A Truth You Can Handle

Farming is honest work. Just like nothing can take away the satisfaction of a well-earned harvest, we also don’t get any shortcuts or do-overs. As farmers, we always need to adapt to changing conditions, so it’s important that we are honest with ourselves. We can’t see an underperforming field and say everything’s going great. We can’t talk our way out of a bad thunderstorm heading our way or a season with no rain. And we certainly can’t just tell ourselves what we want to hear and expect everything to go well. 

The fact is that your farm always tells the truth. And when you know how to hear it, that truth is one of the most powerful tools a farmer can have. 

The truth is out there—at your fingertips

Many people ask me what it is I love about farming and they generally raise an eyebrow when I tell them: “FieldView”. That’s because FieldView gives me the truth about my operation. There is no hype or sugarcoating, but rather the facts and information. It shows me where things worked and where things didn't. It highlights past mistakes and new opportunities. In other words, FieldView shows me how to be a better farmer. 

I’ll be the first to say that every farm is different. I see it every day around my area in Iowa. What works in one field may not necessarily pan out on another. In the spirit of helping fellow farmers, I wanted to share some of the many ways FieldView has added value to my operation over the years. If nothing else, these tips might help you accomplish more for your farm—and your future.

Honesty is the most productive policy

Every year, I work to get better with every single acre. In order to do that, I am not able to work blindly and see what happens, but rather I need the raw data points. The detailed information I get using FieldView helps me stay objective in assessing every decision and opportunity throughout my operation. That means I know what to keep doing, what to avoid, and how to pivot when I need to. It also means that I don’t waste time wondering what to do. I am able to dive right into doing better, faster.

What. When. Why.

These three questions seem pretty straightforward, but they actually become more difficult to answer from one to the next. Let’s start with the easy information. As a comprehensive platform, FieldView tells me what’s going on acre-by-acre with ease via real-time data monitoring and customized notifications. With this data, I know precisely when something in my field(s) changed, even if I wasn’t actively looking.

FieldView provides much more than a chronological play-by-play to reveal the impact of everything from seed selection, tilling practices, and rain totals. It narrates the entire story of my fields as it unfolds throughout the season. With all this at my fingertips, I’m able to write a better ending, year after year. 

Build your dream team

I’ve learned that success isn’t just about what you do, it’s how well you work. When I first started using FieldView on my farm, I expected it to help organize all my data. What I didn’t anticipate was how well it would fuel collaboration. One of the features, pin dropping, is a game-changer when it comes to sharing information with whoever I choose to aid in performance improvement. All of FieldView’s features help farmers stay in tune with operation plans to do more with less.

From illusion to clarity

Any farmer knows firsthand that things aren’t always what they seem. Simply put, if you don’t know the whole truth behind your data, you can easily draw the wrong conclusion. FieldView doesn’t allow for anything but the truth with powerful processing, built-in compatibility, and real-time syncing across devices. FieldView consistently provides an up-to-date view of your entire operation. With all of this data on-demand, I consistently have current information as well as past records on my operation.

Each farm is unique—and in my experience, there are countless ways to use FieldView that can suit the needs of every single operation out there.

I’ve been a farmer long enough to know that my experience only begins to scratch the surface of what’s possible with FieldView. I’m constantly discovering new ways that FieldView can benefit my operations, whether it’s helping streamline my workflow, organize my data, or understand my ROI. Most importantly, FieldView has enabled me to understand my fields and build my business in ways I never thought possible before digital agriculture. Every insight is an opportunity and every small success adds up.