Articles by John Dobberstein

No-Till Passport Series

Herbert Bartz, No-Till Pioneer in Latin America, Passes

By John Dobberstein posted on April 6, 2021 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting, Equipment

Earlier this year, No-Till Farmer received word that Herbert Bartz, pioneer of no-till systems in Latin America and a founder of the Brazilian Federation of No-Tillage and Irrigation (BFNI), has passed away.

Wide-Row Corn Study in South Dakota Yields Variable Results for No-Tillers

Sixty-inch corn rows with cover crops didn’t produce the hoped-for yield production, but offered no-tillers a chance to diversify corn management and get covers into the mix.

By John Dobberstein posted on March 31, 2021 | Posted in Seeding & Planting

No-tillers across the Corn Belt have been experimenting with wider corn rows to diversify their corn management and add cover crop options to their operation, including grazing of covers as an added income and soil health option.

From The Desk Of John Dobberstein

Eliminating Tillage, Saving Soil and Cashing in on Organic Methods

By John Dobberstein posted on March 11, 2021 | Posted in Cover Crops

A specialty grower out West shares his farm’s story about organic production and soil health improvement with the help of no-till practices, cover crops, compost and more.

Nailing Down Better Cover Crop Performance

Results of NRCS national trials confirm the importance of choosing varieties that fit with local conditions, climates and no-till goals.

By John Dobberstein posted on February 28, 2021 | Posted in Cover Crops

Even though cover crop acreage in the U.S. has doubled to nearly 10 million acres in the last several years, the industry itself is very young as applied to today’s cropping systems.

Cover Crop Performance and Adaptation Trials at NRCS Plant Materials Centers

By John Dobberstein posted on February 28, 2021 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops

Source: NRCS

Farmers rely on the latest crop variety trials to make informed decisions on planting the best adapted crop variety to maximize yield given their soils and production practices. Check out these reports and technical information related to the performance and adaptation of cover crops in different part of the Unites States.

Tri-State Fertilizer ‘Bible’ Gets First Tweaks in Quarter Century

Nitrogen calculator and a switch to Mehlich-3 extraction highlight first-ever updates to the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations.

By John Dobberstein posted on February 25, 2021 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

Researchers say the update was necessary to simplify some of the formulas, and because soils were sampled much differently 25 years ago than they are today, with higher soil sampling densities the rule now.

First-Ever Virtual NNTC a Hit with Attendees

Hundreds of growers across North America and the globe attended the 29th annual National No-Tillage Conference online to soak up no-till learning.

By John Dobberstein posted on February 4, 2021 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops

ENTERING uncharted waters this year as a virtual program, the 29th National No-Tillage Conference (NNTC) was still a major success online as it attracted hundreds of attendees from all over North America and internationally who wanted to learn how to boost their no-till knowledge.

Quantifying Soil Health and Plant-Available Water

By John Dobberstein posted on January 28, 2021 | Posted in Soil Health

Many growers in the semi-arid parts of the Great Plains are getting used to hearing that improving soil health will help them store more water in the soil for their plants.

Respecting the ‘Sacred’ No-Till Planter Pass

The secret to planting success boils down to not only equipment choices but measuring, verifying and doing the little things well, says Bill Lehmkuhl.

By John Dobberstein posted on December 31, 2020 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting, Equipment

When Bill Lehmkuhl started doing planter clinics in 1994, he says most growers spent more time managing their harvesting equipment than their planter.

Honoring Stalwarts, Pioneers in the No-Till Movement

By John Dobberstein posted on December 30, 2020 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

Three individuals and one organization are being recognized as the 25th class of No-Till Innovators for their commitment to the advancement of no-till farming systems in North America and worldwide.

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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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