A simple question about converting a disc to an aeration tool sparked a heated discussion on the No-Till Farmer message board this month. No-tillers gave their thoughts about making this conversion and also the compaction problems that can go along with no-tilling in cold, wet soils.

If you haven't already read it, there was a fascinating article of special interest to no-tillers found in the October issue of Soybean Digest. Entitled “Discing Profits Down,” the article features on-farm test data from Indiana indicating that the more a farmer discs the ground in the fall, the more profit he or she will end up losing.

It all starts with the planter, Gregg Sauder of Tremont, Ill., told 660 attendees at the seventh annual National No-Tillage Conference in St. Louis, Mo. He says no-tillers concerned with yields and stands should turn their attentions to the no-till planter to receive optimum crop performance.

Heavy clay loam soils and cold, wet springtime soil conditions have caused Ed and Jim Myer to tailor a conservation program that meets their farm operation's challenging characteristics.