Episode 32: From the Field: A discussion with Chip Flory during the Pro Farmer Crop Tour

And then what would be the difference between being out in the field and then getting on the old Internet, reading the reports? What do you see in terms of the differences there? And why is it so important to be out in the field and get your feet dirty?

Yeah, why do we have some scouts that have been on the tour for 25 years? Right, okay.

Yeah.

And we've got several scouts I just figured out that have been with us for 10 years now.

And they keep coming back because of the connections they make.

They keep coming back because they have, within the consistent randomness of the crop tour...

Consistent randomness, okay.

Of the crop tour, they have their routine.

Right.

And they may be going down the road and say, hey, we ran this route three years ago.

I know I stopped in that field.

I've still got the numbers from three years ago.

Let's go take a look.

So they may do some of that.

Now, if it's off their regular, you know, when they're supposed to be pulling a sample, they don't count it.

Hopefully it falls in to where they're supposed to be taking a sample so that they can put it on the sheet too.

But it's the relationships that people develop out here.

The

camaraderie.

Sure.

That is a big part of it.

We've got a group out on the western leg that I think is very close.

They talk on a regular basis throughout the year.

They're sharing ideas with each other throughout the year.

And over on the eastern leg, There is a group that is very actively, they stay in touch with each other throughout the year, very much so.

And then what would be the difference between being out in the field and then getting on the old Internet, reading the reports? What do you see in terms of the differences there? And why is it so important to be out in the field and get your feet dirty?

Yeah, why do we have some scouts that have been on the tour for 25 years? Right, okay.

Yeah.

And we've got several scouts I just figured out that have been with us for 10 years now.

And they keep coming back because of the connections they make.

They keep coming back because they have, within the consistent randomness of the crop tour...

Consistent randomness, okay.

Of the crop tour, they have their routine.

Right.

And they may be going down the road and say, hey, we ran this route three years ago.

I know I stopped in that field.

I've still got the numbers from three years ago.

Let's go take a look.

So they may do some of that.

Now, if it's off their regular, you know, when they're supposed to be pulling a sample, they don't count it.

Hopefully it falls in to where they're supposed to be taking a sample so that they can put it on the sheet too.

But it's the relationships that people develop out here.

The

camaraderie.

Sure.

That is a big part of it.

We've got a group out on the western leg that I think is very close.

They talk on a regular basis throughout the year.

They're sharing ideas with each other throughout the year.

And over on the eastern leg, There is a group that is very actively, they stay in touch with each other throughout the year, very much so.