Organic Advisor Call Series

Organic Agronomy Training Services (OATS)
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Welcome to the Organic Advisor Call Series — quick-hit conversations on the hottest topics in organic field crops. Whether you're tuning in from your desk, truck, or tractor, you'll spend one hour each episode learning about emerging issues from expert farmers and industry leaders. This season’s episodes cover everything from market outlooks and weed control in soybeans to cutting-edge tech like drones and robots — and a whole lot in between. 

  1. 3d ago

    Surface Fermentation: Building Organic Matter, Tilth, and Fertility

    A covercrop-and-tillage technique from Germany is catching interest for its ability to build organic matter, improve tilth, and raise fertility, all in a single pass. In this episode, Sam Oschwald Tilton of OATS talks with Tenzin Botsford of Red Door Family Farm in Athens, WI, about "surface fermentation" (Flächenrotte): growing dense covercrops, spraying them with a microbial inoculant, and incorporating them with shallow (2") tillage that preserves roots for future microbial activity.  Resources mentioned in the episode: Foundational book on surface fermentation: Regenerative Landwirtschaft by Dietmar Näser (published in German; a few English copies exist but none are currently for sale)John Kempf podcast interviewing Dutch farmer Erwin Westers on surface composting: https://advancingecoag.com/podcast/episode-158-reducing-weeds-and-pests-with-regenerative-mulching-systems-with-erwin-westers/Video of Erwin Westers explaining his practices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZqCiL2RiuI&t=104sAnother interview with Erwin Westers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNt9XuRQ74kBook on brewing fertilizer from plants: The Regenerative Grower's Guide to Garden Amendments by Nigel Palmer: https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/the-regenerative-growers-guide-to-garden-amendments/More from Nigel Palmer: https://www.nigel-palmer.com/bookResearch paper on the (lack of) impact of spraying inoculant before cover crop incorporation: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379928467_No_effect_on_biological_or_chemical_soil_properties_when_amended_with_effective_microorganisms_for_improved_cover_crop_decompositionThis event is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP). 🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org/  📅 Events & registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events  📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library

  2. Aug 18

    Using AI in Organic Ag

    Two ag professionals are putting AI to work every day; find out how they apply it. In this episode, Sam Oschwald Tilton of OATS talks with Dan Perkins of Perkins' Good Earth Farm, a certified crop advisor who's farmed with AI all season using Advancing Eco Ag's FieldLark, and Franklin Smith, a longtime organic certification and handling professional who developed Organic Agent to help operators and certifiers navigate USDA organic rules. They discuss where purpose-built, citation-backed tools outperform general chatbots, and where they're still leaning on human judgment. Resources mentioned in the episode: FieldLark AI: https://fieldlark.ai/  Organic Agent: https://organicagent.ai/  This event is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP). 🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org/   📅 Events & registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events   📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library

  3. Jul 21

    Scouting Stands for Replanting Plan

    A weak stand can't stand up to weeds, so knowing when to replant matters as much as getting the planting right in the first place. In this episode, Sam Oschwald Tilton of OATS talks with Aaron Vercler, who farms a split organic and conventional operation near Washington, Illinois, and Ross Wilken, who farms over 4,000 all-organic acres around Danforth, Illinois, about scouting stands and deciding when a field is worth replanting. They discuss reading population and weed pressure against university yield benchmarks, working with crop insurance and seed dealers on replant coverage, and why the replant call is as much a psychological challenge as an agronomic one. Resources mentioned in the episode: • Replant Resources: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dujaRW6cgd8wFNGGDkoLtZ4cktI-6-Tc?usp=sharing  This event is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP). 🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org/  📅 Events & registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events  📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library

