Organic-matter readings from soil tests pretty much sum up the success Steve Hoffman has seen converting his farm in the Texas Panhandle to no-till practices.

Zachary Cordel already appreciated no-tilling from his days on the farm with his father in Cocker City, Kan., north of Salina. During the 5 years Zachary spent at college, and a subsequent 2 years of missionary work, his father went from tilling fields on their farm to becoming excited about conservation and stewarding the land, and he's now no-tilled for 12 years.

Figuratively speaking, you could say that 17 years of no-tilling has grown Cody Gruhlkey a barnful of beautifully restored antique tractors on his 8,000-acre farming operation near Kress in the Texas Panhandle.