Articles by John Dobberstein

Opening the Door to Change Sparks No-Tilling Success

Steve Tucker sees a profitable future for his no-till operation with a commitment to cropping diversity and keeping soils covered.

By John Dobberstein posted on July 30, 2016 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Water Management

Steve Tucker still remembers driving around on the farm with his grandfather and hearing him say, “I should hope you never have to go through something like the 1930s and the drought that I went through.”

No-Till Evolution Begins with a First Step

After nearly going broke with heavy tillage and weathered soils, Johnny Hunter is staking his farming future on planting green.

By John Dobberstein posted on July 30, 2016 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Water Management

The journey Johnny Hunter is taking isn’t for the faint of heart. It started during the summer of 2012, when a historic drought blasted the Missouri Bootheel and much of the U.S.

10 Tips to Make Combines a Well-Tuned No-Till Asset

Adjustments to sickles, flighting, sieves, stripper plates and other components can keep more grain in the tank and make harvest more efficient.

By John Dobberstein posted on July 30, 2016 | Posted in Equipment, Residue Management

Even with the progression of combine technology today, no-tillers can still lose a considerable amount of grain during harvest if their combine settings aren’t correct.

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Don’t Get Burned by Herbicide Carryover

By John Dobberstein posted on July 27, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops, Crop Protection

I was recently perusing the regular e-newsletter sent out by the cover crop company Green Cover Seed and noticed an excellent article from Kansas farmer, salesman and educator Dale Strickler that is worth sharing.

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Healing Battered Fields, Pastures with Adaptive Grazing

By John Dobberstein posted on July 13, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops, Residue Management, Soil Health

No-tillers with livestock can improve soil health and increase forage production by moving animals more frequently, controlling field access and increasing recovery times for plants, says grazing consultant Allen Williams.

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Is Your No-Till Operation ‘Disruptive’ Enough?

By John Dobberstein posted on July 13, 2016 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

In less than a month the Summer Olympics will be kicking off in Rio de Janeiro, and if you’re lucky, perhaps you’ll find enough time to catch some of the world’s most dedicated athletes going for the gold.

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Drones Could Improve Efficiencies for ‘Bleeding-Edge’ No-Tillers

By John Dobberstein posted on June 22, 2016 | Posted in Equipment

The FAA's new rules on unmanned aerial vehicles should make it easier for you to use these machines to monitor crop and livestock and obtain data for improved decision making on your farm.

Timing, Predators Affect Aerial Cover Crop Seeding

An experienced ag pilot says flying on covers in northern climates too early can starve the seeds for sunlight or leave them prey to slugs and earthworms.

By John Dobberstein posted on June 11, 2016 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops

Aerial seeding is a popular method to help no-tillers get cover crops established in a timely manner, especially in far northern U.S. climates where growing seasons are shorter and application windows are tight.

Residue, Water Management Key to Winning No-Till Corn Yields

A protective blanket of ground cover and better water infiltration allow Tyler Franklin to irrigate crops with less water and boost soil health.

By John Dobberstein posted on June 11, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Water Management

Whether it's irrigation or dryland acreage, Tyler Franklin doesn’t believe high corn yields and no-till are mutually exclusive.

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

What Weed Genetics Mean to You

By John Dobberstein posted on June 8, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops, Crop Protection

Herbicide resistance in weeds isn’t exactly a new topic. But there’s some interesting news emerging about how weed species are becoming resistant.

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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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Articles by John Dobberstein

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