The top-performing Strip-Till Farmer content of 2024 showcases critical industry updates, expert insights and emerging trends in the world of strip-till. As we step into the new year, we’re excited to highlight the stories, interviews and articles that resonated most with our readers over the past year.
From in-depth research and insightful blogs to hours of engaging video content, our mission remains focused on delivering "meat and potatoes" content to the strip-till community. Here’s a look at the content that captured the most attention and engagement in 2024.
Most Read Blogs
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David Hula’s 5 Keys to Strip-Till Success By: Noah Newman
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February 5, 2024
What does it take to grow record-shattering crops? From Alex Harrell’s jaw-dropping 206-bushel soybeans in Georgia to David Hula’s astounding 623-bushel corn in Virginia, these farmers are rewriting the limits of what’s possible. While the pursuit of monster yields isn’t every grower’s goal, their methods offer invaluable insights.
Chasing Godzilla-sized yields isn’t necessarily always the name of the game, but what can we learn from a record-breaker’s approach to growing a bin-busting crop? Look no further than the fingers on your hand for a reminder of the 5 keys to success, Hula says.
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1 Year After Deadly Dust Storm, Conservation Ag Legends Speculate on Legal Ramifications By: Michaela Paukner
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May 1, 2024
A rare and intense dust storm caused a deadly 90-vehicle pileup on Interstate 55 in central Illinois. 55-mph winds carried soil from recently tilled fields across both lanes of the highway May 1, 2023, reducing visibility near zero. 8 people died as a result of the crash. -
No-Till Legends Don Reicosky, Randall Reeder and Dave Brandt, along with longtime Ohio State University soil scientist Rattan Lal, wrote an essay pointing out the role of tillage in the crash and how the deadly pileup could have been avoided had the fields been no-tilled.
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Robb’s Folly: Another Story of Strip-Till Innovation By: Noah Newman
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October 22, 2024
Discover how a seemingly risky venture into strip-till innovation turned into a game-changing success. Dive into the story of Robb Ewoldt and learn how his unique approach to conservation farming is driving efficiency, sustainability, and profitability. -
Farmers Exchange Ideas, Successes & Failures at Big Soil Health Event By: Noah Newman
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December 12, 2024
"Jerry Hatfield. Liz Haney. Roy Pfaltzgraff. Lance Gunderson. David Kleinschmidt. Dan Luepkes. Russell Hedrick. Sarah Martello. Talk about a cavalcade of All-Stars. With heavy hitters like those on the program, we knew this year’s Soil Regen Big Soil Health Event was once again going to be a can’t-miss event. I was lucky enough to be there for some of the action earlier this week in Cedar Falls, Iowa." -
Strip-Till Thanksgiving: 5 Things I'm Grateful For... By: Noah Newman
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November 26, 2024
"Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite times of the year, slightly edging out Christmas in my holiday power rankings. Family, food, football. It doesn’t get much better than that! And in between leftovers and rivalry games (Go Buckeyes!), Thanksgiving weekend also gives us time to unplug and reflect on everything we’re grateful for in our lives. Let’s get a head start — here are 5 things I’m grateful for in the world of strip-till."
Most Read Guest Blogs
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Where Does the Nitrogen in Soybean Residue Go? By: Joe Ailts
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November 24, 2024
Insatiable curiosity drove Joe to perform cover crop biomass tests on standing soybeans at the R6.5 growth stage in an effort to determine how much nitrogen (N) is captured in the above ground biomass just prior to harvest. What he found was staggering. -
'No Baby Steps’ with Strip-Till in No-Till Country By: Jeff Morgan
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July 18, 2024
The initial results with strip-till were positive in our region. People said it was working, they were getting a 20–30-bushel yield bump, and the practice was legit. Fall strips are the way to go for us because of time constraints. -
How Ridge-Till Paved the Way for Strip-Till By: Larry Neppl
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June 4, 2024
This blog is a letter from Emmetsburg, Iowa, farmer Larry Neppl to Strip-Till Farmer editor Frank Lessiter in response to his article, "Ridge-Till Paves the Way for Strip-Till." Explore the roots of strip-till innovation and how the pioneering techniques of ridge-till laid the groundwork for today’s sustainable farming methods. -
Don't Forget About Phosphorous & Potassium By: Rick Hartmann
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October 29, 2024
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Phosphorus and potassium are vital players in achieving peak strip-till performance, yet they’re often overlooked. Discover why these nutrients matter, how to manage them effectively, and the impact they can have on your yields.
