Hefty joins Farm4Profit to preview everything coming to the 2026 Ag PhD Field Day, including brand-new equipment launches, recently approved herbicides, AI discussions, fertility management, and practical agronomic advice for the season ahead.

The conversation covers why farmers from across the country attend the event, how innovation continues to reshape agriculture, and why networking with fellow producers can be just as valuable as the latest technology demonstrations.

Darren also discusses current crop conditions, disease pressure, fungicide timing, drone applications, fertility economics, and offers practical advice for farmers dealing with flooded fields and prevented planting situations.

Whether you're planning to attend Ag PhD Field Day or simply want to stay ahead of the latest developments in agriculture, this episode provides a preview of the technology, products, and management strategies shaping the future of farming.

Topics include:

• Ag PhD Field Day 2026
• New equipment introductions
• AI in agriculture
• Rapidacill and Convento herbicides
• Fertility management
• High fertilizer prices
• Fungicide timing
• Tar spot and southern rust
• Agricultural drones
• Cover crop strategies
• Field drainage improvements
• Learning from other farmers
• Crop scouting and crop protection

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Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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In this episode, Farm4Profit welcomes John Deere Combine Specialist Tim Ford along with Millennial Farmer Zach Johnson for an in-depth conversation about harvest automation.

You'll learn how predictive ground speed automation uses cameras, satellite imagery, and onboard sensors to maintain optimal combine performance throughout the day while reducing operator fatigue.

Topics include:

• Predictive Ground Speed Automation
• Harvest Settings Automation
• Camera-based crop detection
• Satellite imagery integration
• Green crop detection
• Down crop detection
• Machine learning in combines
• Fuel efficiency improvements
• Harvest productivity gains
• Operator fatigue reduction
• Future autonomous harvesting
• Return on investment for automation

Tim also explains how customer feedback directly shapes future software updates and how John Deere continuously improves automation through real-world testing with cooperating farmers.

Meanwhile, Zach shares firsthand experience using harvest automation on his own farm and discusses how quickly operators gain confidence once they understand how the technology works.

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Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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The conversation explores the history behind the Albert City Threshermen Show, now celebrating its 55th year, and why thousands of visitors continue traveling from across the United States—and even internationally—to experience farming as it once was.

You'll hear about:

• Live wheat harvesting demonstrations
• Antique combines and threshing machines
• Steam engines and prairie tractors
• Horse-powered farming equipment
• Blacksmith and woodworking demonstrations
• Corn shelling and sawmill operations
• The famous 60 Minutes of Farming demonstration
• Family activities for all ages
• The annual Wheat Run and Old Power Roundup
• Why preserving agricultural history matters for future generations

The episode also shares stories about multi-generational volunteers, restored equipment over 100 years old, and the passion required to keep agricultural history alive.

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Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of What’s Working in Ag, Tanner, Corey, and David sit down with Drew Grundmeyer, founder of Harvest Ready, to discuss a practical solution to one of farming’s most persistent problems: labor. Drew shares how his background in education and farming inspired him to create a training program that helps prepare people for real-world farm work before they ever climb into a tractor or grain cart.

Harvest Ready combines classroom instruction, safety training, equipment familiarization, and hands-on experience to help participants develop the foundational skills needed to support farm operations during harvest. The goal isn’t to create expert operators overnight—it’s to build confidence, improve safety, and provide farmers with a pool of trained individuals who understand the basics of agricultural equipment and harvest logistics.

Topics discussed include:

• The growing labor shortage facing agriculture
• How Harvest Ready was created to fill a critical need
• Why basic training can make a major difference during harvest
• The concept behind Harvest Ready’s Core and Alpha training programs
• Safety education and equipment familiarization
• Grain cart operation fundamentals
• Training new operators before harvest begins
• Creating opportunities for non-farm individuals to gain agricultural experience
• Potential partnerships with FFA and agricultural education programs
• The challenges of training across different equipment brands and technologies
• Building a future workforce for agriculture
• How farmers can prepare for labor needs before harvest starts

Whether you're a farmer looking for reliable help, a student interested in agriculture, or someone wanting to gain hands-on farm experience, this conversation highlights an innovative approach to strengthening the agricultural workforce and helping operations stay productive during their busiest seasons.

