Articles by John Dobberstein

Busting The Colder, Wetter Myth: Year 2

Soil temperatures were 0.1 to 1.75 F warmer in this no-tiller’s field during spring and summer compared to a neighbor’s conventionally tilled field.

By John Dobberstein posted on December 1, 2014 | Posted in Soil Health

A Wisconsin no-tiller says his second year of onfarm testing found his no-tilled, cover-cropped fields are generally the same temperature or warmer than his neighbor’s conventionally tilled fields.

From the Desk of John Dobberstein

Get Comfortable With The Uncomfortable

By John Dobberstein posted on November 27, 2014

Last Monday, there were 10 people in our house as movers packed 355 boxes. Our two dogs were howling from their crates, there was no place to sit, the wind whipped up to 35 mph and it started snowing sideways as our belongings were loaded onto a semitractor trailer.

Cover Crops Key To Storing More Soil Organic Carbon

No-till practices alone may not sequester as much organic carbon in soil profiles as previously thought, but seeding cover crops could help rebuild it, says University of Illinois researcher Ken Olson.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 18, 2014 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management

Ken Olson doesn't dispute that no-till can sequester organic carbon in the soil, or provide numerous other benefits to farmers.

No-Tilling Could Improve Outcomes With Saline Soils

By John Dobberstein posted on November 13, 2014 | Posted in Soil Health, Water Management

If you’re struggling with saline soils, no-till is probably a better management option than tillage.

No-Till Farmer Launches Blog For Beginning No-Tillers

By John Dobberstein posted on November 4, 2014

Source: My No-Till Journey

No-Till Farmer has launched a new blog, “My No-Till Journey,” aimed at helping farmers new to no-till practices increase their chances of success.

Narrow, High-Tech Gauge Wheels Tackle Plugging, Emergence Issues

New materials and designs for depth-gauge wheels can help growers improve seed-depth consistency and emergence in tough no-till conditions, and possibly increase yields.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2014 | Posted in Equipment

When it comes to no-till planters and drills, row cleaners and closing wheels often get the most attention from growers, giving rise to seemingly endless tweaking and innovation devoted to the attachments.

20 Ways To Build Better No-Till Soils

World-renowned soil scientist and Rhizoterra co-founder Jill Clapperton shares tips and insights about no-tilled soils that could help growers lower their productivity costs and increase yields.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2014 | Posted in Residue Management, Nutrient Management

While the purpose behind modern no-tilling can sometimes get lost in the machinations of fertilizers, machines and GPS signals, Jill Clapperton offered as a simple example of how crop residue fuels no-till systems.

New Ideas Open Doors

By John Dobberstein posted on October 23, 2014 | Posted in Water Management

We’ve all probably heard this ultimatum spoken before: “You can either be part of the solution, or part of the problem.”

Are Your Soils Paying You Back?

By John Dobberstein posted on October 9, 2014 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health

It’s very easy to get wrapped up in the daily grind of running a farm operation. But as winter rapidly approaches and harvest or seeding winds down, you should check out a book that may become required reading for many farmers.

Rigging Up A Late-Season Cover Crop, Fertilizer Solution

With help from a fabricator, New York strip-tiller Donn Branton converted a RoGator into a dual-purpose machine that seeds covers and dry fertilizer into standing corn and soybeans.

By John Dobberstein posted on October 1, 2014 | Posted in Strip-Till Farming

Seeding cover crops into standing corn and soybeans in a colder climate can be a daunting challenge, so Donn Branton came up with a solution on his farm that actually solves two problems in one pass.

Current Issue

No-Till Farmer

Get full access NOW to the most comprehensive, powerful and easy-to-use online resource for no-tillage practices. Just one good idea will pay for your subscription hundreds of times over.

Subscribe Now

5 Takeaways After 35 Years of No-Tilling

How Weeds Handle the Drought

5 Ways No-Till, Covers Hold Soil Moisture

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

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.

Top Directory Listings

Needham Ag Technologies, LLC

Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.

Titan International, Inc

Titan offers a full line of wheels, tires and undercarriage products for a wide variety of off-the-road equipment.

The Andersons PureGrade

The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.