Foliar feeding corn and soybeans remains a controversial subject in some corners of agriculture, but not to an increasing number of farmers who are using the practice to fine-tune fertilization strategies to maximize yields.

The economics of installing drainage systems on poorly drained farm ground are clearly positive for most no-tillers.

Now's a great time to head out to your no-till fields and scout for weeds, insects and other pests. Many of you will be putting on your second pass of herbicides and/or applying a second pass where it turned out that the one-pass weed control system wasn’t adequate.

When we decided that we wanted to no-till corn back in 1994, we knew we would face a tough challenge from our cold, wet spring soils. So, my brother Steve and I (with the support of our Dad, Dave) decided to try fall strip-tilling.

If your familiar with the cyclical weather patterns (very dry to very wet) we’ve experienced in North Dakota since I started no-tilling in 1986, the fact that I’m still in business might say an awful lot. Not only am I still no-tilling, but I have expanded from 1,000 to 4,000 acres of cropland. And thanks to the many hours I no longer have to spend in the field, I’ve built up a busy grain cleaning and processing business.

Our gradual transition to conservation tillage began 43 years ago when we parked the moldboard plow and hooked onto a chisel plow in 1964.