Increased water infiltration, less erosion, cleaner water and improved overall health of cash crops are just a few benefits Darin Williams has witnessed since adding cover crops to his 2,000-acre no-till operation in east central Kansas. Williams discusses these benefits and several more, including how cover crops have reduced his weed population and chemical inputs and allowed his non-GMO crops to do just as well as GMOs. He also shares how adding livestock to the operation has maximized his investment in cover crops, as well as his experience in marketing cover crop seed to seed companies.

Darin Williams wishes he had known about no-till and grazing cover crops when he decided to go into home building after college because he didn’t think he’d make it as a farmer in his community. But since he took up farming in 2010, Williams has been able to grow his no-till operation to 2,000 acres of non-GMO corn, soybeans, wheat, rye, triticale, winter barley and milo, and grazes his cattle herd on cover crops to maximize their investment. Williams also has a flock of sheep and recently added poultry. Considering organic matter to be king on his farm, the Waverly, Kan., no-tiller discusses the components that make up his no-till system, including why he tries to direct-market everything produced to consumers and how he marketed his grain for premiums in 2015.