Articles by Laura Barrera

Cover Crops Offer Bright Future for Weed Control, Further Conservation

Illinois grower Randy Chapman hopes cover crops will help him move from strip-till to 100% no-till while cleaning up herbicide-resistant weeds.

By Laura Barrera posted on January 14, 2017 | Posted in Cover Crops, Strip-Till Farming

When Randy Chapman started farming with his father, he knew they weren’t going to have the help they needed for labor. He also didn’t like the erosion he witnessed from tillage and realized they had to do something different.

Crop Protection 2017

Stop Weeds, Diseases and Insects in Their Tracks with New Products

More than 20 new fungicides, insecticides, herbicides and seed treatments will be available to help no-tillers protect their crops.

By Laura Barrera posted on January 14, 2017 | Posted in Crop Protection

As weed resistance increases and diseases and insects make their way through the Corn Belt, no-tillers are facing growing pressure to protect their crops and yields amidst a down ag economy.

Crop Protection 2017

New Dicamba Formulations Will Require Strict Adherence

No-tillers have new weapons to fight resistant weeds, but they must closely follow product labels to prevent off-target injury.

By Laura Barrera posted on January 14, 2017 | Posted in Crop Protection

Illegal use of dicamba this past summer — which resulted in thousands of soybean acres and many acres of other crops damaged in Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee — shows just how desperate some growers were to control herbicide-resistant weeds.

Planning to Use Dicamba? Be Realistic and Prepared

By Laura Barrera posted on January 11, 2017 | Posted in Crop Protection

Hearing about the thousands of soybean acres and other crops damaged last summer from illegal dicamba use affirmed just how desperate some farmers are to control herbicide-resistant weeds on their farm.

From the Desk of Laura Barrera

No-Till Corn Takes Top Yield in 2016

By Laura Barrera posted on December 20, 2016 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting

The results from the National Corn Growers Assn.’s annual Corn Yield Contest were just released this week, and once again dismiss the myth that no-till yields can’t compete with tillage.

Weed Series: Prevent Flowering for Best Control of Giant Ragweed

No-till systems both help and hurt management of this long-emerging weed, making prevention a critical step in its control.

By Laura Barrera posted on December 17, 2016 | Posted in Crop Protection

While it may not be the biggest weed concern for no-tillers in the Corn Belt, giant ragweed is still very much a threat.

Canadians See Success with Multispecies Covers, Interseeding

Regardless of the rotation or the time of year, Stefan Zehetner is learning and helping other growers determine where cover crops have a place in southwestern Ontario.

By Laura Barrera posted on December 17, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops

When Stefan Zehetner’s father, Eduard, emigrated from Europe to Canada in 1986, the soil on his family’s farm in Austria was dead.

Twin-Row Corn and the Quest for 100% No-Till

By Laura Barrera posted on December 17, 2016

After seeing the damage caused by tillage on his home farm in Austria, Eduard Zehetner decided to try no-till on his Hensall, Ontario, farm in the early 1990s. While he was able to make no-till soybeans and winter wheat work, no-till corn was a struggle.

From the Desk of Laura Barrera

When is it Time for a No-Till Field to Be Tilled? Never!

By Laura Barrera posted on December 6, 2016 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Residue Management

I was disappointed to see a recent article suggest that no-tillers consider tilling their fields when certain problems pop up without exploring other management options first.

Transition to Conservation Changes Soil, Lengthens Season

Adopting no-till, strip-till and cover crops in Ontario has helped suppress weeds and allowed Ken and Kevin Nixon to get their crops planted earlier.

By Laura Barrera posted on November 19, 2016 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management

Southwestern Ontario doesn’t see a lot of no-till. In fact, moldboard plowing is still a common practice in the area.

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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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