Articles by Mark Parker

Tips For Getting More From Your ‘P And K’

Building healthier no-till soils, frequent soil testing and other readily available products and practices can help no-tillers stretch their fertility dollars further, regardless of their application system.

By Mark Parker posted on November 1, 2013 | Posted in Residue Management, Nutrient Management

The price tag for phosphorus and potassium is way too high for no-tillers to allow nutrients to tie up, float away or just plain not do their job effectively.

Making Twin-Row, No-Tilled Corn And Soybeans Pay Off

The quest for bigger yields and healthier plants led Ohio no-tiller David McNeilan to establish a twin-row system for corn and soybeans that takes advantage of higher populations and a quicker canopy.

By Mark Parker posted on November 1, 2013 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops

Ohio no-tiller David McNeilan wanted to give his corn a little more room to breathe — and tap into more nutrients, moisture and sunlight. But he also wanted more plants per acre to chase higher yield goals.

Less Tillage And Better Yields Shrink The Carbon Footprint

An analysis of South Dakota soils and farming practices shows that soils in crop-growing areas have been transformed from a carbon source to a carbon sink.

By Mark Parker posted on October 1, 2013 | Posted in Soil Health

The carbon footprint of South Dakota corn growers is getting smaller thanks to better yields and increased adoption of conservation tillage, according to a South Dakota State University study.

Cover Crop Enthusiasm Helps No-Tiller Get More With Less

Spurred on by a payoff in soil quality and reduced inputs, Missouri no-tiller Bruce Bartlett is overcoming cover-crop challenges to improve his no-till system.

By Mark Parker posted on September 1, 2013 | Posted in Cover Crops

Cover crops are driving the roots of Bruce Bartlett’s corn a little deeper into the southwest Missouri soil and delivering bonus fertility to boot.

No-Till Peer Group Profits From Shared Experiences

The Palliser Agricultural Management Society gives Alberta farmers members-only access to expertise, support, marketing advantages and no-till insights as they strive to improve their farm operations.

By Mark Parker posted on August 1, 2013 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

Canadian no-tiller Brian Hildebrand refers to the group of farmers that he shares production and management information as “the experts in my back pocket.”

Tips For Harvesting Downed Corn, And Dealing With The Aftermath

Downed corn can have a significant impact on profits and no-till systems, but here are tips and considerations to make the best of a bad situation.

By Mark Parker posted on August 1, 2013 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Equipment

Winds howling at up to 80 mph absolutely flattened ready-to-harvest corn last October in western Nebraska.

25 Years Of Unlocking Secrets To No-Till Success

Since 1988, the Graves-Chapple Research Center has been helping no-tillers in northwestern Missouri fine-tune their corn-and soybean system management and farm their no-tilled acres more sustainably.

By Mark Parker posted on August 1, 2013 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Cover Crops, Water Management

Finding answers for farmers is the mission of all university research farms, but the Graves-Chapple Research Center in northwest Missouri zeroes in on the questions from a solidly no-till perspective.

Fungicides Unlikely To Benefit Lodged Corn

By Mark Parker posted on July 10, 2013 | Posted in Crop Protection

Reduced yield potential and disease uncertainty make a fungicide investment in downed corn a risky proposition, university specialists from Iowa and Wisconsin say.

No-Till Serves As ‘Insurance’ For Highly Productive, Erosive Soils

Cover crops, no-till and a finely tuned planter without coulters helps Missouri no-tiller Byron Fink make the most of his farm’s fragile soils.

By Mark Parker posted on July 1, 2013 | Posted in Cover Crops, Crop Protection

Byron Fink's Oregon, Mo., farm is blessed with “absolutely wonderful” soil — if he can just keep it on the hillsides.

Companion Cropping Boosts No-Till Profits, Soil Health

Growing double-crop sunflowers with multiple species has reduced inputs and enhanced primary crop health for Kansas no-tillers Robin and Kelly Griffeth.

By Mark Parker posted on June 1, 2013 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops

Double crop sunflowers planted with companion crops have a triple payoff for Jewell, Kan., no-tillers Robin and Kelly Griffeth.

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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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