Traveling through parts of Wisconsin during the holiday weekend, I took note of the height and health of crops I passed along the highway. Most looked to be thriving and it got me thinking about the expectations farmers may have for this year’s cash crops, coming off a record 2016 for many — at least in terms of yields.

The last few years have prompted some strip-tillers to reevaluate their crop rotation and adjust to the fluctuating commodity market. Talking with a few farmers, they acknowledged making some pre-season planting decisions based in part on the price of corn and soybeans.

Playing a pick-up game of basketball this week, I had the unfortunate experience of colliding with a much larger, more athletic opponent. While I only had the wind knocked out of me, those few moments of gasping for air made me appreciate the ability to take a deep breath again.

As strip-tillers get rolling in the field this spring, the metaphorical dust is settling on the termination of John Deere’s planned acquisition of Precision Planting. There will almost certainly be another buyer for the planter technology company’s hardware business, and parent company Monsanto stated as much after calling off the deal.

Frustration if often a byproduct of progress, and as any strip-tiller will tell you integrating new technology into their operation often comes with a hitch or two.

As I begin crunching the numbers and analyzing the a record number of responses to our 2017 Strip-Till Operational Practices Benchmark study, some interesting trends are taking shape.

Increasing yields isn’t always the top priority for strip-tillers. But whether it’s the primary objective or a secondary benefit of a well-rounded system, there is rarely a singular update or adjustment that a farmer can make that will consistently add bushels.

Seeding cover crops isn’t an exact science, which is one reason why farmers are often willing to experiment with different methods. A new addition to our 4th annual Strip-Till Operational Benchmark Study asks farmers what they use to seed cover crops.

There are those people who get to a certain point in a project and consider the job done. A certain satisfaction, and even relief, comes with completion of a task or a goal achieved.