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Randall Reeder and Frank Lessiter discuss ridge-tilling on this week’s episode of the “No-Till Influencers and Innovators” podcast.

Ridge-tilling involves building ridges in the fall, and then knocking over and planting into the tops of those ridges in the spring. The method pushed weed seeds near the crops into valleys between the ridges, along with residue, where it would be quickly canopied over by the growing crops – usually corn – and help retain water.

The system was promoted by Ernie Behn, the recipient of the 1975 No-Till Farmer of the Year award by No-Till Farmer, among others. Proponents spread the practice throughout the Midwest, and there are still ridge-tillers out there today, though they are few and far in between. 

In this episode of the podcast, Lessiter and Reeder discuss the practice’s advantages, challenges, its departure from the mainstream discussions of conservation agriculture and more.

No-Till Farmer‘s No-Till Influencers & Innovators Podcast podcast is brought to you by SOURCE®️ by Sound Agriculture.

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