Podcasts about vsp

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Steve Faith, co-owner of Livermore Optometry Group in Livermore, CA to discuss data driven decision making with vendor partners, what a good partnership looks like, and leveraging the right data to drive practice success. Key Takeaways: Best advice: "Independent practice is not that difficult. You only have to do two things. Make sure people like you and control your personal and professional overhead."At one point, LOG worked with over 40 different vendors. When looking only at their optical, they had 30-35 reps calling on them regularly. It cost the practice $100 an hour in staff costs to see reps, equalling more than $40,000 a year.LOG looked at various industries for insight on how to improve their vendor purchasing habits and their data to influence their  purchasing. EdgePro made a huge difference in tapping the data in the EHR system to make better purchasing decisions.Vendor data has not been all that impactful for Livermore as it's focused primarily on the vendor partner's product but does not take into account the practice as a whole. Bringing the practice level data into the conversation has a much greater impact.Great vendor partners are ones that know the practice individually and provide the support the practice needs. Great partners are willing to work with the needs of the practice based on the data the practice has.For Livermore, the VSP practice report has been valuable to providing even greater insight into their patient base and other practices in their area.Practice Advantage Reading List** Don't miss out on an extra $10 rebate for all commercial VSP Eye Exams this year! Earn up to an additional $60,000 in 2025 just by taking great care of patients. Visit www.pecaaexamrebate.com now!**

