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Julia Gerlach

Julia Gerlach

Julia Gerlach is the former Executive Editor of No-Till Farmer. She has a lengthy background in publishing and a longtime interest in gardening and mycology. She graduated with a B.A. in music and philosophy from Alverno College in Milwaukee, Wis.
Articles

ARTICLES

Adult kestrel

No-Till and The American Kestrel

By Julia Gerlach posted on June 28, 2022 | Posted in Cover Crops, Residue Management
No-till is usually touted for its soil health benefits and how it reduces erosion and improves workload. But since switching to no-till, this Wisconsin dairy operation is seeing that the practices of keeping the soil covered and boosting biological diversity is having a positive affect on the local kestrel population as well.
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Zeroing in on Nitrogen Efficiency with In-Season Adjustments

Whether using high-tech crop imagery or intuition, in-season nitrogen applications should be adjusted to the crop’s potential as well as future conditions for maximum yield and minimal risk.
By Julia Gerlach posted on May 28, 2022 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture
With today's sky-high nitrogen (N) prices, nobody wants to apply more N to their crops than is needed. But on the other hand, commodities are commanding a pretty penny, so leaving yield on the table is also ill-advised.
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Farming Less and Doing a Better Job with No-Till

Southern Ohio grower Ron Bolender knows the benefits of no-till, having transitioned from raising labor-intensive tobacco to no-till corn and soybeans. While he’s expanded his acreage dramatically, his current operation is much easier on him and the soil.
By Julia Gerlach posted on May 27, 2022 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Crop Protection, Nutrient Management
Though he is  a no-tiller now, third-generation producer Ron Bolender grew up using conventional practices on the family farm, where they raised 30-50 acres of labor-intensive burley tobacco each year. “We did it all — we used to moldboard plow, disc and work the ground,” he says.
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No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators

[Podcast] Eileen Kladivko, Earthworm Godmother

For this episode of the No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators podcast, brought to you by The Andersons, we’re heading underground. We’re going deep under the soil surface to concentrate on one of the major benefits of no-tilling when it comes to improving soil health. Today’s agenda is worms: Earthworms, red worms, nightcrawlers, and other kinds of worms and the impact the have on no-tilled soils.
By Julia Gerlach and Frank Lessiter posted on April 21, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101
For this episode of the No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators podcast, brought to you by The Andersons, we’re heading underground. We’re going deep under the soil surface to concentrate on one of the major benefits of no-tilling when it comes to improving soil health. Today’s agenda is worms: Earthworms, red worms, nightcrawlers, and other kinds of worms and the impact the have on no-tilled soils.
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No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators

[Podcast] Jonathan Lundgren and Regenerative Ag

For this episode of the No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators podcast, brought to you by The Andersons, editor Frank Lessiter talks with entomologist Dr. Jonathan Lundgren about his motivations for starting up Blue Dasher Farm and the Ecdysis Foundation, and how he hopes to remove barriers to the adoption of regenerative agriculture..
By Julia Gerlach and Frank Lessiter posted on April 8, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101
For this episode of the No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators podcast, brought to you by The Andersons, editor Frank Lessiter talks with entomologist Dr. Jonathan Lundgren about his motivations for starting up Blue Dasher Farm and the Ecdysis Foundation, and how he hopes to remove barriers to the adoption of regenerative agriculture.
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No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators

[Podcast] Mr. Lessiter Goes to Washington

For this episode of the No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators podcast, brought to you by NewLeaf Symbiotics, we dug through our archives to find the speech Frank Lessiter presented during his 1973 testimonial before the House Agriculture Committee on the important role no-tillage was playing in American agriculture.
By Julia Gerlach and Frank Lessiter posted on March 17, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101
For this episode of the No-Till Farmer Influencers & Innovators podcast, brought to you by NewLeaf Symbiotics, we dug through our archives to find the speech Frank Lessiter presented during his 1973 testimonial before the House Agriculture Committee on the important role no-tillage was playing in American agriculture.
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Body of Knowledge: Digging Into Noteworthy No-Till Literature

While no-till, cover crops and other conservation ag principles are very much in the news these days, a look back at the no-till literature from both the near and distant past reminds us that these important concepts are not new — yet there is much left to explore.
By Julia Gerlach posted on February 26, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

In the February 2022 issue of No-Till Farmer’s Conservation Tillage Guide, retired ag engineer Randall Reeder of Ohio State University and retired USDA soil scientist Don Reicosky shared the outcomes of a survey they conducted to identify the most significant works in no-till research and literature.


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On-Farm Testing Unlocks No-Till Success

Longtime no-tiller and retired Wisconsin Extension agent Jim Leverich — the inaugural No-Till Farmer Operator Fellow — encourages farmers to gather and utilize data from their own experience and operations for useful and practicable insights.
By Julia Gerlach posted on February 22, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Crop Protection, Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture

As a former extension educator, Leverich is accustomed to keeping good records of practices and having others pick his brain about all the nuances of no-till, making him an excellent candidate for our inaugural Conservation Ag Fellow. He is an advocate for integrating data and precision ag into farming practices and believes on-farm testing is critical to achieving no-till success.


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[Podcast] Interseeding Covers Into Corn At V4 - V5 For No-Till Success

For this No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, associate editor Sarah Hill caught up with John Wallace, Penn State University assistant professor of weed science, to discuss his thoughts on how best to get covers established in row crops. He explains how available equipment, herbicide programs and fertility management affect interseeding decisions.
By Julia Gerlach posted on December 30, 2021 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health
For this No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, associate editor Sarah Hill caught up with John Wallace, Penn State University assistant professor of weed science, to discuss his thoughts on how best to get covers established in row crops. He explains how available equipment, herbicide programs and fertility management affect interseeding decisions.
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Growing Organic Strip-Till Hemp for the ‘Craft CBD’ Market

Taking a page from the craft beer industry playbook, Minnesota no-tiller Tom Cotter is pursuing quality in his strip-tilled organic hemp for his own line of craft CBD products.
By Julia Gerlach posted on December 9, 2021 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Soil Health
Taking a page from the craft beer industry playbook, Minnesota no-tiller Tom Cotter is pursuing quality in his strip-tilled organic hemp for his own line of craft CBD products.
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