For more than a century, the Johanek family has owned and operated a dairy near Green Bay, Wisconsin. They have grown from a small 50-cow dairy into a 500-cow operation managing nearly 2,000 acres, all while building a trusted reputation as longtime Renk Seed dealers and continuing a family legacy largely passed down through the women of the family. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation podcast, Max sits down with father-daughter duo Mark and Alyssa Johanek to discuss the realities of multi-generational farming, balancing tradition with innovation, and preparing the next generation to lead.

The Johaneks share how they continue evolving while staying grounded in family values, from precision ag technology and herd-monitoring systems, to the future potential of robotic milking. They also discuss the importance of community outreach, agricultural education, and creating opportunities for young people in farming.

Drone technology is quickly becoming a bigger part of agriculture, but its real value comes down to how it performs in the field.

In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max sits down with farmers and drone users Ryan and Matt, along with drone application business owner and operator Michelle, to discuss what drone application looks like in practice. From getting started and navigating the learning curve, to managing acres and building out service-based operations, they share firsthand experiences using drones across different setups.

As the conversation unfolds, they highlight where drones are creating real advantages, especially when it comes to timing, flexibility, and efficiency during critical application windows. At the same time, they also touch on the realities of the technology, including limitations, logistics, and the details that go into doing the job right.

Winter can take a toll on alfalfa, and early spring is when the damage starts to show.

In this episode of the Renk Seeds of Innovation podcast, Max is joined by Alex Renk and Bob Wilms to talk through the difference between winter kill and winter injury; what causes each, and what growers should watch for as fields begin to green up.

They cover the role of snow cover, dormancy, ice sheeting, and heaving, along with how to evaluate root and crown health, assess shoot counts, and decide whether a stand is worth keeping, rotating, or managing another way.

The conversation also touches on alfalfa’s role in dairy systems, variety considerations, and the management decisions that can help protect stand longevity from one season to the next.

If you’re assessing alfalfa this spring, this episode offers a practical look at what to watch for and how to think through your next steps.

Precision technology in agriculture is rapidly changing how growers manage inputs, labor, and efficiency on every acre. In this episode, Max Renk sits down with Matt Greenough and Holden Cauffman, two farmers in the Midwest, to discuss their experience with adding precision tools to their own operations.

Matt brings us along as he recaps his first full season using John Deere’s See & Spray™ technology, including how camera-based weed detection, individual nozzle control, and automation features delivered an average 68% reduction in chemical usage on his farm. Holden dives into how his Precision Planting SymphonyNozzle™ setup, turn compensation, and boundary mapping helped him reduce overlap, increase accuracy, and save time in the field.

Together, Max, Matt, and Holden break down several aspects of precision farming. From how camera-guided spot spraying works in corn and soybeans to the ROI potential of precision spraying systems, they uncover the realities of how modern technology is applied on real farms. At Renk Seed, we’re passionate about finding innovations that deliver real, measurable value in the field. This conversation highlights how precision technology helps farmers reduce input costs and operate more confidently in today’s agricultural landscape.

Drone technology is an innovative, powerful management tool in modern agriculture, but its value goes far beyond spraying. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max Renk sits down with Karl Bobholz and Tucker Johansen to explore how scouting drones are changing the way fields are evaluated, managed, and understood.

Their conversation explores how our team at Renk Seed uses scouting drones throughout the growing season to monitor emergence, plant health, weed pressure, and field variability across entire fields, not just a few visible areas. Karl and Tucker also discuss how repeated drone flights and NDVI imagery provide consistent, reliable information that supports smarter agronomic decisions, reduces unnecessary input costs, and helps improve ROI for growers.

Max, Karl, and Tucker reveal why Renk Seed believes in using and sharing these tools with growers. We want our growers to succeed in the fields. Using scouting drone technology can give growers the confidence and clarity to manage their acres more efficiently, helping them see stronger yields season after season.

Before our seed reaches your planter, it passes through an intensive process designed to protect its integrity, consistency, and performance. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max and Brett Renk sit down to bring listeners into the seed processing plant, walking through what happens between harvest and planting season.

From cleaning, sizing, and grading, to seed treatments, Brett explains how each step is engineered to remove risk and protect seed quality, giving growers like you more confidence in the seed you plant. As they mention, seed processing isn’t about being “good enough.” It’s about managing every variable so you can walk into planting season knowing it’s the highest quality of seed built to weather even the most challenging conditions.

As the conversation comes to a close, Max and Brett reflect on why seed processing at Renk Seed is more than just equipment and technology. It’s a responsibility shared by the team. Because at Renk, putting our name on the bag means standing behind every seed that goes into the ground.

These farmers saw it all: from tornado damage and heavy rains to top yields, hail recovery, and stories of how communities rally together at harvest. Max sits down with five growers across the Midwest to capture their real, raw stories from the 2025 growing season.

Join us and Marty, Robbie, Kyle, Tom, and Joe for conversations centered around what this year taught us, how it challenged us, and what farming looks like across state lines in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Iowa. As we turn the microphone over to men out in the fields each day—both Renk growers and dealers—we see that no two farms or seasons are ever the same.

Together, their stories show us just how unpredictable and resilient farming is—and how people are at the center of it all.

The 2025 growing season is wrapping up, but the learning never stops here at Renk Seed. In this episode of Renk Seeds of Innovation, Max Renk is joined by Karl Bobholz, Alex Renk, and Jeff Renk to share what they saw across the Corn Belt this year.

As Alex mentioned, “this year was all about top-end yield,” while last year was all about stress. And together, they tell the story of what stable genetics can really do.

From Southern Rust and Sudden Death Syndrome to nitrogen management and emerging biologicals, the Renk team breaks down the wins, surprises, and lessons shaping seed performance. They also unpack what plot data reveals about hybrid performance, product selection, and stress-year testing—and how we can turn these insights into smarter decisions for your acres in 2026.