As combines get rolling this fall, one of the measuring sticks for an efficient harvest is maximizing the performance of those six-figure machines.

We’ve all seen and heard about the widespread devastation caused by the recent hurricanes in the southern U.S. Images and stories covering the immediate impact was startling, but the aftermath is perhaps even more astonishing.

Most strip-tillers I visit tend to be loyal practitioners or, at the very least, recent converts who are seeing enough promise to continue their journey. But there are certainly those who struggle and perhaps even question their decision.

Returning from this year’s National Strip-Tillage Conference (NSTC) in Omaha, Neb., I always appreciate the new connections made at each event, and especially with those attendees who are new to strip-till.

Timing can be everything when building strips, and in talking with farmers, it seems more are becoming loyal to one time of year or the other, depending on convenience, weather or availability of hired help.

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.