Articles by John Dobberstein

February 2012 Poll: Drainage Methods On Your Farm

By John Dobberstein posted on January 16, 2012 | Posted in Water Management

From January 16th, 2012 - February 15th, 2012, we asked No-Till Farmer readers: "What type of drainage methods do you use on your farm?"

Ohio No-Tillers Find Promise In Precision Technology

Gary and Scott Mavis improved their farm’s bottom line by no-tilling and embracing intensive soil-testing and variable-rate technology.

By John Dobberstein posted on January 1, 2012 | Posted in Equipment, Precision Agriculture

Conversation is more than a buzzword in northwest Ohio, and Gary Mavis and his son, Scott, are turning their no-till farming operation into a showcase.

Try An ‘Attitude Adjustment’ To Boost Soybean Yields

No-tillers should plant earlier, control weeds better and capitalize on seed-treatment technology to get the most out of every plant, a soybean specialist says.

By John Dobberstein posted on January 1, 2012 | Posted in Crop Protection, Nutrient Management

When soybean prices were hovering around $5 a bushel several years ago, farmers could justify their decision to plant, fertilize and spray their corn crop first.

NRCS Promises More Help, Flexibility With Nutrient-Management Programs

By John Dobberstein posted on December 20, 2011 | Posted in Nutrient Management

The USDA's NRCS plans to put more technical staff in the field to help farmers implement voluntary conservation practices that reduce nutrient runoff and protect the environment.

Two Legends Who Gave No-Till A Lift

A savvy for problem solving helped two rural Kentucky farmers invent planter attachments and technologies that changed the game for no-tillers.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2011 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Precision Agriculture

While many innovative farmers and manufacturers have played important roles in the growth of no-till, two men perhaps loom the largest — no-tiller Eugene Keeton and Howard Martin, the founder of Martin Industries.

No-Till Grows Beyond The Borders

Controlled traffic, cover crops and continuous no-till are boosting yields and profitability in South America, Australia and elsewhere as worldwide no-till acres near 300 million.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2011 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Equipment, Crop Protection

To gauge the world’s supply of arable farming acres, an agricultural expert once compared Earth to the size of an apple, cut into 32 slices. The number of acres suitable for food production represents only one slice, and the apple’s skin represents the world’s supply of topsoil.

No-Till Plots Yield Answers

50 years of cutting-edge research at Ohio State University’s experimental fields have fueled the acceptance and growth of no-till.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2011 | Posted in Crop Protection, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

Had two young researchers listened to the ridicule and scorn they faced 5 decades ago, no-till farming might not have grown as much as it has.

50 Years Of No-Till Milestones

Technology, research and sheer determination transformed no-till into a profitable practice that now spans 90 million U.S. acres.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2011 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Equipment

As no-till farming celebrates its 50th year in the U.S., it’s important to remember how its acceptance and growth came about.

No-Till Proves Its Worth

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2011 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Equipment

When Allan Brooks and his father, Gil, started no-tilling vegetable crops in northern Wisconsin more than 40 years ago, they paid their penance.

Spelling Out Gypsum Benefits

Research on best practices continues, but ag experts say gypsum can be a versatile tool for improving difficult no-till soils.

By John Dobberstein posted on October 1, 2011 | Posted in Nutrient Management

Citing more than two decades of studies, researchers, agronomists and crop consultants said during a soil-improvement symposium that gypsum is helping no-tillers remediate imbalanced soils, improve water filtration and even step up plant fertility.

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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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