Managing pests like powdery mildew, downy mildew, botrytis, and sour rot can be a complex challenge. Andy Fles, Vineyard Manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Michigan, shares insights from his USDA Sustainable Ag Research Education producer grant project. The project compares two pest management approaches: a ‘soft' pesticide program and a conventional one. Andy conducted the experiment using his on farm sprayer, providing real-world results. Despite climate variability and fluctuating pest pressures, the soft pesticide program proved effective. The project underscores the potential of using softer chemistries to manage disease while maintaining fruit quality. Resources:         REGISTER: April 25, 2025 | Fungicide Spraying: Evolving Strategies & Grower Insights 80: (Rebroadcast) The Goldilocks Principle & Powdery Mildew Management 117: Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light 197: Managing the Sour Rot Disease Complex in Grapes 219: Intelligent Sprayers to Improve Fungicide Applications and Save Money 235: Battling Fungicide Resistance with Glove Sampling Rufus Issacson, Michigan State University Shady Lane Cellars Secures $11K National Farming Grant Timothy Miles, Michigan State University Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year Vineyard Team – Become a Member Get More Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode on the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.   Transcript [00:00:00] Beth Vukmanic: Managing pests like powdery mildew, downy mildew, botrytis and sour rot can be a complex challenge. [00:00:10] Welcome to sustainable Wine Growing with Vineyard Team, where we bring you the latest in science and research for the wine industry. I'm Beth Vukmanic executive director. [00:00:21] In today's podcast, Craig McMillan, critical resource Manager at Niner Wine Estates. With Longtime SIP Certified Vineyard and the first ever SIP certified winery speaks with Andy Fles, vineyard Manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Michigan. Andy shares insights from his USDA Sstainable Ag Research Education Producer grant project. The project compares to pest management approaches, a soft pesticide program and a conventional one. [00:00:50] Andy conducted the experiment using his on farms sprayer, providing real world results. Despite climate variability and fluctuating pest pressures, the soft pesticide program proved effective. The project underscores the potential of using softer chemistries to manage disease while maintaining fruit quality. [00:01:10] If you'd like to learn more about this topic, then we hope you can join us on April 25th, 2025 for the fungicide spraying evolving strategies in Grower Insights tailgate taking place in San Luis Obispo, California. Dr. Shunping Ding of Cal Poly will share updated results from a study on the efficacy of different fungicide programs containing bio fungicides. [00:01:34] Then we will head out into the vineyard to learn about new technologies for integrated pest management and talk with farmers from different growing regions about their program. Now let's listen in.  [00:01:49] Craig Macmillan: Our guest today is Andy Fles. He is the vineyard manager at Shady Lane Cellars in Michigan. And today we're going to talk about a pretty cool little project. He's got going looking into two different pesticide programs. Thanks for being on the podcast, Andy. [00:02:03] Andrew Fles: Yeah, my pleasure, Craig. [00:02:05] Craig Macmillan: So you have a grant from the USDA sustainable agriculture research and education program. To look at what you call a soft pesticide program for your vineyard in Michigan and comparing it to what we would call a sustainable or sustainable conventional program. What do you define as a soft pesticide program? [00:02:25] Andrew Fles: Well, that's kinda just a, a term that we applied to identify it. I didn't want to use organic because I thought that there would be a good chance we would utilize things that are considered by the industry to be very soft in terms of you know, they're not a harsh chemical or a carcinogenic, a known carcinogenic compound. [00:02:49] But something, for example, like. Like horticultural grade peroxide, which goes by several different trade names. So that's just, it's hydrogen peroxide and it is a disinfectant that turns into water and oxygen. So it's pretty Soft in terms of what it does to beneficials and, and plants and, and such. [00:03:11] We utilize some of those products already in our spray program. But combined also with, we're probably 50 percent organic in terms of what we spray out. for fungicides, pesticides, insecticides. And so we're still altering in some synthetic compounds. [00:03:28] And we wanted to compare that, what we currently do, to something that was much softer, like only soft compounds. Something that could be considered a OMRI certified organic program, or, or almost, right? Like maybe there's just one or two things that are very soft, but not technically OMRI certified. [00:03:49] Craig Macmillan: Right, and I do want to , get into the weeds on that a little bit later. Cause it's a, it's an interesting, Set a program that you've got going and I have lots of questions about them. What inspired this project? [00:04:01] Andrew Fles: I think just that continued movement towards investigating what works here in the east. You know, we, of course, get more wetting events and, and wetting periods that cause more fungal issues here compared to the west coast. And so we really, you know, we have to have an eye on sustainability. Certainly at Shady Lane, we really push for that. [00:04:25] But we also need to make sure that we have a marketable crop. We need to make sure the wine quality is, is high and acceptable for our standards. And so you know, if we're talking about, you know, every year is quite different here. We can get a, like, for example, in 2024, very wet in the first half of the year, very, very dry in the second half. [00:04:51] And, and then, which was quite different from 23 and quite different from 22 and so on and so forth. so, so some years we need to kind of step in and use a synthetic product here at this key time or, you know we need to protect our, our, our wine grape quality. [00:05:07] Craig Macmillan: What are the primary pests and diseases in your area? [00:05:11] Andrew Fles: So we have issues with the usual suspects that powdery mildew, of course. That's, that's fairly, I think if you're on top of your game, that's, it's pretty controllable. Even with soft products here it's just a spray frequency and coverage issue. [00:05:27] Downy mildew is something that can be quite challenging in certain years. [00:05:31] And there's, and there's less tools in the toolbox to use for that as well. And so you gotta, you gotta be on top of that with scouting preventative, like canopy, you know, canopy management practices that deter too dense of a canopy or, or clusters that are. hidden behind several layers of leaf. [00:05:53] Those are going to cause problems for you no matter what you're spraying, synthetic or organic, right? So, so we try and utilize all those things and and then we, we can also have issues in some years with botrytis and even sour rot and tight clustered varieties. So, so we were looking at sour rot and botrytis in the, in the cluster analysis of this portion of the , project. [00:06:18] Yeah, we have some locations can struggle with grape erinium mite. That's becoming more and more prevalent here. Wasn't an issue four years ago. Not, not really up in, up in northern Michigan anyway. So that's becoming more and more of an issue. And then we always struggle with rose chafers. It's a, it's a grub that, you know, comes out for six weeks and really terrorizes the vines. [00:06:49] And for that, for that pest, we really walk the line of the economic damage threshold, right? So, so a little, you know, we're going to see rose chafers every year. Some years are better than others. And what is our acceptable damage, you know? And so, once we see the rose chafers really getting dense in number, and also, you know, munching on a few leaves is one thing, munching on the clusters and the shoot tips is another thing. [00:07:21] Craig Macmillan: That's what I was going to ask. Yeah, I'm unfamiliar with this this pest. It, skeletonizes leaves, but it also will attack flower clusters and, and grape clusters in the early stages of development. Is that right? [00:07:34] Andrew Fles: Pretty much all green tissue. Yeah, a bunch of shoot, shoot tips leaves are probably, you know, their preferred source, I think, but anything tender. And so if, if the timing is just right where the, the inflorescences are, are you know, just coming out when the, when the beetles hatch, then they can really go for those cluster tips and, and shoot tips. [00:07:59] While we're scouting for this pest, we not only do the, you know, the density numbers and annotate that, but we look at, you know, how many are actually eating leaves versus shoot tips and clusters. [00:08:13] Craig Macmillan: Interesting, interesting. What is the design of your project and what varieties are we talking about? And what kind of variables are you measuring and how are you measuring them? [00:08:25] Andrew Fles: this is a farmer grant as opposed to a research grant. , it's tailored to folks that want to do on, on farm trials. And we want to do. Something in a significant enough volume, you know, that, that some that it would apply, it would be more applicable in the real world. [00:08:45] So for example you know, at a university they might do this randomized plots, you know, and they're using a backpack sprayer because they're, they're applying you know, three vines here, three vines there, scattered all throughout the block. And we wanted to use the sprayer that we actually use. [00:09:04] Um, and we wanted to do a bigger sections. And so what we did was we broke it up into two acre sections and we did two acres of both the traditional, the conventional program that we normally would do here and the soft treatment. So we did two acres of each in pinot noir, two acres of each in a, in a French American hybrid called ol, and then two acres of Riesling. [00:09:33] And we wanted to look at powdery, downy, botrytis, and sour rot. [00:09:38] In certain years, we can have quite a lot of botrytis and sour rot pressure in those three varieties. Because Pinot Noir of course is tight clustered. Vignole is even tighter clustered despite having that French American disease resistance package. It, it doesn't possess that for Botrytis or Sour Rot. [00:09:58] and then of course Riesling is a, is a very, it's probably the number one variety in Michigan. And as we all know, it's susceptible to Botrytis. [00:10:08] Craig Macmillan: Yeah. Big time. [00:10:10] Nice design. Great varieties to choose. I think that was really, really smart. How are you going to quantify these different variables? How are you going to measure the damage? [00:10:18] Andrew Fles: So for Powdery and Downey we just kind of did a scouting assessment. You know, how, prevalent is the infection based on how many leaves per, per per scouting event? I think off the top of my head, it was like 25 leaves. Per block that's more, I guess, anecdotal which we, and we did see that in the Pinot Noir, it was pretty clear cut that we struggled to control Downy in the soft treatment more so than in the conventional treatment. [00:10:50] It was, it was pretty clear there. And then as far as the Botrytis and Sour Rot, so that's really where the MSU team came in with the, the Rufus Isaacs lab and Dr. Rufus Isaacs and his master's PhD candidate. They did a lot of work there and, and then also the Tim Miles lab , so basically what they did is they took 25 clusters of each treatment and they did an assessment , for of course, how many berries were infected by, by botrytis and sour rot. [00:11:25] And then they also took those clusters and they hatched them out to see how many Drosophila species were there. [00:11:33] Craig Macmillan: Oh, okay. Yeah, good. That's interesting. [00:11:36] Andrew Fles: Wing drosophila here in Michigan and so really it was just the two species of traditional vinegar fly, drosophila, and then spotted wing. They did, you know, the, the statistics on that. [00:11:50] Craig Macmillan: interesting. And this is, this is a multi year project, right? [00:11:54] Andrew Fles: This was just one year. [00:11:56] Craig Macmillan: Just one year, okay. [00:11:58] And when will you have final results? [00:12:01] Andrew Fles: I have some of those already. We're going to do like a more formal presentation at a spring meeting here, a grower meeting, that's kind of co sponsored between MSU Extension and a local non profit that promotes grape and wine production in the area. So yeah, we're going to make a presentation in April on on the results and, and kind of, we're just continuing to, coalesce and, you know, tie my spray program with wedding events and then the results that they got as well. [00:12:37] Craig Macmillan: What other kinds of outreach are you doing? You're doing the meeting and you're doing other things? [00:12:41] Andrew Fles: I haven't discussed this with with Rika Bhandari as the PhD student. I suspect that she would use this in some of her publishing, you know, whether it gets published, I don't know, it's part of her Her main focus is sour rot, so this will be included in some of her presentations. [00:13:03] But I don't know that for a fact. [00:13:06] Craig Macmillan: That's exciting to get some information that's local. It's locally based and get it out to the local community as well as the broader community. I think that's really important if you don't mind I would like to get into some of the nuts and bolts of these two programs because I found that to be very interesting And then as we go talk about How that panned out for the different pests and diseases that you saw in these trials Let's talk about the soft program first You've got a dormant oil app in May and I assume you mean that there would be like JMS stylet oil or something like that [00:13:41] Andrew Fles: I think it was called bio cover. [00:13:43] Craig Macmillan: Bio cover and that's a pretty standard practice in your area I would guess [00:13:48] Andrew Fles: It is, yeah. [00:13:49] Craig Macmillan: and then the following month in June You, uh, have copper in the mix. In both the traditional and in the soft chemistry. I'm guessing that's also a common practice in your area. Probably for downy and for powdery. [00:14:06] Andrew Fles: Yeah, the copper is is something that we've been leaning towards and getting away from some of the synthetics. Which stick better to plant surfaces, we've been migrating that way anyway, these last numerous years now and so, yeah, , there are some similarities between the two programs at times it's really those key times of pre bloom and post bloom and variation that that we've traditionally. [00:14:34] Really locked in on some of the synthetic chemistries here [00:14:37] Craig Macmillan: And then also in June you have a Serenade Opti, which would be a Subtilis based material. And I believe that's also in your conventional in July. That's pretty standard practice, and that's an OMRI certified product, I believe. [00:14:52] Andrew Fles: Yes, yeah. [00:14:53] Craig Macmillan: There's some overlap there. It looks like the Rose Chaffer comes out around this time. [00:14:59] Andrew Fles: Yeah, probably it's not in front of me, but probably mid june [00:15:04] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, that's what you have here. In the traditional you've got a, a neonic, a sale. And then in the program, there's kind of a question mark here. What did you end up using in the, in the soft program for a roast chaffer? [00:15:19] Andrew Fles: Let me find it here [00:15:21] So we used neemix 4. 5 [00:15:26] Craig Macmillan: Nemix. I'm not familiar with that. Is that a Nemo based product? [00:15:28] Andrew Fles: Yeah, it's a neem oil [00:15:30] Craig Macmillan: And then in the traditional you have a neonic, a sail. Did you see a difference in Rose Chapter damage between the two? Because this is a pretty big difference here. [00:15:39] Andrew Fles: a pretty big difference in terms of [00:15:42] Craig Macmillan: Well, the modes of action obviously are very different. [00:15:45] Andrew Fles: Oh, sure, sure. Yeah, we had a little higher a little higher prevalence of rose chafers in mostly in the Pinot Noir treatments. Not so much in the Riesling, and I think that's largely because of black location. Traditionally the Pinot Noir block is our worst, one of our worst blocks in terms of rose chaffer rose chaffers are these beetles. [00:16:09] Of course, they're very similar to Japanese beetles for those listeners that, that may know that, but they really thrive in sandy soil, which is what we specialize here in northern Michigan, sandy based soil, right? [00:16:22] , and especially in un mowed fields. Right? We've really been trying to manage , our headland spaces like a prairie even more so upon joining SIP and, and learning more about making a comprehensive farm plan of, Of all of the land, right? And so we've really managed our, headlands and open fields like prairies which means minimal mowing, [00:16:47] like once a year is what we, we just mow to keep the autumn olive out. And and so we're trying to promote, you know, bird life and, and. All forms of life in these fields, which includes and sometimes an increase in rose chafers. [00:17:03] However, this 2024 was, was a. Fairly low pressure year. [00:17:09] And so I was very comfortable with, with sticking with this the soft insecticide. And we didn't feel like, you know, even though we saw this, this increase in pressure in the soft treatment, it wasn't surpassing the economic damage threshold that we are really keen. [00:17:27] And right. IPM [00:17:29] Craig Macmillan: So, true IPM. [00:17:31] Andrew Fles: IPM is very important, here, you know, where we have all these insects and it rains a lot and, you know, you got to really. Be ready to to, to scout and then react. [00:17:41] Craig Macmillan: Exactly. Yeah. And knowing what your economic injury limit is, I think it's huge. And your action threshold based on that. Tell me a little bit about the Spinosad based products. You have a couple in the soft that I assume are meant to be insecticides. [00:17:55] Andrew Fles: Yeah. The delegate. Yup. [00:17:56] Craig Macmillan: Yeah, Delegator and Trust. [00:17:59] Andrew Fles: I'll talk a little bit about intrepid as well. That's probably a foreign thing for any, any West coast listener, but that's intrepid is a it's a molting regulator and it's essentially for, in this case, for grapes, it's for grape berry moth. And this is an insect that is very difficult to do IPM on because there's a, there's kind of a morph that lives in northern Michigan that doesn't Go for the traps and so you can put traps out and it you just have no idea what's going on Because they just don't really care for the pheromones so they're really almost impossible to trap and I've talked numerous time with dr Rufus Isaacs about this and how do we you know get a handle on populations and you know They just can't get their traps to work up here. [00:18:50] We target with the intrepid, it's a, again, it's a molting regulator, so it just prevents them from developing, and it's very specific it's not a broad spectrum, so that goes on as a preventative where we have blocks near the woods, [00:19:05] because we see great berry moth coming in from wild, wild vines [00:19:10] that may or may not be in the woods, but we Where we see larva hatching is, is just kind of a perimeter. [00:19:16] So what we'll actually do is a perimeter spray. We don't even spray the whole block. We'll spray the outside row or two or three of each end. And then we just kind of blast it in. Along the, the other, you know, along the posts, the end posts. And that seems to work fairly well. [00:19:34] Craig Macmillan: Huh. [00:19:35] Andrew Fles: And then, as far as Delegate goes and Entrust those are Spinoza based products like you mentioned. [00:19:42] Those are primarily, you'll see that we put them on, well, I don't know if you can see timing, but we put them on. in September. Yeah, at the end of the season. September. [00:19:53] Yeah. Yeah. So, so those go on right around or right before even version and that is for drosophila [00:20:01] I think there's been some research recently from Cornell and then also Brock University in Canada. And I know also that Tim and Rufus have been doing trials here in Michigan as well. between the three of us out here in the, in the Northeast we're very focused on sour rot. [00:20:19] And so Michigan State along with these other folks have done these