Sitting with his nephew Dan in their barn near DeKalb, Mo., this past summer, Randy Linville recalled an event to convince them it was time to give no-till a look.

For many farmers, rebuilding the level of organic matter in their soils is a process that can take many years, oftentimes only seeing small gains. But Kennett Square, Pa., no-tiller Jamie Hicks has seen the organic matter in some of his soils rocket from 1% to up to 5% in a relatively short period of time by spreading mushroom compost.

Nitrogen (N) management plans are about as variable as the timing and application options available to today’s no-till farmers. Not only is careful consideration given to the types and amounts of N applied, but the use of precision data gathering equipment also enables growers to gauge their success on the fly and take corrective actions as required.

Kelly Tobin, 85, has long been dedicated to learning, and is still picking up new tricks to advance production on his farm and others he manages.