J-Ace Farms, located near Blue Earth, Minn., uses precision farming practices in its 1,300-acre strip-till and no-till operation.

Saying that summers in Alabama are hot is an understatement. A better description is ‘sweltering’, ‘scorching’ and ‘blistering.’ So, finding a way to keep soils cool and retain moisture is critical to the success of any crop grown in the Heart of Dixie.

2019 has tested the resolve of many farmers. So it was refreshing to experience an overall optimistic environment at the 6th annual National Strip-Tillage Conference in Peoria, Ill. Many of the 338 farmers, researchers and industry professionals assembled with a shared objective of making lemonade out of lemons in 2019, but they also sought opportunities to rebound in 2020.

After moving to the farm in 1976, I had this grand vision of being an organic farmer. Organic production was presented as the only way to go, because it was so good for the environment.

Results of the 6th Annual Strip-Till Operational Practices Benchmark study, evaluating 2018 cropping practices, underscored strip-tillers’ stability in an unstable ag market.

Often, it’s the allure of operation-wide cost reduction that convinces farmers to transition into strip-tilling. But, on Wallendal Farms, strip-tilling since 1985, they’ve found a way to push revenues in addition to enjoying the efficiencies.

J-Ace Farms, located near Blue Earth, Minn., uses precision farming practices in its strip-till and no-till farming operation. Matt Alford, and his father-in-law, Jim Erdahl, typically build strips in the fall for corn the following year using a 16-row Environmental Tillage Systems Soil Warrior strip-till unit, applying prescription-rate phosphorous (P) and potassium (K).

Whether a farmer has been strip-tilling for 20 years or just transitioning into the practice, a desire to learn and improve is critical to avoid complacency.