trials where they found that including an insecticide at veraison or, and then also at about 15 bricks significantly reduces sour rot infections. And that's because you're going after one of the vectors. [00:20:39] Craig Macmillan: Interesting. There's another material that I wasn't familiar with. I did a little bit of research on it. That's a product called Jet Ag, which is a hydrogen peroxide, a peracetic acid material. You have that in both the soft chemistry and your quote unquote conventional section. Is that a material you've used for a long time? [00:20:57] Andrew Fles: Yeah, we, I forget when exactly it started coming around I think probably 2015, 16 is when it was maybe released or made its way to northern Michigan and kind of coincided with with some sour rot. Issues that we have had off and on over the years with Pinot Noir or Vignole. And it's a, you know, it's a strong hydrogen peroxide. [00:21:23] It's a heavy oxidizer. It goes in and it, it, it cleans everything up. You know, it disinfects. And there's, there's some thinking as well that it, it'll kill the yeast. And some of those yeasts, the aroma is very attractive to spotted wing drosophila and regular drosophila. And so if you're, if you're kind of this is probably something that, that people, you know, that rely on native ferments might not want to hear, but you know, it really, it really disinfects the fruit which, which is key for You know, controlling sour rot. [00:21:59] And so we've used that over the years as both a preventative and a curative treatment. [00:22:05] Craig Macmillan: Right. [00:22:06] Andrew Fles: I didn't actually end up using it this year because It essentially stopped raining it was almost west coast ian here in the fall. It stopped raining in August and it didn't rain again. [00:22:19] You know, I mean, aside from like just a, you know, very, very light mist that wouldn't even penetrate the soil deeper than a centimeter. You know, so we didn't get any appreciable rain. From, I think it was maybe August 5 or 10, all the way till November 31st, or sorry, October 31st. [00:22:39] Craig Macmillan: Actually, that raises a good question. So, what is the summer precipitation like, quote unquote, in a normal year or an average year? [00:22:48] Andrew Fles: Yeah, we've been having, [00:22:49] Craig Macmillan: is it? [00:22:52] Andrew Fles: it's so variable is the, you know, we keep coming back to that. Every season is different here and it's so true even in Northern Michigan we have seen climate change affecting our summer rainfalls. So, whereas, you know, traditionally, and I say traditionally as maybe like the 80s and 90s maybe even early 2000s, you would expect to see, you know, a good four to eight inches a month. [00:23:20] you know, less, less so in, you know, in July and August is walking that more like four inch. Four inches of precipitation and you can get that sometimes in two different days [00:23:33] Craig Macmillan: Wow. [00:23:34] Andrew Fles: And that could be all or it could be spread out, you know over over several 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 different events. we had a dry June a couple years ago, I think we, I think it rained two days and amount to much. [00:23:50] And 2023, all of May we had, it rained one day. It was very dry. And so it's really been a roller coaster here in terms of what to expect as far as precipitation comes, I mean during the growing season anyway. [00:24:08] Craig Macmillan: Mm hmm. [00:24:09] Andrew Fles: It's been a challenge to know, you kind of have to have all these tools ready, right? [00:24:13] You have to have your jet ag ready. [00:24:15] If you get a bunch of infections going you got to have some of these other products ready and just , be ready for anything essentially. [00:24:24] Craig Macmillan: That, I'm just kind of reeling, I'm from California, and so like four to eight inches of rain during the growing season, it sounds like a fungal disease disaster to me. I'm impressed that you can get a crop, a vinifera crop to, to harvest with those kind of conditions. [00:24:39] Let's talk about the sustainable conventional program a little bit. Again copper appears early which would make sense. Then the insecticide portion would be a sale. It's a neonicotinoid, and then you've got a couple of fungicides in here. [00:24:55] You've got sulfur, and you've got a boscalid. Then in July again you've got a subtilis, that's serenadopty, and the, the intrepid, the IGR. August, you've got another neonic rally, and then you've got a product called ranman, or ranman. Which is a Sazofenamide, again, traditional fungicide. And then Inspire Supert, verasion, very common. And then you've got the the JetAg and Delegate, which is an antispinosid based product. When I look at this, I see a lot of very safe, very smart, very rotated fungicide chemistries here. Was this the kind of program you were using previously? [00:25:34] Andrew Fles: Yeah. And you know, it always can change a little bit. Sometimes you can't get a certain product or you can't get it in time. [00:25:42] Uh, whereas, you know, you, you're planning to use X product for your, for your kind of like You know, your, your pea sized berry spray, let's say but you, all of a sudden you have a bunch of rainfall, you know, and, and so if I was planning to use Quintech, which only covers powdery all of a sudden I have this big wedding event that was just perfect for growing downy mildew I I might switch from Quintech to and vice versa, you know, if we're, if we're into some weather, that's really favorable, it's time to push more of those serenades and you know, we've used some of the other biologicals over the years as well and, and just trying, trying to go that way as much as possible, but, you know, sometimes the weather forces your hand, like, like it did this year, you'll see in my, In my program we went into some Randman and some [00:26:35] Zampro, and those are those are very specific to to downy mildew. [00:26:41] You know, but we're still, with those products, you know, they're more expensive than something like Kaptan, you know. We Can't spray that with sip and we didn't spray it before because we don't want it on our fingers [00:26:56] The vineyard you and I don't want it in our lives So so we're always trying to go the ran man route, even though it's a little pricier, but it's very Target specific for Downey and so, you know with all the rains that we had in June and July and early July we felt like the smart play and we did start seeing some downy mildew cropping up much earlier than normal. [00:27:21] If, if we see it at all, that is. in that, at that point you want to make the call, you know, Hey, I want to get out in front of this thing. I don't want downy on my fruit. You know, if you start seeing it on growing tips, I think it was the 4th of July or the 2nd of July or something we were scouting and we were getting a lot of rain at that point and it was very humid and it was just like rain every other day for about a week there and it's like you gotta pivot and, and make the move to something that's really going to provide. control there. [00:27:52] For the soft program at that point, we were trying to use, I believe we use serenade, you know, which is more broad spectrum as far as biologicals go. We knew we wanted to keep it going after the, , the Downey with the soft chemistry. And that's why we got into the orange oil as well. [00:28:10] Craig Macmillan: Oh, interesting. [00:28:11] Andrew Fles: to, Yeah, that's, that wasn't in the proposal that I sent you, but we did pivot. I couldn't get. The cinerate it was, I was told it was on the West coast, growers were hoarding it and none of it, none of it made it over this way. I was really hoping to get my hands on some of it. [00:28:28] I've already pre ordered my 2025 cinerate. [00:28:32] Craig Macmillan: And Cinerate is a cinnamon oil based product, right? [00:28:36] Andrew Fles: Correct. Yeah. Cinnamon oil. oil. Yeah, it's another oil. [00:28:39] Yeah. Yeah. It's another one of those kind of antimicrobial oils, if you will. Um, So we pivoted to, to orange oil and thyme oil. TimeGuard has been, is a product that's been out for a number of years now. We've used it before, , we haven't really relied on it as much in the past. As, as we did with this soft treatment. [00:28:59] Craig Macmillan: Tell me a little bit more about what the outcomes have been at this point. We talked about the the pinot noir a little bit. We talked about the Rose Shafter showing up there a little bit more. At, at the end of the day, the end of the season. How did you feel about it? How did you feel about comparing the two [00:29:15] Andrew Fles: you know, it felt, it felt really good. It seemed like the soft program kept pace with the conventional for the most part. In the Pinot Noir, we had we had some more rose chaffer damage, of course, but without doing a, a full on research trial, it's hard to say that it was the treatment alone because of, as I mentioned, the location was a big factor. [00:29:38] With the downy mildew, it seemed to be a little more prevalent, certainly in the Pinot Noir on the, on the soft program that is but it never got to the point and I was, I was always ready to go in with whatever I needed to, because we don't want to have a defoliation and not being able to ripen fruit, you know, the fruit and, and especially in such a great growing year. [00:30:01] we never really resorted to. You know, breaking the glass and, and grabbing the ax and running out there and like, and it was emergency, you know, we never, we never had to do that. There was a moment there in July where, you know, where would the downy pressure we thought maybe. [00:30:19] Maybe we would have to abandon it, but then things dried up and we kept after things with with some of these, these things like thyme oil and orange oil. Getting good coverage with them is so important. But getting those on at the right time really seemed to provide enough control. [00:30:37] Craig Macmillan: Actually that's a, that's an excellent point. Let's talk about the phenology a little bit. How, for the varieties that you're growing, how big are these canopies getting? What's the spacing that they're planted on? How many gallons per acre are you using in your spray applications to get good coverage? [00:30:54] Andrew Fles: Yeah, so for the purpose of the project I stuck with 50 gallons an acre throughout the season. Which even, even for the conventional portion, traditionally I'll, I'll start with 30 gallons an acre aside from the dormant spray, of course, but like, you know, early season sprays until the canopy becomes a little denser, , I'll be at 30 gallons an acre and then probably mid July post bloom, right around bloom, perhaps , we'll ramp up the conventional to 50 gallons as well. [00:31:26] For the purposes of this, we just did 50 gallons across the board, both treatments. a lot of the canopy is well, it's really all VSP except for the vignole. Vignole is high wire cordone. And then we're talking nine by five spacing. The vinifera as well, which is pretty common around here. Double geo some spur pruning. We've really developed a kind of a hybrid system where we do a little bit of, we kind of mix cane and spur , , and alternate those in, in some of our venefera programs. [00:31:57] Craig Macmillan: And in, on the same plant? [00:31:59] Andrew Fles: Yeah. Sometimes. [00:32:01] Yeah. [00:32:01] Craig Macmillan: one side, gator the other. [00:32:03] Andrew Fles: What that does for us you know, where we get. Or we can at least, you know, and we can, sometimes we can lose a whole cane , or a lot of buds. I don't want to get too in the weeds on, on what that system is, but, but it's really developed around being able to quickly replace and adapt to cold damage. [00:32:24] And so if we need to go in and cut a trunk out, we've already got a cane growing from down low, if that makes any sense. [00:32:31] Craig Macmillan: No, that does make sense. And it's a practice that I'm familiar with from other areas in the Midwest, the North, the Northeast. Very, very smart. But that's a very different canopy architecture than you might find someplace that's all VSP. Or, you know, a double canopy situation maybe like in New York. [00:32:48] How comfortable are you now? After going through this, it sounds like you liked the softer program, you feel you got good control on most things. But if I'm understanding you correctly, you're not afraid to keep some other, other tools in the toolbox, basically. [00:33:05] Andrew Fles: Right. Yeah. And I think a big purpose of this program was to investigate some of these products. I want to highlight Problad Verde as well. [00:33:14] That's. Another one that's been out there and we've used it before as well. You know, I did a trial with Tim Miles's lab on and Rufus doing a sour rot trial in Pinot Noir in the past with pro, and it was just kind of a end of the season application of Problad with I believe we use delegate or in trust. [00:33:34] I can't remember. One of them and, this project, the SARE project was really looking at problad as being more of the backbone , of it. And, and so we ended up using that for the soft treatment pre bloom, post bloom. And then again, at version, because it has similar to jet egg, it's kind of a disinfectant, right? [00:33:57] It's this lupine seed extract that, that is a. That is a disinfectant and so it's going to go in, but because it, it's advertised anyway as having some systemic activity, [00:34:09] Craig Macmillan: Mm [00:34:10] Andrew Fles: systemic properties, that's, that's key for us in the east here. Because, hey, if we get a half inch of rain, well, it's still kind of in the leaf or it's still in some of that green flower tissue. [00:34:24] Before it opens up and blooms and so, really working problad in as instead of a kind of just end of the season toy it's really became, became the backbone of the tritus control for us in this, in this trial. And then again, looking at some of these oils, I think there's a lot of promise for. the orange oil in particular, I've, I've been seeing more and more research coming out about how you know, it does work on Downy and we did see that you know, even though we had an increase in Downy infection man, it could have been a lot worse. It was still at an acceptable level. [00:35:02] And so I think, I think I'm going to feel more and more comfortable using those products. [00:35:07] Craig Macmillan: You've demonstrated to yourself. And that's what the, that's how it works, and that's what everybody needs, to have some confidence. Which I think is really great, I was very impressed by the idea of trying things that maybe are not widely used, were not widely tested outside of maybe the West Coast, and to be able to show efficacy on your property, I think is really important. [00:35:27] I think it's one thing many of us have learned about softer materials. They may or may not work depending on what your pressure is. And that can vary region to region, but it can also vary within a region. It definitely can vary year to year, so having that flexibility that you've built into this program is very admirable. What would you say are the big picture benefits of the soft pesticide program at this point? [00:35:48] Andrew Fles: Hopefully just to increase awareness of, of how they can be effective for folks here in Michigan or, or similar climates, New York and Canada, I should say I don't think , this SARE project alone is, is going to be any sort of groundbreaking news, but I think it's just another verification and if we start to have more and more of them people will believe more and more in these products because it's just, it's at that point, it's word of mouth, right? [00:36:21] It's more and more growers are starting to back it. And, or experiment with it at least and, and see results, I think a lot of growers are very word of mouth oriented anyway. [00:36:34] So, uh, so it's very important, like, Oh, Hey, what did you try last year? And I think there's plenty of that going on in our area. [00:36:42] A bunch of us anyway, we seem to network pretty well and, and trust each other. , Oh, I use this at this key time and it really proved effective. So I think just bringing more and more awareness to these soft programs or these soft products, I should say. , and I can't really speak to the sustainability of. Farming lupin seed for for a fungicide product, you know, I can't, speak to that, but I want to believe that it's, it's a more sustainable product than, you know something that was made in a factory and, and might have petrochemicals in it. [00:37:19] Craig Macmillan: Well, it might have resistance issues as well, I think is one of the key things. And by the way, both programs I thought were very intelligent. I think like in terms of the frack rotations in the sustainable one, I thought that was really well done. Is, is there one thing that you would tell growers? [00:37:35] What's the one takeaway you would tell people from this project? You just kind of touched on one, but is there a message here for people? [00:37:43] Andrew Fles: I think the message is, you know, that we have to be really careful in crafting our. Spray program to the season that we have. If we were getting A lot more rain in September than what we ended up having I mean, we were, we were in pretty severe drought here. I think the soft program could still work. [00:38:03] But you have to choose the product and probably apply it much more frequently. You know, you have to go in and respond to those rains. , or even maybe perhaps be ready to pivot to something that is synthetic and systemic and curative. You know, maybe you have to go in with a hammer, but that doesn't mean that, you know, the majority of this growing season can't be done in a very soft way. [00:38:30] And so we're really just responding to that weather. But I think if this is our focus , to use these softer chemistries on things that we're going to drink or eat, even if it's vegetables, I think that these products are becoming better and better and there's becoming more and more of them, which is really encouraging to see you know, 10 years ago, maybe we had serenade and And you know, a couple of other products, but now, now there's, they're really becoming prevalent. [00:38:58] And so I think the take home is, is crafting that spray program with these new found tools that we have. Problads, , your crop, , your what, what should I call them? Like your aromatic oils, lack of better term, like orange oil, thyme oil, cinnamon oil. You know, I think these things do have a place. [00:39:17] Craig Macmillan: Where can people find out more about you? [00:39:19] Andrew Fles: Well, they can visit ShadyLaneCellers. com and there's stuff in there about our farm and in what we do and where we are, who we are a little bit. And then also there will be, and I could get you this information if you're interested, so this spring meeting where we're going to present the results of this believe we'll have a Zoom link option. [00:39:43] Craig Macmillan: As a reference date, this is being recorded in February of 2025. And so spring meeting will be coming up in a few months from here. I'm not sure when this will air, but even anything is fantastic. So I really want to thank you for being on the episode. Our guest today was Andy Fless, he's Vineyard Manager at Shadyland Cellars and you've been a great guest. Hey, thanks for being on the podcast. [00:40:03] Andrew Fles: My pleasure, Craig. Thanks a lot for having me. [00:40:08] Beth Vukmanic: Thank you for listening. Today's podcast was brought to you by Martinez Orchards. Martinez Orchards is one of the most trusted and respected names in the nursery business. They have earned that reputation through years of hard work, honesty, integrity, and a commitment to their customers. They provide support with their knowledgeable salespeople and highly experienced production team. They know successful plantings allow them to fulfill their promises, and they strive to build lasting relationships with their customers based on a foundation of mutual steadfast trust. [00:40:40] Make sure you check out the show notes for links to Andy at Shady Lane Plus. Sustainable wine Growing podcast episodes 117. Grapevine Mildew Control with UV Light 219 Intelligent sprayers to improve fungicide applications and save money. And 235, battling fungicide resistance with glove sampling. [00:41:03] If you liked this show, do us a big favor by sharing it with a friend, subscribing and leaving us a review. You can find all of the podcasts@vineyardteam.org slash podcast and you can reach us at podcast@vineyardteam.org. [00:41:16] Until next time, this is Sustainable Wine Growing with the Vineyard team.   Nearly perfect transcription by Descript

