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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Always Learning More From No-Till And Strip-Till

Tom Oswald continues the onfarm research that convinced him 20 years ago to avoid full-width tillage
By Tom Oswald and Ron Ross posted on June 1, 2010 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Equipment, Precision Agriculture, Strip-Till Farming
It might be more correct to call this article, “What I’m Still Learning From No-Tilling.” Over nearly 30 years, my farming operation has shifted from customary fall-spring tillage, through a period of detailed research and onfarm studies and finally, 11 years ago, to adoption of continuous no-till.
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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Intensive Nutrient Management Boosts Profits

Nebraska no-tiller John Niemeyer says modifying his fertilizer delivery system, improving pH and using compost manure has transformed no-till corn into his most profitable crop
By John Niemeyer and Ron Ross posted on May 1, 2010 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Nutrient Management
One of my first jobs out of college after I received a degree in business from the University of North Dakota was a fortunate choice. During the several years I worked for a professional consulting agronomist, I had the opportunity to see a lot of different crop-production systems throughout eastern Nebraska, western Iowa and northeastern Kansas.
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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Equipment Dealer Brings No-Till Expertise To Growers

From the ABC's of no-till planters to how you can test your ag equipment dealer's no-till savvy, Dave Dum shares his knowledge
By Dave Dum and Ron Ross posted on March 1, 2010 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting, Equipment
The steady growth of no-till farming in the Chesapeake Bay areas of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia has become a classic example of putting conservation farming methods to work to help save a major natural resource.
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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

No-Till Proving Not To Be a 'Drain' For Illinois Grower

Long-time no-tiller Doug Harford was among the earliest pioneering conservation farmers to break ground on drainage, yield mapping, grid soil sampling and strip-till
By Doug Harford and Ron Ross posted on February 1, 2010 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Water Management
Back in 1973, I never thought I would be a lifetime farmer. But when Dad decided to retire, corn was $4 a bushel and nitrogen was just 3 cents per pound. The future looked bright for agriculture. Most times, it still does.
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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Family Tradition Of Trying Things Works Well

This Kansas no-tiller has evaluated strip-till and no-till lowered nitrogen rates by more than 50% and developed a prescription precision ag program
By Joel McClure and Ron Ross posted on January 1, 2010 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Equipment, Precision Agriculture
I’m the fourth generation to manage McClure Farms in the area of southwestern Kansas that is depicted as the heart of the 1930’s Dust Bowl.
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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Bending Equipment, Agronomics To Fit His Needs Pays

South Dakota no-tiller Terry Huss modifies new equipment to fit his dry conditions and goes against the trend by growing wheat with corn and soybeans.
By Ron Ross posted on December 1, 2009 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting, Equipment
It doesn’t seem possible that I’ve been no-tilling for 30 years. I don’t know if you would call me a pioneer, but no-till was almost unheard of in north central South Dakota in 1979.
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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Sharing No-Till Benefits Around The Globe

A no-tiller, world-traveler and philanthropist, Howard Buffet takes no-till practices to third-world countries to bring hope to the hungry.
By Ron Ross posted on November 1, 2009 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101
Howard Buffett and his son Howard Jr. share interest in no-till practices, photography and the need to meet the food demands of a growing world.
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The Lowdown From Dakota Lakes

Dwayne Beck shares some preliminary eye-opening results and current studies from the all-no-till research farm.
By Ron Ross posted on October 1, 2009 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Nutrient Management, Water Management
A regular favorite at the National No-Tillage Conference, Dwayne Beck’s 2 decades of work at the Dakota Lakes Research Farm near Pierre, S.D., has revealed a depth of data to support his claim that, “In nature, tillage is a catastrophic event.”
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What I've Learned from No-Tilling

No-Till Is An Easier Way To Plant

In addition to reducing erosion on highly erodible soils, long-time northern Indiana no-tillers have found that two properly equipped planters and a self-propelled sprayer make them highly effective.
By Ron Ross posted on September 1, 2009 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Equipment
There’s a lot of highly erodible land and many small fields in LaGrange County, Ind.
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