Earlier this week we paid another visit to this year’s Conservation Ag Operator Fellow, Ray McCormick in Vincennes, Ind., and one thing about Ray is that even when it’s the “off season,” he’s still thinking ahead for next season and doing what he can with cover crops.

In this video, Vincennes, Ind., no-tiller Ray McCormick checks in from his farm to explain why he’s excited to attend the 2025 National No-Tillage Conference, Jan. 7-10 in Louisville, Ky.

Corn harvest is about 50% done and soybeans are at 67% according to the October 13 USDA Crop Progress Report. Let’s talk about the phantom yield loss phenomenon, which is the loss of potential corn yields when some parts of a field are harvested later than others. Our Conservation Ag Operator Fellow Ray McCormick found a way to avoid phantom yield loss on his farm in southern Indiana.

Cover crops are an integral part of Ray McCormick’s system, and although he’s been planting them for decades, he’s refining his techniques every year.

For this 2025 National No-Tillage Conference preview, No-Till Living Legend Ray McCormick checks in from Vincennes, Ind., with a look at how he’s seeding cover crops from the combine.

Conservation Ag Operator Fellow & No-Till Living Legend Ray McCormick walks through the specs of his 35-foot wide John Deere Draper Platform and Gandy Air Seeders that he uses to seed cover crops while harvesting all in one pass.

Ray McCormick’s dealership, formerly known as Alliance Tractor, has a new name. It was acquired by Sloan Implement in July. One of the first things that catches your eye when you pull up to the dealership, is this giant limited production S7 combine that they’ve been demoing for wheat growers this summer.

Vincennes, Ind. No-Till Living Legend Ray McCormick has a unique and efficient way of seeding cover crops with his draper and air seeder. Here’s the Conservation Ag Operator Fellow discussing some of the specs that make his setup so effective.