Fortitude is very much a necessary part of the toolkit for successful farming. Those at Kimball Ranches- El Hogar know that as well as any. One of California’s most devastating natural disasters, the 2017 Thomas Fire wreaked havoc to their and many other farms in their region.

“You could be called crazy for being in partnership with Mother Nature, because as a farmer there are so many things outside of your control,” said Rachael Laenen, Director of Farming and Operations at Kimball Ranches in Ventura County, California. “But it just means that actually you can really focus on the things that are in your control and do better every day.”

This persevering attitude has led to a successful recovery and retooling of their operation, including their crop nutrition.

“We were really lucky to come across Redox,” she said. “They have fundamentally changed the way we farm here.”

Laenen said Rx Platinum™ has been a crucial part of their young tree establishment program, while Mainstay® Calcium and diKaP have provided major benefits to their older trees.

Laenen is the first female chair of the California Avocado Commission’s Board of Directors. She and her father, Gordon, carry on the family farming legacy.

Find out more about Kimball Ranches- El Hogar, including their retail sales, at https://www.kimballavocados.com.

Whether advancements in crops or livestock, upgrading mechanization or efficient use of resources, research carried out by universities has gone a long way to the abundance in agriculture that benefits us all. It’s a top priority for the University of Idaho, one of the top ag schools in the nation. Leslie Edgar, Dean of the University’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, recently visited Redox Headquarters to strengthen our partnership.

"Theory is amazing, but making sure that we can actually apply it so it works for producers is really important," Edgar said. "That's the blessing of being at a land-grant university that we get to do that. The value of us partnering with companies like Redox is that you have the innovation, and that we have the scientists and the students that can work with you and then partner at a really high level."

Golf is far more than a cherished pastime, it’s an immense economic engine, source of jobs and, perhaps surprisingly, an awesome way to learn about science, math and many other vital subjects.

The First Green program from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GSCAA) makes this all possible.

“I hear teachers saying things like ‘Hey guys, look at this. This is what I’m teaching you in class, but this is how you apply it in real life,” remarked Dave Phipps, former superintendent and one of the organization’s nine regional representatives.

Dave is part of a team passionately working in First Green; connecting students with many relevant topics and making them aware of future job opportunities. A growing area of focus is working with the more than one million FFA students in the U.S.