Since we recently wrapped up our 22nd National No-Tillage Conference in mid-January, it’s a good time to reflect on a few items — both serious and not so serious — that have occurred at this annual event over the years.

During this 22-year time span, we’ve attracted 17,264 total attendees. Annual attendance has ranged from 635 to a record crowd of 1,153 attendees last winter in Indianapolis. This year’s 22nd annual event in Springfield, Ill., had 1,024 attendees.

Roaring Start

When we were making plans for the very first event in 1993 in Indianapolis, we thought we might attract 150 no-tillers. Instead, an astounding 814 attendees showed up.

Check The Stats

Looking back, we’ve provided attendees with more than 1,100 hours of non stop no-till learning. We’ve lined up more than 800 growers, educators and suppliers as speakers to provide the very latest information and ideas dealing with successful no-tilling over the last 22 years. Over the years, we’ve had no-tillers from over 20 countries share their no-tilling ideas at this event.

A Few Zany Tales

While continuing education is the sole purpose of the National No-Tillage Conference, there have been a few wild and crazy ideas over the years. Here are a few of my favorites:

• At the first conference in 1993, a Michigan attendee had never no-tilled in his life. He left the conference so convinced that no-till would work that he auctioned off all of his tillage tools and high-horsepower tractors 8 weeks later and plunged whole-hog…