The Acres U.S.A. Podcast

In this episode of the Acres U.S.A. Podcast, Taylor Henry sits down with Neal Kinsey, author of Hands-On Agronomy and one of the most respected voices in soil fertility and the Albrecht approach to soil management.
Neal shares the story of how he became a student of Dr. William Albrecht and how Albrecht’s approach to soil testing and nutrient balance shaped his career. They discuss why pH alone can provide an incomplete picture of soil fertility, how calcium, magnesium, potassium and other nutrients interact, and why farmers should focus on measuring what their soils actually need rather than simply following standard fertilizer programs.
Neal also explains how farmers can prioritize fertility investments within an existing fertilizer budget, avoid slowly mining nutrients from their soils, and use soil testing to identify where inputs will have the greatest return. He shares decades of real-world examples, including dramatic improvements in crop yields and cases where farmers were able to reduce fertilizer expenses while maintaining or improving production.
Neal will also be returning to the 2026 Eco-Ag Conference in Iowa City for a full-day workshop on soil fertility and the Albrecht approach.
As Neal puts it: “You can't manage what you can't measure.”
Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode:
Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/
American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/
Important Links from Today’s Episode:
Members site: https://members.acresusa.com
Acres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Tickets: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Exhibitor Information: https://conference.eco-ag.com/booth-selection-page-page
Hands on Agronomy: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/hands-on-agronomy
Kinsey Ag Website: https://kinseyag.com/

In this episode of the Acres U.S.A. Podcast, Taylor sits down with Brian Dougherty of Understanding Ag to discuss energy constraints, rising input costs, farm economics, and building more resilient agricultural systems.
Brian shares his experience developing a startup direct-to-consumer farm in Wisconsin while transitioning former cropland toward diverse forages, perennial systems, and livestock integration. The conversation then expands into the growing dependence of modern agriculture on fossil fuels and what rising fuel and fertilizer costs could mean for farmers.
Taylor and Brian discuss practical strategies for reducing input dependence, including improving nitrogen-use efficiency, reducing tillage, utilizing cover crops, integrating livestock, and conducting on-farm trials to better understand what soils can produce. They also explore global supply chains, local food systems, and why farmers should begin “stress testing” their operations for potential increases in fuel and fertilizer prices.
Brian also previews his upcoming sessions at the 2026 Eco-Ag Conference in Iowa City, where he will dive deeper into cover crops, agronomy, soil health, livestock integration, and strategies for building more economically and energetically resilient farms.
Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode:
Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/
American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/
Important Links from Today’s Episode:
Members site: https://members.acresusa.com
Acres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Tickets: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Exhibitor Information: https://conference.eco-ag.com/booth-selection-page-page
Understanding Ag Website: https://understandingag.com/
Brian’s Course: https://understandingag.acresusa.com/soiltesting

In this episode of the Acres U.S.A. Podcast, Taylor Henry sits down with Dr. Richard Olree, a chiropractic physician, longtime student of minerals and genetics, and author of Minerals for the Genetic Code. Dr. Olree shares the remarkable story of how a chance encounter with Gerald Fry led him into the Acres U.S.A. community and ultimately shaped decades of his work.
The conversation explores the connection between soil mineralization, livestock nutrition and human health, including the importance of minerals such as selenium, iodine, boron and magnesium. Dr. Olree discusses his work with hair tissue mineral analysis, what he looks for when evaluating mineral levels and heavy metals, and why he believes farmers should think beyond simply producing food to consider the mineral density and nutritional quality of what they grow.
Taylor and Dr. Olree also dive into his research and perspectives on COVID-19, genetics, selenium, the microbiome, environmental contaminants, and the relationship between mineral balance and human health. They discuss his work with dairy cattle, sea kelp and iodine, as well as how the principles of soil mineralization can be applied to the human body.
Dr. Olree will be returning to the Acres U.S.A. Eco-Ag Conference this year for a full-day workshop and general session, where he will expand on his approach to connecting soil health, mineral nutrition and human health.
Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode:
Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/
American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/
Important Links from Today’s Episode:
Members site: https://members.acresusa.com
Acres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Tickets: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Exhibitor Information: https://conference.eco-ag.com/booth-selection-page-page
Dr. Olree’s Website: https://hillmanhealthfood.com/
Minerals for the Genetic Code: https://bookstore.acresusa.com/products/minerals-for-the-genetic-code

In this episode of The Acres U.S.A. Podcast, Taylor sits down with David Knaus, founder and president of Apical Crop Science, to explore the world of leaf sap analysis, plant nutrition, and nutrient density.
David explains how leaf sap testing differs from traditional tissue testing and how analyzing both new and old leaves can reveal nutrient imbalances, antagonisms and excesses that may otherwise go unnoticed. The conversation dives into how targeted nutrition can reduce unnecessary inputs, improve crop resilience, and even help growers transition away from pesticides and conventional fertility programs.
They also explore some of the lesser-understood relationships in plant nutrition, including aluminum, silicon, carbon, calcium and sodium, and how these interactions can influence plant health and susceptibility to insects and disease.
The conversation also looks toward the future of agriculture, including Apical's nutrient density testing, secondary metabolites, biofortification, artificial intelligence and the potential for growers to market crops based on their nutritional characteristics.
David will also be speaking at the 51st Annual Eco-Ag Conference & Trade Show, December 1–4, 2026, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode:
Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/
American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/
Important Links from Today’s Episode:
Members site: https://members.acresusa.com
Acres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Tickets: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Exhibitor Information: https://conference.eco-ag.com/booth-selection-page-page
Apical Crop Science Website: https://apical-ag-home.com/
David’s Webinar with Acres U.S.A.: https://youtu.be/mMHgzYzOAXk?si=1TepwuSDraVSo5dh

In this episode of the Acres U.S.A. Podcast, Taylor sits down with David Stelzer, founder of Azure Standard, to hear the story behind one of the country’s largest organic food distribution networks.
David shares how his family’s journey into organic agriculture began in the 1960s after a dramatic change in diet helped restore his health—and how discovering what was being put on conventional seed pushed his father to leave chemical farming behind.
He takes us through the early days of Azure Standard, from delivering grain and flour in an old pickup truck to creating the company’s first catalog and developing the drop-point model that now serves communities across all 50 states. David also discusses the challenges of building a food distribution system outside the traditional supply chain and the unexpected role Y2K played in Azure’s growth.
The conversation dives into the biggest challenges facing organic and regenerative agriculture today, including the lack of domestic production, limited mid-sized processing infrastructure, and the need for private investment in regional food systems.
David will be speaking at Eco-Ag 2026 in Iowa City, December 1–4, focusing on how farmers can connect with consumers and build economically viable markets.
Thank you to our Sponsors of Today’s Episode:
Azure Standard: https://www.azurestandard.com/
American Farmland Trust: https://farmland.org/
Important Links from Today’s Episode:
Members site: https://members.acresusa.com
Acres U.S.A. Memberships: https://eco-farming.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Tickets: https://www.conference.acresusa.com/
Eco-Ag 2026 Exhibitor Information: https://conference.eco-ag.com/booth-selection-page-page
Azure Standard Website: https://www.azurestandard.com/
Pre-Order ‘Seeds of Hope’ (David’s Book): https://www.seedsofhopebook.com/