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Articles by Mark McNeely

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No-Till, Cover Crops Improve Feed Quality, Limit Erosion and Build Soil Health

Reducing sediment and phosphorus runoff, improving soil health and reducing operational risk are goals for no-till dairy farmer Dan Brick.
By Mark McNeely posted on January 13, 2018 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health
Managing a dairy farm that traces its roots back 170 years isn’t out of the ordinary for Greenleaf, Wis., no-tiller Dan Brick. But capitalizing on the benefits of being 100% no-till with cover crops is making the experience extraordinary.
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No-Tilling, Diversification Leads to Better Crops on Erodible Soils

Brothers Nick and Mike Hunter blend no-till, terraces, buffers, ponds and pastures to protect their slopes and contours in south-central Iowa.
By Mark McNeely posted on December 16, 2017 | Posted in Soil Health, Water Management
Faced with highly erodible soils on Iowa farmland with multiple contours and 3 to 9 degree slopes, brothers Nick and Mike Hunter made a necessary decision to switch to no-till early in their young farming careers.
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Rebuilding Your No-Till Planter to Achieve 99% Corn Ear Potential

Here are 8 essential planter features Rich Schlipf believes are wise investments for improving corn stands and yields.
By Mark McNeely posted on December 16, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment
When you start talking about ways to incrementally increase corn yields, Rich Schlipf knows there are numerous no-till planter equipment options and add-on technologies to help farmers maximize emergence and uniformity in growth.
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Consider Economics, Soil Health When Mulling Corn Stover Harvest

Michigan project examines residue harvest in terms of impact on yield, storage characteristics, use as cattle feed or combining with cover crops.
By Mark McNeely posted on November 18, 2017 | Posted in Residue Management
In a recently concluded 3-year study at Michigan State University Extension, researchers weighed the functionality and marketability of harvesting corn stover in corn-on-corn and corn-on-soybeans rotations.
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Early Maturities, Cover Crops Can Help Tough No-Till Soils Flourish

Research on two southern Illinois farms shows the potential of using early maturity crops to establish covers sooner and boost yields in poorly drained, drought-prone, underperforming fields.
By Mark McNeely posted on October 28, 2017 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health
Randy McElroy sees the tough soils sometimes from behind sunglasses, because when the ground dries out completely it can be a white as a sand beach in Florida.
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Less is More: No-Tillers Weigh in on Nitrogen Management Methods

A survey of no-tillers uncovers a range of application and management practices — plus uses of precision data and cover crops — that help provide optimal crop yields and cut input costs in no-till operations.
By Mark McNeely posted on October 28, 2017 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management
Nitrogen (N) management plans are about as variable as the timing and application options available to today’s no-till farmers. Not only is careful consideration given to the types and amounts of N applied, but the use of precision data gathering equipment also enables growers to gauge their success on the fly and take corrective actions as required.
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No-Tiller Taking the Right Angles on Soil Remediation, Cover Crops

Tiling and belief in no-till’s benefits are helping Sheldon Overmyer convert 140 acres of poorly drained land into highly productive cropland for his northwest Ohio farm.
By Mark McNeely posted on September 16, 2017 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Soil Health
Tiling and belief in no-till’s benefits are helping Sheldon Overmyer convert 140 acres of poorly drained land into highly productive cropland for his northwest Ohio farm.
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