Articles by Martha Ostendorf

Should No-Tillers Apply Fungicides Every Year?

University experts, experienced no-tillers weigh in on profitable fungicide management strategies for corn and soybeans.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on May 1, 2009 | Posted in Crop Protection

Record-high 2008 corn and soybean prices arguably meant that a fungicide application — or any other input that nudged up yields — paid for itself and then some. But whether fungicides continue to be a tool that can be used profitably on a yearly basis as commodity prices settle is up for debate.

Montana No-Tiller Found Getting ‘Lazy’ Worked

Arnold Gettel first tried no-till in 1969 and has seen soil structure and dryland yields improve as a result.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on April 1, 2009 | Posted in Soil Health

“Years ago, I got lazy,” jokes Montana no-tiller Arnold Gettel of why he first tried no-till. While fewer hours in the tractor seat was a legitimate appeal for Gettel, the economical benefits are really what drove the transition.

6 Surefire Strategies For High-Yielding No-Till Soybeans

Consultant Ed Winkle provides his tried-and-true tips to improve yields at key points in the growing season.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on April 1, 2009 | Posted in Seeding & Planting

With volatile markets and commodity prices, producers may want to consider how they can make the most of all their crops, including soybeans.

Red Clover Shows Adaptability As No-Till Cover Crop

Fixing nitrogen and managing moisture, cost-effective red clover can provide both feed and soil value.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on March 1, 2009 | Posted in Cover Crops

Easy to work with and generally low cost, red clover is becoming a viable cover crop option for many no-tillers.

A Fertile Place For No-Till Tips

More than 850 no-tillers and industry experts gathered in Indianapolis to share the latest techniques for better fertility, improved soil biology, cover cropping management and more.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on March 1, 2009

Subzero temperatures greeted attendees at the 17th annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis Jan. 14 to 17, making everyone glad for a reason to leave the chores behind, stay indoors and learn

2008 Product Of The Year

Fungicide Tapped By No-Tillers As Best Product For 2008

No-Till Farmer readers identify the cream of the no-till-product crop.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on February 1, 2009 | Posted in Equipment, Crop Protection

Trial and error is part of any innovative no-till operation, but with some insight from No-Till Farmer readers, maybe some error can be taken out of the trial. We asked our readers to cast their vote for the products that helped bring them success in the field in 2008. From equipment to inputs, readers identified their top products that worked as hard in the field as they do themselves.

Brand-New Batch Of Crop Protection Products Ready To Guard No-Till Fields

Herbicides, insecticides, in-plant solutions and more, crop protection manufacturers deliver products to suit a variety of no-till needs.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on February 1, 2009 | Posted in Crop Protection

Need to protect your stock portfolio? We can’t help you much there.

2008 No-Till Innovator Awards Go To Four Problem Solvers

If the solution doesn't currently exist, our winners will design one.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on February 1, 2009 | Posted in Equipment

Necessity is the mother of all invention, and the winners of the 2008 No-Till Innovator Awards had plenty of necessity to go around.

Foul Fall Likely Means More Spring-Applied Fertilizer

A late harvest, poor weather and high prices mean more no-tillers will be looking to apply more fertilizer this spring than usual.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on February 1, 2009 | Posted in Nutrient Management

Fertilizer was a painful input for most no-tillers in 2008. Growing world demand (up 14% — a growth equal to the entire U.S. market, according to The Fertilizer Institute), high production costs, increased transportation expense and a faltering U.S. dollar all contributed to record-high prices for major nutrients.

Should You Play The Vertical Game?

Vertical tillage improves the seedbed and root zone while keeping residue on the surface, producers say.

By Martha Ostendorf posted on February 1, 2009 | Posted in Equipment

While no-till can take soil quality and the resulting yield benefits a long way, preexisting compaction layers and less-than-ideal seedbeds can put a ceiling — or in terms of root growth, a floor — on progress. That’s where vertical tillage might play a helpful role, users of the practice say.

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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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