SPONSORED CONTENT How North Dakota Farmers Are Tackling Rocky Fields with Smarter Tools If you've farmed in North Dakota, you know the deal-rocks. They're every- where, and they never seem to go away. They ding up your equipment, slow down your work, and, let's face it, they've probably led to a few choice words in the middle of a field. But rocks aren't just an inconvenience. Left unchecked, they can cause expen- sive damage to planters and combines, delay planting and harvest, and add extra labor at the worst possible time. Cory Palm gets it. As a lifelong farmer and owner of Pro Ag Solutions in Bis- marck, he's spent plenty of time hauling rocks out of fields the old-fashioned way. His company provides a range of services to help farmers across North Dakota, northem Minnesota, and South Dakota get the most out of their land. Pro Ag Solutions offers soil sampling, crop consulting, seed and chemical sales, and drone spraying. Now, they've added something new to their lineup: Terra- Clear's rock removal technology. "I've been doing this since I was a little kid," he said. "1 tell everyone I'll never pick another rock by hand again" Why Are There So Many Rocks in the First Place? If you've ever wondered why rocks seem to magically appear every spring, thank the region's glacial history. As the ground freezes and thaws, rocks buried below the surface get pushed up-a phenomenon known as "frost heave." Combine that with North Dakota's mini- mal-till practices, and you've got a recipe for fields that are rocky year after year. These rocks aren't just a hassle- they're costly. When a combine ingests one, it's not just about stopping the workday to clear it out. You're looking at potential damage to machinery, expensive repairs, and delays that can impact your entire operation. It's a problem every farmer has faced, which is why Palm started thinking about better solutions for his operation. Finding a Smarter Way Enter TerraClear, a tool that's shaking up the way rocks are handled. Instead of wandering a field looking for trouble spots, Palm and his team at Pro Ag Solu- tions now use drones to map fields and identify exactly where rocks are located. "Before, we'd drive around blindly, just hoping to find them," Palm said. "Now, we can pull up a map on an iPad, see exactly where the rocks are, and drive right to them. It's a huge time saver. The drone captures detailed images of the field, and TerraClear's Al processes those images into a "rock map" Farmers can use that map to pinpoint rock locations and prioritize areas, making the process much more efficient. It's a far cry from the days of simply guessing where rocks might be hiding. The Right Tool for the Job Mapping is just the first step. Once the rocks are located, the heavy lifting begins. That's where TerraClear's rock picker comes into play. It's designed to handle the tough jobs, removing even large rocks that would otherwise require extra effort. Palm recalls one moment that sur- prised even him: "I've personally picked 30-inch rocks out of the ground with the TC 100. It's a beast." The real magic, though, is the combination of tools. By pairing precise mapping with efficient picking, the process becomes faster, easier, and way less frustrating it's not just about saving time," Palm said. "It's about protecting equipment, reducing wear and tear, and making the whole operation smoother." More Than Just Time Savings One unexpected benefit Palm has noticed is how TerraClear helps extend the farming season. Pro Ag Solutions typically operates from May to October, but with TerraClear, they're starting earlier in the spring and staying active later into the fall. "This lets us fly fields and map rocks before planting or after harvest," Palm explains. "It's added a couple of extra months to our season, which has been great for keeping employees busy and making better use of our resources" For farmers, it means more flexibility. You can tackle rock removal early, before planting begins, or handle it after harvest without cutting into your busiest weeks. What Farmers Are Saying While Palm's operation has seen great results, he's quick to point out that other farmers are noticing the difference, too. "Everybody we've flown for has come back asking for more fields to be mapped," he said. "Once you see how much time it saves, it's hard to go back The process is simple enough to try on a small scale by mapping a field or two and seeing how it works. Most farmers quickly realize the benefits, especially when they compare it to the old ways of dealing with rocks. So, What's the Takeaway? Rocks are always going to be a part of farming in North Dakota. It's just how the land works. But dealing with them doesn't have to mean endless hours of hard labor or risking damage to your equipment. Tools like TerraClear are helping North Dakota farmers take a smarter, more efficient approach-one that saves time, reduces costs, and makes life a little easier. Whether you're looking to protect your machinery, boost productivity, or just avoid picking another rock by hand, it's worth exploring how technology can help. And, as Palm puts it, "It's a real game-changer. TERRACLEAR SPONSORED CONTENT How North Dakota Farmers Are Tackling Rocky Fields with