A Full Afternoon of Networking and Learning at Couser Cattle Co. Sets the Perfect Stage for the Inaugural Tech Hub LIVE
July 20, 2021 
Bill Couser made some new friends at the Tech Hub LIVE field day, including consultant Lisa Prassack.
The Tech Hub LIVE Conference kicked off with a field day at a well-known farm operation a scant 40 minutes north of Des Moines: the Couser Cattle Co. They are famous for their warm welcomes, exceptional lunch fare, and an unquenchable desire to try about anything that might allow them to improve in big and little ways, and in all facets of the practice of farming. And, the desire to share what they learn with others.
Bill Couser told Tech Hub LIVE field day attendees about the history of his family’s farm and described how the owners have followed sustainable agricultural practices in recent years.
The father, Bill Couser, wears his joy of farming on his sleeve, at one point paying homage to the unmanageable forces of weather, while clearly relishing every aspect of the battle. He talked about the need to get the next generation of farmers elevated and in firm control of the future, and lamented how far farming needs to go to be fully optimized: “We’ve barely scratched the surface.”
The Modern Ag Farm created by the Cousers is an incubator for interesting ideas to be tested, from managed tile drainage to cover crops. The son, Tim, drives a lot of projects trying new technologies, and he readily shares both successes and challenges. They’re big on the benefits of Pivot Bio, and annually applied product which provides more available nitrogen to corn. Projects that didn’t work out so well included strip intercropping (“It just burned me out!”) and the Greenseeker sensor for nitrogen management.
Much of the work they’ve done is available on their website and expressed in word and video. But what impressed me was the clear expression of mission and purpose, and an ability to identify and get after big challenges effectively. It’s a visit I won’t soon forget.
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