Change is the only thing that stays the same in our no-till operation. That old saying describes our strip-till system perfectly.

I recently attended Ohio’s annual winter No-Till Conference and picked up several tips from some new and veteran no-till professionals. Held in early December, conference attendance was tremendous with more than 200 participants — a testament to increasing interest in no-till by many producers. Here is a quick look at some of the information picked up by Ohio no-tillers.

Since I opened the doors of Moeller Ag Service in 1989, we've worked with thousands of farmers — some as far away as Australia and New Zealand — on selection of planter attachments for no-till, as well as making adjustments that assure the seedbed preparation and seed placement needed for uniform stands and the highest yields.

When people ask why I was the first farmer in our area of southeastern Iowa to start no-tilling 28 years ago, I answer that it was bred into me to control soil erosion any way I can — including extensive use of terraces and grass waterways. I couldn’t bear to see all that soil running into streams and rivers. I knew I had to do something to keep that from happening.

Some 41 years ago, when a few colleagues and I began what would become a three-decade scientific effort at New Zealand’s Massey University, we did not set out to invent a new no-tillage system.

When I joined the Henry County, Ohio, Extension service, it was more or less a “midcareer” move.