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Articles by Frank Lessiter

NNTC

1996: Meeting No-Till’s New Challenges

Jan. 11-13, St. Louis • 874 attendees
By Frank Lessiter posted on January 14, 2017
Include at least three different types of crops in your no-till rotations to control weeds and reduce disease problems, says Dwayne Beck. The director of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm in Pierre, S.D., says crop intensity and diversity need to be balanced for no-till profitability.
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Four Keys to Successfully No-Tilling Tough, Wet Soils

Ross Bishop describes how avoiding tillage, getting more aggressive with fertility, seeding cover crops and making equipment modifications have helped him grow higher yields in a challenging environment.
By Frank Lessiter posted on November 19, 2016
Ask Ross Bishop to describe his 21-year experience with no-till and he will sum it up for you in four words:
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Bigger Weed Battles Coming

By Frank Lessiter posted on November 19, 2016
At last summer's University of Illinois agronomy day, Patrick Tranel offered a half dozen weed management predictions that could keep no-tillers awake at night in the future. As reported by Tom Doran in Illinois AgriNews, Tranel says the weed challenges you’ll be facing 5 years from now will be totally different than today.
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Increased Nitrogen Rates May Lead to More Acid Soil Concerns

Experts explain how soil sampling by layers and effective liming can help no-tillers overcome the ‘additive’ effect on soil acidity.
By Frank Lessiter posted on October 29, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health, Water Management
Concerns among no-tillers about the impact of high nitrogen (N) rates on soil acidity appear to be on the increase. And it’s more of a problem with continuous no-till since some growers are spreading less lime due to increasing soil organic matter and decomposition.
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More Drought, More No-Till

By Frank Lessiter posted on September 17, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management
WITH EXTENSIVE concentrations of livestock production in the Northeast area of the U.S., this hasn’t been an area that’s seen a significant shift to no-till. But with area farmers facing a serious lack of rainfall and new nutrient management rules that practically mandate no-till, there’s more interest now than ever before.
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No Magic Formula for No-Till Success

Concentrating on 10 basic ideas while trimming back acres has helped veteran no-tiller Mike Wolpert enjoy more time with his family.
By Frank Lessiter posted on August 20, 2016 | Posted in Crop Protection

WHILE NO-TILLING for more than two decades, Mike Wolpert has pulled together a number of basic success strategies.

The Hurricane, W. Va., grower started farming with conventional tillage in a partnership arrangement in 1974. The operation took a major financial hit during the 1980s’ “Farm Crisis” due to poor cash flow, expansion at the wrong time, 3 years of low yields due to the weather and low commodity prices.


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Grazing, Haying Adds Value

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 20, 2016
A RECENT No-Till Farmer poll shows 19% of respondents growing cover crops are grazing livestock on at least a portion of their acres. While there are many benefits for utilizing cover crops in a no-till rotation, these farmers are turning these forages into added profits.
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