Articles by Dave Ernst

Eyeballing Organic Matter

Simple tests can help you see the improvements in organic matter due to no-tilling.

By Dave Ernst posted on October 1, 2003 | Posted in Soil Health

You can eyeball how much organic matter there is in your soil, says Jill Clapperton, a Canadian soil microbiologist at the Lethbridge Research Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta. Take a sample of the soil in an old can, mix it with water and shake well.

Looking Down On Soil Life

What goes on in the top 2 inches of your no-tilled soil is especially important after the growing season.

By Dave Ernst posted on August 1, 2003 | Posted in Soil Health

When you walk across a no-till field, Jill Clapperton says you’re walking on the rooftop of a bustling community. No-tilled soils teem with life, and with the right management techniques, you can use these busy organisms to your benefit, says the the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada soil biologist stationed at the Lethbridge Research Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Searching For No-Till’s Silver Bullet

Everyone is looking for that one key factor that will put no-till yields over the top.

By Dave Ernst posted on May 1, 2003 | Posted in Nutrient Management

Deep-banding fertilizer sounded like a great idea to Brad Mathson when he first heard about it. However, participating in a no-till club saved him from spending $30,000 to find out that it probably isn’t the best way to increase no-till yields in his operation.

Farming Vertically Pays With No-Till

To no-till 100 bushel per acre soybeans, the critical factor is expanding the amount of life in your soils.

By Dave Ernst posted on May 1, 2003 | Posted in Soil Health

Increasing no-till yields is a matter of learning to “farm vertically,” maintains Ray Rawson. More than 40 years of no-tilling in northern Michigan have taught Rawson that it’s all about massive root systems and not ever about higher soybean plant populations.

Choosing The Path Of Least Resistance

While triazine resistance has leveled off, weed resistance to new chemistries is offsetting this trend.

By Dave Ernst posted on April 1, 2003 | Posted in Crop Protection

With herbicide-resistant weeds on the increase and no new chemistries on the horizon, soybean farmers — and especially no-tillers — must carefully review their weed-control options, according to a panel of four field agronomists at the recent 2003 National No-Till Conference in Indianapolis, Ind.

Current Issue

No-Till Farmer

Get full access NOW to the most comprehensive, powerful and easy-to-use online resource for no-tillage practices. Just one good idea will pay for your subscription hundreds of times over.

Subscribe Now

No-Till vs. Mud, Fire & Water Facebook Videos

Twin-Row Cereal Rye Adds 35-Bushel Advantage in No-Tiller’s Irrigated Corn

Add Covers, Subtract Inputs & Multiply Profits with Systems Approach to No-Till

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

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.

Top Directory Listings

Needham Ag Technologies, LLC

Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.

Titan International, Inc

Titan offers a full line of wheels, tires and undercarriage products for a wide variety of off-the-road equipment.

The Andersons PureGrade

The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.

Articles by Dave Ernst

Top Articles

Current Issue

Must Read Free Eguides

Videos