Articles by John Dobberstein

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Breaking Through The Wall

By John Dobberstein posted on June 19, 2013 | Posted in Cover Crops

Gridlock may be worse than ever among our elected leaders in Washington, but no-tillers may soon benefit from some unusual cooperation among USDA agencies and stakeholders in agriculture.

July 2013 Poll: Insecticide Application on Bt Corn Hybrids

By John Dobberstein posted on June 16, 2013 | Posted in Crop Protection

From June 16th, 2013 - July 15th, 2013, we asked No-Till Farmer readers: "If you planted Bt corn hybrids this year, how much insecticide did you apply at planting time?"

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Removing Barriers To Cover Crop Adoption

By John Dobberstein posted on June 5, 2013 | Posted in Cover Crops

It’s hard to describe the gauntlet that Emporia, Kan., no-tiller Gail Fuller has been run through in the past several months.

Boost No-Till Profits By Measuring Yield Response — Not Just Yields

Measuring how yields change with inputs and management decisions is a better way to gauge profitability than measuring yields alone, says an Iowa State University researcher

By John Dobberstein posted on June 1, 2013 | Posted in Crop Protection, Nutrient Management

As no-tillers pressured to get the most from every acre and input dollar, it would be wise to consider how profitability is being measured.

June 2013 Poll: Glyphosate-Resistant Weeds on Your Farm

By John Dobberstein posted on May 16, 2013 | Posted in Crop Protection

From May 16th, 2013 - June 15th, 2013, we asked No-Till Farmer readers: "How many species of glyphosate-resistant weeds do you believe are present on your farm?"

Hitting 300-Bushel Corn With No-Till

By John Dobberstein posted on May 15, 2013 | Posted in Crop Protection, Soil Health

Three editors at No-Till Farmer hit the road last week to make eight farm visits in Pennsylvania and Maryland over the course of just 3 days. We were reminded again why no-tillers are some of the most innovative and persistent growers you’ll ever find.

How No-Tilling Can Help 'Weatherproof' Your Farm

Protective residue, proper soil management and a better understanding of how plants use water could help no-tillers and strip-tillers survive today’s extreme weather patterns.

By John Dobberstein posted on May 1, 2013 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Soil Health, Water Management

If you ask Jerry Hatfield, the 2012 drought wasn’t just a blip on the radar screen.

How Can We Make No-Till Farmer E-Tip Better?

By John Dobberstein posted on May 1, 2013 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

I’d like to begin this note by saying “thank you” to no-tillers for taking time every other week to read our No-Till Farmer E-Tip e-newsletter.

There’s No Competing With Long-Term No-Till

After jumping into no-till practices more than 2 decades ago, Iowa no-tiller Randy Caviness has been rewarded with more fertile soils, earlier planting and a stronger balance sheet to compete with neighbors.

By John Dobberstein posted on May 1, 2013 | Posted in Equipment, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

Even as no-till was growing during the 1980s, Randy Caviness wasn’t completely convinced about the practice. He worried about weed control, and he hadn’t seen many examples of no-tilled crops working very well in his area.

Emerging Use Of Drones May Change Face Of No-Tilling

Crop scouting, 3-D mapping, spot spraying and pathogen detection all could be performed by unmanned aerial vehicles to cut labor and input costs and improve decision making.

By John Dobberstein posted on May 1, 2013 | Posted in Precision Agriculture

In the not-so-distant future, farmers wanting to scout fields for diseases and pests, spot spray for weeds or obtain 3-D maps of their farm ground will be turning to tiny autonomous helicopters or planes to do the job.

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No-Till Legend Concerned About Corn Profits in 2024

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Martin Till, Vincennes, Ind., no-tiller Ray McCormick explains why it’s going to be tough to “not lose a lot of money this year” on corn. Plus, we ask our readers, “On a scale of 1-10, how concerned are you about drought this year?” Hear why some farmers are worried, and why others aren’t very worried at all.

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