Cover crop roller-crimpers have several advantages over mowing, in that fewer trips are required to suppress the cover crop, less energy is used, residues persist longer and the residue is neatly laid in one direction, facilitating planting.
Continuous no-till can go a long way toward keeping soil where it’s supposed to be, but a monster rainstorm falling on soybean residue can still result in ephemeral gullies.
Jim and Susie Braddock are enjoying the benefits of converting their farm to no-till. But the journey to get there wasn’t easy. The Braddocks have invested nearly 20 years converting 90% of their 2,400-acre farm in Fredericktown, Ohio, to no-till.
No tillers have many cover-crop options that can improve soil tilth, warm up temperatures at planting time, manage pest problems and much more, according to experts who spoke to about 100 no-tillers attending the Ohio No-Till Council’s field day earlier this fall.
Five years ago, Nick and Luke Miller returned to Miller Farms near Oconomowoc, Wis., bringing with them a passion for change that works well with the no-till tradition their father, Bob, began 16 years ago.
No-tillers who must apply manure late in the summer and also want to drill cover crops face a conflict. When storage nears capacity, manure must be applied to fields. But timely seeding of cover crops is crucial to establishing stands.
Over the past 38 years, we've produced a handful of No-Till Farmer articles on no-tilling corn and other crops into a living cover, such as alfalfa sod, cereal rye or wheat. But it’s a tricky maneuver and one that has not caught on among many no-tillers.
Control of cover crops is a key element in managing a no-till farming operation. Without proper management, cover crops can compete with grain crops and potentially reduce yields.
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On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Martin Industries, Vincennes, Ind., no-tiller Ray McCormick explains why it’s going to be tough to “not lose a lot of money this year” on corn. Plus, we ask our readers, “On a scale of 1-10, how concerned are you about drought this year?” Hear why some farmers are worried, and why others aren’t very worried at all.
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