Articles by John Dobberstein

September 2012 Poll: Conserving Soil Moisture

By John Dobberstein posted on August 16, 2012 | Posted in Water Management

From August 16th, 2012 - September 15th, 2012, we asked No-Till Farmer readers: "Did no-till or strip-till help you conserve more soil moisture this year than neighbors who used conventional or minimum tillage?"

Update On The No-Till Yardstick Program

By John Dobberstein posted on August 15, 2012

If your crops have been burned by the drought, I know it’s hard to think about much else right now. But maybe I can offer you a brief diversion.

Rain Finally Comes

By John Dobberstein posted on August 1, 2012 | Posted in Water Management

Last week, I was finally able to hit the road to visit some farms and see what no-tillers have been up to this summer. I was also anxious to see, with my own eyes, how crops were doing during this historic drought.

No-Till Brings New ‘Shade’ Of Higher Yields, Profitability

Johnny and Brian Moore’s switch to no-till, cover crops and a diverse rotation has stopped erosion, improved organic matter and made their North Carolina farm’s high-clay soils more productive.

By John Dobberstein posted on August 1, 2012 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops

Brian Moore stuck a small shovel into the ground, pushed it down with his foot and pulled up a chunk of soil interlaced with roots and decaying plant matter.

‘Heads Up’ Solutions For Managing Corn Residue

Chopping corn heads and new header technology are giving no-tillers much-improved tools to manage tough Bt corn residue in preparation for planting.

By John Dobberstein posted on August 1, 2012 | Posted in Equipment, Residue Management

Aside from what goes in the bin, there probably isn't a more important task during corn harvest for no-tillers than making sure residue is properly processed.

Row Cleaners: Coming Of Age

Engineering improvements and on-the-go adjustment are making it easier for no-tillers to clear residue from the row and improve seedling emergence, crop stands and yields.

By John Dobberstein posted on August 1, 2012 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Residue Management

With tremendous pressure placed on timely planting, no-tillers are looking to have their planters functioning at a high level to maximize emergence and yields.

Rights To Crop Insurance In Question

By John Dobberstein posted on July 18, 2012 | Posted in Cover Crops, Water Management

If you protect your farm’s soils by no-tilling and using cover crops, but your neighbor made tillage passes at every opportunity, should you both have the same right to federal crop insurance when things go badly?

August 2012 Poll: Seeding Cover Crops in 2012

By John Dobberstein posted on July 16, 2012 | Posted in Cover Crops

From July 16th, 2012 - August 15th, 2012, we asked No-Till Farmer readers: "Are you planning to seed cover crops this summer or fall?"

Let's Talk About What You're Doing At Your No-Till Farm

By John Dobberstein posted on July 4, 2012

As Independence Day approaches, it might be worth the time to think about what your answers will be if someone comes knocking to discuss what you’re doing on your no-till farm.

Better No-Till Soils Require A ‘Balancing Act’

No-tillers should ensure farm ground is healthy and biologically active before turning to biological amendments, says a veteran no-till consultant.

By John Dobberstein posted on July 1, 2012 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Soil Health

When no-tillers are struggling to climb over a plateau in their crop yields, their first step should be finding out what’s happening with the nutrient balance and biological activity in their fields.

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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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