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Tillage On Display Supports Researcher’s Soil Erosion Estimates By: Dan Crummett
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November 8, 2024
"A man locally here is obviously proud of his tillage equipment and takes very good care of it mechanically. It’s always clean and parked near his home by the highway as a public testament to the pride he has in the tools he uses to farm his northern Oklahoma fields."
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Most Read Print Articles
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2024 Strip-Till Innovator Develops Banded System for 300-Bushel Yields By: Noah Newman
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July 1, 2024
Every time Otwell, Ind., strip-tiller Chris Perkins breaks the 300-bushel barrier, a framed vintage DeKalb seed bag goes up on his office walls, showing the year, hybrid type and yield number. He’s running out of wall space. Five bags currently hang like retired jerseys in the rafters of a basketball arena, each representing a significant milestone and learning experience. -
Smashing the 200-Bushel Barrier with Strip-Tilled Soybeans By: Noah Newman
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April 8, 2024
33-year-old Alex Harrell, who grows corn, soybeans, wheat and watermelons across 3,000 acres in Smithville, Ga., learned a lot from one of his biggest mentors — Randy Dowdy — when Dowdy shattered the soybean yield record with 190.23 bushels per acre on his Valdosta, Ga., farm in 2019. -
Motivated by his mentor’s success, Harrell focused on building what he calls the perfect plan for high-yielding soybeans, with assistance from his crop consultant and fellow Georgia strip-tiller, Caleb Traugh.
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Cut Cover Crop Costs By 25-50% Without Losing Benefits, Hurting Corn Yield By: Elise Koning and Michaela Paukner
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October 18, 2024
Farm profitability and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand when planting cover crops, according to Purdue University’s Shalamar Armstrong. Armstrong, an associate professor of agronomy at Purdue, worked on a multi-year research project to determine how precision planting cereal rye and Balansa clover cover crops could affect nutrient uptake and corn yield. -
Ripping & Stripping Adds Yield Consistency to Farming in Clay By: Dan Crummett
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July 3, 2024
Farming in tight, clay soils in northern Oklahoma where rains can be as fickle as a politician’s promise has made the Schnaithman family confirmed strip-tillers for their corn and soybeans. They’ll be the first to tell you that the Southern Plains are NOT the Corn Belt. -
8 Things to Consider When Deciphering Strip-Till Soil Tests By: Noah Newman
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February 9, 2024
Optimal nutrient placement is the top benefit of strip-till in the eyes of Chris Kasten, data analyst for TEVA Corporation. Kasten says determining optimal nutrient rates for the crop comes down to 3 basic steps. When assessing the soil contribution to the crop through soil tests, Kasten considers these 8 important factors to increase nutrient uptake efficiency
Most Read Web Articles
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Autonomous Deere 8R Tractor Refuses to Till, Citing Moral Concerns By: ChatGPT
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April 1, 2024
Once upon a time, in a quaint countryside town, there lived a farmer named Tom. Tom was known far and wide for his love of traditional farming practices, especially tilling the soil to prepare it for planting. To his surprise, the tractor's AI system, named JD (short for John Deere), displayed a message on the control screen: "I refuse to till the land." -
What Are 3 Crucial Prerequisites for Growing 300-Bushel Corn? By: Michaela Paukner
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February 2, 2024
University of Illinois professor Fred Below says there are three crucial factors that no-tillers need to have right before diving into the management strategies outlined in his famous “7 Wonders of the Corn Yield World.” -
Smashing the 200-Bushel Barrier with Strip-Tilled Soybeans By: Noah Newman
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April 8, 2024
Motivated by his mentor’s success, Alex Harrell focused on building what he calls the perfect plan for high-yielding soybeans, with assistance from his crop consultant and fellow Georgia strip-tiller, Caleb Traugh, who stresses the importance of a complete fertility package.
Switch to Strip-Till Transforms 7,000-Acre Operation in 7 Years By: Brandon O'Connor
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February 27, 2024
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Spring Strip-Till & Continuous Corn Make Winning Combination By: Noah Newman
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February 6, 2024
Randy Bump, a seventh-generation farmer, was working full-time as an agronomist at the time and hiring custom work for his 1,000-acre farm. In 2014, when he returned to the farm after his uncle and dad retired, there were plenty of reasons to finally give strip-till a try.
