How can 4-H prepare students for life after school? Returning guest Heather VonDielingen is in the podcast room with Jeff Jarrett and Sal Sama for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Her responsibilities have changed a bit since she last met with us, and Heather is now working as the Juntos 4-H Lead for the Indiana State 4-H Office.

Heather will share with us about the Juntos program which exists to help students gain the skills and resources to help them graduate high school and open up a new realm of career and academic opportunities upon graduation. You’ll also learn about the programs that exist for the families of students in the Juntos program and the Next Chapter, a program through the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, that exists to increase the employability skills and readiness for the workforce or additional studies. “We’re really trying to give those kids practical skills that they’ll use… We’re really preparing these kids for life and work.”

Are you considering getting into agriculture but not sure you want to take all the risk? You’re going to want to tune into this episode! After a six-month hiatus, returning guest, Dan Vague, joins hosts Jeff Jarrett and Sal Sama in the podcast room for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. Dan is the Vice President of Swine Production at SwineLink, a division of Premier Companies that handles the management for family-owned pork facilities.

You’ll learn the ins and outs of SwineLink, a wean-to-finish program, and how it’s designed to get the younger generation back on the farm with more income streams. Dan, Jeff, and Sal will explain how the sow share system works to allow the production of pigs that will be brought in and finished out as part of SwineLink. You’ll learn how the pigs are raised and the automated systems that are installed in the barns and the processes involved to keep the pigs healthy and the facilities free from contamination. Dan will also share what happens before the next group of pigs arrives to keep the barns clean and make sure the pigs will have a safe environment. Curious about what’s happening in the swine market? They’ll tackle that topic as well! “The biggest thing for us, from a profitability standpoint, is to keep the pigs healthy…”

Sal’s favorite agronomist is back! Glenn Longabaugh is in the podcast room with Sal Sama and Jeff Jarrett for this episode of The High Ground powered by Premier Companies. You know and love Glenn as Premier’s Technical Agronomist, and he’s handing his agronomy secrets out, but you won’t be learning any of his tricks for bowhunting turkeys.

In addition to his hunting adventures, you’ll learn about ideal planting windows and why you should plant according to the weather and not according to the calendar. Considering skipping the phosphate this year? Glenn will also share why you should rethink that and consider sticking to your original application plans to be able to raise a large crop. “It’s not a good time to build… I think it’s a good time to… have that relationship with your account manager, and let’s look at crop removal and what your maintenance levels are… Let’s weather this storm.”