Recently a no-tiller commented on a no-till history article about stripper headers and said “stripper headers make our no-till program work without having to plant covers. We are straight wheat on wheat and run cattle every year. We couldn't do it without the stripper header!”

Although it will be a rough wheat harvest for many Great Plains farmers this year, some changes in equipment can help maximize harvest efficiencies, says Kansas State University Extension.

Tall standing stubble, achieved by harvesting with a stripper header and leaving stumble at full-crop height, can conserve water and reduce residue decomposition rates in the Palouse region, says a new study by Washington State University Extension.

We found out this spring how important continually adding carbon into our soil is here in western Nebraska. With our somewhat low organic-matter content soil we really need to continually grow high-residue crops a high percentage of the time to keep the soil in good condition.

Stripper headers, chaff spreaders and crop rotations can help no-tillers improve residue management without resorting to iron.

I’ve been discussing 10 tips for successful no-till crop production and thus far I’ve covered choosing a good crop rotation, winter wheat as the most important crop for supplying a consistent amount of residue to make the rest of the crop rotation function, and utilizing a stripper head to manage this residue.

Recently I started off my 10 tips to successful no-till crop production with a discussion on crop rotations. I feel this is the most important consideration on your farm. Designing a crop rotation f will affect your bottom line, weed and disease cycles, and your farm’s performance well into the future. Take plenty of time each year and assess your rotation and improvements you can make in designing your rotation.