Farmer Greg Nettekoven has been a busy man the past few growing seasons on his Black Creek, Wis., acres.

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.