When someone in Europe wanted to know about conservation tillage some months ago, I turned to a number of people, including Dean Carstens, co-owner of Twin Diamond Industries in Minden, Neb. His company makes "Strip Cat" machines for strip-tillers.
At first, Michigan farmer Jim Millett liked using the Rawson zone system for planting corn, but he found the weather didn't always cooperate. When strip-till machines became available in the late 1990s, Millett and his father demoed two strip-till rigs before choosing a Progressive machine.
When Victor Leforestier of the European Union asked about fertilizer strategies for strip-tillers in the U.S., Thurston Manufacturing Co. chief marketing officer Nick Jensen shared his perspectives.
In addition to agronomic reasons for strip-tillers to band fertilizer, there are environmental ones, too, says Wayne, Ohio, strip-tiller Travis Harrison.
Using a soil thermometer that also collects and stores temperatures can help strip-tillers learn invaluable information, says Jodi DeJong-Hughes, University of Minnesota Extension crops adviser.
Strip-tilling has increased dryland corn yields 30 to 45 bushels per acre for Scott Darling of Pender, Neb., since he started strip-tilling about 4 years ago.
After 9 years of using the Rawson 3-coulter zone-till system to plant corn, Jim Millett and his father, Joe, of Bailey, Mich., switched to strip-till in 1997 and have stuck with the system ever since.
While Earth Day is associated with the 'green' and the 'environmental' movement, farmers are often quick to say that every day is Earth Day on the farm.
Strip-Till Farmer delivers a mix of features on strip-till farmers, strip-till management topics and trending practices in strip-till. This FREE quarterly print newsletter is available to qualified subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.
On this edition of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by CultivAce, we honor the life and legacy of Bill Richards — the ‘Grandfather of No-Till’ — who passed away Tuesday at the age of 93.
Environmental Tillage Systems is a leading manufacturer of strip-till and nutrient-management equipment which enhances soil productivity and farm profitability.
Kuhn Krause's focus, above all, is to continue to produce quality products to serve producers better; to strive to respond to their needs with new tools and new technology to meet their growing challenges. Agronomic practices are constantly changing, and at a faster pace now than ever.
For over 90 years, Yetter Farm Equipment has designed and manufactured innovative and effective solutions for the agriculture industry. Today, we are proud to be recognized worldwide as an industry leader in designing row cleaners, strip till tools, planter attachments, precision fertilizer placement attachments, rotary hoes, toolbars, and harvest attachments.