Articles by John Dobberstein

Ian & Dianne Haggerty’s Regenerative Journey: Continued

By John Dobberstein posted on October 18, 2020 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Soil Health, Water Management

Dianne and Ian Haggerty say they’ve learned a lot from Australian microbiologist Walter Jehne, who talked to them about the importance of root-to-shoot ratios.

From ‘No Hope in Heck’ to Regenerative No-Tilling

Ian and Dianne Haggerty are using the concepts of “Natural Intelligence Farming” to build a regenerative enterprise focused on zero tillage, livestock integration and biologically sourced inputs that boost their soil resources and profitability.

By John Dobberstein posted on October 18, 2020 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Soil Health, Water Management

Married and both raised in farming families, Ian and Dianne Haggerty were shocked when they sought advice from a farm advisor on managing their fledgling operation in the drylands of southwestern Australia.

Another Cheap Shot at No-Till

By John Dobberstein posted on October 7, 2020

An ag publication says farmers are destroying diversity for crops getting lower yields. But there’s a hole in that theory.

Could ‘Sociology’ Bring Local Answers to Weed Problems?

By John Dobberstein posted on September 23, 2020

It might not seem “sociology” — the study of groups of people — would have anything to do with fighting herbicide resistance. But Katie Dentzman has a different idea.

Resources for Dealing with Downed Corn

By John Dobberstein posted on September 15, 2020 | Posted in Equipment, Residue Management, Precision Agriculture

Here are some tips from No-Till Farmer and other sources for adjusting combine settings, managing disease, evaluating nutrient and residue issues and more in the wake of late-season stormy weather.

Name Change, Renewed Focus for Dryland Ag Institute

By John Dobberstein posted on August 12, 2020

Big changes are apparently in store for the West Texas A&M research facility that conducts important research on dryland agricultural practices to be shared with farmers.

Big Roots from Ryegrass Build ‘Highways’ in the Soil

Ralph Upton Jr. shares how annual ryegrass busted the plow pan, boosted soil organic matter and improved corn yields above the county average.

By Ralph Upton and John Dobberstein posted on August 3, 2020 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health, Water Management

We've got two different soils on our farm in Springerton, Ill.: What we call hill ground, and then bottom ground. The hill ground has got plenty of problems, and the bottom ground — if you don’t have too many water problems — will do a real good job of growing crops.

Looking Ahead to 2021 with New Planting, Seeding Innovations

Bourgault, Fendt, Deere make noise with new models as engineers focus on efficiency, preventing compaction.

By John Dobberstein posted on July 25, 2020 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Equipment, Precision Agriculture

Even though fall harvest is just around the corner for no-tillers, it doesn’t mean planting and seeding time is over.

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Cover Crop Benchmark Study

Cover Crops ‘Greening Up’ Growers’ Bottom Lines

No-Till Farmer’s first-ever Cover Crop Benchmark Study shows farmers are planting green, saving on fertilizer and pesticides and protecting soils

By John Dobberstein posted on July 23, 2020 | Posted in Cover Crops, Soil Health

Results of the first annual Cover Crop Benchmark Study show a healthy level of enthusiasm and success among farmers with cover crops as they seek to protect their farms from erosion, reduce input costs and improve soil health on their operations.

Canada Gets Mixed Grades in First-Ever Soil Health Report Card

By John Dobberstein posted on July 22, 2020

The Soil Conservation Council of Canada (SCCC) released its first-ever “national soil health report card” to grade how soil measures compare from one part of the country to another. Read on to find out how Canadians made the grade.

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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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