Daniel Kaminsky is the 2023 Indiana CCA of the Year!
It can be easy to stick with what works in your operation, never straying from that path to test out something new. That is not how Dan Kaminsky operates.The certified crop adviser from Monroe, Ind., has dedicated his life to learning, and he is always the first to dive in headfirst on a new practice or product. This ambition is channeled from his father, Daniel Kaminsky Sr., Kaminsky says.
“My dad provided the impetus in not being afraid of doing something new,” Kaminsky says. For example, his father was one of the first farmers to grow soybeans in the South Bend, Ind., area. He saw a farmer planting soybeans near Wakarusa and decided that he would test it in their corn- and wheat-dominated area. He also began planting cereal rye into soybean stubble in the 1960s.“
EARLY ADOPTER: Dan Kaminsky sees himself as an early adopter, always willing to test new agricultural products or practices so he can share the results with farmers. Photos by Allison Lund.
Gaining Experience
After time spent in the National Guard reserves during the Vietnam War, Kaminsky jumped into graduate work at Purdue University. There, he performed studies at Black Creek in Allen County to track fertilizer runoff. Once Kaminsky wrapped up his master’s degree, he had a conversation with his dad about returning to the farm. Given the shifts in the agriculture industry, Kaminsky decided to gather some experience before returning home. His time at the Pulaski County Co-op kickstarted his creativity and passion for helping farmers make the best decisions for their operations. The 1970s and ’80s challenged him to think outside the box.
“I had to sit there and say, ‘OK, this guy’s got $50,000 to farm this year,’” Kaminsky says. “‘How do I use that money? What are the best things I can do to make that guy prosperous?’ And so, I was really pushed.”
Although his role was largely that of a salesman, Kaminsky didn’t see it that way. He was there to help the farmers make the most of what they had and keep up with the changes in agriculture. Part of this mission to help farmers adapt to change was testing new products before they rolled out so he could share his findings with the farmers.
“One of my big goals was to always look at the new products a year or two ahead of time,” Kaminsky says. “I was always the guy that volunteered to have a test plot to really look at the product.”
A TRUSTED SOURCE: Kaminsky’s dedication to serving the farmers he works with has made him a reliable source for farmers across the state.
Continuing to Learn
Kaminsky’s career was marked with a variety of research projects, sales positions and agronomic advice. However, one constant remained: his drive to find things out for himself.
“I don’t know that I was always an innovator, but I was probably an early adopter,” Kaminsky says. “I’ve always said I like to steal good ideas as much as I want to invent them.”
One practice that Kaminsky adopted early was using a no-till drill. It was something that he wanted to teach other people to use, but he found that showing the results upfront was best for getting more farmers interested in using no-till drills.
“When you send a drill out to somebody and rent it to them, you spend about two hours going out there and explaining it and everything,” Kaminsky explains. “I would rather just show them the results, and they can decide if they need to do this.”
He also spent extensive time helping people learn how to properly soil sample and switch from grid sampling to sampling by soil type. He later joined some friends to create their own fertilizer company from scratch, providing soil-testing services, crop scouting and recommendations.
CHANNELING HIS DAD: The courage to try new things comes from Kaminsky’s father, Daniel Sr. He was always willing to try new agricultural practices on his farm. Here, Kaminsky is pictured with his father’s tractor, a John Deere 4020 that his father bought brand new in 1969.
Still Going Today
Kaminsky was recognized for his dedication to learning and educating when the Indiana Certified Crop Adviser program named him the 2023 Indiana CCA of the Year. But that award is not the end of his journey.The Adams County Soil and Water Conservation District got ahold of Kaminsky before he had the chance to retire. They brought him on board for a Lake Erie research project that will aim to reduce runoff by promoting conservation practices among local growers.
That project has spawned into a demonstration farm for a handful of counties in the area. Kaminsky is helping research the effects of various practices on soil fertility. This project is all about getting to the bottom of the facts, he says.
“There’s a lot of facts and fiction,” Kaminsky says. “That’s what I’ve said all through my career. You must figure out whether this stuff is legit.”
They also are testing drainage on the farm while taking soil samples and tissue samples. Over time, they want to help farmers learn how they can be more efficient with their fertility. The demonstration farm also will host a handful of field days to give farmers the chance to see the results of these practices firsthand. Kaminsky largely credits the growers for his success, allowing him to test a spectrum of products and practices over the years.
“I always said my growers teach me as much as anybody,” Kaminsky says. “The successes and failures out here in the country teach me a lot about the way to do agronomy because guys try things and think, ‘Oh, well, that didn’t work. Let’s think about this.’”
