Home / Authors / John Dobberstein

Articles by John Dobberstein

New Dry Application System Adds Value to Self-Propelled Sprayers

A poly tank with a stainless steel metering system from Fennig Equipment lets growers apply cover crops and late-season dry fertilizer across 120-foot booms.
By John Dobberstein posted on September 21, 2015 | Posted in Cover Crops, Equipment, Nutrient Management

SELF-PROPELLED sprayers can be a high-dollar investment for many no-tillers, but an equipment dealership has unveiled something that could add more value to the machines.


Read More

Turning a No-Till Dairy Operation Into a ‘Cash Cow’

Decades of no-till practices, cover crops and manure applications have helped no-till pioneer Franke Dijkstra and his family turn Brazil’s Frank’Anna Farm into a profitable, sustainable dairy farm.
By John Dobberstein posted on September 21, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Nutrient Management, Soil Health
More than 4 decades ago, Franke Dijkstra found himself struggling with serious wind and water erosion on his sandy, rocky soils, as he was running a grain and dairy operation in southern Brazil.
Read More
John Dobberstein 2
From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Help Us Make Dryland No-Tiller Even Better

By John Dobberstein posted on September 9, 2015 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

It’s hard to believe that 1½ years has passed since we launched the Dryland No-Tiller e-newsletter to provide more tailored, actionable tips and information to meet the specific needs of no-tillers in the Great Plains, Pacific Northwest and western Canada.


Read More

Less Tillage, More Precision Spell Successful No-Till Transition

Tweaking their planters and drills with the right attachments and technology is helping Indiana growers Jeff and Kent Need develop their 100% no-till system.
By John Dobberstein posted on August 21, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Residue Management

CONSERVATION HAS been a part of the Need family farm since Jeff Need’s grandfather, Bill, raised corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa and cattle in central Indiana.


Read More
dobberstein.jpg

Lessons From the No-Till Underground

Digging a soil pit can help no-tillers understand both the limiting factors of their soils, and what makes them tick, as they work to build soil health and higher yields.
By John Dobberstein posted on August 21, 2015 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

A SOIL PIT dug on no-tiller Alan Mindemann’s farm recently shed light on the role no-till practices play in increasing organic matter and making soils more productive. The pit was dug in mid-July on the long-time no-tiller’s farm near Apache, Okla., as more than 50 farmers attended a No-Till on the Plains Whirlwind Expo event.


Read More

Sheared, Cut Residue Benefits Earthworms, No-Tilling

Data from a family-owned western Illinois research farm demonstrates that more finely processed corn stalks break down more quickly, improve nutrient cycling and earthworm populations.
By John Dobberstein posted on August 21, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Residue Management

RECENT RESEARCH on Alpha, Ill., no-tiller Marion Calmer’s farm appears to show the value of using advanced technology in today’s corn heads to more effectively manage residue during harvest.


Read More

Top Articles

Current Issue

NTF_June_2024_Cover.jpg

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

View More

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

View More

Videos

Last-Minute Planter Prep for No-Tillers & Strip-Tillers

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.

View More
Top Directory Listings
Needham Ag Technologies logo

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 Goodyear

Titan International, Inc

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

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.
View More