When the owners of Cronin Farms near Gettysburg, S.D., compared input costs to net profits in 1989, it was clear there was room for improvement in their farming process. Together with their farm manager of 41 years, Dan Forgey, and the rest of the farm’s employees, they began investigating the benefits of no-till.
Sharp increases in organic matter and vasity reduced fertilizer cost are just a couple of the benefits that David Brandt has realized on his Ohio farm.
When I planted my first cover crop — cereal rye — in 1978 to control erosion on poorly drained, hilly clay soils, I had no idea what the full ramifications of that decision would be. Since then, cover crops have become the anchor of a diverse crop rotation in our continuous no-till system.
When it comes to no-tilling around Gettysburg, Pa., it’s quite a battle for Ed and Dan Wilkinson. While some of the land these no-tillers farm is where the most famous battle of the Civil War was fought, the battle for the Wilkinsons is taming the soils that make the transition to no-till tough.
With its deep root system that breaks up compacted soils, annual ryegrass is an attractive cover. But those deep roots can also make it a challenge for no-tillers to burn down.
For North Dakota no-tiller Gabe Brown, failure isn’t an option — it’s a requirement. That’s because Brown believes constant change drives an ever-improving system.
It may seem improbable and even Terry Dahmer admits his neighbors have thought it a bit unusual, but each spring you’ll find the Marion, Ill., no-tiller pulling a soybean drill through fields of cereal rye about 5 feet tall.
Continuous no-till, along with winter wheat, field peas, proso millet and a CANULA cover crop, raised organic-matter levels and led to better water infiltration for this Nebraska no-tiller.
Randy Rink used to have the typical Midwestern crop operation. He rotated corn and soybeans. With this 2-year rotation, Rink would disc corn stalks once in the fall, and plant soybeans in the spring. The next year, he would no-till corn into soybean residue.
Get full access NOW to the most comprehensive, powerful and easy-to-use online resource for no-tillage practices. Just one good idea will pay for your subscription hundreds of times over.
On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Martin-Till, Westville, Ind., no-tiller Jeff Herrold provides an update on how planting is going so far, and why a potential problem with slugs is causing some early-season anxiety. Herrold also explains why he prefers to plant soybeans before corn.
Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.
The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.