No-Till Farmer editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at no-tilling across North America and the world. Here is our favorite content from the past week from across the web:
- No-Till Soils May Have Different Geology, But Biology Is What Matters
- Agronomist: 2023 Will Be Great Year to No-Till
- Intercropping, Relay Cropping Have Potential to Improve Productivity, Reduce Pest Pressure in No-Till Operations
- Conservation Practices Pay Off for Wisconsin No-Tillers
- Sometimes Kids Understand Benefits of No-Till Faster Than Adults
Best of the Web This Week is brought to you by TOTAL ACRE.
For growers motivated to improvement through change and technology, TOTAL ACRE is a 3-year program where hundreds of growers nationally learn from two of the highest-yielding farmers in the world, Randy Dowdy and David Hula. Each Total Acre grower benefits from four 2-day farm camps every year, a dynamic customized software system and a community support that extends well beyond the program.
See David and Randy at the 2023 National No-Tillage Conference in St. Louis!
No-Till Soils May Have Different Geology, But Biology Is What Matters
“Minister of Soil” and 2022 No-Till Innovator Ray Archuleta says your farm’s software is biology — without it, the “hardware” of your farm is worthless. The renowned soil health leader talked about soil health and profitable grazing systems during this presentation at the University of Kentucky’s 2022 Fall Grazing Conference. Don’t miss your chance to get a front-row seat to Archuleta’s upcoming 2023 National No-Tillage Conference presentation about how purposeful management allows no-tillers like you to cycle nutrients in the soil and reduce your inputs. Learn more here.
Agronomist: 2023 Will Be Great Year to No-Till
Although we think any year is a good year to no-till, Farm Journal agronomist Ken Ferrie believes next year will be particularly great due to dry harvest conditions this fall. “You won’t have wheel tracks or ruts to deal with,” he says in this article from Farm Journal.
Intercropping, Relay Cropping Have Potential to Improve Productivity, Reduce Pest Pressure in No-Till Operations
Sam Ireland, the new manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm, says there’s real potential for intercropping and relay cropping to improve productivity and reduce pest pressure by increasing the diversity of your system, especially when acreage is a limitation. In this video, Ireland gives an overview of his visit to Paul Overby’s no-till farm in North Dakota and visits to other operations to study the benefits of intercropping and relay cropping.
Conservation Practices Pay Off for Wisconsin No-Tillers
The Berget family farms 11,500 acres in Lancaster County, Wis., 8,500 of which are corn plus up to 2,700 acres of soybeans, some wheat and a 1,500 sow operation. In this article from Wisconsin Agriculturist, Mike Berget talks about why he and his family are sold on no-till, strip-till and cover crops.
Sometimes Kids Understand Benefits of No-Till Faster Than Adults
Aaron Sawyers of the No-Till on the Plains visited a group of 3rd graders last month, and the kids were wowed by a slake test comparing the soil structures of a tilled field, a no-till field with covers and native pasture. “Always amazes me at the observations of young children — they usually get it pretty fast,” Sawyers writes in this Facebook post. Looks like there may be some future farmers in the group!
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Best of the Web This Week is brought to you by TOTAL ACRE.
For growers motivated to improvement through change and technology, TOTAL ACRE is a 3-year program where hundreds of growers nationally learn from two of the highest-yielding farmers in the world, Randy Dowdy and David Hula. Each Total Acre grower benefits from four 2-day farm camps every year, a dynamic customized software system and a community support that extends well beyond the program.
See David and Randy at the 2023 National No-Tillage Conference in St. Louis!
