No-Till Farmer editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at the grower's world from the lofty digital realm. Here is our favorite content from the past week from across the web:
- Lal: ‘Destroying Soil is a Crime Against Nature’
- Mr. McCormick Goes To Washington?
- Farming In Kevlar
- Getting A Goat
- This Tractor's Not Old. It's Experienced.
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Lal: ‘Destroying Soil is a Crime Against Nature’
Ohio State University Professor Dr. Rattan Lal has authored many of the world’s most significant works on no-till and conservation agriculture. In this “Save Soil” Youtube video, Lal advances another thought-provoking topic. “If a soil is a living entity -- which I teach and I believe, and am writing a book about -- it must have rights. The Monarch butterfly has rights; the Bald Eagle has rights. So like any other living thing, soil has a right to be protected, restored, managed judiciously, thrive and support other life processes.” His 6-minute video also provides a history of civilizations that perished, he says, because of soil degradation.
Mr. McCormick Goes to Washington?
National No-Tillage Conference attendees are well aware of Ray McCormick’s leadership in conservation ag. Now, the No-Till Innovator of the Year and No-Till Farmer Legend from Vincennes, Ind., is running for office for the first time in the state’s May 2022 primary. “Working together, we have a tremendous opportunity to lead the country with our values of hard work, common sense, and grit. I have decades of experience in capturing the sun's energy to be a more productive farmer and improve the environment. We can build soil health: the foundation for clean air, clean water, nutritious food, and a thriving economy. A healthy community is a safe, productive, and thriving community and one every person in the 8th district deserves.”
Farming In Kevlar
This tweet, via UK-based Green Square Agro Consultancy, points to tense conditions on the ground in the Ukraine, and shows video of a farmer conducting sunflower planting amid the ongoing war. While there's a lot of soil disturbance in this video clip, the amount of residue points to no-till farming in action. The large amount of soil disturbance you see here is sometimes employed as part of "no-till," which in some parts of the world is distinct from zero-till. Please don't @ us, bro.
Sunflower seeding started on this farm in Ukraine this morning, close to where fighting is taking place, tractor drivers are wearing bulletproof vests and helmets, everyone is on heightened alert #agroneverstops pic.twitter.com/sWnfrO5Cm9
— Mike Lee (@GreenSquareAC) April 19, 2022
Getting Your Goat
Cows can be a big ask for integrating livestock into your operation, if you're thinking about trying to use animals take the edge off of the nitrogen bill. They're big and possibly dangerous. They're not cheap to feed. You'll need to establish your position on their tools.
Cornell Cooperative Extension is here to help you get started with goats instead. In a webinar scheduled for May 5, the university aims to take some of the mystery out of evaluating goat purchases.
This Tractor's Not Old. It's Experienced.
Where does the time go? In this Tweet by Integrated Equipment Group President Chad Colby (@TheChadColby), the passage of time is measured in farm equipment. What does your 20-year-old tractor look like?
Some truth to this one. @JohnDeere pic.twitter.com/pOoXTmJdlj
— Chad E. Colby (@TheChadColby) April 19, 2022
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