VINTAGE The 2024 harvest demonstrated resilience and adaptability, with high-quality grapes and optimistic prospects for the resulting wines. Overall, the harvest was earlier than usual due to warmer weather. However, the wet and cool conditions of winter 2023 were beneficial for vine dormancy and soil moisture replenishment, setting up the vineyards for a strong growing season. VITICULTURE The Sauvignon Blanc vineyards are planted in well-drained blue shale at 200 meters above sea level on the Western slope of the Tygerberg, 7 kilometers from, and in sight of, the Atlantic Ocean. Employing the VSP trellis system, a typical harvest produces 7 to 8 tons per hectare. VINIFICATION Using analysis, phenolic ripeness and flavour compositions, grapes were handpicked in batches over a three-week period. When crushed, the grapes delivered a yield of 630 liters per ton. Following 6 hours skin contact, the juice was settled, racked and inoculated to ferment in tank at 14°C for 22 days. 80 days' lees contact improved the wine's flavour and body, followed by blending, protein stabilization, cold stabilization, and bottling. TASTING NOTES FOOD COMPLEMENTS Our Sauvignon Blanc, sourced from cool-climate coastal vineyards, offers a refreshing burst of crisp citrus and zesty minerality. The proximity to the ocean imparts a distinct salinity and vibrant acidity, enhancing the wine's bright, clean finish. With notes of lime zest, green apple, and a hint of sea breeze, it embodies the perfect balance of elegance and freshness, making it an ideal companion for seafood or a sunny afternoon. Pair this Sauvignon Blanc with light, fresh dishes like grilled shrimp, citrus dressed salads, or creamy goat cheese. Its bright acidity and minerality also complement oysters, ceviche, and herb-infused seafood pastas, enhancing both the wine and the meal. RS: 1.6 g/l | pH: 3.26 | TA: 5.9 g/l | Alc: 13.43% ANALYSIS WINE OF ORIGIN Cape Town MAIN VARIETIES 100% Sauvignon Blanc Radio Life & Style on Facebook · The Morning Show Sponsor: Excellerate Security

Welcome back to the Insurance Leadership Podcast! In this engaging episode of the Insurance Leadership Podcast, co-host Ben Markland welcomes Warren Laird, a seasoned leader in the insurance and vision care industry. With nearly three decades at VSP Vision Care, Warren shares invaluable insights on leadership, company loyalty, and fostering a workplace culture that stands the test of time. We explore the key lessons he's learned throughout his career and how they apply to today's ever-evolving business landscape.

Innovation isn't just reshaping tech—it's transforming eye care, and your practice can be at the forefront. Ruth Yomtoubian, innovation leader at VSP, joins Eugene Shatsman to discuss the cutting-edge trends shaping eye care's future. Fresh from CES, the world's largest tech show—she reveals how AI, data, and multi-sensory tech are redefining healthcare and why optometrists need to take notice. 

  "DJ Nicki"  is the owner and operator of VSP. Her expertise in both private and club events makes her a seasoned professional capable of playing for a diverse crowd for over 15 years. Her success has brought her to become the resident DJ of MGM Springfield, Foxwoods Resort Casino and Miami Heat NBA Basketball Team. On this episode we chat about how she started dj'ing and how she built her business to what it includes today. She now has a team of people working under her company and provides everything needed for special events. Nicole also reacently bought what was a run down building in her town and has turned it into an incredible space for people to connect and create.   HOME | VSP

In this episode, we tackle listener questions on portfolio allocation, diversification, and investment strategies. Simon and Dan share their personal approaches to asset, sector, and geographical weightings, emphasizing the importance of individualizing your portfolio to fit your goals, risk tolerance, and financial situation. Tickers of Stocks/ETFs discussed: XYLD, SPY, VSP.TO, ZUE.TO, VFV.TO, VOO, XAW.TO Check out our portfolio by going to Jointci.com Our Website Canadian Investor Podcast Network Twitter: @cdn_investing Simon’s twitter: @Fiat_Iceberg Braden’s twitter: @BradoCapital Dan’s Twitter: @stocktrades_ca Want to learn more about Real Estate Investing? Check out the Canadian Real Estate Investor Podcast! Apple Podcast - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Spotify - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Web player - The Canadian Real Estate Investor Asset Allocation ETFs | BMO Global Asset Management Sign up for Finchat.io for free to get easy access to global stock coverage and powerful AI investing tools. Register for EQ Bank, the seamless digital banking experience with better rates and no nonsense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey ya'll welcome back. This week I wanted to give you a little behind-the-scenes look into our Virtual Shadow Program and a conversation amongst dog trainers. This podcast is a recording from our VSP and dives into using tools with hesitant owners, navigating tough conversations as dog trainers, and how we can show up as confident leaders for the dogs and owners we work with.This podcast episode presents an insightful conversation on dog training, emphasizing the nuances of using corrective devices and understanding dog behavior. Trainers share firsthand experiences navigating challenging situations and managing the balance between corrective measures and building trust. • Exploring the use of corrective devices in dog training • Understanding the impact of owner emotions on training outcomes • Discussing real experiences with dogs exhibiting bite histories • The importance of building strong relationships with dogs • Overcoming imposter syndrome and navigating trainer identity • Insights on the balance of management and behavioral modification • Preparing for the next steps in dog training and behavior management.If you're a new dog trainer or are looking to break into the industry and want to join our next VSP, click the link HERE.

