Articles by Laura Barrera

Making No-Till Work with Continuous Corn and Manure

Despite an abundance of residue and 3 million gallons of liquid cattle manure to inject, the Meiers are seeing success with no-till and learning how to add cover crops to the system.

By Laura Barrera posted on May 13, 2017 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Residue Management, Nutrient Management

Despite an abundance of residue and 3 million gallons of liquid cattle manure to inject, the Meiers are seeing success with no-till and learning how to add cover crops to the system.

Get to the Roots to Maximize Corn Yields

Taking a look at how the corn roots grow under different conditions can provide valuable insight into choosing the right hybrids and making necessary management changes.

By Laura Barrera posted on May 13, 2017 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Nutrient Management

Taking a look at how the corn roots grow under different conditions can provide valuable insight into choosing the right hybrids and making necessary management changes.

Three Ways to Achieve a 266% ROI with Cover Crops

Rulon Enterprises in Indiana shares how cover crops free up fertility, increase yields and improve soil health, providing a $69.17-per-acre benefit.

By Laura Barrera posted on May 1, 2017 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management

Rulon Enterprises in Indiana shares how cover crops free up fertility, increase yields and improve soil health, providing a $69.17-per-acre benefit.

Are You a Steward of the Earth? Consumers Aren’t So Sure

By Laura Barrera posted on April 26, 2017 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Cover Crops, Soil Health

A study conducted by the Center for Food Integrity found that 51% of respondents moderately agree that U.S. farmers take good care of the environment.

Seed Firmer Reads Organic Matter While You Plant

Precision Planting’s SmartFirmer combines seed firming with a high-resolution sensor to create soil maps on the go and variable-rate populations and hybrids based on organic matter.

By Laura Barrera posted on April 15, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Precision Agriculture

No Tillers know that the success of their season relies primarily on that moment when the seed meets the soil. A planting trip that results in a strong, even emergence across the field sets the stage for higher yields come harvest.

Selecting the Right Starter Fertilizer for Your No-Till Farm

The raw materials in a fertilizer product, its purity, salt index and what it’s being blended with all influence the availability of the nutrients and their impact on the crop.

By Laura Barrera posted on April 15, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Nutrient Management

It's been said there are over 4,700 pounds of actual phosphorus (P) in the soil at any one time, says Brian Banks.

7 Facts About the Highest-Yielding Soybean Growers

By Laura Barrera posted on April 12, 2017 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting

With the USDA estimating that soybean acreage will reach a record 89.5 million acres this year, I thought it’d be a good time to learn more about the growers whose soybean yields were in the top third of the 9th annual No-Till Operational Benchmark Study.

April 2017 Poll: Changes to NAFTA

By Laura Barrera posted on March 16, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting

Are you concerned about potential changes in trade policy under President Trump's administration?

6 Habits of Top-Yielding No-Till Corn Growers

By Laura Barrera posted on March 15, 2017

The results of the 9th annual No-Till Operational Benchmark Study are in, and as usual, we sorted the data by corn yield to see how the growers with yields in the top third differed from the rest of the survey.

9 Growers Spill Their Secrets for Planting into Cover Crops

From tall, living covers to a heavy surface residue, no-tillers share how they adjust their planters and spring programs to work with cover crops.

By Laura Barrera posted on March 11, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Equipment

Crop prices may be down, but that isn’t stopping no-tillers from using cover crops. In fact, more no-tillers are seeding them than ever before — No-Till Farmer’s 2016 No-Till Operational Benchmark Study found a record 77% of survey respondents seeded covers last year (see page 42), making 2016 the fifth consecutive year where the number increased.

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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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