BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Understanding that the need for no-till knowledge is year-round and seeing the opportunity to bridge the unique learning experiences of the National No-Tillage Conference, No-Till Farmer is proud to launch a brand new 2-day educational event.

The National No-Tillage Conference Summer Intensive — free to attend — will be held virtually June 23-24 and feature timely, topical information from no-till experts to improve your no-till know-how.

"We’re happy to be offering this second round of no-till learning in 2021 in a flexible format that will allow attendees to take in these learning sessions when it’s convenient for them," says John Dobberstein, senior editor of No-Till Farmer. "From basic, practical topics like assessing your soil health and properly adjusting combine settings, to advanced topics such as plant sap analysis and organic no-till practices, there will be something for every no-tiller in this virtual program.”

Here’s some of the scheduled speakers and session topics:

• Overcoming Challenges of Organic No-Till Systems. No-tilling and organic practices were once thought to be incompatible. But improvements in technology and the re-emergence of cover crops means some growers, like Rick Clark, are taking advantage of price premiums available on the rapidly growing organic market.
  
  The Williamsport, Ind., no-tiller will share how he’s gradually converting his 7,000-acre operation to organic methods for no-tilling corn, soybeans, alfalfa and field peas. Clark will review how he’s overcoming the inherent learning curves with organic no-till systems and how he plans to convert most of his operation to organic by 2022.
   
• Gauging Product Effectiveness, Reducing Waste with Plant Sap Analysis. Although soil sampling is a foundation for managing nutrients effectively, many no-tillers would like to pinpoint plant nutrient deficiencies during the growing season before they happen. Utilizing plant sap analysis can show plant mineral levels and highlight nutritional deficiencies and excesses before they cause any damage, says John Kempf.
  
  The founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture will briefly explain the basics of using sap analysis effectively and then shift to illustrating how the test can be used to identify wasted nutrient applications, evaluate product effectiveness and performance and develop responsive, custom nutrient application programs for their farm to optimize crop health and yields.
   
• Using Precision Technology to Boost Your Irrigation ROI. With 54 inches of annual average rainfall in her location, most wouldn’t think Annie Dee needs irrigation on her 4,000-acre farm. But often the rain shuts off in late summer and isn’t available during the critical developmental stages of corn — costing the family farm precious yield and income.
  
  The Aliceville, Ala. no-tiller will discuss the advanced irrigation system installed for 3,000 acres on her operation, including a reservoir that collects runoff, high-efficiency pumps and utilization of Lindsay’s FieldNET program that ties together different technology platforms on her farm. Dee will also discuss the return on investment she’s seen after implementing irrigation in 2011 to water crops at critical growth junctures to increase yields.
   
• Going Back to School: Soil Health Assessment 101. It can be a challenge for farmers early in their no-till journey to get an accurate picture of how healthy soil their soil is, or how much it’s improving. Using the right tools holds the key to getting answers, says Kris Nichols.
  
  The soil microbiologist and founder of KRIS Systems will describe various basic soil health assessment techniques that can implemented on any farm, how to do them and how growers can interpret what they’re seeing in the field. She’ll also review all the newfangled soil health assessment tests and what growers can learn from utilizing them.
   
• Combine Settings to Manage No-Till Residue, Harvest Top Yields. Marion Calmer takes corn harvest seriously. The Alpha, Ill., no-tiller knows a properly adjusted combine will allow him to harvest every kernel possible, but he needs to process residue to successfully no-till next year’s crop with limited problems from last year’s residue.
  
  Bt stalks, corn-on-corn, narrower rows, higher populations and fungicides all make corn residue difficult to decompose and turn into humus and organic matter. Calmer will offer his best tips for a highly functioning combine, including his No. 1 most profitable adjustment.

Visit www.No-TillFarmer.com/NNTC-2021summer for speaker updates, session topics and registration information for this free virtual event.

Title sponsors making the learning opportunities possible for no-tillers include Advancing Eco Agriculture, Martin-Till, Neudorff/Ferroxx and Yetter Farm Equipment.