A recent study by Anthony Bly of South Dakota State University found that no-till fields managed with diversified crop rotation, cover crops, and livestock integration had 57% porosity and an internal water movement rate of 4.7 inches per hour. Soil from conventionally tilled fields had 49% porosity and an internal water movement rate of only 0.8 inches per hour.

I’ve heard some stories in recent years — both passionate and very sad, unfortunately — of no-tillers having to pull out a tillage implement to deal with weed problems that got away from them.