About this episode

The episode discusses the Fabian family's innovative approach to regenerative agriculture, focusing on foliar applications of solubilized urea and enhancing soil biology.

Patrick Fabian and his two sons Andrew and Stephen operate a third and fourth-generation farm in Southern Alberta, Canada. Farming on 100% irrigated land, they specialize in producing a diverse range of pedigreed seeds, including cereals, flax, corn, alfalfa, canola, and peas. Their operation encompasses roughly a thousand acres and revolves around cultivating high-quality seeds that boast robust germination and exceptional vigor. In their transition to regenerative agriculture, the Fabians drastically reduced upfront synthetic nitrogen, opting instead to spoon-feed crops with highly efficient foliar applications of solubilized urea. By combining biological seed treatments like compost tea with targeted carbon sources and micronutrients, they successfully eliminated the need for conventional fungicides and insecticides. Their practices focus heavily on maximizing net income per acre and enhancing soil biology rather than chasing sheer volume. In this episode, John and the Fabians discuss: The efficiency gains achieved by switching from upfront soil nitrogen to foliar applications of solubilized urea. The operational shift from chasing maximum gross yield to prioritizing net…

People in this episode

Host: John Kempf

Guests: Patrick Fabian, Andrew Fabian, Stephen Fabian

Topics covered

• regenerative agriculture
• foliar nutrition
• sustainable farming
• seed production
• soil biology
• nitrogen management

Keywords

• solubilized urea
• foliar applications
• biological seed treatments
• compost tea
• pedigreed seeds
• soil health
• crop nutrition

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Fabian Family

Places: Southern Alberta, Canada

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• Episode 183: Overcoming the Ammonium Death Spiral with Jim Dunlop · July 2, 2026 · 59 min
• Podcast Extra: Ask Me Anything with John Kempf - June 4, 2026 · June 18, 2026 · 57 min
• Episode 182: Reclaiming Independence from Corporate Meat with Cole Mannix · June 12, 2026 · 1h 3m
• Episode 181: Plant Immunity Through Custom Foliars and Targeted Nutrition with Peter Henry · June 5, 2026 · 1h 11m
• Episode 180: Shifting Management Logistics to Build a Better Lifestyle with Tom Cotter · May 28, 2026 · 1h 6m

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