Articles by Laura Barrera

Adjusting Equipment, Adding Crops Improves No-Till Operation

Jordan and Katie Hancock have added variable-rate technology, cover crops, canola and strip-till to their no-till farm in southern Kentucky to control erosion, save inputs and increase profits.

By Laura Barrera posted on September 21, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Precision Agriculture

NO-TILL IS A natural solution to stopping erosion and pumping up profits, but the Hancock family is looking to do better

October 2015 Poll: Soybean Diseases

By Laura Barrera posted on September 15, 2015 | Posted in Crop Protection

From September 16th - October 15th, we asked No-Till Farmer readers: "What soybean diseases did you have this year?" and "If you had soybean diseases this year, did you treat them?"

From the Desk of Laura Barrera

4 Tips for Avoiding Compaction at Harvest

By Laura Barrera posted on September 15, 2015

There’s a risk that running heavy harvesting equipment in wet conditions will result in soil compaction. Considering compaction can cost you 5-10% in yield, it’s a good idea to avoid it when possible.

From the Desk of Laura Barrera

Should You Quit Using Anhydrous Ammonia?

By Laura Barrera posted on September 1, 2015 | Posted in Crop Protection

Despite how affordable it is, some argue the impact anhydrous ammonia has on soil health is costing you more than you think.

Eliminate Voles Without Sacrificing No-Till, Cover Crops

The undisturbed, vegetated environment that no-till and cover crops create is an ideal home for voles, but with the right management, no-tillers can control them and prevent damage.

By Laura Barrera posted on August 21, 2015 | Posted in Crop Protection

BY NOW IT’S well known that pairing no-till with cover crops can do a lot of good for the soil and cash crops.

No-Till, Cover Crops No Problem for Northern Climate

After the Willfords were told they’d be back to conventional tillage after a couple of years, the Minnesota family is proving no-till and cover crops have a permanent place on their farm

By Laura Barrera posted on August 21, 2015 | Posted in Cover Crops, Residue Management, Nutrient Management

No-till isn't a common practice in Minnesota, but one operation is proving it can work.

From The Desk of Laura Barrera

4 Key Ingredients for Residue Breakdown

By Laura Barrera posted on August 19, 2015 | Posted in Residue Management

If you’ve struggled with getting residue to decay, consider the factors that control the residue breakdown process and some ideas for helping it along.

September 2015 Poll: Soil Organic Matter Improvement

By Laura Barrera posted on August 16, 2015 | Posted in Soil Health

From August 16th - September 15th, we asked No-Till Farmer readers: "How much has your soil organic matter content improved (in a typical no-till field) since you began no-tilling?"

From the Desk of Laura Allen

3 Tips on No-Tilling ‘Up North’

By Laura Barrera posted on August 4, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting

Driving through southeastern Minnesota earlier this year, it was clear that no-till was the exception, not the rule. Cold, wet soils can be a challenge for no-till, but the working up of rolling ground and steep slopes that I saw also means there's greater erosion.

Saving Sandy Soils and Pushing No-Till Productivity

With no-till protecting their soils from erosion, the Schlarmanns are focusing on fertility, soybean yields and soil microbial activity.

By Laura Barrera posted on July 23, 2015 | Posted in Cover Crops, Residue Management, Nutrient Management

When the Schlarmann family started no-tilling in the 1980s to save their sandy soils from wind erosion, they eased into the practice by trying it on a piece of land here and there.

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Sustainable Agriculture Summit Shines Light on No-Till, Strip Till & Cover Crops

During the Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Minneapolis, Minn., Carrie Vollmer-Sanders, the president of Field to Market who also farms in Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio, shared why it is important for no-tillers and strip-tillers to share their knowledge with other farmers.

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