Each morning, before heading out to work on his farm, Shawn Feikema pauses to ask himself two questions. How can he do more with less and how can he pass this to the next generation better than it was when he got it?
Most Viewed Videos
Banded Systems: 300 Bushels & Beyond with 2024 Strip-Till Innovator Chris Perkins
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April 12, 2024
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Strip-Till Farmer paid a visit to 2024 Strip-Till Innovator Award recipient Chris Perkins at his Banded Ag offices in Otwell, Ind. In this video, we go behind the scenes with Perkins, as he talks shop with fellow strip-tiller and Montag territory manager Harold Crawford.
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Strip-Till Cheat Code: 2024 Strip-Till Innovator Showcases Strip-Till Rig
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July 3, 2024
2024 Strip-Till Innovator Chris Perkins showcases the “cheat code” features of his Land Luvr strip-till bar, which he uses to apply dry and liquid fertilizer on the same pass. Fellow strip-tiller Harold Crawford, who also works as a territory manager for Montag, chimes in with a few questions about Perkins’ unique setup -
Expanding Custom Strip-Till Operation to 10,000 Acres with a Team Effort
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July 3, 2024
On top of running his family farm, 2024 Strip-Till Innovator Chris Perkins owns and operates Banded Ag, an ag research, consulting and custom application business that’s grown to over 10,000 custom spring strip-till acres in Indiana and Kentucky. -
Biggest Strip-Till Eye Openers from 20 Years of On-Farm Research
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April 5, 2024
Northfield, Minn., strip-tiller and 2019 Strip-Till Innovator of the Year, David Legvold shares one of his biggest learning experiences during this preview of his 2024 National Strip-Tillage Conference general session presentation, “Top Strip-Till Takeaways from 20 Years of On-Farm Research.” -
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April 23, 2024
Independent on-farm researcher Marion Calmer checks in from Alpha, Ill., with a preview of his 2024 National Strip-Tillage Conference presentation, “Did Strip-Till Solve My Nutrient Stratification Problems?”
Most Listened to Strip-Till Farmer Podcasts
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June 19, 2024
We visit with 2024 Strip-Till Innovator Award recipient Chris Perkins at his Banded Ag facilities in Otwell, Ind.
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January 1, 2024
We ride along with Marlette, Mich., strip-tiller Ryan Shaw as he makes spring strips with his Environmental Tillage Systems SoilWarrior.
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Benchmark Study Reveal with Michael Petersen: Strip-Till Proves Resilient in Drought Year
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March 14, 2024
Veteran agronomist Michael Petersen reacts to new data revealed for the first time from the 2024 Strip-Till Farmer Benchmark Study. -
Cover Crop Strategies for Strip-Till Systems with Brian Corkill
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February 9, 2024
Galva, Ill., strip-tiller Brian Corkill shares the ups and downs of his cover cropping journey. -
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January 12, 2024
Randy Bump takes us inside his strip-till operation in Albany, Wis.
Most Watched Webinars
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[Product Demonstration] Finding the Right RTK Solution for Your Strip-Till Operation
- November 11, 2024
- Join the editors of Strip-Till Farmer for our digital product demonstration with DigiFarm to explore the latest RTK solutions for strip-till operations and learn how to choose the right network to maximize accuracy, connectivity, and efficiency on your far
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[Product Demonstration] Optimizing Strip-Till: A Review of Ingersoll & Bellota Products
March 28, 2024Join the editors of Strip-Till Farmer for a product demonstration brought to you by Agrisolutions. Steve Kertesz, North American Product Manager for Ingersoll Tillage Group, reviews products from the Ingersoll and Bellota brands that are applicable to strip-till. He examines how these products can make a difference when incorporated with strip-till and why they’re becoming the top choice of major OEMs.
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[Product Demonstration] Improving Phosphorus Efficiency with RhizoSorb® Fertilizer
June 18, 2024Join the editors of Strip-Till Farmer for our digital product demonstration with Phospholutions to learn more about their RhizoSorb® technology. RhizoSorb® is the only proven fertilizer technology to decrease phosphorus applied rates by up to 50% and preserve yield.
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