Dan Towery & Hans Kok
Conservation Ag Consultants
CLASSROOM #21: I’m No-Tilling Already: Why Do I Need to Change Again?
Getting a no-till operation to a regenerative farming system with resilient soil may seem like a goal that is impossible to reach. The old saying is “How does one eat an elephant?” Answer: “One bite at a time!” Conservation ag consultants Dan Towery and Hans Kok provides a better understanding of the needed management changes, associated soil changes and the needed mindset that are all part of the process.
These details — such as planting shorter-maturing varieties, planting green and dropping neonics will be covered with relevant examples. Understanding the process enables no-tillers to set yearly goals to transition to the next phase and to eventually get to regenerative farming as they learn to focus on profit margins rather than chasing yield, say Towery and Kok. Without a plan, they point out, no-tillers may drift in the transition phase and may not ever capture all the potential benefits.