Home / Authors / Frank Lessiter

Frank Lessiter

Frank Lessiter has served as editor of No-Till Farmer since the publication was launched in November of 1972. Raised on a six-generation Michigan Centennial Farm, he has spent his entire career in agricultural journalism. Lessiter is a dairy science graduate from Michigan State University.

Articles

ARTICLES

How No-Till Can Help Folks Live Longer

By Frank Lessiter posted on April 30, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Soil Health

For folks who want to grow even older, a recent Penn State University study demonstrates that eating foods processed from crops grown in no-tilled soils may play a key role in long-term human health.

Autonomous Tractor Yes, Chisel Plow No.

By Frank Lessiter posted on March 28, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

On the opening day of our National No-Tillage Conference in January, John Deere introduced its first-ever autonomous tractor in Las Vegas to considerable fanfare. While the advanced driverless tractor is no doubt an engineering marvel, the package deal that requires the purchase of decades-old chisel plow technology is not so innovative.

Micro, Secondary Macro Rates Up in Latest NTF Benchmark

By Frank Lessiter posted on March 3, 2022 | Posted in Nutrient Management

With higher fertilizer prices, it appears that many no-tillers are taking a closer look at how nutrients other than nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium can help keep no-till soybean yields at a high level.

Battling an Unhealthy 44% Increase in Fertilization Costs, No-Tillers are Seeking Ways to Trim Critical Nutrient Expenses Without Sacrificing Yields and Returns

By Frank Lessiter posted on February 22, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Crop Protection

Sky-high fertilizer prices are certainly having a serious economic impact on how no-tillers will be fertilizing this year’s corn and soybean crops. Major fertility changes are coming, according to data from our 14th annual No-Till Operational Benchmark Study that analyzed extensive data from 480 U.S. no-tillers.

Occasional Tillage Just Not a Good Option

By Frank Lessiter posted on January 31, 2022 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

Most no-tillers won’t want to hear it, but some University of Nebraska research indicates an occasional limited tillage pass won’t seriously damage no-till’s favorable soil structure. But with herbicide costs increasing significantly this year, we’ve heard that a few no-tillers are thinking of using a light tillage pass as a weed control option.

Frank Comments

Still Awaiting Your New No-Till Planter? Get the Old Rig Ready

By Frank Lessiter posted on December 30, 2021 | Posted in Equipment

If you ordered a new no-till planter for use this spring and it hasn't yet been delivered, hopefully you haven't parted ways with your old planter.

Travis Forstbauer Flooded Cover Crop Field

Cover Crops Save British Columbia Farmer's Soil from Massive Western Canada Floods

By Frank Lessiter posted on December 3, 2021 | Posted in Cover Crops

Source: Canada's National Observer

After an unprecedented storm with massive flooding, Travis Forstbauer, a Chilliwack, British Columbia, farmer, was pleasantly surprised that his land had suffered minimal damage, thanks to his cover crops.

No-Till’s First Field

It’s only 7/10ths of an acre separated by a drainage ditch from the rest of a 180-acre field, but it’s been continuously no-tilled for 60 years.

By Frank Lessiter posted on October 17, 2021 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Seeding & Planting

In the late 1950s, Harry Young had been thinking about reducing tillage on his family’s farm at Herndon, Ky. Conventional tillage had been practiced on the family farm since the 1830s.

How No-Till Benefits the World’s Population

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 15, 2021 | Posted in Seeding & Planting

The continued growth of no-till offers a number of major environmental advances for people all around the globe.

No-Tillage is for the ‘Birds’

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 31, 2021 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Cover Crops, Crop Protection, Residue Management

OVER 50 YEARS of writing about the benefits of no-till, we’ve only done a few articles on the expansion of wildlife populations with no-till. That’s why we were pleased to come across some work by University of Illinois environmental scientists on whether no-till and cover crops provide extra benefits for birds.

View All Articles by Frank Lessiter

Current Issue

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

No-Till, Double-Cropping Provide Steady Results for Michigan Dairy

Farming Less and Doing a Better Job with No-Till

More Double-Cropping Means More No-Till

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

Kinze Introduces the True Speed version of the Blue Drive Planter

Kinze introducing their True Speed version of Kinze’s Blue Drive planter for their 3505 8 row planter market.

Events

2022 National Strip-Tillage Conference

Date: 07/28/22

Location: Coralville, IA

Discover 2-days of cutting-edge ideas, techniques and strategies in Coralville, Iowa., July 28-29. Join the most innovative, forward-thinking minds in strip-till to raise your level of strip-till profitability, efficiency and efficacy.

View Event

More Events

Top Directory Listings

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 International, Inc

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

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.