Heartbeat of the Farm

In the breezy hills of southeastern Indiana lies a farm teeming with life, both within the soil and between the among the family. Cover crops and worms mingle in anticipation of the planting season, and Kevin and Shawn prepare for warmer days with hopes for even better yields than seasons before.

The Kalbs, as well as their children, are known for their award-winning corn yields and healthy soil practices. Kevin himself boasts double-digit national awards from the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) yield contest, just to name one competition. But the family would never keep the methods behind their successes a secret. It’s quite the opposite — for what’s good for one farmer now can be beneficial for another, with impacts that last generations.

Watch below to meet the Kalb family and learn more about how they prioritize soil health in their operation.

When it’s done right (and the weather, machinery and etc. cooperate), prioritizing soil health can be easily seen in better yields and bottom lines. But it’s also evident in the scent of the soil, and the life that thrives within the roots. Those factors are further proof of a healthy farm now, but also a healthy future of farming.

But it’s a challenge to try new things in agriculture — that’s why the Kalbs started Midwest Advanced Crop Consulting (MACC), to consult with farmers around the world. With it they’re helping farmers find new solutions that produce results in the near future, and for the next generation.

At Bayer, we’re also striving to find new solutions for farmers, so together we can cultivate a healthy planet for generations to come.

With an integrated weed management system in place, many farmers use no-till or reduced-till methods, which can help restore balance to the land and let nature do its work.

While growers’ plants naturally pull carbon from the atmosphere and into the soil, carbon-smart agricultural practices keep this invisible, yet highly important element from escaping in the first place. 

Biologicals are beneficial crop production and protection tools that are largely created from living organisms, derived from natural materials, contain them, or use naturally occurring processes. They help put nature’s own defense systems to use, complementing traditional crop protection tools.

As evidenced by the Kalbs, healthy soil practices can help farmers produce more with less. That’s why we work with farmers to accelerate the adoption of more regenerative agriculture practices and digital technology, developing new solutions for what many different farmers need today, and for their seasons beyond. 

For Kevin, it’s also about the next generation. “I want the farm to be better than what it was when I received it,” he says. “Everything around our farm depends on how healthy our soil is. I know if it's going to be in that kind of shape, then I know that it's going to make it past the sixth generation. They'll be able to pass it down.”

Special thanks to the Kalb family for sharing their story with us.