Ag Geek Speak

We keep talking with Chandra Langseth about what it takes to turn precision ag students into confident problem solvers, not just software clickers. We break down the classes she teaches, then zoom in on fundamentals like data organization, controller exports, and communication that holds up under real farm pressure. 
In this episode we talk about:
• Precision ag and agronomy courses that build job-ready skills fast 
• Internship preparation and why on-the-job learning matters 
• Fundamentals first approach for agronomy and precision agriculture 
• Critical thinking as the skill that connects precision agriculture with soil, weather, inputs, and economics 
• Teaching mapping software by starting with computer literacy 
• File organization, naming conventions, and habits that prevent lost work 
• Farm field data structure that makes mapping and sharing possible 
• Exporting and importing prescriptions across different equipment controllers 
• Testing controller workflows before the day of application 

Podcast mention:
8. A Practical Look at Precision Agriculture Training and Farm Tech with Chandra Langseth Pt 1
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/20026089
18. Yes. He Mapped Lawns Too Preston Sundeen Pt1
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18257891 
19. Preston Sundeen Pt 2 Teaching Precision Ag That Works Today
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18293575

https://gktechinc.com/

We trade puns and practical advice while breaking down what soil electrical conductivity really measures and why soils can carry electrical current. We compare lab EC numbers to on-the-go EC mapping so you can spot salinity risk without over-reading a single map layer. 
In this episode we talk
• soil electrical conductivity defined as soil water carrying current 
• soluble salts as a major driver of EC and why saltier water conducts better 
• other EC influences including porosity, texture, clay mineralogy, moisture, temperature, and organic matter 
• how cation exchange capacity ties into conductivity in clay and organic matter 
• lab EC as a standardized measurement that supports comparison across fields and years 
• on-the-go EC mapping as a way to see field variability while staying mindful of non-standard conditions 
• Va=eris depth measurements using discs and why dry soils can distort results 
• EM38 and magnetic susceptibility plus why it may handle dry soil differently 
• calibrating EC maps with soil cores and lab tests to understand what variability means 
• interpreting soil test EC thresholds such as EC over 4 dS/m being considered saline in NDSU guidance 

Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that. 
Other episodes mentioned:
S2E17.5 Cracking the Code of Salty Soils https://www.buzzsprout.com/2297340/episodes/18217995

https://gktechinc.com/

We sit down with North Dakota State College of Science's Precision Ag Tech & Precision Ag Program Coordinator and farmer Chandra Langseth to talk about the winding path that took her from a non-farm background into soil science and agriculture. We also get into what precision ag looks like on a working North Dakota farm and how she brings real farm decisions into her classes at NDSCS. 

In this episode we chat about
• Chandra’s background in North Dakota and how she finds her way into agriculture 
• switching majors and discovering soil science through key classes and mentors 
• why agriculture needs non-farm perspectives to solve real challenges 
• how soil variability changes management decisions across a single operation 
• corn, soybeans, and sunflowers plus the realities of irrigation and drainage work on-farm
• remote irrigation monitoring that texts when pivots stop 
• starting variable rate fertility with limited equipment capability 
• using a real farm as a class problem for mapping and decision-making 
• what she teaches at NDSCS: intro precision ag, mapping, scouting, pesticide prep, weed ID 
• how NDSCS programs split between precision ag tech and precision agronomy career paths 

Find out more about NDSCS's Agriculture Program here: https://ndscs.edu/agriculture/

https://gktechinc.com/

We dig into why soil compaction is more than “hard ground” and how it quietly limits roots, water, and oxygen in ways that can cut yields. We also walk through how a penetrometer works, what PSI numbers actually mean, and how to take readings that do not fool you. 
In this episode we talk about...
• soil compaction as reduced pore space and increased root resistance 
• common field hotspots like headlands and wet-traffic scars 
• impacts on oxygen movement, water uptake, root depth, drought resilience, and fuel use 
• why compaction severity varies and how that changes tillage decisions 
• penetrometers, cone index readings, and what 200 PSI and 300 PSI suggest 
• texture changes in the soil profile that can feel like compaction 
• best timing for testing at field capacity and why wet or dry soil skews results 
• sampling tips like steady pressure, avoiding tracks unless diagnosing, and clearing surface litter 

Tune in next time for a tiny bite of knowledge from GK Technology, where we have a map and an app for that.

https://gktechinc.com/

We keep pulling back the curtain on why monitor compatibility is still hard in precision ag, even when everyone says they “just need a shapefile.” Hudson Fuller explains how AgGateway’s ADAPT standard and plugins can shrink guesswork, speed up exports and imports, and move the industry toward clearer data interoperability. 
In this episode, we also talk 

• AgGateway’s role in setting precision agriculture data standards 
• Why interoperability matters for yield data, soil tests, and controller exports 
• The hydraulic hookup analogy for incompatible monitor formats 
• Real controller constraints like polygon limits, vertex limits, and file size 
• ISOXML, GeoJSON, and GeoParquet differences and when each helps 
• Why GeoParquet can reduce file size but not polygon count 
• GeoTIFF prescriptions as raster surfaces with per-pixel values 
• How ADAPT targets GeoParquet for vector and GeoTIFF for raster 
• Plugin-based workflows vs hard-coding new proprietary formats 
• Estimated engineering time for new exports with and without plugins 
• ADAPT imports for viewing as-applied and yield maps in ADMS 
• Batch exporting multiple fields through ADAPT export in ADMS X 
• Using the ADM plugin and ADAPT Visualizer to validate prescriptions 

List of companies who have publicly announced they are utilizing ADAPT and support the project:
https://adaptframework.org/companies-supporting-adapt/
As always, with GK we have map, and an app, for that!

https://gktechinc.com/