Huge self-propelled sprayers can cover lots of ground in a hurry, but many no-tillers are finding a useful and productive niche on their farms for smaller sprayers.

Rolling and crimping tall cover crops can help no-tillers and strip-tillers plant into heavy residue, preserve moisture and, in some cases, reduce herbicide use.

When Jim Irwin began strip-tilling in 1996, one of his biggest frustrations was being unable to precisely place seed in the strips he formed in the fall.

Paul And Mike Schweitzer don’t see the sense in tilling every inch of every field of their 1,200-acre farm operation.

Ever since David Legvold began farming land owned by St. Olaf College at Northfield, Minn., about 9 years ago, he’s worked with university professors and students to document the impacts of tillage and crop inputs on profitability, soil health and water quality.

While the fear of failure keeps many farmers from pulling the trigger on game-changing decisions, the lessons of conservation farming were drilled into Blake Vince’s head by his father at an early age.

In a world full of examples where more isn’t necessarily better, trials researching sequential fungicide applications on corn and other crops may be an anomaly.