Duling-Famliy-Farm-lead-art.jpg

CHRISTMAS HARVEST. Duling predicts he might be harvesting as late as Christmas this year, thanks to a 3-inch rainfall that forced him to replant corn and soybeans. But he was able to hold off replanting on fields with good cover crop establishment.

A 50-Year Tradition of No-Till in Northwest Ohio

Sixth-generation farmer follows in his father’s footsteps, building soil health and improving water quality.

Although he credits his time as a crop advisor for teaching him a lot about farming, Jeff Duling learned almost everything he knows about conservation practices from his dad, Bob, a true no-till pioneer.

“My dad’s been no-tilling since the 1970s,” Duling says. “On top of managing the farm he bought in 1964, he was also a truck driver. Whenever he traveled to Illinois or Iowa, he visited farmers to see what they were up to. When he saw them using the John Deere 750 no-till drill for the first time, he knew we had to have it.”

But Jeff and his three younger brothers went in the opposite direction when they took over for Bob in the 1990s. 

“We were the kings of tillage,” Duling says. “My brothers and I went through a phase when we were ground pounders. Everybody was doing tillage in our area, but I could tell it wasn’t paying off. Dad would sit back and say to us, ‘You’re just starting over every year.’ So we started bringing no-till back into play, and it was working.” 

Jeff eventually bought out his brothers and has been managing the 1,300-acre operation in Ottawa, Ohio, full time since retiring from his crop advising position 11 years ago. Bob still helps out, and his influence is felt across every acre.  

“I’m fortunate to have my dad because he’s such an innovator and is always looking ahead,” Duling says. “He experimented all the time with equipment. He invented some stuff…

To view the content, please subscribe or login.
 Premium content is for our Digital-only and Premium subscribers. A Print-only subscription doesn't qualify. Please purchase/upgrade a subscription with the Digital product to get access to all No-Till Farmer content and archives online. Learn more about the different versions and what is included.

Noah newman web

Noah Newman

Noah Newman started at Lessiter Media in March 2022 as Associate Editor for No-Till Farmer, Strip-Till Farmer and Cover Crop Strategies. He previously worked in broadcast journalism as a sports anchor/reporter for television stations in central Illinois and most recently Jackson, Mississippi, where he was named the state’s sportscaster of the year by the National Sports Media Association. The Cleveland, Ohio, native enjoys engaging with growers, learning extensively about their operations, and sharing impactful stories with the audience.

Contact: nnewman@lessitermedia.com

Top Articles

Current Issue

Cover_NTF-December-2024.jpg

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.

Subscribe Now

View More

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

View More
Top Directory Listings