Let us know what you think - text the show!On this week's show:Happy National Salesperson DayMajestic 10 gets a liquor licenseBurlington City Council weighs graffiti ordinanceRutland's Cortina Inn gets temporarily shut downLawsuit alleges abuses in hotel program Vermont to Begin Testing Milk Supply for Bird Flu |Supreme Court Approves Demolition of Burlington CathedralVermont Construction Company citedMayor announces pick to create Burlington overdose prevention ceVermont Supreme Court rules in favor of Williston dog rescue VSP poke holes in Derby Line driver's shooting claim Bernie says next Senate term “probably his last”(52:15) Break music:  Caitlin Canty -”Odds of Getting Even”https://caitlincanty.bandcamp.com/album/come-by-the-highway-homeSaint Albans nuisance property lawA Moving Company Helps Seniors Make a Smooth Transition Cannabis company sues over free speechYou can buy weed in Sharon, VT Whatchu know ‘bout Sharon, VT?St Mikes research finds hope for Alzheimer's in spider brainsHandy Family Sells Notorious Church Street Apartment ComplexWe're big time now - getting a 2nd Jersey Mike's(1:34:48) Break music:  Dylan Patrick Ward - “Piles”https://dylanpatrickward.bandcamp.com/album/neer-do-wells Scumbag mapN.Y. Man sentenced on federal drug charge State upgrades homicide charges against Pownal stabber Rutland Scarface faces new chargesBarre police logMan hits cop with carThanks for listening!Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/VermontCatchup Follow Matt on twitter: @MatthewBorden4 Contact the show: 24theroadshow@gmail.comOutro Music by B-Complex

In this episode, we are chatting with Chris Williams, Equipment Repair Technician with the Virginia State Police and completer of the Automotive Tech program at the ACE Center at Highland Springs. We also had William Boswell, Equipment Operations Manager, VSP, Randy Pickerall, Equipment Repair Supervisor, VSP, and Steven Rigsby, Fleet Manager, VSP. They sat down with us and discussed their need to employ technicians to install equipment in new police vehicles, planes, and helicopters. Maintain and repair their vehicles and so much more. Discover the many career opportunities with the Virginia State Police.

Moviemaker Scooter McCrae burst onto the scene in 1994 with an underground shot on video zombie classic, Shatter Dead. The movie was better technically than most first time films for auteurs in the 90s, and had more depth of subject than most as well.After Shatter Dead he has gone on to make Sixteen Tongues, a 17-minute short Saint Frankenstein, and a new movie that got a VSP release at Black Friday, Black Eyed Susan.I would consider any of these movies as must see. Scooter is an intellectual with an anarchic spirit and every project is inventive and pushes genre in new and exciting ways.In addition to being a talented moviemaker, however, Scooter is a gem of a human and his humility and humanity shine during the episode. I can't wait for people to hear the passion and sharp wit coming from Scooter in the episode. I'll leave a few links below to where you can find his work. Let me know what you think of the interview and if you would like to hear from more underground and SOV auteurs.https://vimeo.com/350200089 - Saint Frankensteinhttps://vinegarsyndrome.com/collections/saturns-core?page=2 - Shatter Dead and Sixteen Tongues available hereYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@theylivebyfilmThe Radiance Films Podcast: https://podfollow.com/1762070615Punk Vacation: An Unofficial Vinegar Syndrome Podcast: https://podfollow.com/1760290937Wild Side: The Official Monda Macabro Podcast: https://podfollow.com/1762695719Adam's Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/TheOwls23/Adam's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/adamlundy.bsky.socialZach's Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/dharmabombs/Chris' subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/personalhistoryoffilm

Lt. Robert McKenna,from Vermont State Police. Office of Professional Development and Training, joins Kurt & Anthony for the VSP monthly segment. Rob talks about how New England State Police Organizations work together and recruitment.

Wie wir den VSP machen, ein paar Statistiken und wie wir angefangen haben mit dem VSP

The Virginia wine industry has experienced a phenomenal transformation over the past three decades, largely attributed to the efforts of dedicated individuals like Dr. Tony Wolf. From a mere six wineries in 1980, Virginia now boasts a $1.5 billion industry with over 300 wineries. In this episode, Dr. Wolf discusses what it was like when the wine industry began in Virginia in the 1980s, what challenges growers faced, and where they saw success.  Listen in to learn how grape growing has become a booming industry over the past 30 years.  In this episode, you will hear: The challenges Virginia grape growers faced in the 1980s. How Dr. Wolf impacted the wine industry in Virginia. The growth of canopy management practices, especially VSP. What makes vineyards successful in any location. What Dr. Wolf would tell himself 25 years ago. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click the ‘+ Follow' button in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second, and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Resources: If you have questions about today's episode or ideas for future episodes, go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button.  If you're starting a vineyard or thinking about starting a vineyard, visit VirtualViticulureAcademy.com/growsmart to get Fritz's online Prospective Winegrape Grower Course to help you get your vineyard planned and planted correctly from the start. Use the code PODCAST at check out to save $89.00 as a thank you for being a podcast listener. See the photos of the surprise gift Tony put in the accordion case. Today's Guest: Dr. Tony Wolf recently retired from a 36-year-long career at Virginia Tech, where he served as a professor of viticulture and the head of the school's agricultural extension and research center. Episode Sponsor: Thank you to our friends over at SensorInsight for sponsoring today's episode. SensorInsight is a leader in vineyard soil moisture and weather monitoring. SensorInsight designs state-of-the-art, remote satellite monitoring of soil moisture and weather, bringing actional information for your vineyard operations straight to your phone, with real-time data so you can best decide when to turn on your irrigation, how long to run the system, and learn how the dynamics of soil moisture can change over a given season. Visit them today at https://sensorinsight.io. And don't forget to mention the code Underground to receive a discount on your SensorInsight solution. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

In this must-watch episode of Power Hour, host Eugene Shatsman sits down with Jim McGrann, former CEO of VSP Vision and current CEO of Advancing Eyecare, to address the pressing concerns of eye care professionals (ECPs) and explore the future of optometry in an AI-driven world. As one of the most influential figures in the industry, Jim offers a unique perspective on VSP's role in the evolving landscape of vision care and shares insights on how practices can thrive despite the challenges posed by managed care. 

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need decades of experience to master orthognathic surgery planning. With advancements in virtual surgical planning (VSP) and streamlined treatment approaches, even early-career surgeons can achieve precise, efficient results! Today, we are joined by Dr. Patrick Wong, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center and an OMS specializing in orthognathic surgery, facial trauma surgery, and cleft and craniofacial surgery. In this episode, Dr. Wong shares insights into his simplified orthognathic treatment planning technique for residents, detailing the step-by-step process for executing these complex surgeries. He explains why the Steiner method for cephalometric analysis may fall short in modern practice and highlights his preferred facial projection reference methods for optimal outcomes. We also explore four critical factors to consider when rotating the maxillofacial complex, emphasize the importance of ethnic-specific planning in contemporary procedures, and hear practical advice for preparing for VSP. Additionally, Dr. Wong walks us through his own VSP sequence and wraps up with his favorite books, shows, tools, and more!Key Points From This Episode:A brief overview of Dr. Wong's training and his current practice setup.Insight into his simplified orthognathic treatment planning technique for residents.The step-by-step process for planning and executing orthognathic surgeries.Why the Steiner method for cephalometric analysis falls short in modern practice.Dr. Wong's preferred facial projection reference methods for optimal outcomes.Four factors to consider when rotating the maxillofacial complex.The emphasis on ethnic-specific planning in contemporary orthognathic procedures.How to use the 90-90-10-10 rule to achieve the best aesthetic results.Advice to help residents prepare for virtual surgical planning (VSP).Benefits of VSP for planning complex surgical procedures.A look at Dr. Wong's VSP sequence, from bite planning to soft tissue overlay.Recommended books, shows, non-OMS habits, and more in the rapid-fire section!Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Dr. Patrick Wong on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-wong-29ab14239/Dr. Patrick Wong on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/dr.patrickewong/Dr. Patrick Wong Email — patrick.wong@utsouthwestern.eduUT Southwestern Medical Center — https://utswmed.org/‘Barcelona line. A multicentre validation study of a facial projection reference in orthognathic surgery' — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36609073/Can't Hurt Me — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1544512287Ego is the Enemy — https://www.amazon.com/dp/1781257027/True Detective — https://www.hbo.com/true-detectiveEveryday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/Dr. Grant Stucki Email — grantstucki@gmail.comDr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-44

A viral video from Virginia State Police released Friday shows two of the agency's helicopters rescuing flood victims from the roof of an eastern Tennessee hospital. Brad Kutner spoke with VSP and got the first public account of how the daring mission unfolded. 

In this episode of The Mark Haney Show, we continue our Most Valuable Towns in the Backyard series with a deep dive into Rancho Cordova, a thriving hub in the Greater Sacramento Region. Mark is joined by Diann Rogers, President & CEO of the Rancho Cordova Area Chamber of Commerce, and Amanda Norton, Economic Development Director for the City of Rancho Cordova. They discuss the city's unique "cheat codes" for growth, from business retention to community partnerships, thriving small businesses, and regional collaboration. Key Topics: Rancho Cordova's economic development strategies Business-friendly policies and major employers like VSP and Solidigm Growth in housing, infrastructure, and innovation How the city supports small businesses and entrepreneurs Rancho Cordova's role in regional collaboration and leadership Stay tuned to discover why Rancho Cordova is a rising star in the Sacramento region and a top destination for businesses and families! #RanchoCordova #EconomicDevelopment #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #Sacramento #MarkHaney #RanchoCordovaChamber #CityLeadership #CommunityGrowth #BusinessRetention #California

In this episode, Kat and Kim talk to Erik Rueter about design thinking in our projects.  What's design thinking, you may be thinking? Design thinking is a methodology that focuses on the end users of a system when we are problem solving. Erik will share 5 different design thinking methods for understanding user needs in a way that not only helps your project provide better deliverables but can also help build a better project team.   About our amazing guest, Erik Rueter Erik K. Rueter, PMP, PMI-ACP, has over 20 years of experience in diverse industries, including tech startups, academia, healthcare, and entertainment. Currently, he serves as a senior project manager at the American Marketing Association and has held multiple senior staff positions at various organizations. Erik holds a BA in neuroscience from Wesleyan University, with further education in digital design, Irish studies, and MicroMasters in Design Thinking and Project Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is also certified in diversity and inclusion by Cornell. Erik's contributions to the field include co-authoring papers on health inequity, lecturing at Boston and Emerson Colleges, and advocating for diversity and inclusion with organizations like Medtronic, VSP, and the San Antonio Spurs. He has spoken, in person and virtually, at PMI Greece, PMI Michiana, and PMI Western Michigan, among others. He has appeared on podcasts such as “Confessions of a Higher Education CMO”; and “I Wanna Work There!” and contributed to “The Evolution of the PMO”, a key resource for project managers. He founded Human-Centered Success LLC to promote inclusive leadership which is National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce certified as an LGBTQIA+-owned business. Residing outside Pittsburgh with his husband and two dachshunds, Erik enjoys marathons, gaming, and sharing his insights. Contact: erik@humancenteredsuccess.com. To learn more about the amazing things Erik is up to:  Check out his website at: www.humancenteredsuccess.com Learn about solution delivery: Mastering Solution Delivery Erik's Upcoming Speaking Engagement: PMI Global Summit 2024 Rock Lobster Leadership: Lessons from The B-52s Resilience and Relatability: A New Paradigm for Project Leadership (With Jake McGaffin and Olivia Montgomery)   JOIN THE HAPPY HOUR! Get access to all podcasts, PDU certificates, bonus content, exclusive member Q&A webinars and more from our membership! https://pmhappyhour.com/membership STUMP THE PM'S! We love to hear about your tough PM issues, so please hit us up at podcast@pmhappyhour.com or on Linkedin and we'll see if we can help you. If we use your question, we'll send you a PM Happy Hour coaster you can enjoy at your next happy hour.  

