Editor’s note: Husker Harvest Days is Sept. 10-12 in Grand Island, Neb. Visit HuskerHarvestDays.com.

Every once in a while, an opportunity arises that changes the course of a life. While some let the moment pass them by, Carter Rohrer jumped at the chance to own a hay business.

Today, the fifth-generation Nebraska farmer operates a custom hay and supply business — Holland Hay — making high-quality small square and round bales of grass, straw and organic alfalfa, marketing products throughout the Midwest.

Rohrer says Husker Harvest Days offers a look into the future of forage production. At the show, he focuses on how drones will change the game for small producers, as well as checking on spray technology.

He also finds yield mapping, which has only recently been applied to alfalfa production, as a tool to increase profitability. Also, Rohrer says that onboard moisture sensors will help maintain product quality.

“If you’re not growing, you’re dying,” he says, “and technology is here to stay.”

For Rohrer, Husker Harvest Days is the place to participate in field demonstrations and network with businesses large and small. Ultimately, he says, the show builds the vision for the future of his company.

Rohrer’s path into ag business began in 2017. While still in high school, he realized college and its expenses were fast approaching. His father offered a solution. If Rohrer could secure the equipment, he could bale 20 acres of the family’s grass hay. He did.

Two years later, a local farmer hired the burgeoning entrepreneur to bale 130 acres of alfalfa. It was a small start, but Rohrer saw its potential. He quickly took a chance and secured a loan to scale up his hay business.

But just as Rohrer expanded his business, he encountered immediate challenges. Rain and floods affected agriculture throughout the state in 2019, making it the wettest year on record.

In trying to curb the moisture’s impact, Rohrer invested in an inoculant system.

He set the system, operated by an iPad, to bale at up to 30% moisture. At this rate, he expected to increase quality and profits. However, the technology was miscalibrated.

“It was a very expensive learning lesson that made me a little shy to try other technologies,” Rohrer says.

Despite the setback and small profits, he persisted, pursuing tech that could make his business more profitable.

Impactful conversations at show

The young farmer from southeast Nebraska grew up around agricultural innovation. He started attending Husker Harvest Days at age 10 and returned every year.

But Rohrer’s perspective changed from a young boy dazzled by the latest bells, whistles and shiny paint to a business owner eager to learn about the newest machine efficiencies.

Transitioning into managing Holland Hay full time, Rohrer looks forward to seeing the type of equipment and software to help him make informed decisions about what’s next. He says it is the conversations that make HHD a can’t-miss event.

Rohrer says talking to the engineers and owners of the companies about “what doesn’t work and what does to potentially implement change” lets him gain insights on what might be next on the journey to improving productivity.

Favorite 5

Rohrer offers his top five favorites to see at Husker Harvest Days: