50 Years of Farming: What 1970s Newspapers Can Teach Us About Agronomy Today

In this solo episode of Rhizometrx, host Faith Lois takes listeners on a journey through her family’s 168-year farming history, sparked by a collection of old newspaper clippings from the 1960s and 70s. Faith reflects on the surprising agronomic wisdom found in these decades-old articles—from growers producing 200+ bushel corn and 70+ bushel wheat in an era before modern genetics and technology, to university recommendations that mirror the principles of Baseline RX today.This thought-provoking episode challenges the narrative of "progress" in agriculture. Are we really more efficient today, or have we lost sight of the fundamental soil health principles (like carbon and WEOC) that previous generations intuitively understood? Faith discusses the lessons we can relearn about nutrient placement, crop rotation, and building soil tilth to make every fertilizer dollar work harder in 2026.In this episode, you’ll learn:Looking Back to Look Forward: Faith shares insights from 1970s newspaper clippings that show farmers achieving yields comparable to (or better than) today's averages in wheat and corn, despite having fewer technological tools.The Lost Efficiency: A discussion on how previous generations naturally maintained carbon-rich environments through diverse crop rotations and manure, leading to higher nutrient efficiency than we often see in modern, synthetic-heavy systems.University Wisdom Then vs. Now: An analysis of old recommendations that advised against applying extra nitrogen on manured ground—a stark contrast to today's "insurance application" mindset that often burns out soil carbon.The WEOC Connection: Why building Water Extractable Organic Carbon (WEOC) is the key to unlocking the efficiency that past generations enjoyed, and practical ways to do it (like incorporating small grains or reducing recreational tillage).Winning the Margin Game: Faith’s closing thought: If everyone can grow 250-bushel corn, the winner isn't the one with the highest yield, but the one who can produce it consistently for the lowest cost per bushel.Resources & Links Mentioned:Follow Faith on X @FaithLois12After You Listen:Subscribe to RhizoMetRx to stay updated on new episodesShare this episode with fellow growers, consultants, or agronomy professionalsReady to stop guessing? Email Faith [email protected].