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To Till or Not to Till

October 23, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health
Source: Ohio's Country Journal
The wet harvest last fall and continued saturated soil conditions this past spring in many parts of the country created a scenario that left many farmers scratching their heads: “To till or not to till…that is the question.”
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Leininger

No-Till, Cover Crops Key to Building Healthy Soil

October 23, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health
Source: York News Times
On a windy autumn day, Dan Leininger, a water conservationist with the Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District, stands in a field of ripe soybeans on the northeast side of York, Neb. While the beans are impressive, Leininger gets down on one knee to show what he’s most proud of. Find out more in this article from the York News-Times.
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Soil, Cover Crops Key to Saving Family Farms

October 21, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health
Source: Yes Magazine
Would it sound too good to be true if I was to say that there was a simple, profitable and underused agricultural method to help feed everybody, cool the planet, and revitalize rural America? I used to think so, until I started visiting farmers who are restoring fertility to their land, stashing a lot of carbon in their soil, and returning healthy profitability to family farms. Read more in this article from Yes magazine.
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Planting Cover Crops After Small Grain Harvest

October 21, 2019 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health
Typically, double cropping done after small grains is planting soybeans in wheat stubble, but not always, says Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff. Some growers plant a crop after barley, oats or other small grain crops, and cover crops are a viable choice for planting in late summer. The amount of precipitation is also a factor in deciding whether to plant cover crops after small grains. The type of cover crop planted can also play a role in helping increase yields the following growing year.




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From the Web

Soil Sense Podcast Talks About Farmers Building Soil Health

October 17, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health
This 15-episode podcast series weaves together the stories of how farmers are utilizing soil health building practices on their farms in conjunction with help from their trusted advisers and using partnerships with researchers and Extension specialists to better understand their systems. This series touches on the soil health movement in North Dakota with ideas on both successes and failures.
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[Podcast] Using Soil Health Tests

Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says that in the past 5-10 years, soil health testing has grown in popularity, but they aren’t a silver bullet for detecting all soil health problems. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)
October 16, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health
Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says that in the past 5-10 years, soil health testing has grown in popularity, but they aren’t a silver bullet for detecting all soil health problems. (Courtesy of Cover Crop Innovators)
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[Video] Combining No-Till, Cover Crops & Manure

October 16, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health
Dan DeSutter farms 4,500 acres in west central Indiana with his wife and three sons. Formerly a financial analyst and commodity broker, Dan uses no-till, cover crops and manure to improve soil quality while maintaining high levels of crop production. In 2013, he was selected National No-Till Innovator of the Year.
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Using Soil Health Tests

October 16, 2019 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health
Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff says that in the past 5-10 years, soil health testing has grown in popularity, but they aren’t a silver bullet for detecting all soil health problems. In this podcast, learn about the different types of soil tests available, what they can measure and why each one is important.
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Maximizing Legume Cover Crops for Less Nitrogen Use

October 8, 2019 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health
Managing legumes as a cover crop requires smart decision making, says Pennsylvania cover crop expert Steve Groff. From choosing the best nitrogen-producing species and planting legumes as early as possible to using winter hardy selections and planting into green legumes, Groff shares best practices for getting the most out your covers while using less nitrogen.




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Rye

New Rye Varieties are Promising Small Grain Crops

October 4, 2019 | Posted in Soil Health
Source: Kenosha News
Ben Brockmueller, a South Dakota State University (SDSU) grad student, presented data gathered at the SDSU Southeast Research Farm (SERF) outside of Beresford, SD, that found they averaged roughly 100 bushels per acre on their hybrid rye. Overall, rye seemed to hold up better than most everything tested. Find out more in this article from the Kenosha News.
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NNTC_Logo_2025_4c.png

The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 7-10, 2025! Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 33rd Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Louisville, Ky. Jan. 7-10, 2025. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.

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Videos

Ray McCormick’s Conservation Buffer

Ray McCormick’s Conservation Buffer

Earlier this week we paid another visit to this year’s Conservation Ag Operator Fellow, Ray McCormick in Vincennes, Ind., and one thing about Ray is that even when it’s the “off season,” he’s still thinking ahead for next season.
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