At the 2025 Hiawatha, KS, NutraDrip irrigation clinic, agronomist Tim Wolf shared a deeply personal journey that paralleled the transformation happening in agriculture—especially in the world of drip irrigation and agronomic strategy.
Tim has spent over a decade working with Netafim and has now brought his experience and insight to the NutraDrip team. His time in the industry has been marked by constant learning, growth, and adaptation—both professionally and personally. As he reflected on his last several years, he realized that the lessons he learned through a major lifestyle change had striking similarities to what NutraDrip and its growers are experiencing in the field.
A few years ago, Tim found himself facing serious health challenges. Years of pushing hard and neglecting personal wellness had taken a toll. He was managing symptoms—high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes—with a fistful of pills every day, but not addressing the root causes. That moment of realization triggered a commitment to change.
The transformation began with one principle: measure, then manage. With the guidance of someone who lived with exceptional discipline—tracking everything she consumed—Tim began to measure the quality and quantity of what he was putting into his body. This idea resonated strongly with how NutraDrip approaches agronomy. Just like plants, people need the right input, at the right time, and in the right amount. Without first measuring soil and tissue data, it’s nearly impossible to manage plant health effectively and without tracking personal habits, he couldn’t manage his own health either.
Another key change Tim made was establishing consistent intake. He had been skipping meals all day and overeating late at night—essentially confusing his metabolism. The fix? Regular, smaller meals that kept his energy stable. The farming analogy here is clear: with drip irrigation, crops are “fed” consistently, in smaller, more manageable doses. It’s a method that aligns with how crops actually want to eat, and it’s a system that’s proven to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
He also learned that quality matters. The types of food he ate—high protein, balanced carbs, and green vegetables—were just as important as the timing and quantity. For crops, it’s not just about nutrients; it’s about delivering the right kind of nutrients at the right time. Whether it’s nitrogen, potassium, or micronutrients, timing and precision are everything. The parallels couldn’t be clearer.
Through trial and error, Tim tried several programs—Weight Watchers, low-carb diets, intermittent fasting—and while not all were sustainable, each one taught him something valuable. Likewise, NutraDrip’s team and growers have learned from every season, every field, and every crop. Some things work better than others, but the key is continual improvement. Try, learn, adjust, repeat.
Today, Tim’s health has dramatically improved. He now undergoes regular blood testing every six months to monitor his progress. In the same way, NutraDrip encourages growers to use sap testing—the “blood test” of the plant—to gain deep insight into crop health and performance.
And yes—Tim is now literally half the man he used to be. In 2024 alone, he accomplished things he never thought possible: one of which included completing a Tough Mudder challenge. These milestones aren’t just victories for his personal health—they’re reminders of what’s possible when you commit to transformation.
As NutraDrip continues to evolve, grow, and adapt, Tim’s story serves as a powerful reminder. Whether it’s health or farming, measuring and managing leads to better outcomes. There’s no silver bullet—only a commitment to learning, improving, and doing the work every day.
Consistent Results, Year After Year
If you’ve used Precision Planting parts on your planter, you’re already familiar with the level of innovation they bring to the table. We’ve had the privilege of working with their research farm in Central Illinois for nearly six years now, and their agronomic team—led by Jason Webster—does some incredible work.
Each year, the farm runs a minimum of 60 research projects—some years it’s over 80. From that work, they publish a Top 10 ROI list highlighting the best-performing practices and products.
We’re proud to say that in the 2024 results, NutraDrip’s drip irrigation systems took the #1 spot. Netafim drip ranked first in ROI, with high management corn and soybeans also landing in the top five—both of which used drip irrigation as part of their nutrient and water delivery system.
This marks the fifth year in a row that drip irrigation has been a part of at least three of the top five ROI slots on that list. That kind of consistency speaks volumes.
Now, Illinois has a fairly favorable growing environment—maybe not quite the challenges we see further west—but even there, the returns on drip are undeniable. Getting water and nutrients exactly where and when they’re needed is paying off, not just in yield but in profit.
We’ll keep bragging about it—because results like this are worth repeating.
PEC Acid Trials: A Win in Beans, A Lesson in Corn
We’ve been doing a number of grower-led trials this past year, and one of the more interesting ones came from Emanuel Farms in North Bend, Nebraska. They tested a PEC acid — a low pH phosphoric acid blend (0-60-20) — on both soybeans and corn.
This kind of product brings several benefits to the table:
- It lowers soil pH to help unlock phosphorus and potassium for the plant.
- It makes more nutrients already in the soil available.
- It also helps keep drip lines clean, acting almost like a built-in acid flush.
On soybeans, the results were excellent. The Emanuels made two applications and saw a 10 bushel per acre increase in yield. That data was weighed with a wagon, so it’s solid.
On corn, the results were mixed. We applied the product three times in a neighboring field, and while tissue samples clearly showed an increase in phosphorus and potassium uptake, the yield didn’t follow. That was frustrating.
But there’s a likely explanation: timing. In previous trials with Kansas State, when we applied phosphorus early—before V6, then again at V8-V10 and VT—we consistently saw 20-bushel gains. In this corn trial, we started too late: V11, then VT, and into R stages. The nutrient boost came, but it may have missed the critical development windows when the plant sets girth and kernel length.
So, while PEC acid has a lot going for it, especially on the soybean side, we’re still dialing in the approach for corn. We’re learning, adjusting, and working with new partners to get more consistent results going forward. Stay tuned.
