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James DeGraff

James DeGraff

James DeGraff was an Associate Editor for Strip-Till Farmer. A journalism graduate of UW-Madison, he was an intern for Farm Equipment prior to joining Lessiter Media full time in July 2017.
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ARTICLES

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To Make Cover Crops Fit, a Little Space Makes a Big Difference

Through improvements to his implement guidance and air seeder setup, Chapin, Ill., farmer John Werries finds the cure for cover crop overgrowth and accuracy missteps.
By James DeGraff posted on March 28, 2023 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops
John Werries, his son Dean, and one employee are no strangers to making adjustments year-to-year to combat the unpredictable conditions of their Chapin, Ill., operation of no-tilled beans and strip-tilled corn.
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Conquering Stubborn Soils and Residue with a Switch to Strip-Till

Seeding and fertilizing experimentation enables Nebraska farmers to better manage residue, convert poor fields into pivotal performers.
By James DeGraff posted on July 28, 2020 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Cover Crops, Crop Protection
Conventional wisdom is overrated for Nickerson, Neb., farmers Kirk Brand and Brent Willnerd, especially when it comes to getting the most out of their 2,600-acre corn and soybean operation.
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From Seeds to Strips, Variety Goes the Distance

Sharon, Wis., strip-tiller Mike Cerny isn’t afraid to shake things up and adapt new practices to take productivity, yields to a higher level.
By James DeGraff posted on May 22, 2020 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Nutrient Management, Soil Health
In a farming career spanning over four decades, not much fazes Mike Cerny at this point. From downturns to data and drones, the “combo-tiller” knows better than to get carried away with any given industry breakthrough, although he is always willing to at least give one a try.
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Leveraging Data, Tissue Tests For Variable-Rate Payback

A relentless approach to data collection, tissue testing and management zones puts Sparland, Ill., strip-tiller Jay Riddell in the driver’s seat to optimize seed and fertilizer rates on corn and soybeans
By James DeGraff posted on October 15, 2018 | Posted in Nutrient Management, Precision Agriculture
For decades, the spring season was consistently stressful for Sparland, Ill., grower Jay Riddell. He dedicated days to running a field cultivator though his 1,500 corn and soybean acres while hoping for a suitable seedbed to plant into.
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Mixing Tillage & Nutrient Timing to Save, Strengthen Soil

A switch to strip-till at Rotenberger Farms has proven pivotal to residue and moisture management
By James DeGraff posted on July 27, 2018 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management
Within the 10-mile radius where father-and-son Doug and Steve Rotenberger farm, field variation is vastly understated. Across their 3,500 acres are sandy, high drainage soils along the east to heavier, gumbo-type soils encompassing most of the west.
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Flipping the Fertilizer Script With Variable-Rate

Billing Farms is down to 0.7 pounds of N per bushel of corn since the adoption of variable-rate in 2005, producing the same yields with two-thirds the fertilizer.
By James DeGraff posted on May 18, 2018 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Nutrient Management

After years of strict conventional tillage at Billing Farms, the family-run corn, soybean and wheat operation out of Enderlin, N.D., couldn’t help but wonder if a better option existed to maximize fertilizer investment for corn in the early 2000s.


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Banking on Data-Driven Results to Reduce Nitrogen Needs

An annual investment in fertility benchmarking combined with an evolving strip-till system has increased yields and lowered per-bushel N ratios for Chris Armstrong.
By James DeGraff posted on February 22, 2018 | Posted in Strip-Till Farming 101, Precision Agriculture
North Bend, Neb. strip-tiller Chris Armstrong was just over the age of 30 when he made the switch to strip-till in 2014. That first year, he also decided to enroll in the Pioneer Encirca nutrient management program, investing $10 per acre in creating a database with a goal of more accurately applying fertilizer based on field-specific prescriptions.
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