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John Dobberstein

John Dobberstein was senior editor of No-Till Farmer magazine and the e-newsletter Dryland No-Tiller. He previously covered agriculture for the Tulsa World and worked for daily newspapers in Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Joseph, Mich. He graduated with a B.A. in journalism and political science from Central Michigan University.

Articles

ARTICLES

No-Tillers Fill Up On Knowledge At Record Event

More than 800 growers from the U.S., Canada and even Africa flocked to the 19th annual National No-Tillage Conference to find new ways of boosting productivity and profits.

By John Dobberstein posted on March 1, 2011 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Soil Health

No-tillers logged hundreds or even thousands of miles to network, learn and inquire as the 19th annual National No-Tillage Conference (NNTC) in Cincinnati went down as a record-setting event.

Solving The Puzzle Of Planter Performance

No-tillers can boost yields and profits if they ‘marry’ the right attachments to their planters and avoid some common mistakes.

By John Dobberstein posted on March 1, 2011

Kevin Kimberely has compelling numbers that show not only how far the science of efficient planting has come, but how quickly things can fall apart for no-tillers.

New Options Built To Beat Pests

New seed treatments, herbicides lead the list of crop-protection products unveiled for 2011 to help no-tillers maximize yields, profits.

By John Dobberstein posted on February 1, 2011 | Posted in Crop Protection

Crop-protection manufacturers have rolled out a bevy of new seed treatments, herbicides, in-plant traits and biocontrol agents for 2011 that will help no-tillers tackle problems with weeds, insects and diseases.

The Fine Print On Vertical Tillage

No-tillers must look at residue anchoring, field leveling and seedbed preparation before selecting vertical-tillage implements.

By John Dobberstein posted on February 1, 2011 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Equipment

Judging from the number of articles and discussions threads on the Web about vertical tillage, it’s clear that no-tillers still have lots of questions about what the practice is.

Cooperation Benefits No-Tillers, Watershed

Indiana no-tillers and researchers are working to reduce nutrient runoff, boost subsurface drainage in a key environmental hotspot

By John Dobberstein posted on February 1, 2011 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Water Management

Mike Starkey admits being a little worried when researchers showed up on his farm in Brownsburg, Ind., 4 years ago, asking for permission to monitor the tile outlets leading from his fields.

Keeton Seed Firmer Makes It Two In A Row

From equipment to crop protection to precision tools, No-Till Farmer readers rated the best-performing no-till products for 2010.

By John Dobberstein posted on February 1, 2011 | Posted in Equipment, Crop Protection, Precision Agriculture

With major rainfall events pelting many regions of the U.S. prior to and during the 2010 production season, field conditions were a big concern for no-tillers — not just in preparing fields for planting, but also no-tilling crops properly.

Carbon Market Sags, But New Options On Horizon

The Chicago Climate Exchange is downsizing its operations, but it plans to roll out a new program for carbon offsets in 2011

By John Dobberstein posted on January 1, 2011 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), which ran the only national carbon-trading market in the U.S., is scaling back its operations.

No-Till Boosts Profits In Nearly All Climates

By John Dobberstein posted on December 1, 2010 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101

While some controversy continues over whether no-till can work well in the cold, wet climate of the northern Corn Belt, it’s a sound practice in most U.S. regions.

Getting The Most Out Of Nitrogen

No-tillers can improve their utilization of ‘N’ by measuring variability in their fields and taking advantage of biotech corn.

By John Dobberstein posted on December 1, 2010 | Posted in Precision Agriculture

There's more pressure than ever today for no-tillers to increase corn yields, and the challenge of high fertilizer prices and environmental regulations aren't going away either.

No-Till Helps Grower Succeed In ‘Rocky’ Situation

Wisconsin farmer credits no-till for higher-than-expected yields on small-acreage farm.

By John Dobberstein posted on November 1, 2008 | Posted in Equipment, Crop Protection

The land that Jeff Notstad no-tills might cause a lot of farmers to scratch their heads. It’s 480 acres of rocky, shallow loam soils that aren’t ideal for raising crops.

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