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No-Till Farmer

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May 2022

Volume: 51
Edition: 5

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  • Table of Contents

    Table of Contents

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    Lessiter_Frank

    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.
    Read More
    Let-Paraquat-Be-Your-Plow-Ad-with-banner.jpg

    No-Till’s Herbicide History, Part I

    No-till was a ‘no-go’ until modern weed-control chemicals arrived on the scene.
    By Mike Lessiter posted on March 30, 2022 | Posted in Crop Protection
    When No-Till Farmer (NTF) got its start in 1972, its pages were filled with tips on how to make herbicides like paraquat, atrazine, 2,4-D, Princep and Banvel (an early dicamba formulation) work in no-till systems. In Part 1 of this series, we’ll look at the most important early herbicides for no-tillers. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.
    Read More
    Tommy-and-Danny-Murphy.jpg
    What I've Learned from No-Tilling

    Transitioning a No-Till Legacy

    Slashing fuel, doubling soil organic matter and retiring with pride were rewards for forging on in fringe no-till country.
    By Martha Mintz posted on March 30, 2022 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Soil Health
    I had hoped to raise 50 crops before I retired, but 48 is pretty darn close. 
    The timing just seemed right at the end of 2021 to keep pushing for 50 crops on our Canton, Miss., farm. In 2019 we had reduced acres, letting all our rented ground go and just farming what we owned.
    Read More
    Commodity-Classic-Returns.jpg

    Commodity Classic Returns In-Person in New Orleans

    Trade industry reps, farmers, scientists and government officials meet to present new policy and products and discuss the future of ag.
    By Brian O'Connor posted on April 1, 2022 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Crop Protection
    The Commodity Classic returned in-person in March, drawing farmers, researchers and industry reps. The Classic drew the usual flurry of new product announcements and demonstrations. This year’s conference included announced federal programs, information sessions with industry leaders and 56 rows of trade-floor booths.
    Read More
    Calmer-Earthworm-in-Field.jpg

    Feed Earthworms, Improve Yields By Chopping Residue

    Veteran no-tiller Marion Calmer uses earthworms to manage residue in his Alpha, Ill., no-till system.
    By Michaela Paukner posted on April 2, 2022 | Posted in Residue Management
    Marion Calmer sees residue as either an asset or a liability — depending on how you manage it.  Calmer, the longtime no-tiller and ag entrepreneur from Alpha, Ill., has been conducting on-farm research since 1985 when he first started no-tilling.
    Read More

    Fuel or Fertilizer: Green Ammonia

    A fledgling ammonia-for-fuel industry is sparking interest in an electrically powered, carbon-free infrastructure that could rewrite ledger books for anhydrous ammonia fertilizer.
    By Dan Crummett posted on April 3, 2022 | Posted in Crop Protection, Nutrient Management
    When anhydrous ammonia jumped to over $1,400 per ton in late 2021, growers intensified their scramble to find black ink on 2022’s farm spreadsheets — a long-term challenge, considering natural gas, the main feedstock for NH3 fertilizer, entered the new year trading at nearly record-high prices.
    Read More
    RESIDUE-BREAKDOWN.jpg

    Harvesting Residue Nutrients with New Biologicals

    Using a biological product to break down crop residue can speed nutrient cycling, boost soil organic matter and save wear-and-tear on tires.
    By Pamela Karg posted on April 4, 2022 | Posted in Crop Protection, Residue Management, Nutrient Management
    We only know about 10% of soil’s bacillus-like species, beneficial microbes widely used in industry and agriculture. Yet our knowledge of their diversity and distribution patterns in the soil is still rudimentary, says Larry Fiene of Planet Earth Agronomy.
    Read More
    Plowman's-Folly-Cover.jpg

    Body of Knowledge: Digging Into Noteworthy No-Till Literature — Plowman's Folly

    While conservation ag principles are very much in the news these days, a look back at the no-till literature from the past reminds us that these important concepts are not new.
    By Brian O'Connor posted on April 5, 2022 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management

    Faulkner is the grandfather of the no-till movement, and he writes like it.
    It’s hard not to imagine an elderly gentleman with suede patches on a tweed coat and a pipe as Faulkner discusses his observations of the forest, and how nature tends to fill in the gaps. 


    Read More
  • Featured Articles

    Featured Articles

    Lessiter_Frank

    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.
    Read More
    Let-Paraquat-Be-Your-Plow-Ad-with-banner.jpg

    No-Till’s Herbicide History, Part I

    No-till was a ‘no-go’ until modern weed-control chemicals arrived on the scene.
    By Mike Lessiter posted on March 30, 2022 | Posted in Crop Protection
    When No-Till Farmer (NTF) got its start in 1972, its pages were filled with tips on how to make herbicides like paraquat, atrazine, 2,4-D, Princep and Banvel (an early dicamba formulation) work in no-till systems. In Part 1 of this series, we’ll look at the most important early herbicides for no-tillers. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.
    Read More
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    Digital Edition

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    Online Extras

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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.

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Last-Minute Planter Prep for No-Tillers & Strip-Tillers

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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