Farming in southwest Nebraska is not getting any easier. Fertilizer costs stay high. Water matters more every year. And growers are always looking for ways to improve yields without spending more money.

That is what pushed Tim Varilek from Lamar, Nebraska, to start looking at soil health differently.

Tim is a third-generation farmer who raises corn, soybeans, popcorn, alfalfa, edible beans, wheat, millet, and pasture grasses. He is also a Holganix farmer dealer in Nebraska. What started as a way to lower fertilizer costs has turned into a major change across his farm.

“I tried Holganix Bio 800+ Revive because I was looking for something to help cut back on my fertilizer bill,” says Tim. “Holganix really did an amazing thing that first year.”

Starting Small and Seeing Big Results

Like many growers, Tim did not jump all in right away. The first year, he treated half the field with Holganix Bio 800+ Revive and left the other half untreated.

The results were hard to believe.

 “The first year we used Holganix Bio 800+ Revive, I did half of the land with the product and the other half as a control,” says Tim.

 That was enough to get his attention.

Cutting Fertilizer by 40%

Tim did not slash fertilizer overnight. Instead, he slowly reduced his rates each season. By cutting fertilizer about 10% each year, Tim has now reduced fertilizer use by roughly 40%.

“I’ve also reduced my fertilizer by 40% from where I was a few years ago, which pretty much cuts my fertilizer budget in half because of the high fertility costs,” says Tim. “It makes me happy and my banker happy.”

Even with lower fertilizer rates, Tim's yields have continued to improve every season. He estimates he is saving $80 or more per acre.

Healthier Crops and Better-Looking Fields

One of the biggest things Tim noticed was how much healthier his crops looked.

His corn stayed greener longer. Magnesium deficiency spots started shrinking. Emergence has improved. Roots became stronger.

“In addition to reducing fertilizer, root health, corn emergence, and edible bean size have all improved,” Tim says.

He has also seen fewer residue issues in the spring.

“With Holganix Bio 800+ products, we get high yields and reduced residue issues in the springtime,” Tim explains.

Improving Soil Health

For Tim, the biggest change may be what is happening below the surface.

“Before Holganix, my organic matter was 0.6 to 0.9. Now they are saying it’s at 2%,” says Tim. I can’t even describe how awesome it has been.”  

As soil biology improved, Tim says compaction became less of a problem, too.

“Compaction is certainly a lot less of an issue with Holganix Bio 800+ products,” he says.

Tim has also started moving away from conventional tillage.

“We are working on going no till,” says Tim. “We had been conventional till in the past, but we have moved to strip tilling. I really found that with the microbial life from Holganix Bio 800+, the time to recover from one tillage pass has been such a huge difference.”

Saving Water in Nebraska

Water is always top of mind in Nebraska. Tim says healthier soil has helped his fields hold moisture better and improved irrigation efficiency.

He has been able to stay under 12 inches of irrigation water while other growers around him are pushing past their limits. Healthier soil structure and better root systems are helping crops make better use of every inch of water.

Helping Crops Recover from Stress

Tim also uses Holganix Bio 800+ products to help crops recover from weather stress. “I use Holganix as a fix on crops that are damaged from wind or hailstorms,” he says. Because his crops are healthier overall, Tim says, “I don’t apply fungicides anymore. Fungicides just put a Band-Aid on the problem.”

Watch Tim’s Story

 Watch Tim’s 1-minute video featuring his soil health journey. If you’re reading this blog via email, click here to see the video.

For Tim Varilek, it all started with trying to lower fertilizer costs. Five years later, he says the results continue to improve every season.

See What Holganix Could Do on Your Farm

Want to see how Holganix products can help your farm thrive? Use our ROI calculator for a quick snapshot of what the transformation could look like on your operation.

Whether you are looking to reduce fertilizer costs, improve soil health, save water, or grow healthier crops, the calculator can help show the potential value for your acres.

Try the Holganix ROI Calculator