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Articles Tagged with ''earthworms''

How Earthworms Build Better No-Till Soils, Yields

Earth’s natural tillers do everything from supplying free “manure” to increasing nitrogen to spreading microorganisms and more.

By Laura Barrera posted on May 1, 2013 | Posted in Soil Health

When a farmer switches to no-till, they will probably find they can apply 60 to 80 fewer pounds of nitrogen in their cornfields, but still get the same yields.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Cover Crops, Residue Whip No-Till Fields Into Shape

Since retiring from a local shop, Michigan no-tiller Larry Bonnell is using his extra time to focus on putting soil, microbes, insects and crops to work in his no-till system.

By Larry Bonnell and Martha Mintz posted on March 1, 2013 | Posted in Cover Crops, Residue Management, Soil Health

On a chilly November day 2 years ago, I was deer hunting in one of the fence rows I’ve left to help manage erosion in my hilly fields.

All Roads Lead Back To Soil Health

NRCS soil scientist Ray Archuleta believes promoting healthy no-till soils requires a lot more than just ceasing tillage operations. It means following the lead of nature.

By Mark Parker posted on November 1, 2012 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Soil Health

For no-tillers aiming for sustainable and profitable crop production, optimizing soil health and function is the ultimate endgame, says Ray Archuleta.

Cover Crops: Starting Is The First Step

The right covers can transform tough soils, but no-tillers must fight past early challenges to find what works on their farm, Terry Taylor says.

By John Dobberstein posted on October 1, 2012 | Posted in Cover Crops

Terry Taylor has spent much of his adult life figuring out how to unlock the potential of cover crops on his southern Illinois farm.

Manure, Crop Diversity Lock Down No-Till Profits

Koepke Farms tweaks its crop rotation, manure management and onfarm research to get the most from its no-till practices.

By Clair Urbain posted on August 1, 2012 | Posted in Soil Health

Even after more than a quarter-century of no-tilling, Koepke Farms continues to fine-tune its practices to keep soil in place, make the most of manure and fertilizer applications and consistently reach 200-bushel corn yields without irrigation.

Banding Vs. Broadcasting Nutrients In Strip-Till: Which Is Best?

There are pros and cons to both application methods, with nutrient availability, soil tests and even land ownership factoring into the debate.

May 1, 2012 | Posted in Strip-Till Farming

Strip-tillers and agronomists agree about the need to maximize the use of fertilizer to produce high-yielding corn and soybean crops.

A Closer Look At The No-Till Underground

Ray Weil shares the inside story on the dynamic organisms in productive no-till soils, and what it takes to keep them happy.

By Martha Mintz posted on February 1, 2012 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Soil Health

Soil is a no-tiller’s main business. And as in any business, there is a hierarchy of employees that must work together to get the job done.

No-Till Proves Its Worth

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2011 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Equipment

When Allan Brooks and his father, Gil, started no-tilling vegetable crops in northern Wisconsin more than 40 years ago, they paid their penance.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Using The Right Tools Brings No-Till Success

Doug Gronau believes technology can boost no-till profitability, but it must produce a quick return on investment.

By Doug Gronau and Martha Mintz posted on October 1, 2011 | Posted in Equipment, Nutrient Management

Returning to no-till after a 30-plus year hiatus was really a homecoming for my family. My father no-tilled in the 1960s, but moved away from the practice due to the lack of mechanical and herbicide options we needed to make no-till work.

Frank Comments

Garden Catalog Indicates The Worms In Your No-Till Fields May Be Worth Thousands

By Frank Lessiter posted on August 1, 2011 | Posted in Soil Health

While leafing through a Plow & Hearth catalog a few days ago, I spotted a unique product that made me think of the many benefits of no-tilling.

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Building the Foundation of a Successful No-Till Operation

No-Till Innovator Adam Daugherty checks in from Coffee County, Tenn., with a preview of the 2025 National No-Tillage Conference (NNTC). The former NNTC Presenter of the Year, farmer and NRCS district conservation official will be leading a classroom presentation, “Don’t Start Planting Cover Crops Until…”.

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