When it comes to soil health, it can be easy to embrace an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mentality. Strip-tillers are accustomed to taking a systematic approach to consistently produce a high-quality crop.
But in some cases, looks can be deceiving and it’s important to understand how soil function is a catalyst for successful cover cropping, residue management and water infiltration. Stephanie McLain, Indiana NRCS soil health specialist, notes that farmers need to dig into the dirty details of their soil health and be proactive managers of soil function.
McLain offers advice for knowing how to analyze and activate soil function, utilizing 8 assessment tools including corn residue breakdown, nutrient cycling and earthworm activity.
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The 2019 National Strip-Tillage Conference Video Replay is brought to you by Ingersoll Tillage Group.
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Independent on-farm researcher Marion Calmer checks in from Alpha, Ill., with a preview of his 2024 National Strip-Tillage Conference presentation, “Did Strip-Till Solve My Nutrient Stratification Problems?” Over the last 5 years, Calmer has been examining fertility levels vertically in his soil profile. This inch-by-inch examination uncovered a serious nutrient stratification problem on his farm that was costing him up to $135,000 annually. The No-Till Legend switched back to strip-till in 2023 for the first time since 1995 in an effort to solve his nutrient stratification problems.
Montag products have proven results with patented precision metering application for significant savings of nutrients and cover crop seed, and for achieving best conservation practices.
