Do you see what I see? Improved communications can help clarity 

By Scott Gabbard and Berenize DelReal 

Greetings, while the Holidays are over, that doesn’t mean some of the songs still don’t float around in our heads. 

One of my lingering lyrics has been “Do you see what I see?” In truth, we don’t. Even if we do see the same thing, we may look at it differently. It is followed by “Do you hear what I hear?” Again, if we do hear the same thing, especially when communicating, it may be interpreted differently. 

In one of Dr. Fred Whitford’s recent presentations on spray nozzles (and the associated publication which can be found by searching “Agricultural Spray Nozzles PPP-15”), there isn’t a consensus between industry and university researchers on what constitutes driftable fines when analyzing spray droplet sizes. 

Fortunately for all, there are a lot of standards and procedures that have been agreed upon. This has led not only to breakthroughs in improved applications but in other areas of nozzles, pressures and fluids; like your fuel injectors in many engines. 

“Do you see what I see?” This happens in the field, as well. What looks bad from the roadside might be fine, if not great, further into the field. Drones may also lend a different perspective. In addition, confirmation is nice, too. This may come in the form of an acknowledgement from either the farmer, scout or the lab. 

So, what does one do to improve this communication? Everyone must ask questions and share what is seen. This year, Purdue On The Farm embarked creating a social media presence to share with Indiana producers to share what we are seeing, when we see it. 

While still growing, we intend to use it to interact with growers throughout the entire year. The easiest way to find our social platforms is to type purdue.ag/onthefarm in your search browser. From there, you will find our YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, X (Twitter), and even Instagram. 

Most of these accounts were set up last spring. In June, our postings and traffic began to take off. We’ve had almost 13,000 views on Facebook, 6,000 on Instagram, 5,000 on LinkedIn and 3,000 on X/Twitter. 

While growth is important, so are the interactions. This has led to conversations in the field and at meetings throughout the state, and it continues to grow. 

It also gives some indirect guidance as to what the people we serve would like to know or enjoy seeing. This is done through the resharing, subscribing, comments and “likes” that we receive. 

Now that we are in 2026, what do you think? What would you like for us to share more of going into this year’s growing season? 

You can drop us a note at potf@purdue.edu or on any of the social media platforms.