On this week's episode, host Sagi Eliyahu welcomes Nathan Haydn-Myer, Senior Director and Chief Procurement Officer at VSP Vision. Nathan discusses his journey into procurement, the importance of adding value and the impact of AI on procurement.Key Takeaways:(01:02) Accidental entry into procurement from marketing.(03:07) Strategic shift in VSP's procurement.(09:10) Importance of research in understanding stakeholders.(10:16) Achieving small wins with pro- and anti-procurement groups.(12:17) Aligning procurement activities with business needs.(18:04) AI's impact on automating routine tasks.(19:00) Identifying and focusing on value-add tasks.(24:05) Adapting procurement strategy based on company size.(26:00) Leadership through asking questions to foster critical thinking.Resources Mentioned:Nathan Haydn-Myer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanhm/VSP Vision | LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/vsp-vision/VSP Vision | Website - https://www.vsp.com/CEB Business Alignment Survey - https://www.gartner.com/Lean Six Sigma - https://www.sixsigmaonline.org/This episode is brought to you by Tonkean.Tonkean is the operating system for business operations and is the enterprise standard for process orchestration. It provides businesses with the building blocks to orchestrate any process, with no code or change management required. Contact us at tonkean.com to learn how you can build complex business processes. Fast.#Operations #BusinessOperations

There has been a lot of talk as of late of the different ways to go about pitching the golf ball. Steep? Shallow? VSP? Bounce? What does all of this mean? What are the pros and cons? Today we're here to break it all down! In this episode, you can expect: - What types of golfers do each method. - What should you do? - How technology has informed pitching technique over time. Hope you all enjoy this conversation. Thanks for the support as always!  Cheers,  - The Tie Guys Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.thetiepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.instagram.com/thetiepodcast/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://mobile.twitter.com/thetiepodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GoodWalk Coffee:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://goodwalkcoffee.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  CODE: thetie for 20% off  BDraddy: bdraddy.com  CODE: thetie25 for 25% off

As the inevitable need for vision care accelerates, so too does the demand from patients for improved technology, interactions and experiences with the healthcare system. To combat this rising issue, MATTER and VSP Vision™ launched the VSP Vision Innovation Challenge a global competition to source and support solutions enhancing the eye care patient experience.Join us for a conversation with three startups that are transforming the eye care experience, whether it's making it more accessible, equitable or health-focused. Moderator, Will Flanigan, head of programs and partnerships of VSP's Global Innovation Center, is joined by Dr. Ali Khoshnevis, co-founder and chief strategy officer of EyeCheq, Kimberly Wilson, founder and CEO of HUED, and Ehsan Vaghefi, founder and CEO of Toku Eyes. Listen in to learn more about the work of these three companies, gain new insights into eye health and vision care and be inspired by the opportunities for innovation in the vision care space. About Partner InsightsMATTER's Partner Insights podcast series is a collaborative conversation with our partners to address healthcare's biggest challenges while highlighting innovative solutions to overcome them.Learn more about the VSP Innovation Challenge.For more information, visit matter.health and follow us on social: LinkedIn @MATTERTwitter @MATTERhealthInstagram @matterhealth

In this radio show I review and update what the US Consumer looks like in regards to financial health. There were a variety of factors that lead to this being the focus of the week, but a recent conversation with an experienced practice owner was the ultimate push to ensure I recorded this episode. Links to the various links and data sources below. US Michigan Consumer Sentiment Article Credit Card Delinquency Total Debt Levels by Category Credit Card Debt Levels + GrowthIncome thresholds and spending IKEA warns of Economic StrainYOUTUBE LINKOur Sponsors GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

Improving your eyesight can be life-changing. By scheduling an eye exam, you can take an early step towards managing prediabetes and addressing other healthcare issues. In this episode, Kate Renwick-Espinosa, President of VSP Vision Care, explores the critical role of vision care in the healthcare ecosystem, emphasizing its impact on people's lives. Kate explains how eyesight, often overlooked, serves as a secret weapon in healthcare, enabling the early detection of over 270 health conditions. She highlights all the unique ways VSP adds value to health systems and patients, highlighting the importance of comprehensive care. Kate also emphasizes the potential of eye care to lower healthcare costs for employers and patients through early detection, ultimately improving overall health and productivity. Finally, she emphasizes the need for employers to view benefits holistically, supporting whole-body health for their employees. Tune in and discover the transformative power of vision care in enhancing overall health and well-being! Resources: Connect with and follow Kate Renwick-Espinosa on LinkedIn. Follow SVP Vision Care on LinkedIn and visit their website.

In this episode, I dig into the FIRE movement. Unless you live under a rock you likely know what FIRE is. FIRE stands for Financial Independence, Retire Early. It's a movement that started back in 1992 when authors Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez used the term in their book, Your Money or Your Life. Their book asks readers to question how they think about their money and their values. I dig into the massive boom of FIRE writers, blogs, and resources. What FIRE gets right. What FIRE misses. What's happening to impact the idea of FIRE. Why bitcoin helps solve for the FIRE errors. Our Sponsors GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

If you have trouble motivating yourself to undergo an eye examination, buy some reasonably priced VSP vision insurance from me! This will remove the financial impediment to regular vision care. Also, Wellcare is terminating its contract with Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada. I hope their members don't have need of this specialized level of treatment! Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com (Most severe critic: A+)   Inspired by: "MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2024; Simplest & Easiest Guide Ever!" on Amazon.com. Return to leave a short customer review & help future readers. Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

On this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Stephanie Van Deynze-Snell she is veterinarian business owner and High Flow Coach & Consultant. She talks about #business, #wellness, #flowstate, #leadership, and #teamculture. Her experience in the trenches and through growth and leadership as an owner make this a fun conversation to get into. We discuss the following:An overview of her personal and professional story how she got to where she is today?What's high flow coaching and why is it important and not some RAH RAH thing.How can veterinarians be at peak performance?What is active recovery and why it matters. While not the most exciting item within a business - why are Handbook & Training Programs the building blocks to make things happen?Flexibility in life is key - she has seen that be a bigger item in vet med - how her team has embraced that?A deeper dive into culture and the workplace - and understanding the humans you work alongside and how the outside world will always come into the clinic. How as a leader she has gotten real feedback from the team to improve? What's worked vs. not worked.What haven't I asked about that is on your heart or mind?Her question for me.Guest LinksStephanie's LinkedInStephanie's InstagramOur Sponsors GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

My guest for this episode is Nick Hillman. Nick has worked with vineyards on three continents, including all across the US. Nick now lives in Texas where hed does vineyard and farm consultation with his company Regenerative Agriculture Solutions. Nick has been on a journey that led him from conventional, recipe-type viticulture to a transformed regenerative outlook and approach. He tells us about the ideas and experiences that began to make him ask harder questions, the things that didn't make sense or seem wise. We get technical about Integrated Pest Management or IPM, as well as the pros and cons of VSP versus high trellis systems, dormant spraying for the most effect with least impact, and Texas AVAs. Along the way, Nick digs into what regenerative viticulture is all about, and why it has grabbed him and led him on this journey.   https://www.regenerativeagsolutions.com/home Support this episode by subscribing via patreon. Sponsor: Centralas Wine

In this episode, I'm joined by Jake Jensen, DVM, cVMA, cVSMT. Jake is a co-owner of Janssen Veterinary Clinic (JVC). JVC provides Equine & Small Animal preventative health care, lameness, reproductive, internal medicine, dentistry, and surgical appointments. Jake is local to Central Indiana and someone I've been fortunate enough to get to know personally over the years. Jake shared some great thoughts with me over coffee and wanted to ensure we recorded an episode about it. Jake's veterinary journey and career path. Moving into veterinary practice ownership and lessons learned.His take on using the term "Pet Parents" A deep dive on the impact of the term "pet parents" Why veterinary medicine should consider the language used. How he reframes or handles the term in his clinic. Guest LinksJake's LinkedInOur Sponsors GuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this episode, I'm joined by Meghan Bingham, CVPM. She worked in all areas of vet med, from Kennel to Technician to Receptionist, and eventually settled in as Practice Manager where she developed the business from just one vet to a 12-doctor practice. Then she transitioned to a Senior Operations Manager position where she helped 25 Emergency, Urgent, and General Practices to make then as efficient and effective as possible. She has served on the VHMA Board of Directors since 2021 and is currently the Vice President of the Houston Veterinary Practice Managers Alliance. Today, she is a Veterinary Consultant at Granite Peak Associates. We chat on the following:The one or two things from her story that she shares that helps explain her career in veterinary medicine best.What she thinks happens when veterinary clinics grow that's most misunderstood?What is/are/was your favorite tool for training teams to keep the knowledge of the team consistent?Her role at Granite Peak and what has her excited about it.Her non-consensus view she holds about veterinary medicine.Her thoughts on what private practice veterinary owners need to know for success over the coming years.The soccer connection and interest shared.Her question for me and so much more! Guest LinksGranite Peak Associates Meghan's LinkedInOur Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this radio show, I discuss failure and use myself as a great example of how many shortcomings can set the stage for opportunities and "success." I call it a therapeutic session of a show. Let me know your thoughts!Our Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this episode, Lisa and Ted discuss:What optometrists do and how they help people enhance their quality of life. Essential skills and qualities for those who will have a long and successful optometrist career Understanding the path from high school to graduate school for optometry.The competitive nature of optometry school and the state-specific regulations aspiring optometrists must navigate. Key Takeaways: Optometrists work with all ages, including infants, to catch any vision issues.Ophthalmology and Optometry have different but equally rigorous requirements. Optometrists work closely with Ophthalmologists for advanced eye care needs.Optometry school is very competitive; strong grades in science courses are important. Consider taking sciences outside of just biology, physics, and chemistry beginning in high school if available.Laws regarding what optometrists can do vary by state, so research where your teen may want to practice. Don't rely on your student's advisor to know everything; students should do their own research.  “If you're planning on doing this, do it because you love it. Optometry is not going to make you rich. Medicine is not going to make you rich. There is never a job they will pay you enough to do. It is about doing it because you care about people, and you want to take care of people.” – Ted McElroy, O.D.About Ted McElroy, O.D.: Ted McElroy, OD, founded his practice, Vision Source Tifton, in 1994 in Tifton, GA. In 2004 he served as the Georgia Optometric Association President and in 2016 as President for SECO International. Ted was the recipient of the 1997 GA Optometric Association's (GOA) Young Optometrist of the Year, the 2005 GOA Optometrist of the Year, the 2009 GOA Bernard Kahn Award Recipient, and the 2022 GOA Georgianne Bearden Excellence in Leadership Award.Ted enjoys speaking to optometric students on the joys of private practice and assisting aspiring practice owners. He has served on the Speaker's Bureaus for Alcon, CibaVision, and VSP and is currently on the Speakers Bureau for Vision Source. He is an administrator for Vision Source and serves on the Administrator Advisory Board. Ted is an author published in Invision and Optometric Management, and has also served on the Optometric Management editorial board. He currently serves SECO International as the Chair for the MedPRO 360 committee, the Business Education Program of SECO International. Ted co-hosts the Eyecode Media Podcast with Drs. Chris Wolfe and Aaron Werner.Episode References:#005 Advice for Students Considering Medicine and Healthcare Careers   https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/podcast/5-healthcare-careers/ Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). https://flourishcoachingco.com/videoConnect with Ted:Website: https://visionsource-tiftonfamilyeyecare.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedmcelroyod/ Connect with Lisa:Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingcoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

In this episode, I'm joined by Emmitt Nantz. Emmitt's been in veterinary medicine for almost 20 years, solving problems and building innovative solutions. Co-founder and visionary leader at Inventory Ally, a cutting-edge inventory management software solution designed specifically for veterinary hospitals. We'll chat about this and a lot more.His background: how did you get to where he is today?How are they helping solve that with Inventory Ally?Can it help a de novo practice?What do the savings look like for a clinic?The issues with ONLY focuses on priceHow does Inventory Ally make money? How are you compensated?What's most misunderstood about inventory?What's a non-consensus view in veterinary medicine you hold - that others may disagree with?Guest LinksEmmitt's LinkedInInventoryAlly WebsiteBook Recommendation - Theory of ConstraintsOur Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

It has become a theme on “I Wanna Work There!”–higher education is a people business, especially when it comes to faculty and staff. So, what happens when faculty and staff are forced to conform to an institution's processes and culture? While it seems normal, Erik Rueter sees this as forcing employees to “use a hammer to try to screw something into a wall.” That is why Erik champions human-centered design. Don't be fooled by what may seem like feel-good language. Erik explains how human-centered design boosts institutional efficiencies, processes and profitability in addition to faculty and staff's talent experience.To help your institution with its talent experience efforts, here are this episode's three takeaways:Understanding of what human-centered design is,How human-centered design can be applied to the complex campus environment, andWays to implement human-centered design for a great faculty and staff experience.Guest Name: Erik RueterGuest Social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikrueter/        Guest Bio: Erik K. Rueter, PMP, PMI-ACP (he/him) has over 20 years of professional experience across diverse industries. He worked for tech start-ups, colleges and universities, a Grammy®-award-winning production company, and healthcare organizations. Erik has been a public policy analyst, professional photographer, marketing and public relations director; and he is now a senior project manager at the American Marketing Association. He has co-authored two papers on health inequity in oncology nursing, lectured at Boston College and Emerson College, and been a guest speaker on diversity and inclusion at, among others, Medtronic, VSP, and the San Antonio Spurs. He recently founded Human-Centered Success LLC, a consulting organization focused on creating more inclusive spaces through servant leadership. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Eddie Francishttps://www.linkedin.com/in/eddiefrancis/https://twitter.com/eddiefrancisAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:I Wanna Work There is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Some of our favorites include Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager and Talking Tactics. Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Connect with Us at the Engage Summit:Exciting news — many of your favorite Enrollify creators will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we'd love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI. Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout, and you can register for just $200! Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can't wait to see you there!

