Katherine Wise grew up on a farm in Mississippi that’s been in the family for more than 90 years. As a young teenager, she didn’t appreciate the history surrounding her. In fact, she tried every excuse she could think of to get out of helping her brother with produce in the summer. But to her, and her family’s surprise, she’s now back on the farm, managing more and more of the operation each year.

Today the Wise family raises produce, including tomatoes and sweet corn. They also host thousands of visitors who enjoy their corn maze and pumpkin patch each fall. But just like Katherine, the farm has changed a lot over the years.

Mike Compston is a Nevada rancher and lifelong learner. A lot has changed in Smith Valley over his lifetime, but he enjoys the opportunity each day brings to experience something new.

When the topic of catching really big bass comes up, Florida and other deep-south states invariably dominate the conversation. California has monster largemouth as well. But the Midwest is often overlooked when it comes to world-class bass. The next time you plan a trip and are looking to raise your bass bar, do not forget to consider spots like Table Rock Lake, Bullshoals and Truman Lake.

In the Midwest, finding and catching big bass on a regular basis has very little to do with luck. If it did, then I would be considered very lucky. Instead, it is a matter of knowing your quarry, and adjusting your methods to meet the existing conditions. The bass are there every day. They are already home. They have not migrated south to the Gulf. Your job is to find them and figure out what they want to eat. Below is a list of tips that I think will help you catch bigger bass in America’s heartland, and catch them more often. I hope some or all of these tips make you more successful.

Jesse Hobbs jokes he should call his place in Alabama "Total Chaos" instead of Hobbs Farms. He’s the fifth generation to care for the land where he now raises seven different commodities and his four children. Between ball games, community meetings, and farm work, life is never boring. It isn’t always easy to juggle it all, but Jesse has never dreamed of doing anything but farm.

Bob Hinton and his three brothers were raised in Dover, Florida, the sons of first generation farmers. In fact, they were each born in the small house that sits on the edge of a strawberry field. 

At the end of the semester, my professor sent out a summer reading list of books that he believes that every young professional needs to read. Now I know what you are thinking…it sounds horrible right? Who wants to read a bunch of nonfiction business books over summer vacation? Trust me, I would much rather be catching up by Nicholas Sparks, or curdled up at the lake with People magazine. But, as I have finished a few of the books, I have found them all to be insightful and relatable, especially during my internship at Beck’s.

Join Jim Schwartz, director of PFR and Agronomy, and field agronomist, Brent Minett in the field as they discuss nitrogen and how it relates to PFR. What have we learned this year? What should we be thinking about as we look at corn plants at the V4-V5 growth stage?

Join Jonathan Perkins, PFR Agronomist and Location Lead, in this latest PFR Report. The team at Beck’s southern Illinois PFR site just finished planting their Starter Fertilizer System 2x2x2 study. Check out this video to learn more about the Yetter Dual 2968 system and the benefits the team expects to see with it this year.

Kelly Boyers has seen a lot of changes since his childhood growing up on the farm in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. He’s been documenting them, and the weather, for decades in his daily dairy entries. And even though he has always wanted to farm, it hasn’t always been an easy way of life. It has taken a lot of scrimping, saving, and sacrificing just to survive. But when you’re in good company, none of that matters.

When his grandfather was forced to retire after a stroke, Chris Sumpter was suddenly given the chance to farm. He was only 18 years old. As the fourth generation on the farm with a lot of success in both 4-H and FFA, Chris felt he was up to the challenge.