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Laura Barrera

Laura Barrera

Laura Barrera is the former managing editor of No-Till Farmer and Conservation Tillage Guide magazines. Prior to joining No-Till Farmer, she served as an assistant editor for a greenhouse publication. Barrera holds a B.A. in magazine journalism from Ball State University.

Articles

ARTICLES

Winter Cover, Better Spraying Build Stronger Soil, Cleaner Fields

Kentucky no-tiller Jack Estes is seeing promising results from keeping his fields covered as much as possible, switching up herbicides and improving sprayer performance.
By Laura Barrera posted on November 14, 2015
The Estes family may have adopted no-till in 1983 to avoid picking rocks, but in the 32 years since they’ve seen many more advantages to giving up the plow.
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No-Till, Cover Crops No Problem for Northern Climate

After the Willfords were told they’d be back to conventional tillage after a couple of years, the Minnesota family is proving no-till and cover crops have a permanent place on their farm
By Laura Barrera posted on August 21, 2015
No-till isn't a common practice in Minnesota, but one operation is proving it can work.
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How Cover Crops Pay Off in a Continuous No-Till System

Cover crops involve some expense, but Rulon Enterprises in Arcadia, Ind., finds they do more than pay their way in their no-till system of 20-plus years.
By Laura Barrera posted on June 11, 2015
There's no cash in cover crops, Ken Rulon says, just tremendous value. And if no-tillers stick to the system, they can see both yield and cost benefits in the long run.
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Cover Cropping 2,500 Acres

By Laura Barrera posted on March 17, 2015
Tom Gasper of North Vernon, Ind., talks about the benefits his family's no-till operation is seeing from using cover crops on more than 2,000 acres, the species they’re using and why they decided to have their covers aerially seeded.
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Red clover

Protect Soil, Produce More ‘N’ with Frost Seeded Red Clover

No-tillers raising winter wheat can use this time-honored practice to boost yields for the following crop, improve soil tilth and relieve compaction, all without hauling out a no-till planter or drill.
By Laura Barrera posted on January 9, 2015 | Posted in Soil Health
When Aaron McQueen started farming 3 years ago, he wanted to seed a cover crop after winter wheat harvest to reduce erosion and increase soil tilth and soil biological activity.
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Corn

Easing into No-Till, Cover Crops Holds Hilly Soils, Reduces Weeds

A growing dairy operation prompted a Wisconsin farm to adopt more conservation practices, giving them healthier, mellower soil and better use of time and labor while maintaining yields.
By Laura Barrera posted on December 8, 2014
For about 10-15 years, no-tilling corn into 300 acres of soybean stubble was the extent of the Kieler family's use of the conservation practice.
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Dedication To Conservation Changes Soils, Pushes Yields

In the 11 years Mike Werling has been ‘never-tilling’ and using cover crops, organic matter levels climb, yellow clay soils turn blacker and yields steadily increase.
By Laura Barrera posted on August 1, 2014 | Posted in Soil Health
One of the best compliments Mike Werling ever received was a couple of springs ago, when a scientist for the federal government examined a soil pit on one of Werling’s fields.
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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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