By Kevin Gross

As interviewed by Martha Mintz

OUR FARM WAS a dairy first and foremost for 100 years. Care of the cows was always the primary focus for my grandfather and my uncles, Steve and Phil Gross. Most of their effort went into making sure the cows were healthy, thriving, and productive. Cash crops supported the dairy. They weren’t an afterthought, but they weren’t getting the bulk of the research and attention.

When the hard choice was made to sell the dairy herd, attention was turned fully to our cropping systems. Just as our cows thrived, our fields are now reaching new levels of production and efficiency. After decades of mostly straight-forward no-till, now cover crops, strategic rotations and data-driven action are building success.

Alfalfa Stays

Remnants of our dairy years have proven helpful in our new cow-free system. We will reap the nutrient benefits of decades of manure applications in our fields for years to come, for example. Alfalfa has also earned a permanent spot in our rotation.

Our cows were fed predominantly alfalfa hay, and it proved helpful in our no-till system. If weed pressure was on the rise in a field and control was becoming more difficult, we would rotate those acres to alfalfa. After being repeatedly cut for hay for several years, the once-weedy field would be essentially weed-free and easily rotated back to corn and soybeans.

PRECISION PLACEMENT. An even cover crop stand and planter technology both contribute to planting success, says no-tiller Kevin…