Regenerative Ag Isn't Low Yield: Russell Hedrick’s Approach to Better Farming

Regenerative Ag Isn't Low Yield: Russell Hedrick’s Approach to Better Farming

In this episode of "The Whole Farm Podcast," Michael Pisciotta and Les Riley sit down with Russell Hedrick, a first-generation farmer from Hickory, North Carolina, and one of the most progressive young farmers in the country. Russell farms JRH Grain Farms, LLC, where he has built a reputation for challenging conventional assumptions about yield, soil health, nutrient management, and profitability. His operation includes corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, pasture-raised beef and pork, and several value-added ventures, including Regen Mills, Heritage Ground, Soil Regen, LLC, Revolution Drones, and a partnership with Foothills Distillery to produce the first bourbon in North Carolina since Prohibition. Russell shares how he got started with no-till and cover crops, how he began setting biological baselines on his farm in 2013, and how those practices eventually helped him set a North Carolina soybean record in 2021 and a dryland corn record in 2022 with more than 459 bushels per acre. The conversation covers what Russell has learned from more than a decade of testing, trying, failing, adjusting, and refining practices on his own acres. He explains why he believes the future of agronomy has to move beyond standard NPK recommendations and into better timing, better testing, and a deeper understanding of soil biology. Russell also breaks down how he uses tissue testing, nutrient demand curves, foliar feeding, potassium acetate, micronutrients, biologicals, and drones to make more efficient decisions in-season. He explains why timing matters, especially during key windows like VE to V4, V6 to V10, and R2 to R5, and why small, targeted foliar passes can deliver a strong return on investment when used correctly. The episode also explores the business side of farming. Russell talks about building markets for non-GMO and open-pollinated corn, turning grain into higher-value products like grits, flour, cornmeal, whiskey, and bourbon, and why improving soil health and crop quality can help farmers move beyond commodity pricing. For growers who are “regen curious,” Russell offers practical advice: start small, test on your own farm, use a portion of your acres to experiment, compare results across your best and worst ground, and only scale what earns its place. About Russell Hedrick: Russell Hedrick is a first-generation farmer in the foothills of Hickory, North Carolina, where he farms JRH Grain Farms, LLC. He has been featured in Top Producer Magazine, Furrow Magazine, RFD-TV, Ag PhD, and National No-Till Farmer for profitably farming by reducing fertilizer inputs and using soil health practices on cash crops. In 2017, he won the North Carolina Corn Yield Contest, becoming the first person in the state to win using regenerative practices. Connect with Russell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-hedrick-a9a323b0/ Listen to the full episode to hear how Russell is using soil health, technology, foliar nutrition, and value-added marketing to build a more profitable farm system. Resources:  https://www.agsoilregen.com/ https://www.regenmills.com/ https://revolutiondronesusa.com/ To learn more about CHONEX, explore additional resources, and receive future episodes to your inbox, visit chonex.ag. If you found this episode valuable, subscribe to the podcast and share it with someone in your network.

Beyond the Standard Soil Test: Waypoint on Soil Health, Biology & Better Decisions

In this episode of the Whole Farm Podcast, Michael sits down with Oscar Ruiz and Lizzie French of Waypoint Analytical for a practical conversation about soil health testing, CEMA 216, Haney testing, and soil microbial analysis. Oscar and Lizzie explain how newer soil health tests can work alongside traditional testing methods like Mehlich-3, rather than replacing them. They break down what these tests can reveal about nutrient availability, carbon, microbial activity, aggregate stability, and long-term soil function. The conversation also covers what growers should know before getting started, including how to think about sampling, why consistency matters, and how biological testing can help evaluate regenerative practices, biological products, and changes happening below the surface. For farmers who are regenerative-curious or exploring soil health programs, this episode offers a grounded look at how better testing can support better decisions, stronger stewardship, and more resilient farming systems. In This Episode: Why CEMA 216 and soil health testing are gaining attention How Haney testing differs from Mehlich-3 Why new soil tests should complement, not replace, traditional testing What aggregate stability can reveal about soil structure How growers should handle samples for biological testing Why soil microbial DNA analysis offers a deeper look at nutrient cycling How biological testing can help evaluate regenerative practices and biological products Why consistency and history matter when adopting a new soil testing strategy What farmers should ask their local NRCS office if they are interested in soil health testing Learn more about Waypoint Analytical: https://www.waypointanalytical.com/Agricultural Learn more about chonex.ag To learn more about CHONEX, explore additional resources, and receive future episodes to your inbox, visit chonex.ag. If you found this episode valuable, subscribe to the podcast and share it with someone in your network.

