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Martha Mintz

Martha Mintz

Since 2011, Martha has authored the highly popular “What I’ve Learned About No-Till” series that has appeared in every issue of No-Till Farmer since August of 2002.

Growing up on a cattle ranch in southeastern Montana, Martha is a talented ag writer and photographer who lives with her family in Billings, Montana.

Articles

ARTICLES

Think, Believe, Know: Informed Decisions are Backbone of Walker Farms

Data gathering & long-term testing help Bob & Bill Walker narrow in on efficient no-till crop production

By Martha Mintz posted on March 17, 2025 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Precision Agriculture

We continually refine our farming system. While my brother, Bill, and I know we’ll never get to specific end goals with many practices like efficient fertilizer use, we’re always chasing and narrowing the gap.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

A No-Till Farming System 55 Years in the Making

The Kaiser family shares thoughts on best practices are constantly evolving for three generations working this Ontario no-till farm

By Martha Mintz posted on February 18, 2025 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Residue Management, Water Management

Our Farming System as it exists today didn’t just happen. It’s an evolution that has been 55 years in the making.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

50 Years of No-Till — and Still Going Strong

Farmer & equipment dealer Paul Dotterer has helped spread no-till success throughout his farming community.

By Martha Mintz posted on January 21, 2025 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management

No-till got off to a rocky start in our region of central Pennsylvania. We all had rocks in our fields and were tired of digging them up with tillage and picking them. No-till seemed like a tidy solution if it would work.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Decades of Data Drive Ongoing No-Till Improvement

Steady adoption of new tools & technologies allows for precision management & in-depth analysis

By Martha Mintz posted on December 20, 2024 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Precision Agriculture

The phrase ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ is true from farm to farm – and it’s also a truth we face within our own farm.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Grazing Cover Crops Builds Farm & Field Resilience

Replacing fallow with cover crops grazed by cows, sheep & goats adds income, allows for forage stockpiling, & cuts field passes

By Martha Mintz posted on October 29, 2024 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health, Water Management

Tillage is out and grazing is in as the preferred management strategy for our family’s dryland cotton and winter wheat fields. The shift was gradual, but the soil health and bottom-line benefits have grown steadily.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Engineering a Triumphant Return to the Ridge

Research, strategy & equipment changes helped Desmond Miller make his second run at ridge-based farming a success.

By Martha Mintz posted on October 8, 2024 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Residue Management, Soil Health

I wish I had the authority to change the common description of how I farm from “ridge-till” to “ridge-planting.”

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Making No-Till, Cover Crops Work in Harsh Climate

No-tiller relocates to pursue farming passion & adopts system that saves moisture, reduces labor & improves food stability

By Martha Mintz posted on September 17, 2024 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Soil Health

Could no-till work in Alaska? When I asked researchers and other attendees at a no-till event in Spokane, Wash., nobody knew for sure.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

No-Till Planter Adjustments, Upgrades Propel Next Generation of Conservation

Automatic hydraulic down force, planting green & new water management tactics consistently increase yields & efficiency

By Martha Mintz posted on August 6, 2024 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Water Management

We've been no-tilling for nearly 50 years. You’d think we’d have it all figured out by now, but there’s always something new to try or a novel problem to unravel on our Lam bertville, N.J., operation.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

No-Tillers Make Decisions Based on ROI, Not Yield

Operation progresses to cover crops, grazing as newest generation builds on family farm's conservation commitment

By Martha Mintz posted on July 17, 2024 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Nutrient Management

Mr. No-Till is what one farm magazine called my grandfather, Stanley, in a 1991 article. He got our Cedar Hill, Mo., operation started in the practice at the urging of his father in the early ’80s.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Rapid Management Changes Prioritize No-Till, Soil Health

Farm's “re-diversification” includes going entirely no-till, adding wheat, focusing on soil health & adopting cover crops

By Martha Mintz posted on May 28, 2024 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Soil Health

I’m not the patient type. My brother Grant has more patience, but he’s not slow to act. If a farming practice makes sense to him, he’s game to implement it.

View All Articles by Martha Mintz

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