Articles by Laura Barrera

Land Rolling Can Drum Up Benefits, ROI for No-Tillers

No-tillers using land rollers to prevent rock damage, improve seed-to-soil contact and smooth fields say the operation is worth the effort.

By Laura Barrera posted on January 13, 2018 | Posted in Equipment

If you ask Colby Johnson about his decision to invest in a land roller, he’ll tell you he wishes he had made the purchase sooner rather than later.

Four Major Impacts Mycorrhizae Has on No-Till Crops

‘Beneficial’ may not be what no-tillers think of fungi, but arbuscular mycorrhizae fungi is capable of protecting and nourishing plants, leading to higher yields for less cost.

By Laura Barrera posted on January 13, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

Just underneath the soil surface are thousands of microorganisms, playing an important role not only in the soil, but the success of the crops planted into them.

Saved Sediment, Covers, Worms Bring No-Till ‘Gold’ to the Surface

Dwight Clary says seeding covers have revved up his Ohio farm by suppressing weeds, taking up nutrients and building organic matter.

By Laura Barrera posted on July 29, 2017 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management

An interest in conservation hit Dwight Clary early in life. When he was 13 years old, one of his 4H projects won a County Conservation Award. The prize? A week at Conservation Camp. That was when he learned about a new practice called “no-till.”

Building a Sustainable Hybrid No-Till, Strip-Till System

From interseeding cover crops to strip-till to adopting precision technology,the Grubbs family is improving their soils and increasing crop yields.

By Laura Barrera posted on July 29, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Precision Agriculture, Soil Health

Gerard Grubb admits that one of the reasons he became interested in no-till was because he simply didn’t want to plow. “I’m a lazy man farmer,” he says. “I can’t stand plowing.”

July 2017 Poll: On-Farm Research

By Laura Barrera posted on June 16, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Residue Management, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

Do you conduct on-farm research, and if so, what types of studies have you done or are currently conducting?

Online Extra

Evaluating Herbicide Carryover on Cover Crops

By Laura Barrera posted on June 10, 2017 | Posted in Cover Crops, Crop Protection

To get a sense of which herbicides can be used before a specific cover crop species and which can’t, Purdue University weed scientist Bryan Young compiled research from the University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, University of Missouri and Penn State University, as well as commercial research conducted by retired University of Illinois Extension agronomist Mike Plumer.

Halt Emergence to Wipe Out Lambsquarters

While its seed bank can survive for years, pre-emergence applications and leaving seeds vulnerable to predation can keep this weed under control.

By Laura Barrera posted on June 10, 2017 | Posted in Crop Protection

While its seed bank can survive for years, pre-emergence applications and leaving seeds vulnerable to predation can keep this weed under control.

Finding a Weed Control Plan that Won’t Hurt Your Covers

Environment, herbicide chemistries, cover crop species and timing of herbicide application and cover crop seeding all play a role in herbicide carryover to covers.

By Laura Barrera posted on June 10, 2017 | Posted in Cover Crops, Crop Protection

Environment, herbicide chemistries, cover crop species and timing of herbicide application and cover crop seeding all play a role in herbicide carryover to covers.

Crop Insurance Could Be an Incentive for Better Soil Health

By Laura Barrera posted on June 7, 2017

Should crop insurance be linked to soil health? Two scientists at Cornell University believe that if we want to see soil health improve, the answer is “yes.”

Highly Managed Soybeans Can Benefit from Starter Fertilizer

Soybean emergence can improve with a starter fertilizer application, but no-tillers must continue managing the crop throughout the season to see a return on investment.

By Laura Barrera posted on May 13, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Nutrient Management

Soybean emergence can improve with a starter fertilizer application, but no-tillers must continue managing the crop throughout the season to see a return on investment.

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Last-Minute Planter Prep for No-Tillers & Strip-Tillers

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Martin-Till, precision specialist Chad Baker, co-owner of Baker Precision Planter Works in Orangeville, Ill., helps a first-generation no-tiller with planter setup, and later encounters a couple problems with a strip-tiller’s new 24-row planter. Plus, veteran agronomist Brad Forkner checks in with a couple tips for farmers to keep in mind before they take the field.

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