A Pesticide Scientist Approaches Research on Regenerative Citrus Farming with Herb Young

In this episode of the Whole Farm Podcast brought to you by CHONEX, host Michael Piscotta sits down with regenerative citrus grower Herb Young for a deep, practical conversation on soil biology, organic citrus production, microbial inoculants, cover crops, and nutrient density. Herb shares his unique journey from a 38-year career in the pesticide industry to becoming a certified organic and certified regenerative citrus grower in South Georgia. What began as an economic experiment in organic citrus turned into a full transformation in how Herb views farming, soil life, plant health, and food quality. Throughout the episode, Herb walks through real-world observations and research from his own grove, including replicated trials comparing conventional, organic, and regenerative systems. He discusses soil DNA testing, Haney soil health testing, microbial respiration, cover crop diversity, mycorrhizal fungi, freeze resilience, foliar nutrition, and the surprising nutrient-density differences he found in his regeneratively grown fruit. Herb’s story is a powerful example of what happens when a grower combines curiosity, research discipline, biological thinking, and real-world measurement. His work in regenerative citrus shows that soil health is not just a philosophy. It can be observed, tested, compared, and connected to tree resilience, fruit quality, and long-term farm performance. To learn more about CHONEX, explore additional resources, and receive future episodes to your inbox, visit chonex.ag. If you found this episode valuable, subscribe to the podcast and share it with someone in your network.

Fighting Farm Pests By Improving Plant Sap with Dr. Dykstra

In this episode of The Whole Farm Podcast, presented by CHONEX, we welcome back Dr. Tom Dykstra for Part 2 of our conversation on plant health, Brix, and insect resistance. In this episode, Dr. Dykstra walks through his leaf Brix insect chart and explains how different Brix levels relate to plant health, insect feeding behavior, disease pressure, and crop resilience.  Dr. Dykstra explains why he focuses on leaf Brix rather than fruit, stem, or root Brix when evaluating plant health. He breaks down what different Brix ranges can indicate, from plants that may require “force feeding,” to plants beginning to develop stronger secondary metabolites, to healthier plants that are better able to resist insects and disease. He also discusses how different insect groups—aphids, sucking insects, chewing insects, and grasshoppers—tend to correspond with different plant health levels.  The conversation then turns practical, with a focus on how farmers can use this information in the field. Dr. Dykstra emphasizes the importance of sugar, carbon, and micronutrients in supporting microbial activity, improving plant function, and increasing Brix levels. He explains why sugar applications are often the first step when dealing with very low-Brix plants, and why micronutrient availability can become a limiting factor in photosynthesis and plant performance.  We also discuss how Brix testing can fit alongside traditional scouting practices. Dr. Dykstra shares that farmers may see measurable plant response within 24 to 72 hours after applying the right nutrition, and that Brix can help show whether a treatment is moving the plant in the right direction. The episode explores how this approach compares to conventional insecticide responses, especially when growers are trying to stop insect feeding before crop damage worsens.  Later in the episode, Dr. Dykstra connects Brix and soil health to drought resilience, explaining how carbon, sugar, organic matter, and microbial activity all influence water retention in the rhizosphere. He also shares his perspective on nitrogen management, including why excess salt-based nitrogen applications may lower Brix and how free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria can support crops when soil biology is functioning well.  This episode is a practical follow-up for growers, agronomists, and soil health professionals who want to better understand how plant health measurements can inform pest management, nutrient decisions, and whole-farm resilience. In This Episode *  Why Dr. Dykstra focuses on leaf Brix as a plant health measurement  *  What different Brix ranges can tell farmers about plant stress and resilience  *  How insect feeding groups relate to plant Brix levels  *  Why sugar and carbon are central to soil biology and plant health  *  The role of micronutrients in photosynthesis and Brix response  *  How quickly farmers may see a response after nutritional applications  *  Why Brix testing can complement traditional insect scouting  *  How soil carbon and microbial activity support drought resilience  *  Dr. Dykstra’s perspective on nitrogen, salt-based fertilizers, and plant health  *  Why “you can’t change what you don’t measure” applies to both soil and plants  To learn more about CHONEX, explore additional resources, and receive future episodes to your inbox, visit chonex.ag. If you found this episode valuable, subscribe to the podcast and share it with someone in your network.

Understanding Brix, Plant Health & Insect Behavior with Dr. Tom Dykstra

In this episode of the Whole Farm Podcast, Michael Pisciotta and Les Riley from CHONEX sit down with Dr. Tom Dykstra to explore the connection between plant health, Brix levels, and insect behavior. Dr. Dykstra breaks down what Brix really measures and challenges the common belief that insects avoid high-sugar plants. Instead, he explains how pests are drawn to unhealthy crops with incomplete proteins, and how Brix can serve as a simple, real-time indicator of plant health in the field. This conversation reframes insects as indicator species and shifts the focus from spraying pests to improving plant physiology. Key topics: - What Brix actually measures - Why insects target unhealthy plants - The truth behind the “12 Brix rule” - Using Brix as a field-ready diagnostic tool Tools Mentioned: Refractometer (Brix meter) - Affordable models: ~$20–$50 - Digital models: $100–$300+ Coming Next Part 2 of this conversation will focus on practical, in-field strategies growers can use to improve plant health, increase Brix levels, and reduce pest pressure naturally. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss this conversation! See More of Dr. Dykstra's Research and Talks at: https://dykstralabs.com/video-presentations/ Learn more about CHONEX at: chonex.ag To learn more about CHONEX, explore additional resources, and receive future episodes to your inbox, visit chonex.ag. If you found this episode valuable, subscribe to the podcast and share it with someone in your network.