Agvise celebrates 50 years, and over the next month, a series of articles will be written about each department. A lighthearted look at the daily work life of the employees.
From Dirt to Data- Meet the Soil Scientists at Agvise
Agvise is celebrating its 5oth year in business here in Northwood. The Gleaner will feature the different departments that work at Agvise before their open house celebration coming in July.
Soil scientists are the ones who turn dirt into data to help area farmers. Both John Breker and Jed Grow earned their degrees in Soil Science from NDSU. John has been employed for 9 years, and Jed has worked for 2 years at Agvise
What are Soil Scientists and Agronomists? Jed shares that an agronomist is the “jack of all trades when it comes to farming and crops. The scientist is like a family doctor for your soil, mixed with a forensic detective when things go south.”
John leads the sales and technical support teams. He helps clients make informed decisions, sharing, “I am trained in biology, chemistry, and physics and their interactions with climatology and geology that create the diverse soil resources across the Earth’s surface. It is this thin layer of soil upon which we depend for our food, fiber, and lumber that feeds, clothes, and shelters the 8.3 billion people of Earth.”
A workday for the guys consists of answering phone calls and helping clients understand the soil test results from their farmland. There are conversations with crop consultants and growers about problems they may be facing or seeking advice. John travels quite a bit, giving educational talks to farmers, agronomists, and consultants.
Both men find their work rewarding because the guidance they provide helps growers make decisions that affect fields close to home and across North America. Jed noted that, like advice from a family doctor, his recommendations are not always easy to hear. Still, he works to show growers that good nutrient management is essential to healthy soil. John added that smarter decisions on the farm level strengthen both food security and natural resources overall.
When asked whether they preferred early morning in a field or late-night harvest, Jed shared that he loved “late-night potato harvest on Saturday, then sleeping and going to church on Sunday. Nothing beats that.”
Oh, and the work drama- everyone experiences it. If crops could talk, which one would be the biggest complainer?
It would be those darn Soybeans and dry beans, according to Jed, “Talk about your primadonnas!” John said we should just be thankful that real plants can’t talk. “I have seen Little Shop of Horrors.”
What songs would be on the Agvise soundtrack? During planting and harvest seasons, everyone is “Under Pressure”- Queen and David Bowie. In the fall, soil sampling would be “Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne. Summers can either be “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” by CCR or “Dust in the Wind” by Kansas. John has lyrics of “The Elements” by Tom Lehrer, racing through his mind, and it goes a little like this:
“There's antimony, arsenic, aluminum, selenium
And hydrogen, and oxygen, and nitrogen, and rhenium
And nickel, neodymium, neptunium, germanium
And iron, americium, ruthenium, uranium….”
And hydrogen, and oxygen, and nitrogen, and rhenium
And nickel, neodymium, neptunium, germanium
And iron, americium, ruthenium, uranium….”
And the song goes on and on.
Photo: John Breker and Jed Grow know something about soil, changing dirt to data