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Kurt Phillips. Kurt and I recently connected in person at WVC. Kurt owned City Way Animal Clinics until 2021 he sold the five practices. He's also an entrepreneurial veterinarian and business owner outside of veterinary medicine. He's always a Hoosier Native, although he calls Bend, Oregon home now. This was a great conversation about the entrepreneurial journey within veterinary medicine and the success and challenges of growing a team. Takeaways from WVC 2024.Dr. Kurt's early clinical experience & early practice ownership challenges. His first big mistake as a business owner.How confidence and independence helped mold him to be an owner. Early growth and the fracturing of his business partner relationship. How joining VMG and implementing EOS turned his practice growth up to 10.Building out the organizational leadership and processes. How he stayed connected to ALL the team as he grew to five practices. What he thinks is stopping veterinarians from wanting to own. And so much MORE!Guest LinksDr. Kurt Phillips LinkedIn Our Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this radio show, I discuss my recent LinkedIn post that got a lot of traction. #veterinarymedicine - I want to see more private practice ownership and extremely bullish on folksbuilding this future in a variety of ways._________________ is stopping veterinarians from wanting to own their own clinic?What's your answer?It's a hot topic - I've pounded the table on the topic since 2019 - it's not easy, it's not rainbows and butterflies - but darn, it's worth it, and the amount of $ in the space more can go to veterinarians if there is a thriving private practice environment.I'll have some guests on the show later via a roundtable discussion - that being said I wanted to discuss it on a radio show as I just got back from WVC, and I can tell you I'm extremelyoptimistic about private practice ownership and the models, offerings, and people doing cool stuff here. Some have been on the podcast others are future guests.Link to the LinkedIn Post Our Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this first episode of the Future of Eye Care series, we sit down with the head of VSP's Global Innovation Center, Ruth Yomtoubian to discuss the future of eye care and how innovation happens.Key Takeaways:Innovation isn't just about disruption and the future. True innovation respects the past, understands the presents, and seeks to solve the problems of the future.Two key trends Ruth is following outside of eyecare that likely will impact eye care:Hybrid care - the best of in person and virtual in a single experience (e.g. Forward Care, Carbon Health, Eden)Future of Benefits (e.g. upskilling, maternal care, leisure/ travel benefits, mental health)Innovation often starts with solving a single problem for a small group that leads to noticeable impacts for larger populations. Don't overlook small opportunities to innovate and create large wins within your business.Spatial computing will also impact eye care and the patient consumer's awareness of the importance of eye and vision care.Innovation is truly about setting yourself up for the future. Generative AI is a technology that will dramatically impact health care and eye care. In many ways, small businesses have the opportunity to leverage these easier than larger corporations. Considerations for generative AI include data readiness and "human in the loop" operation. Five innovation questions to ask yourself:Can you create value in an ambiguous environment?Do you go beyond challenging the status quo?Do you get in the trenches? Do you truly believe that ideas come from anywhere?Do you know yourself?What Ruth is Reading:Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia MDMove Fast and Fix Things by Anne Morriss, Frances FreiAdditional Resources:VSP Global Innovation Center LinkedIn PageVSP Global Innovation Center pageFuture of Benefits reportFuture of Generative AI in Healthcare reportFuturist Reports pageEmerging Tech Accessibility GuideHybrid Care Insights ReelSXSW 2024 Official Panel: Future Eye: 10 Vision Trends That Will Transform Healthcare 

In this episode, I'm joined by marketing guru Brandon Breshears. Brandon helps Veterinary Practices Get Better Clients. He's the voice of the podcast - The Veterinary Marketing Podcast. He has written tons on the topic of veterinary marketing and is published author. He's been highly suggested as a guest and glad to finally get time to record. This one DOES NOT disappoint. We discuss his VetMarketingGuru a GPT based on his podcast episodes (you should be checking this out) What podcasts he recorded that haven't been as downloaded but are packed full of actionable data?Who he'd love to have on his show - who hasn't been a guest.Overrated/Underrated veterinary marketing.Why retention marketing needs more focus within clinics. Are you providing features & info or insights & entertainment?His blueprint for a De Novo vs. Established clinic and the marketing plan.Why texting is wildly underutilized in veterinary medicine.What's your offer - how to build one. And SO MUCH MORE!!Guest LinksBrandon's LinkedInThe Veterinary Marketing PodcastOur Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

Donny Seyfer from the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) discusses the importance of ongoing training for technicians and the challenges they face in accessing information and tools. Seyfer emphasizes the need for collaboration with automakers and lawmakers to improve security measures and technical support.Show NotesFamily Background and Career Journey (00:02:23) Donny Seyfer shares his family's history in the automotive industry and his journey into the professional business.Formation and Growth of NASTF (00:04:20) Empowering Independent Techs (00:09:39) Evolution of NASTF's Structure (00:11:35) Stakeholders and Board Members (00:13:27) Reprogramming Events and Knowledge Base (00:15:24)Challenges in Supporting Legacy Vehicles (00:21:15) Development of Tools for Key Code Delivery (00:25:08) Game Theory Pitch (00:30:50) Secure Data Release Model (00:32:04) Scan Tool Validation Program (00:39:09)The VSP Program (00:45:14) Vehicle Theft and Security (00:46:07)System Testing and Updates (00:53:55) Engagement with Lawmakers and Automakers (00:54:43) Tool functionality and availability (00:59:58)Service information access issues (01:00:31) Tooling and VSP credentials (01:04:51) Addressing illicit tool use (01:07:17) Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech napaautotech.com Email Matt: mattfanslowpodcast@gmail.comDiagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel HEREAftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/

Donny Seyfer from the National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF) discusses the importance of ongoing training for technicians and the challenges they face in accessing information and tools. Seyfer emphasizes the need for collaboration with automakers and lawmakers to improve security measures and technical support.Show NotesFamily Background and Career Journey (00:02:23) Donny Seyfer shares his family's history in the automotive industry and his journey into the professional business.Formation and Growth of NASTF (00:04:20) Empowering Independent Techs (00:09:39) Evolution of NASTF's Structure (00:11:35) Stakeholders and Board Members (00:13:27) Reprogramming Events and Knowledge Base (00:15:24)Challenges in Supporting Legacy Vehicles (00:21:15) Development of Tools for Key Code Delivery (00:25:08) Game Theory Pitch (00:30:50) Secure Data Release Model (00:32:04) Scan Tool Validation Program (00:39:09)The VSP Program (00:45:14) Vehicle Theft and Security (00:46:07)System Testing and Updates (00:53:55) Engagement with Lawmakers and Automakers (00:54:43) Tool functionality and availability (00:59:58)Service information access issues (01:00:31) Tooling and VSP credentials (01:04:51) Addressing illicit tool use (01:07:17) Thanks to our Partner, NAPA Autotech napaautotech.com Email Matt: mattfanslowpodcast@gmail.comDiagnosing the Aftermarket A - Z YouTube Channel HEREAftermarket Radio Network: https://aftermarketradionetwork.com/

Dr. Jeff Stepanek and Elizabeth Montgomery join me in this episode. I connected with Liz via LinkedIn, and she's helping her father, Dr. Jeff, sell his Eau Claire, Wisconsin, veterinary clinic. This is a unique podcast that I hope you enjoy - as it's a conversation on legacy and opportunity within veterinary medicine. Dr. Jeff's story and how we become an owner. How great mentorship impacted him and how he's passed that on. Why communication and confidence is the key to veterinary success.Liz's story of helping her dad find the right buyer for the clinic. What should the ideal owner's character traits look like in a perfect world? The challenge of many other single DVM owner clinics nationwide and the opportunity. And more Guest LinksBuy My Dad's Vet Clinic - Website Our Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Kelly Cooper. Dr. Cooper is working to empower veterinary leaders to achieve success through purpose, planning, and process. She's been a practice owner, worked in various leadership roles in corporate medicine, and worked as an associate via relief work. Her industry overview is unique, and we unpack each of those areas. Her update from VMX and VetPartnersHer veterinary story from early practice ownership to feeling burned out and the various transitions.Why do so many veterinarians lack community and support?We discuss if too many veterinary students are being selected to be great students vs. great veterinarians. How private practice and corporate both have given her so much.The three traits she looks for in team members - self-awareness, coachability, and alignment w/mission and vision. Her journey to better understand the business of veterinary medicine and how she is passionate about that today. Why she wants to encourage ownership within veterinary medicine.And so MUCH MORE!Guest Links Reality Vet Coaching & Consulting Dr. Cooper's LinkedIn Our Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jessica Puccetti-Hoffman. Dr. Jessica is a veterinarian on a mission to provide all pet parents with holistic pet care. Her journey has included finding some health and care on the human side to be impactful for her family and bringing that into the veterinary world. Why it took her time to rediscover her passion for medicine, but she now loves her work and life more than ever. Defining an integrative veterinarian or health provider.Why incentives matter and how a lot of veterinary education is taught. We discuss and dismiss the term conspiracy theory.Her husband and daughter's health challenges.Her veterinary journey and insights.Launching a new veterinary hospital with a partner. AND so much more - this one is packed with content likely not typically consumed. Guest LinksDr. Jessica's InstagramHer website Our Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

This episode features a conversation with Erik K. Rueter, Senior Project Manager for the American Marketing Association and Founder and President of Human-Centered Success. Take a deep dive into the concept of human-centered project management, a transformative approach that's reshaping how we tackle projects.We begin by exploring the critical question: Is there really a difference between project management and project leadership? Our discussion will unravel the nuances between the two, revealing how leadership plays a pivotal role in successful project management.Takeaways include:How project management shares many parallels with marketingInsight into how to make project management more effective – and empatheticWays to apply design thinking to the project management processGuidance on how to use tools like empathy maps to be better project leaders and build better teamsTips for being a more human-centered leaderWhether you're a seasoned project manager, a leader looking to refine your skills, or someone curious about the evolving landscape of project management, this episode is packed with insights and actionable advice.Guest Name: Erik K. Rueter, Senior Project Manager for the American Marketing Association and Founder and President of Human-Centered SuccessGuest LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erikrueter/Guest Bio:  Erik K. Rueter, PMP, PMI-ACP (he/him) has over 20 years of professional experience across diverse industries. He worked for tech start-ups, colleges and universities, a Grammy®-award-winning production company, and healthcare organizations. He has been a public policy analyst, professional photographer, marketing and public relations director, and now a senior project manager at the American Marketing Association. He has co-authored two papers on health inequity in oncology nursing, lectured at Boston and Emerson Colleges, and been a guest speaker on diversity and inclusion at, among others, Medtronic, VSP, and the San Antonio Spurs. He recently founded Human-Centered Success LLC, a consulting organization focused on creating more inclusive spaces through servant leadership.

In this show, I'll review and provide a quick update on all things bitcoin, especially after this past week's launch of the Bitcoin ETFs. I cover the following:The 11 ETFs that were launched - and pricing.Isaiah's Favorite tickerThe difference between owning bitcoin directly & the ETF.Does an ETF ever make more sense to own?A trading nuance that warrants a review.The amount of $ flowing into the space. Vanguard and Merrill making big mistakesDonations to open-source developers from ETF providers.LinksWelcome to Bitcoin Buy Bitcoin @ Swan Bitcoin - Get $10 freeEmail me: isaiah@swanbitcoin.com / isaiah@veterinariansuccesspodcast.comOur Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

In this episode - I share some insights into what I've been thinking about and working on. I do, however, WANT & NEED your help - I'm looking for feedback and want to have conversations around what you & your peers would want. The goal is to provide the best support structure for folks looking to start their private practice journey, whether that is a start-up or a practice purchase. Tune in to hear more and please fee free to reach out via the following methods:LinkedIn DMInstagram DMPodcast Email - isaiah@veterinariansuccesspodcast.comOur Sponsors LifeLearnGuardianVets (be sure if you reach out to mention us for 50% off your first month) OfferFirst (use code "VSP" for 20% off) Shepherd Veterinary Software Granite Peak Associates

