Turning now to our No-Till Farmer Email Discussion Group Question of the Week — we asked you, “How are you getting the job done with today’s extra-wide 40 to 60-foot combine headers?” Here are some top answers.

Phil Needham, Calhoun, Ky   

“Uniform distribution of residue across the header width is very important, especially in no-till for uniform soil warming and crop emergence. Most new combines struggle spreading residue wider than around 35-40’, and if they are cutting into a strong head wind, or the residue is tough, it’s often 30’ or less.  

“With 50-60’ heads now on the market, combine manufacturers need to improve their residue spreading technologies if growers want uniform crop emergence. The other option is growers sticking with header widths no wider than the spread width of the combine, so if the combine spreads 40’, stay with a 40’ head!”  

Kelly Lozensky, South Prairie, N.D.  

"Went to smaller heads on combines in North Dakota. Running 32’ Shelbourne Reynolds stripper heads now on as much as we can. Still have 40’ flex heads but they are too big to evenly spread straw. Running Lexions with the powered tailboard on chopper. Chaff spreads pretty well but chopper does not at 40’. 30’ heads really work nice and spread very well. But they are getting hard to find as everyone seems to be buying the largest heads made."  

Bryan Ryberg, Buffalo Lake, Minn.  

"We run 40' and 45’ drapers on John Deere combines with power cast tail boards. If we feel we have excess straw or not spread well, we run a Salford VT with just wavy coulters to size and spread residue ahead of strip-tilling with a Soil Warrior triple coulter rig."

Watch the full version of this episode of Conservation Ag Update.