Soil Health

Farmer Eliminates White Mold with Drywall Compost Mix

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Sat, 24 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Allen Dornacker had a major white mold problem in his no-till soybean fields 10 years ago.

New Cash Crop Gives Soils a Boost

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 07:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Bio Till Cover Crops, Ross Bishop explains how Kernza is giving his soils a boost in Jackson, Wis.

Soil Health Champs, Local Trailblazer & SoilWarrior Inventor Headline Strip-Till Hall of Fame Class

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

2026 Hall of Famers honored for playing a pivotal role in moving the strip-till practice forward & their overall impact on the industry

Choosing the Right Equipment for Your Strip-Till Operation

kdowning@lessitermedia.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Longtime crop consultant breaks down basics of coulters, shanks & knives

Strip-Till Conference Delivers Lessons Learned from the Field & Mind

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Hundreds exchange moneymaking ideas at 13th annual educational event in Springfield, Ill.

How Endophytes Help Protect Crop Potential

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

What happens when beneficial microbes establish within a plant—and why that relationship is central to ENAI’s approach to biologicals. Brought to you by Indigo Agriculture.

Strip-Tillers Join Forces for Cleaner Water, Stronger Future

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A trio of strip-tillers in Iowa are making big strides in their quest to improve water quality and promote the fact that conservation practices are indeed profitable and scalable.

How Strip-Till Saved 168,555 Tons of Soil … & Revisiting a Bold Prediction from 3 Years Ago

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 14:00:00 -0400

In his latest blog, Noah Newman shines light on how conservation practices like strip-till are making a difference in one of the top corn and soybean growing states in the U.S., and revisits a bold strip-till prediction from 3 years ago.

Tough Soils Require Management Shift, Stubborn Persistence

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

"Our heavy clay soils are among our greatest farm management challenges. They’re also vaults holding exceptionally valuable production rewards," Rodman Lott says.

Break Down Residue, Feed Your Crops

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Containing a unique selection of living beneficial microorganisms combined with humic acid and fertilizer components, DgradeR+ helps to disintegrate a wide variety of organic polymers such as starch, cellulose, chitin and lignin. Brought to you by SoilBiotics.

Find the Strip-Till Sweet Spot in Cereal Rye

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

"Strip-tillers need to allow time for the cover to grow in the fall before strip-tilling, but you must strip-till before there’s too much growth, or the rye doesn’t get buried in the strips very well," says strip-tiller Ed Roodzant.

Cover Crops, Grazing & Wood Chips Part of Award-Winning Conservation Formula

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 09 Oct 2026 07:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Bio Till Cover Crops, Bob and Robby Jewell explain how they incorporate wood chips, cover crops and rotational grazing into their Leopold Conservation Award-Winning system in northeast Iowa.

What’s at Stake with Residue Breakdown

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

There are definite payoffs for growers who can ensure the biological degradation process occurs with residue ahead of the next growing season, says Dennis Klockenga.

SARE Grants Now Available in the North Central Region

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) program currently has four open grant programs to fund research and education projects that advance sustainable agricultural practices in the region.

How Cover Crops Respond to Various Herbicides

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A number of factors, including biological and biochemical characteristics of the plant, chemical characteristics of the herbicide, and weather conditions will influence cover crop response to herbicides.

16 Things to Check for on a Soil Test

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Let’s move on now to our Video of the Week and a highlight from Brian Hefty’s Strip-Till Conference presentation. The Ag PhD co-host shared 16 things he pays attention to on his soil tests, starting with soil organic matter.

What Does No-Till Have to Do With a Trillion-Dollar Conglomerate’s Chairman Retiring?

lessitef@lesspub.com — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:00:00 -0400

At the 2010 National No-Tillage Conference, Howard Buffet challenged farmers to grow more grains and meat to help feed an ever-growing world population.

Farmer Eliminates White Mold Problem with Drywall Compost Mix in Soybeans

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 07:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Allen Dornacker shares the benefits of using drywall in his compost mix in West Bend, Wis.

The Tale of the Disappearing Lake

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

With no anthropogenic causes and only natural in-filling, Lake Pepin should remain a lake for about 3,000 years. At the rate sediment is being contributed to the lake, it’s estimated that in about 340 years Lake Pepin will be a wet prairie with a stream running through it.

[Video] Fall Strip-Till 101: Patience is Key

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

Dave Sender from Environmental Tillage Systems (ETS) shares some words of advice for farmers who are planning on making strips this fall.

Strip-Till Hall of Famer Jeff Martin Honored By State of Illinois

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Illinois state Sen. Sally Turner presented Mount Pulaski, Ill., strip-tiller Jeff Martin with an official Illinois Senate certificate for his recent induction in the Strip-Till Farmer Hall of Fame.

‘Bigger Than Life’: Conservation Ag Leader Ray Gaesser Passes After Farm Accident

jdobberstein@lesspub.com — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The announcement brought shock and sadness to those in the industry who knew and worked with Gaesser, who was one of agriculture’s most respected and well-liked leaders.

5 Big Strip-Till Takeaways from 2026 Farm Progress Show

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 11:22:00 -0400

“Man, this Strip-Till Section just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year.” That was my first thought as I started flipping through the Farm Progress Show Official Program book while chugging coffee, shortly after arriving at the nation’s largest outdoor farm show.

Big Trends, Ideas Shaping the Future of No-Till, Cover Crops at Farm Progress Show

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 07:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, the No-Till Farmer editorial team shares their top conservation ag takeaways and observations at the 2026 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa.

Observations from a Field Day at Dornacker Prairie Acres

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:00:00 -0400

"Last week, I accompanied Strip-Till Farmer managing editor Noah Newman to a field day hosted by Cedar Creek Farmers at Dornacker Prairie Acres in West Bend, Wis, and I saw some high-tech stuff there."

5 Big Things to Check for When Shopping for Biologicals

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 07:00:00 -0400

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Planet Earth Agronomy co-founder Mitchell Fiene reveals a checklist for farmers to consider when shopping for biologicals.

[Video] How Strip-Tillers are Boosting Soil Fertility with Dry & Liquid Humates

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 11:44:20 -0400

Fred Nichols, executive vice president for Huma, breaks down 3 humic-based solutions that are providing strip-tillers and no-tillers with a boost to their soils, cash crops and cover crops.

Strip-Tillers Receive Prestigious Environmental Stewardship Award

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Over the years, the Feikemas implemented basins and tiling to protect waterways and keep their fields from washing out, as well as implementing strip-till and no-till practices.

Applications Open for PFI Program That Helps Cover Crops Pencil Out

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In 2025, more than 2,400 farmers received $10 million in PFI cost-share to plant cover crops on more than 900,000 acres.

Hundreds Swap Ideas, Strategies & Moneymaking Insights at 2026 National Strip-Tillage Conference

nnewman@lessitermedia.com — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 17:00:00 -0400

Over 400 farmers, agronomists, researchers, educators, dealers and manufacturers packed the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel in downtown Springfield, Ill., for the 13^th annual National Strip-Tillage Conference.