When it comes to nutrition in your vineyard, you need to know the environment that your vineyard is planted in including mineral nutrition, soil microbes, nitrogen from rainwater, and nutrients or potentially salt from well water. Fritz Westover, Host of the Vineyard Underground Podcast and Founder of Virtual Viticulture Academy shares a big-picture approach to nutrient management that is practical for any grower. He covers: Why it is important to test tissue both at bloom and veraison How to take tissue samples When macro and micronutrient additions are most essential If you are a long time Member of our organization then you probably remember Fritz from his days with Vineyard Team in 2013 and 2014. We are thrilled to have Fritz back on air with us for the third time. Plus, I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on his podcast, Vineyard Underground. Search for episode 034: Why Sustainability Certification Programs for Vineyards Matter – with Beth Vukmanic on your favorite podcast player to listen in. And we have that linked in the show notes. Resources: 1/16/2024 Tailgate | Ag Order 4.0 Update 57: Wet Climate Viticulture 115: Examining Plant Nutrient Mobility with SAP Analysis 155: Sustainable Vineyard Management Across Different Climates 191: CropManage: Improving the Precision of Water and Fertilizer Inputs Fritz Westover Bio Healthy Soils Playlist The Science of Grapevines - Marcus Keller    Vineyard Underground Podcast Vineyard Underground Podcast - 016: Nitrogen Sources and Strategies for Application with Paul Crout Vineyard Underground Podcast - 034: Why Sustainability Certification Programs for Vineyards Matter – with Beth Vukmanic Virtual Viticulture Academy Vineyard Team Programs: Juan Nevarez Memorial Scholarship - Donate SIP Certified – Show your care for the people and planet   Sustainable Ag Expo – The premiere winegrowing event of the year Sustainable Winegrowing On-Demand (Western SARE) – Learn at your own pace Vineyard Team – Become a Member Get More Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode on the latest science and research with the Sustainable Winegrowing Podcast. Since 1994, Vineyard Team has been your resource for workshops and field demonstrations, research, and events dedicated to the stewardship of our natural resources. Learn more at www.vineyardteam.org.   Transcript Craig Macmillan  0:00  Our guest today is Fritz Westover. He is a Viticulturist, who works around the United States. Especically the the south east and he is the host of the Vineyard Underground podcast, and also the founder of the Virtual Viticulture Academy. And today we're gonna talk about nutrient management. Thanks for being on the show.   Fritz Westover  0:20  Hey, Craig, how you doing today? Good to talk to you and to see you because I get to see you on video while we make this recording.   Craig Macmillan  0:27  You're back. This is another episode for you. Right?   Fritz Westover  0:29  This will be episode number three with Sustainable Winegrowing. So I love coming back. And you know, as you know, I worked with then Vineayrd Team back in 2013, and 14. So, of course, I love what you guys are doing and fully support it.   Craig Macmillan  0:42  Fantastic. So injury management in vineyards is today's topic. Can you give us a definition of what that means and why it's important?   Fritz Westover  0:51   Yeah, and I'm not going to give you the textbook version though, as you know, Craig, I'm going to talk from just how I view it and how I see my growers viewing it that.   Craig Macmillan  0:58  From the heart is that yeah,   Fritz Westover  1:00  I speak about nutrient management from the heart here. In terms of vineyards, you know, we want to see our vines grow healthy. When you plant to vine in the ground, there's certain things in the soil, there's mineral nutrition, there's microbes that cycle nutrients in the soil. So you have kind of a baseline there, you can add things to it. But you have to know what's in the soil. First, we have rain that falls from the sky, hopefully, and hopefully when it needs to, and that has certain mineral nutrient content and nitrogen, things like that people don't count that sometimes nothing will make a plant or like and rainwater. And then if you're pumping water through well, there's different ions, caverns and ions that are in that water, whether it be something that's good, like nitrogen, or magnesium or potassium or something that's not good, like a salt, in large amounts. So there's there's things coming out of the pumping out of the ground on a property that go to vineyard. And then you know, there's things that we put as inputs through a spray program or fertilization program. But before you do that, if you're going to manage the nutrition in your vineyard, you need to know what the content is what where the nutrients are coming from, how the vines take them up. Are you irrigating? Or is it a dry farmed vineyard, and that will determine how much of that nutrition is available to the vine, right, because you can have nutrition in the soil. But during a drought, if the roots aren't actively growing, or if they're pulling away from the soil, they're just not taking it in. It's a very dynamic thing. Management is really just knowing how to read your plants, how to read the environmental conditions, and knowing what you have there and what your inputs are contributing in terms of mineral nutrition to your system as a whole.   Craig Macmillan  2:31  What are some of the considerations then, that growers need to take into account when they're designing the fertilization program? Have you talked about where things come from? You've talked about what you need to look at. But how do you go about it.   Fritz Westover  2:43  I work with several growers all around the southeastern United States and in other states as well through my online academy. So I really get to see a large profile of soil reports, plant tissue reports. And there's certain benchmark measurements we can take in the vineyard that can help us to understand how vines are taking up nutrients. So we can look at a soil test. And we can determine what nutrients are available, we can look at the pH and that will determine the different availability of certain nutrients. We can also take into account the plant tissue samples that we should be doing in the vineyard, whether it's a tissue analysis from a petal, a leaf blade, a whole leaf with petiole attached, which is what I'm using currently, there's more and more interest in SAP analysis. So there's all these different methods of looking at nutrition within an actively growing plant. It gives you the snapshot at best during a certain time of the season. And those are benchmarks. So we're looking at the plants to see kind of what's being taken up from the soil and from the environment and from the water that's being either falling from the sky or going through the irrigation. My best analogy for grape grower would be the VSP probably the most common training system is the VSP so you have the that's vertical sheet positioning, but I use it and say the visual, we look at the soil for moisture, we look at the plants for any signs of higher low vigor to determine usually, if nitrogen is needed in greater quantities, or for certainly for any nutritional deficiencies that show up visually on leaves like magnesium or potassium deficiency, things like that. We know what those symptoms look like, we can look them up easily. And then the P would be the plant tissue test. So I always think of the soil is kind of the bank account of what nutrients are available. And then the tissue test is telling you if your plant is making that ATM withdrawals, so to speak from the soil. And then the visual really just validates if everything is really working as well as that plant tissue test says because I don't know about you, Craig, but I've looked at plant tissue tests that say everything is within the normal range of nutrients, but the plant is stunted. And it could see that the concentration of the nutrients is good in that plant, but the quantity is limiting the growth and production of that vine and it's going to limit the yields in that case. Those are the considerations I look into but there's one one more thing that there are some rules of thumb, what we're taking out of the system. When we ship our grapes out of the vineyard into the winery, whether it's your winery or winery across the state somewhere across the country that is removing nutrients. So you're literally mining your soil and your environment for nutrients, you're putting them into a truck, you're moving them with the fruit, and then they're being made into bottles of wine and someone's drinking those nutrients and they don't get back into the vineyard, if that's what's happening. So, when creating a nutritional budget, a lot of growers will account for the tonnage or whatever measurement of fruit is removed. And there are some tables available. I know Dr. Marcus Keller of Washington State University, in his book on the science of grapevines publishes some of those, but the example would be an average of four pounds of nitrogen. For every tonne of fruit removed from the vineyard, if you do four tons an acre, that's about 16 pounds of nitrogen. So we start to think in these terms of, okay, I just removed 16 pounds with that four ton per acre crop. This is an example of course of an average number, it's really not that simple, because the soil might have three or 4% organic matter in it. And we know from every 1% of organic matter, we're getting x units of nitrogen that are developed and processed within the soil system itself. And so if your organic matter is high enough, you may actually generate enough nitrogen in the soil to replace the nitrogen that was moved out of the vineyard. And this is why growers might go year in and year out without applying some fertilizer, even though they're moving it out of the vineyard in the fruit.   You got a good healthy soil web happening there, you got the relationships that you want, and you're cycling stuff. And so the impact of that removal is less. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And cover cropping and whatnot.   Soil conditions, too. I mean, if the soil is dry in a drought condition, it's not really you're not gonna have a lot of activity, or if it's really hot, because it's been cleaned, cultivated. And you know, how does that affect the microbes that can then cycle those nutrients and convert organic matter into nitrogen and other other mineral nutrients?   Craig Macmillan  7:05  I want to touch on something, something regarded this and that's timing. So like at the grade school science version that we learn is there's a plant, and it grows and things come up. And there's a plant. Yeah, and grapevines don't work that way. There's certain things that they'll take up at certain times of year, they need to have water, moving through the plant, different nutrients are important at different times of year. What do you recommend? What do you how do you manage that?   Fritz Westover  7:34  Yeah. So you know, when I do a presentation on grapevine nutrition, there's this one slide that I go to from a study in Germany, and where they basically took plants apart at different times of the phenological steps throughout the year, whether pre bloom bloom, fruit set, version, and harvest, and they looked at the total mineral content of these nutrients. And they use that to determine what the demand of those nutrients were at different stages. And so what we see is that nitrogen and potassium sort of follow the same curve, where as you get into bloom, there's a spike in demand for nitrogen and potassium. And then after fruit set, it goes down a little, and then the roller coaster ride goes back up, and the demand goes back up in your veraison as your ripening fruit, you need more nitrogen, potassium, things like that. It's all part of the sugar production system. And then you look at also the quantities you know, nitrogen and potassium, are by far the macronutrients that are needed the most, and then something like magnesium. And we do see a lot of magnesium deficiency, east of the Rockies at many sites, it's needed, but not until after fruit set, really, that's where the bumps starts. So the bumps gonna start afterwards. And it's going to kind of gradually go up and down and up again towards veraison But the amount is not as, let's say the quantity that's needed is not as great as something like potassium. And you could do that for each nutrient and look at it to me that that triggers the kind of the benchmark of when we have to start applying fertilizer. And so the interesting thing about that is if I've got a vineyard, where we can put everything through the drip, irrigation and fertigation, we can wait until either right before the time of highest demand, or right at the time, and we can just slug it through the drip, right. If you don't have irrigation, you might be able to do foliar application, but that's not going to get a lot of nutrients into the vine like it will if you put it into the root system. So you'll you'll hear and I know we're going to discuss this as well, because we discussed it earlier that you know, dry farmed vineyards or vineyards in areas where it rains and they don't have irrigation, have to plan a little bit farther ahead. Because if you're going to put something like magnesium out or potassium, it needs to be worked into the soil with a rain event if you don't have to ration or cultivated in in some cases. So you can't wait until that perfect window. You've got to get it out ahead of time so that it makes its way down to the roots and it's available for uptake at that critical window that I was referring to before in the phenol logical stages.   Craig Macmillan  9:56  Can I wait till I see a forecast that there's a storm coming and then get my material out? Or do I put it up earlier than then just kind of hope that it rains? I mean, how much time do I have?   Fritz Westover  10:08  Yeah, that's a really great question to Craig. And so you don't want to answer every question with it depends, right? So you've got to get some concrete information for a grower to actually follow. So then you start thinking about...   Craig Macmillan  10:19  There's nothing wrong with it depends.   Fritz Westover  10:21  It's okay, as long as you follow up with, but this is what I would do, right. And that's what I like to say. So this is what I would do if nitrogen was the nutrient in question, if you put out especially an ammonia, nitrogen, something like that on the ground or something that is not bound up, like if compost, you have a more stable form of nitrogen that's in organic matter, if you have something like ammonium, it might be readily evaporated, or it's going to it's going to volatilize, and you'll lose it to the atmosphere. So you definitely want to get that out as soon as you can, right before the rain. So the rain can immediately move that nutrient into the soil. And that will secure it, so to speak, and stop the volatilization from occurring. If it's something like magnesium, really not as volatile, right. Or if it's something like phosphorus, or if you're putting out calcium in the form of lime, or gypsum, there's not going to be a lot of volatility. So you can put those types of products out farther ahead of the rain, and hope that the rain will eventually come and work them in. So I guess in that matter, depends on what you're applying. And you can, you can decide based on that, if you want to trust that forecast or not.   Craig Macmillan  11:28  You know, I just started something, I interviewed somebody else recently, and they were working with underlying vegetation issues. It was fascinating to me because of the work that they were doing in there not necessarily chemical burn down, not necessarily inrow cultivation in the comment was it rains enough here that I can do whatever I want. But there's going to be plants growing there two days later, in your experience in parts of the country. And I would love to have some, you know, compare and contrast here. What do I need to do in terms of preparing that area, you know, around the root system, because I'm trying to get top to bottom right down to get in there. And then also, you mentioned system wide things. And so what do I need to do there to make that work?   Fritz Westover  12:12  Let's cover the system wide. First, when I talk about system wide or make creating these, quote unquote, sea changes in the soil, you're not going to make a sea change the soil is the soil. It's got its own living breathing organisms in it. But let's say you were chronically deficient in calcium, or magnesium, right? We'll use those as two good examples. If you apply your calcium, whether it's lime, or magnesium in the form of dolomitic, lime, which is calcium with 10%, magnesium, great way to put magnesium and calcium in the soil to acidifying your soil like you would with a magnesium sulfate. Or if you're putting out a magnesium sulfate in a high pH, soil, anything that you're trying to put out to change the plant uptake. So let's say really high potassium uptake in your plant is undesirable to you for some reason, and you're getting magnesium deficiency. As a result, if we only put that magnesium or that calcium right at the base of the vine, you can only really change the the cation exchange or the base saturation of those cations right in that small area. And that's important because it's a major area of uptake. And this is something a lot of growers don't think about, even when you're dripping something through a system that biggest area of uptake is near the crown of the vine at the base of the root system. And feeder roots will take up stuff too. But that's where if you're going to put a one time slug, you know, it's got to be within 18 inches or so the trunk, but you still have roots, especially on older vines that are moving out into the row middles. Over the years, they get into the row middles. And so they're still getting access to that perhaps high level of potassium in that bass saturation or that cation exchange out there. So they can still kind of pull that up. So if you want to create a wider change and impacts the system as a whole, you're better off applying that product as a broadcast into the middle and under the vines. I have done that with magnesium when we're trying to compete with potassium, because we see magnesium magnesium deficiency, or also if we're aligning soil. So in eastern states, we have acid soil, parts of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, where I've worked, even in East Texas or north of that in Arkansas, depending on where you're at. You run into these acid soils, and we're talking like 4.5 ph. Yeah, so it is or like wine, right? Yeah, yeah. So we know that nutrients are not as available many nutrients like phosphorus is deficient boron, other cations are not as available. Due to that high hydrogen ion competition. We're going to add lime. Hopefully before the vineyard is planted. You do that before but I often go back and add maintenance applications of lime over the years as well within the vineyard system, and we do that over the whole field. We don't just do that in the rows where we're planting vines, because we want the vines to be encouraged to explore the soil and to mine, if you will, for nutrients outside of that immediate crown zone near the vine. Because eventually that will be depleted, your vines are going to keep growing and searching for these nutrients. So by doing a broadcast application, you create a soil that not only is more amendable, for roots to grow in, because acid soils are actually toxic to root tips that you get a high amount of available aluminum at 4.5 ph. And that will stop a root tip from growing. So if you want your roots to grow and expand, you don't want any chemical barriers, you don't want any physical barriers like compaction, you put something like that out before planting. So in Georgia where I work, very acidic soils, we will put out something around six tons per acre of the dolomitic lime before we plant some of the sites and then within two years, we're coming back with as much as two times per acre, because we're trying to to over time, bring that soil into maybe a 6.0 or 6.5 pH so that nutrients are just more available, so that we don't have to fertilize as much we don't have to put inputs into the soil. Right? We don't want to do that we don't have to cost money, and it could have environmental impacts.   Craig Macmillan  16:12  While we're still on this, this area, you got pre planned, are you recommending that we shank materials in? Or are we incorporated in a disking pass? And then over time that moves down in? And then also, if I've got an established vineyard to incorporate these materials? Or to get these materials there? I mean, do I need to do a cultivation pass and then do a broadcast and then cultivate again to stir it in?   Fritz Westover  16:39  Yeah, so these are all different methods that are used Craig and any grower out there who's developing a vineyard site in the near future or has done it recently, you'll hear conflicting opinions on the best way to do it. But what I like to do is break it down to how did the nutrients move in the soil environment? And how do I put them by the root where they're needed, and make sure they're not going to get washed away right away? So yes, if I'm starting a new site, we're going to look at the soil, we're going to determine what our amendments are going to be, let's say that the vineyard soil is low in phosphorus and need some line that to change the pH but also to increase calcium. And let's say it's a little bit low on potassium as well. Okay. So in that instance, if you just stir the soil up and put the lime in and fix the pH, that would be wonderful, because you've already made nutrient availability, so much better for that for the uptake of that plant root system. So that's good. That's the first step. But if then you go in and plant the vines, and you say, well, we needed phosphorus and potassium. And I know that new plants need nitrogen, so I'm going to take like a triple 10, or a triple 13, that's nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at 10 to 13%. And I'm just gonna sprinkle three ounces around the vine. Well, how did those nutrients move down into the soil? Well, the first time it rains, or you irrigate, and it touches those granules, the first thing that moves down quickly through the soil, what we call the mass flow is the nitrogen. And so that's going to be immediately available. So the vines is gonna pick up nitrogen, it's gonna say, let's go, let's grow. The next level of infiltration would be the potassium, we know that potassium is somewhat moderately mobile in the mass flow, but it doesn't move as fast as the nitrogen. So with enough rainfall and frequent rainfall or irrigation, it could move down gradually and get to the root system, that phosphorus on the other hand, it's just going to sit there on the surface like a rock. And it might take years for it really to move effectively. And so if you know your, your soil needs something like phosphorus, and potassium, you might add the phosphorus, whatever form phosphorus, you're using rock phosphate, if you're organic, or PTO five or some, put that on the on the surface, and you amend it with the lime to get it down deep to where the roots are going to be planted to. So maybe it's 15 inches, for an example 30 centimeters, that's all they're ready for the roots. And then later, you can come in and topdress something like potassium, for your final cultivation, just to work it into the topsoil. So it's, it's at a better stage, and I'm giving you an ideal scenario, obviously. And then the nitrogen, you could go ahead and top dress later, or put your drip system or let the rain work it in right before the rain like we talked about with that nitrogen. And that way you're getting things right at the root where it's needed. And you're not doing it in phases where it gets nitrogen grows a lot and then doesn't have enough other stuff like potassium, magnesium or micronutrients to keep up with that growth. And that's where you see these deficiencies starting to set in.   Craig Macmillan  19:26  Actually, that's a great kind of transition. You know, we talked about VSP and I think we do a lot of folks relies primarily upon visual and it's not simply the, you know, the tiger stripes in the leaf and that kind of a thing or the yellowing, but they're looking at how the crop set they're looking at when the sheets tipped start to quit. Because yeah, that's driven by water, but it's driven by by other resources to that kind of thing. Yeah. What can I do to quantify that? And how can I be kind of forward looking? I mean, you talked about removal. is a materials with harvest? So I know I'm I want to order some stuff, you know, but it's a long term kind of project.   Fritz Westover  20:07  Yeah, it is. It is.   Craig Macmillan  20:08  I mean, you walk vineyards with people, obviously. But then also you mentioned you see all these reports of it? What kinds of reports? Do you want to see what time of year? How do you put all that together?   Fritz Westover  20:19  Right. The visual is really important. And the only risky run there is some of these nutrients don't show visually until it's too late. A lot of our micronutrients are really important, as you know, Craig, for fruit set, and pollination, and fertilization rather, boron, zinc, molendinum, copper, all these things. So if you do your plant tissue test at bloom, which is the first time you would do it during the season, it you're already in bloom. So you're late to add that micronutrient, right. So then some growers will say, Well, I'm just going to put up this prophylactic kind of micronutrients, spray two or three weeks before bloom just to make sure they have what they need. And you can do that. But do you really need to. So I really rely on taking the bloom sample, because it is kind of like your progress report. It tells you, you know, how you're doing for the season. And you know, are you destined for an A plus a B minus by the time you get to the end of the season, because you still have a chance to get things in gear and improve your grade, right. So that bloom time sample of what I do is whole leaf sample with blade and petiole attached, some people just do petioles, separate the petiole and the blade, I've had very good success and consistent results with blade and petiole attached. I also, when I have an issue where there's, you know, maybe we're doing intensive fertilization, or I've got a deficiency, I might sometimes separate the petiole from the whole leaf. And that way, I can look at both reports and have two numbers to kind of look at instead of one. But the ranges are different for a blade versus petioles. So you definitely want to look at those. And I tell my growers to just go to my website, and you can download the, the standards there and look at them, because you don't need a consultant to just see what's out of balance, you can look at a table, I do that at bloom, and that gives me the report card. But the second time I do it is that version. And that's your report card for the season, so to speak. So by the time you get to version, you're at entering your maximum stress time, if you take the plant tissue sample too far after version, a lot of the nutrients have moved into the fruit. And the tissue sometimes is already suffering from the seasonal wear and tear. So it can give you these false ideas that you're really low and then you put out too much fertilizer. At bloom, we take a leaf next to a inflorescence or flower, because that is a representative leaf. And then at version, we go about seven leaves down from a shoot tip that has not been hedged or altered. And that is what's considered a representative leaf at that stage of growth. And that's the report card. Now the report card is really important. And I tell my growers if you can only afford or have time to do one sample, do the one version and get the final report card because that's the one that we then use for the next season to say okay, boron was a little low zinc was a little low. So we're going to find some boron and zinc to put into the system either through the drip or through a foliar spray before bloom, to make sure that we don't have issues with fruit set. So that's how we use that if we wait for bloom, it's a little late to make the change. So getting those two phases is really key for me. And then of course, like you said, being in the vineyard observing growth, looking for signs of deficiency, some things do show, you can clearly see nitrogen as pale leaves. Boron is actually important for nitrogen assimilation. So you could have what you think is adequate boron or nitrogen in your program. But if boron is missing, you might not get the assimilation and the you know, the proper use of the boron, or the nitrogen rather within the vines. So there's, you know, things to look for, to give you clues as well. So when I see something visual, sometimes magnesium deficiency can look a lot like potassium deficiency, it's on the order of interveinal, the potassium tends to be more beginning around the margin or outside edge of the leaf. So I always tell my growers, let's send in a sample, it's like 20 bucks, right? Let's just verify it with a lab report before we put the wrong thing down and make the problem way worse, right.   Craig Macmillan  24:10  When we're doing this, what are some of the most difficult decisions, some of the biggest obstacles to being successful here? And I'm talking about everything in terms of like you're getting good information, getting picking the right to formulations or the right products, the right individual minerals, and then getting into the plan. Are there regional differences that you've seen? Or are there kind of obstacles that everybody kind of faces?   Fritz Westover  24:37  There's definitely regional issues. You know, I can say that across the board. And this state over here, like I'll say, Georgia, we see magnesium and boron and nitrogen are our three biggest deficiencies consistently in those soils. You go to California, and certain areas where I work there we'd see it's either nitrogen or potassium that are low and sometimes zinc. And then if I go to the high planes in Texas, it's usually nitrogen and zinc, are my lowest. And sometimes, and then I go to the hill country of Texas, where it's cacareous soil. And we see that iron deficiency becomes an issue because it's just that high pH really ties it up, growers will sometimes put a lot of zinc down in the soil, but then we have to be mindful of the competition of certain nutrients with each other, because too much zinc can compete with phosphorus for uptake and vice versa. And then, as I mentioned already before, the pH of the soil varies greatly from one region to the next. And that's why getting the amendments and getting the soil in a pH that's, you know, ideally at that 6.5, for greens, right? That's kind of like, you know, you're good. From seven,   Craig Macmillan  25:40  Have you ever receive a site that was like, exactly 6.5.   Fritz Westover  25:45  I have I have because I've looked at it for their soil reports, I've seen a few but no, usually we're saying we need to add a little or, you know, seven is fine, we can deal with it, we'll put a different rootstock that's better under you know, calcareous soil. You know, I didn't mention that and really emphasize that enough, I talked about plant tissue sampling, and visual evaluation, I don't do soil sampling annually with most of my vineyards, because their soils just aren't changing that much, unless they're really doing heavy amendments of something that that sea change, they're trying to go for it. So we'll do this about once every three years, and just compare them. And so I think the most important thing any grower can do, and this is how I work with it with kind of my long term growers I've been with for 10 years, you know, we have a soil sample every three years. So we can compare what the trend is, over those years, if we see potassium is going down. Well, we know that's one of the greatest Nutrients taken out of the system of the soil with fruit that's much higher than nitrogen much, much, much higher than magnesium or phosphorus. So you're literally mining your soil for potassium, well, I have sites where we have high potassium, and we're trying to get more magnesium in there. So I almost never put potassium back in the soil, I'm happily mining it out of the soil. And that's going to be totally different than maybe a vineyard in California where potassium availability is just not as good or as high. We're kind of looking at it that way. And same thing with plant tissue test, you can really see sometimes more volatile fluctuation in plant tissue tests from year to year. And that's where you have to start asking the question, okay, how much rainfall did we have? Was there good soil moisture, I've run into problems where irrigated vineyards, we hit a drought, and you have normally rained during the season, like let's say, in West Texas, or parts of Arizona, where I work, there's rainfall during the monsoon season. So you go into the winter with a soil profile that's nice and full. And then in the spring, you come out and you really have full access to the whole mineral nutrient profile of the soil and the roots grow throughout the whole soil, then all of a sudden, you have a drought for year two. And this has happened in my West Texas growers, areas where those roots that are in the row, middle, all of a sudden are not able to pull up anything from the soil. So they're shrinking. And as they shrink, they pull away from the soil as a strategy to minimize water loss. And so you're not getting the nutrients that are available out there. So we have to consider that and sometimes increase our fertilizer levels based on the fact that we're losing access to the soil nutrients. And the best way to do that is to take the plant tissue test, and find out if that's really happening, but the plant tissue test can fluctuate. And I guess my point is understanding how the environmental conditions right in and around are leading up to that plant tissue test. really affected nutrient content is important. So we don't have that. Like I'll say it again, that knee jerk reaction like oh my gosh, nitrogen is low, let's put 50 pounds per acre out which is you know, ridiculously high. Yeah, maybe just needs to rain or you need to irrigate more, and that will fix the problem.   Craig Macmillan  28:41  Yeah, what is one thing, the one thing that you would tell growers on this topic, one piece of advice or insight or anything.   Fritz Westover  28:50  In addition to doing your soil sampling every few years, and your plant tissue tissue every year at bloom at veraison and some growers may even do it more often or some growers may prefer to do SAP analysis on a more frequent basis. That's all good and well. Just do it at your regular intervals, and get your long term data so you can see trends and changes. Then take some time to really understand number one, as we mentioned before, with the demand of the plant for each nutrient, okay, when is nitrogen, potassium versus magnesium or other micronutrients? When are they most essential for uptake into the vine? And how could you put them into the ground or into the system or onto the foliage in a method that is going to get that nutrient to the vine in time for its high demand, you need to know that vine needs it, because if it doesn't need it, you don't need to put it in there. And then finally understand how the nutrients move within the soil. That was the other thing we covered. So I had a great podcast on the vineyard underground with Paul Crout who works in the Central Coast a good friend of mine, he's worked with video team to Episode 16 We did a deep dive into Vine nutrition and availability in different forms of nitrogen and how some are immediately available and some are more slow release available. So I won't get into all that now. But understanding the availability of that fertilizer formulation that you're using is really critical. Because that's going to tell you not not only when you're going to apply it, how far ahead of the demand for the vine, but what method you're going to use to apply it. Will it be better off put into drip, apply to the soil? Or maybe as a foliar application.   Craig Macmillan  30:25  Where can people find out more about you?   Fritz Westover  30:27  Ok me? Oh, thanks, Craig.   Craig Macmillan  30:29  Oh, little Oh, me. Oh, me.   Fritz Westover  30:31  Well, you can find me chatting like I am with you on the Vineyard Underground podcast, the vineyardundergroundpodcast.com Or just look for that, wherever you stream podcast on Spotify or for Apple podcast, or if you would like to download some of the past presentations I've done on nutrition management, or the charts to determine the critical levels for nutrients have many of those that are free and available to the public go to virtualviticultureacademy.com The academy is where I teach grape growing and have a membership in there where I advise growers on a week to week basis.   Craig Macmillan  31:05  That's awesome. Our guest today has been Fritz Westover. He is a viticulturist. He's the host of the vineyard underground podcast. He's also the founder of a really great resource. You definitely need to know about this. If you're a grower, and that's the Virtual Viticulture Academy. He's not kidding, a lot of resources there and really good quality resources as well. So thanks for being on the podcast.   Fritz Westover  31:27  Hey, thanks, Craig. You guys are an amazing resource to the industry to and you have tons of free and available information. Keep doing the great things that you're doing. I'm a listener, so I'm a fan. It's really privileged to be on here my friend.   Nearly perfect transcription by https://otter.ai

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