When Corn Fights Back: 2026 has been a hoot so far.

<p>—Jared needs a spade, and a friend— Joined by Jake and agronomist Brandon Carter, the hosts move from joking banter to the gritty realities of 2026: pivots that keep running but don’t refill the profile, silage decisions born of poor pollination, and the strange rhythms of storms that form and fizzle just out of reach.</p><p>They trace a season of split-second choices—planting into dry soil on faith, chasing erratic Western bean cutworm flights, and watching rootworm populations mutate—while swapping practical fixes (lava rock in pivot tracks) with stories of old hog slats and midnight silage runs. Interwoven are quieter moments: tough decisions about parenting, marriage and faith, and the steady, stubborn optimism that keeps people up at dawn to check fence lines and calves.</p><p>Part field-report, part porch-side confessional, this episode invites listeners into a world where weather, insects and family demands collide—and where neighbors, faith, and a good laugh are the tools you reach for when the land pushes back.</p><p></p>