Ron and Jan Swindler of Mott, N.D., went from a pair of the most advanced no-till producers in the world to well-established landlords in September as Ron auctioned his equipment and opened a new chapter in his career.

No-tillers have a stake in the production of ethanol. Currently, most ethanol is produced from corn, which has driven up demand and prices. But the consensus among researchers is that corn grain eventually will be replaced by other raw materials, possibly including crop residue, which could a revenue source for no-tillers.

Properly handling straw, chaff and stalks as they exit the combine is key to managing your residue throughout the year with no-till. It’s due to the fact that effective residue management influences erosion control, moisture conservation, seed placement, fertilizer distribution, crop emergence and weed control.

Over the years since my dad started no-tilling in 1978, we’ve had a lot to learn — and not much of a growing season to learn it in. On our extreme northern farm that is less than 30 miles south of the Canadian border, we’re lucky to get 90 to 110 frost-free days, creating a situation not unlike Siberia (our average January temperature is minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit). This year we even had snow on May 11.

To expand your no-till knowledge, here are a half dozen in-depth no-till books and reports to boost your no-tilling profits in 2002. Each is jammed with dollar-building ideas and cost-effective ways to trim your no-tilling costs.