What 13 Years of Corn Yield Data Tells Us About Nitrogen Timing
At the 2024 Total Acre Conference, Tim sat in on a presentation by the Pioneer team that dug into 13 years of global corn yield data. The findings had clear implications for nitrogen timing—especially in high-yield environments—and confirmed what many growers are seeing in the field.
The research categorized corn yields into four groups:
- Less than 150 bu/acre
- 150 to 200 bu/acre
- 200 to 250 bu/acre
- Over 250 bu/acre
With hundreds to more than a thousand data points in each category, the study looked closely at what’s driving yield gains—kernel count or kernel weight—and how nitrogen uptake patterns shift as yield increases.
More Bushels, But Not More Kernels
From 150 to 200 bu/acre, yield increases were primarily due to a rise in kernel count. But beyond 200 bu/acre, the number of kernels per ear leveled off. What continued to climb was kernel weight, a factor the Pioneer team called Kernel Max.
In the 200–250 bu/acre range, kernel weight began to outpace kernel count. At 250+ bu/acre, the difference became even more pronounced. These heavier kernels contribute to higher test weight and are a key indicator of successful grain fill.
How Many Kernels Make a Bushel?
In fields yielding under 150 bu/acre, it typically takes around 100,000 kernels to produce a 56-pound bushel. But in fields pushing 250 bu/acre or more, that number drops to around 70,000 to 75,000. Fewer, denser kernels are doing more of the work.
This isn’t just a curiosity—it’s a clue. Heavy kernels require more nitrogen later in the season, particularly during grain fill, which directly impacts test weight.
A Shift in Nitrogen Uptake Timing
Traditional nitrogen uptake models—like those from the University of Illinois—suggest that 75–80% of a corn plant’s nitrogen is taken up by tasseling, with the remainder occurring post-tassel.
But the Pioneer data challenges that model in high-yield environments.
- For yields under 200 bu/acre, traditional uptake curves still apply.
- Above 200 bu/acre, nitrogen uptake begins shifting significantly post-tassel.
- In the 250+ bu/acre category, nearly half of the plant’s total nitrogen uptake occurs after tasseling.
That’s a major change. It means that as genetic potential increases, so does the crop’s demand for nitrogen later in the season.
Is the Nitrogen Just Coming from the Soil?
The researchers accounted for this by separating nitrogen that’s remobilized from lower leaves (a common source during grain fill) from nitrogen actually taken up from the soil. The increase was coming from the soil, not just internal redistribution—pointing to a true late-season demand for fresh nitrogen.
Why This Matters for Subsurface Drip Irrigation
Subsurface drip irrigation gives growers the ability to precisely time nutrient delivery throughout the season. That’s critical when dealing with hybrids that require more nitrogen later in the growth cycle.
Drip systems allow nitrogen to be applied right when the plant needs it most—during grain fill, when kernel weight is being determined. That level of control becomes a powerful advantage in maximizing yields and improving nitrogen use efficiency.
This long-term data reinforces a key idea: high-yield environments don’t just require more nitrogen—they require nitrogen that’s available later, when it matters most. And that’s exactly where drip irrigation is delivered.
A Smarter Way to Track Water: Using GroGuru and IrriWatch Together
As water becomes an increasingly precious resource, having the right tools to manage it efficiently is more important than ever. That’s why NutraDrip has selected GroGuru and IrriWatch—two technologies that work hand-in-hand to help growers understand what’s happening below and across the field and make better irrigation decisions in real time.
Why GroGuru?
GroGuru is a permanent soil moisture probe system that provides accurate, consistent data without the hassle of annual removal and recalibration. Once installed, each probe calibrates itself and remains in the ground for 5 to 7 years, delivering reliable information year after year.
The probe communicates wirelessly to an above-ground unit, which then sends the data to the cloud. It’s designed to be low-maintenance—you can simply move the communication unit out of the way when planting, harvesting, or spraying.
A major advantage of GroGuru’s permanent installation is the ability to monitor soil moisture in the off-season. This lets you track moisture recharge and make decisions like whether or not to pre-water—valuable insights that help optimize water usage before the season even starts.
Why IrriWatch?
While GroGuru provides detailed soil moisture data from a specific location in the field, it can’t show variability across the entire field. That’s where IrriWatch steps in.
IrriWatch uses satellite imagery and the data from your GroGuru probe as a reference point. This allows growers to visualize how water is being consumed across the whole field, not just one zone. IrriWatch delivers insights like:
- Daily and nightly crop water consumption
- Spatial differences in soil moisture
- Irrigation zones approaching refill point or field capacity
- Where the plant is actively pulling water—and nutrients
By combining the ground-truth accuracy of GroGuru with the field-wide coverage of IrriWatch, growers get a complete picture of what’s happening both below and across their fields.
Seamless Integration, Ongoing Support
NutraDrip is excited to offer GroGuru and IrriWatch together as a seamless, full-season solution for smarter irrigation. With these tools, growers can make confident decisions to deliver exactly what the crop needs—no more, no less.
- GroGuru: $1,950 for the first year; $995 each year after
- IrriWatch: $450 per acre per year
- Special offer: Your first year of IrriWatch is included at no cost when you purchase a GroGuru probe
To help growers get the most out of these tools, NutraDrip will be hosting training and webinars throughout the season, led by experts like Pierre, Travis and Tim. Whether you’re new to soil moisture data or looking to fine-tune your approach, we’re here to help every step of the way.
