One thing Mazeppa, Minn., strip-tiller and no-tiller Rod Sommerfield isn’t short on is ambition.

As a no-tiller, any form of tillage is usually a bad word and some no-tillers are adamant that any form of soil disturbance is taboo. However, there are places where some form of ‘tillage’ has its place and can add value to a no-till system. All the worms, microbes and organic matter that no-till fosters won’t always be the solution to every soil problem.

Leaving Residue on the surface to keep the soil from getting so hot that it seriously impacts plant growth is among the benefits of no-tilling. Along these lines, there’s some interesting research being done at Montana State University that demonstrates how cooler soils not only lead to higher yields, but also reduce the need for fallowing fields to conserve moisture and favorably impact climate change.