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Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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The discussion covers everything from almonds, vineyards, tomatoes, melons, cucurbits, tobacco, cotton, sweet potatoes, peanuts, peaches, apples, and leafy vegetables while comparing production practices to the corn and soybean systems familiar to much of the Farm4Profit audience.

Topics include:

• Specialty crop production across the United States
• California almonds, walnuts, pistachios, vineyards and vegetables
• North Carolina sweet potatoes, tobacco and cotton
• Why long-term planning matters in permanent crops
• Water management and irrigation challenges
• Labor costs versus traditional row crop production
• Weed management strategies and residual herbicides
• New Corteva herbicides including Hulk CA
• Managing nematodes with Celebro
• Disease and insect pressure in specialty crops
• How growers balance profitability with quality expectations
• Multi-generational family farms across specialty agriculture
• What all farmers can learn from one another

The conversation highlights that regardless of geography or crop, every producer faces weather risk, pest pressure, rising input costs, and the need to make timely management decisions.

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Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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Nearly twenty years later, DOSE Manufacturing has grown into a 45-person manufacturing company producing premium agricultural equipment, including Headhunter head trailers, Freedom all-wheel-steer trailers, sprayer accessories, rock boxes, fertilizer equipment, and large LED display trailers used across the country.

In this episode, Brett walks through that incredible journey and shares the lessons learned along the way.

The conversation includes:

• How DOSE Manufacturing got its start
• Why Brett stopped repairing equipment and began manufacturing products
• Building the first Headhunter trailer
• Growing from Perry to Bouton and eventually transforming the Story City outlet mall into a manufacturing facility
• Product development through customer feedback
• Engineering equipment for today's larger combines and headers
• Building products for agriculture and the entertainment industry
• The importance of dealer relationships
• Hiring employees and growing a company culture
• Lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, and customer service
• Why "people buy from people"

Brett also discusses how listening to customers has driven continuous innovation, why quality always wins over the cheapest price, and how every challenge has helped create better products.

Want Farm4Profit Merch? Custom order your favorite items today!

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Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

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After touring the Hagie Manufacturing facility in Clarion, Iowa, Corey Hillebo and his father, Scott Hillebo, reflect on their family's long history with Hagie sprayers and how technology has transformed their farming operation.

Scott shares the story of purchasing his first Hagie STS10 in 2009, using a detasseling cutter to help justify the investment, and eventually progressing through multiple Hagie models as the farm's needs evolved. The conversation highlights how the farm transitioned from using a sprayer primarily for crop protection to utilizing it as a critical management tool for fertility, nitrogen applications, fungicides, foliar feeding, and late-season crop management.

The father-son duo discusses:

• Scott's history owning three Hagie sprayers
• How detasseling helped support the original investment
• The evolution from early STS models to today's technology-packed machines
• ExactApply and its impact on application accuracy and efficiency
• First impressions of John Deere's See & Spray technology
• Why timing matters more than ever in modern crop production
• Using Y-Drops and spoon-feeding nitrogen
• Fungicide and foliar application opportunities later in the growing season
• How a high-clearance sprayer influences agronomic decision-making
• The benefits of controlling application timing in-house
• What stood out most during the Hagie factory tour
• The unique culture of Hagie Manufacturing and its continued focus on craftsmanship
• The partnership between Hagie and John Deere
• The future of precision spraying technology

This episode offers a real-world farmer perspective on how equipment investments can influence management decisions, improve efficiency, and create opportunities to capture additional yield through better timing and precision.

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Don’t forget to like the podcast on all platforms and leave a review where ever you listen!

Website: www.Farm4Profit.com

Shareable episode link: https://intro-to-farm4profit.simplecast.com

Email address: Farm4profitllc@gmail.com

Call/Text: 515.207.9640

Subscribe to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSR8c1BrCjNDDI_Acku5Xqw

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Farm4Profit Media is not a financial, legal, or tax advisor. Content is provided for informational purposes only, and we serve solely as a platform for third-party opinions. Any actions taken based on this content are at your own risk.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.