Since Strip-Till Strategies started more than a year ago, the newsletter has run featured stories on strip-tillers who have praised the system's ability to handle high amounts of residue, excel with narrow rows and save fuel.

But when Paxton, Neb., strip-tiller Jon Holzfaster talks about fuel savings, he quantifies exactly how much diesel strip-till saves per acre. Holzfaster shares these and other benefits of strip-till in this issue of Strip-Till Strategies.

It's fitting to think about saving fuel this week, which is National Ag Week in the U.S. The week includes National Ag Day - which was observed last Tuesday - and features many celebrations and educational events.

By the time Earth Day is observed in April, many farmers will be in the field. It's not likely that many strip-tillers will be at Earth Day celebrations. They're just too busy farming.

While Earth Day is associated with the "green" and the "environmental" movement, farmers are often quick to say that every day is Earth Day on the farm.

It's only in recent years that farmers and the agricultural industry have stepped up their efforts to tout the environmental benefits of practices like strip-till and other forms of conservation tillage.

Farmers can be bashful in touting environmental accomplishments and other achievements they can rightly be proud of. But their care of the land and water is a story that never gets old to me.

Share your experiences strip-tilling in the comments below so we can feature them in future issues of Strip-Till Strategies.