Smarter Tools If you've farmed in North Dakota , you know the deal - rocks . They're every- where , and they never seem to go away . They ding up your equipment , slow down your work , and , let's face it , they've probably led to a few choice words in the middle of a field . But rocks aren't just an inconvenience . Left unchecked , they can cause expen- sive damage to planters and combines , delay planting and harvest , and add extra labor at the worst possible time . Cory Palm gets it . As a lifelong farmer and owner of Pro Ag Solutions in Bis- marck , he's spent plenty of time hauling rocks out of fields the old - fashioned way . His company provides a range of services to help farmers across North Dakota , northem Minnesota , and South Dakota get the most out of their land . Pro Ag Solutions offers soil sampling , crop consulting , seed and chemical sales , and drone spraying . Now , they've added something new to their lineup : Terra- Clear's rock removal technology . " I've been doing this since I was a little kid , " he said . " 1 tell everyone I'll never pick another rock by hand again " Why Are There So Many Rocks in the First Place ? If you've ever wondered why rocks seem to magically appear every spring , thank the region's glacial history . As the ground freezes and thaws , rocks buried below the surface get pushed up - a phenomenon known as " frost heave . " Combine that with North Dakota's mini- mal - till practices , and you've got a recipe for fields that are rocky year after year . These rocks aren't just a hassle- they're costly . When a combine ingests one , it's not just about stopping the workday to clear it out . You're looking at potential damage to machinery , expensive repairs , and delays that can impact your entire operation . It's a problem every farmer has faced , which is why Palm started thinking about better solutions for his operation . Finding a Smarter Way Enter TerraClear , a tool that's shaking up the way rocks are handled . Instead of wandering a field looking for trouble spots , Palm and his team at Pro Ag Solu- tions now use drones to map fields and identify exactly where rocks are located . " Before , we'd drive around blindly , just hoping to find them , " Palm said . " Now , we can pull up a map on an iPad , see exactly where the rocks are , and drive right to them . It's a huge time saver . The drone captures detailed images of the field , and TerraClear's Al processes those images into a " rock map " Farmers can use that map to pinpoint rock locations and prioritize areas , making the process much more efficient . It's a far cry from the days of simply guessing where rocks might be hiding . The Right Tool for the Job Mapping is just the first step . Once the rocks are located , the heavy lifting begins . That's where TerraClear's rock picker comes into play . It's designed to handle the tough jobs , removing even large rocks that would otherwise require extra effort . Palm recalls one moment that sur- prised even him : " I've personally picked 30 - inch rocks out of the ground with the TC 100. It's a beast . " The real magic , though , is the combination of tools . By pairing precise mapping with efficient picking , the process becomes faster , easier , and way less frustrating it's not just about saving time , " Palm said . " It's about protecting equipment , reducing wear and tear , and making the whole operation smoother . " More Than Just Time Savings One unexpected benefit Palm has noticed is how TerraClear helps extend the farming season . Pro Ag Solutions typically operates from May to October , but with TerraClear , they're starting earlier in the spring and staying active later into the fall . " This lets us fly fields and map rocks before planting or after harvest , " Palm explains . " It's added a couple of extra months to our season , which has been great for keeping employees busy and making better use of our resources " For farmers , it means more flexibility . You can tackle rock removal early , before planting begins , or handle it after harvest without cutting into your busiest weeks . What Farmers Are Saying While Palm's operation has seen great results , he's quick to point out that other farmers are noticing the difference , too . " Everybody we've flown for has come back asking for more fields to be mapped , " he said . " Once you see how much time it saves , it's hard to go back The process is simple enough to try on a small scale by mapping a field or two and seeing how it works . Most farmers quickly realize the benefits , especially when they compare it to the old ways of dealing with rocks . So , What's the Takeaway ? Rocks are always going to be a part of farming in North Dakota . It's just how the land works . But dealing with them doesn't have to mean endless hours of hard labor or risking damage to your equipment . Tools like TerraClear are helping North Dakota farmers take a smarter , more efficient approach - one that saves time , reduces costs , and makes life a little easier . Whether you're looking to protect your machinery , boost productivity , or just avoid picking another rock by hand , it's worth exploring how technology can help . And , as Palm puts it , " It's a real game - changer . TERRACLEAR