  4. Jun 9

    Meeting Spec: Maintaining Quality in Stored Organic Grain

    You can't maintain grain quality if you don't know what's in the bin. In this Organic Advisor Call, Sam Oschwald Tilton of OATS talks with Curt Petrich of HC International about maintaining quality in stored organic grain. They discuss grain testing, documentation, storage management, and why understanding grain quality is essential for successful marketing and preserving value after harvest. Resources mentioned in the episode: • USDA Visual Guide to Grading Grain: https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/FGISVirtualReferenceImages.pdf • USDA Grain Standards: https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/grain-standards This event is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP). 🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org/  📅 Events & registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events  📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library

  5. Apr 1

    Integrating Livestock Grazing on Grain Farms

    Livestock is a powerful tool for building soil health and boosting profitability. In this episode, Sam Oschwald Tilton of OATS talks with Clint Epley and Knute Severson—two farmers who've made it work—about the real-world logistics of integrating grazing into organic grain rotations, from fencing, water, and crop rotation to pasture management and marketing. 🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org/  📅 Events & registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events  📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library

  6. Mar 9

    Managing Perennial Weeds in Organic Grain Rotations

    Most organic weed management strategies work great, until you've got a creeping perennial. Canada thistle and field bindweed play by completely different rules, and in organic systems, managing them is less about control and more about learning to live with them strategically. In this episode, Sam Oschwald Tilton of OATS talks with Dr. Pat Carr and Will Glazik about how to manage these perennial weeds in organic grain rotations. Resources from this episode:  Canada Thistle – Manage Weeds on Your Farm (SARE): https://www.sare.org/publications/manage-weeds-on-your-farm/canada-thistle/ 🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org/  📅 Events & registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events  📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library

  7. 11/14/2025

    Understanding NRCS Cost-Share Programs for Organic Grain Farmers

    If NRCS programs feel confusing or intimidating, you’re not alone. In this episode, Sam Tilton talks with Thomas Manley to unpack the cost-share opportunities available to organic grain farmers—and explain how good conservation planning can strengthen an operation long after the contract ends. Resources from this episode: Certified Technical Service Providers directory: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/technical-assistance/technical-service-providers EQIP Organic Initiative overview: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-organic-initiative NRCS Organic Transition Initiative fact sheet (PDF): https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-04/2023-NRCS-Organic%20Transition%20Initiative%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf NRCS conservation planning information: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/getting-assistance/conservation-technical-assistance/conservation-planning CSP program summary insert (PDF): https://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-CSP-Insert-On-Screen.pdf This series is brought to you by the Organic Agronomy Training Service and Albert Lea Seed, a fourth-generation, family-owned company offering a full line of organic and non-GMO field crop seed. This event is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP). 🔗Learn more about Albert Lea Seed: https://alseed.com  🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org/  📅 Events & registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events  📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library  📧 Join our listserv: https://www.organicagronomy.org/join-listserv

  8. 10/22/2025

    Organic Fertilizer - How Much?

    Organic fertilizer is expensive—so how do you know you're applying the right amount? In this episode, guest host Ashley Adair joins James Schroepfer to decode soil tests, compare manure sources, and use field history to create fertility plans that work for organic grain systems. This series is brought to you by the Organic Agronomy Training Service and Albert Lea Seed, a fourth-generation, family-owned company offering a full line of organic and non-GMO field crop seed. 🔗Learn more about Albert Lea Seed: https://alseed.com  🌱 Learn more about OATS: https://www.organicagronomy.org 📅 Events & Registration: https://www.organicagronomy.org/events  📚 Resource Library: https://www.organicagronomy.org/resource-library  📧 Join our Newsletter: https://www.organicagronomy.org/subscribe

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About

Welcome to the Organic Advisor Call Series — quick-hit conversations on the hottest topics in organic field crops. Whether you're tuning in from your desk, truck, or tractor, you'll spend one hour each episode learning about emerging issues from expert farmers and industry leaders. This season’s episodes cover everything from market outlooks and weed control in soybeans to cutting-edge tech like drones and robots — and a whole lot in between. 

Information

  • Creator
    Organic Agronomy Training Services (OATS)
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Organic Advisor Call Series
  • Show Website
    Organic Advisor Call Series

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