More no-tillers are finding fertilizing and tilling a 6- to 8-inch narrow band of soil in the fall and planting into this strip the following spring definitely boosts corn yields.
Tom Niewohner farms Luton soils in the Missouri River floodplain. The Luton soil series is formed in clay alluvium, which drains poorly. He says drainage is the number one issue on the river bottoms.
Driving between Des Moines and Milwaukee earlier this week, it gave me some time to reflect on the choices strip-tillers make as they strive to boost yields and profits.
Let me say from the outset: I don't know for sure whose idea was developed into modern-day strip-till. But I was intrigued to find a 50-year-old report describing strip-till research and testing done by the University of Missouri from 1956 to 1962.
Strip-tiller Sheldon Stevermer and his brother, Chuck, of Easton, Minn., are reporting success after debuting strip-till practices their Minnesota farm 8 years ago.
No-till, fertility management and herbicide rotation have saved Downing, Wis., multitasker Bill Hurtgen time and money. All are nuggets the relatively new farmer picked up attending a night class at his local technical college.
At first, Michigan farmer Jim Millett liked using the Rawson zone system for planting corn, but he found the weather didn't always cooperate. When strip-till machines became available in the late 1990s, Millett and his father demoed two strip-till rigs before choosing a Progressive machine.
Strip-tilling has increased dryland corn yields 30 to 45 bushels per acre for Scott Darling of Pender, Neb., since he started strip-tilling about 4 years ago.
Strip-Till Farmer delivers a mix of features on strip-till farmers, strip-till management topics and trending practices in strip-till. This FREE quarterly print newsletter is available to qualified subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.
On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, the team pays a visit to No-Till Innovator Jim Leverich for a look at some of his new equipment in Sparta, Wis.
Environmental Tillage Systems is a leading manufacturer of strip-till and nutrient-management equipment which enhances soil productivity and farm profitability.
Kuhn Krause's focus, above all, is to continue to produce quality products to serve producers better; to strive to respond to their needs with new tools and new technology to meet their growing challenges. Agronomic practices are constantly changing, and at a faster pace now than ever.
For over 90 years, Yetter Farm Equipment has designed and manufactured innovative and effective solutions for the agriculture industry. Today, we are proud to be recognized worldwide as an industry leader in designing row cleaners, strip till tools, planter attachments, precision fertilizer placement attachments, rotary hoes, toolbars, and harvest attachments.