A wet spring, a parched August, and a combine that won’t quit—this conversation with fourth-generation farmer Allen Pace gets right to the heart of what it takes to bring a crop from the field to your plate. We talk through the harvest grind, the thin line between profit and loss, and why a few cents per bushel can swing a year when you’re moving hundreds of thousands of bushels. Allen shares how a lean crew uses crystal-clear communication and a whole lot of hustle to make good decisions when time, weather, and markets refuse to cooperate.
We dive into yields across Ballard County and beyond—corn averaging around 215 on his acres, early soybeans pushing into the 60s and 70s, and double-crop beans waiting on late rain. Allen explains how this year’s weather flipped yield maps, why storage and timing matter when harvest lows hit, and how working with a marketing team helps capture those crucial pennies. We follow the grain as it leaves the farm: down lock-free rivers toward export, to regional poultry integrators, and even into Kentucky’s booming bourbon industry.
There’s a bigger shift underway too. Soy oil is stepping into the spotlight thanks to renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, changing the crush equation and creating new demand. Allen’s work on the Soybean Board highlights the research that got us here, and he makes a simple case for ag literacy: you may not eat soybeans, but your chicken sure did. We also look ahead at the next decade—drones, planter innovation, autonomy, hybrid powertrains—and what actually pays back versus what’s just a shiny toy. The perfect farm size? The profitable one. If you care about food security, rural economies, or just want an honest look at modern farming, this conversation delivers both grit and insight.