About Bizon
A decade-plus of growing, finally put somewhere other people can use it.
The idea for this site didn't come out of nowhere. Sprawled across my computers' directories was a decade-plus of agricultural tools I'd built for myself along the way, mostly Excel files, notes, calculations, and guides.
It was finally time to take these tools and put it somewhere I could share it with other growers. That's how BizonAg was born.
About Me
My name is Connor Schmitz. I have an M.P.S. in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) from Cornell University and a B.S. in Ecology from SUNY Plattsburgh. The M.P.S. is a specialized program that trains growers and scientists for precision agriculture in CEA. I currently manage the Plant Growth Center at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana.
I couldn't ask for better people, better work, or a better sense of what it gives back to the growers around me.
While I enjoy this work completely, I am also very excited to share my own project with the world, and hope it helps others in their endeavors.
Ten+ Years of Growing
Bare feet in soil. Hydroponic tomatoes. Cannabis. Maple syrup. Orchards. Livestock. Name something that grows, and there's a decent chance I've grown it.
That includes 27 months in the Himalayas as a Food Security volunteer with the Peace Corps, teaching and connecting village farmers with larger organizations. My largest projects included introducing Kiwifruit to my region and teaching hundreds of women how to sew reusable pads. I'm proud of what I brought to that table, literally. But I learned just as much from my community members about being a resourceful farmer.
My Favorite Tool
If I had to point at one tool here, it's the Fertigation Calculator. It started as an Excel file I built over a few years, finally transposed into software.
Most fertilizer calculators either oversimplify the chemistry or overpromise on accuracy. This one says what it can and can't do- and it may seem overwhelming at first, but a complex question often requires a complex tool. It's complete where the math holds up, and upfront about where the logic may fall short.
While I'm Not Growing
Outside of work you may find me on my adventure motorcycle, a 2003 BMW F650GS, riding somewhere, likely off-road where there's no cell service. It's taught me to be resourceful, since help isn't close by when something breaks. Otherwise you'll see me at concert venues, the local honky-tonk for some swing dancing, or just enjoying a walk in the mountains.
Really, this site is just about sharing what I know with anyone it might help, whether you're growing houseplants, food, cannabis, or fruit trees. We're all connected to the world we grow in. That's not up for debate. That's Ecology.