Crop & Soil Associates, Inc. -
Randy can monitor your crops
by Olivia Richards,
Herman Review
When Randy Larson of Herman drives through Herman on his way out of town, he totes a 4-wheeler in the back of his pickup, a necessary tool of his trade.
Randy operates Crop & Soil Associates, Inc., out of his rural Herman home. He contracts directly with farmers to provide technical information to help them make better management decisions concerning the crops they raise. Randy's season begins approximately April 15, and continues through the fall when soil samples are taken to tell the farmer what is needed to keep the soil in a particular field nutritionally sound.
Currently he is contracted by 25 farmers to monitor their crops, covering approximately 35,000- 45,000 acres in a crop season. To make the job easier, he rides the 4-wheeler through the fields, looking for a variety of things - weeds, insects, disease problems, and the general condition of the crop. He relays that information to the farmer, helping him to make decisions concerning control of weeds or insects.
Randy has been monitoring crops for 23 years, covering a million and a half acres of cropland over the years. A graduate of North Dakota State University with a bachelor degree in agronomy, he started in the spring of 1979 scouting sunflower fields for insects for the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis in their integated pest management program. Since then, Randy has progressed from field scouting to management and risk assessment for a number of farmers.
Hiring someone to monitor crops was unique in 1979, and Randy remarked, "wasn't well accepted at first." Randy is part of a six-member group of Crop & Soil Associates who monitor crops for farmers in west central Minnesota, covering an area from Fergus Falls to Willmar, and from St. Cloud to the South Dakota border.
This year, from Randy's perspective, the row crops in the Herman area are by far the best he has ever seen. "If they turn out as good as they look, the yield will probably be the best we've ever seen," said Randy.
Monitoring crops is a definite interest of Randy's, but he also enjoys baseball and is a Minnesota Twins fan. He enjoys volunteering his time for various organizations, and took an interest in raising waterfowl and chickens while his children have been members of the Progressive 4-H Club.
Family members include his wife, Nancy, and children, Chris, a student at North Dakota State University; Colby, a senior at the Herman-Norcross Community School, and Cassie, an eighth grader at H-N School.
If you have an interest in contracting with Randy to have your crop monitored, or have agronomy questions, feel free to call Randy at 320-677-2763. He will be happy to visit with you.
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