When talking with strip-tillers, one question I’ll ask is what they’d most like to learn more about to help improve their farming operation. This isn’t an easy one to answer, and sometimes the reply is simply along the lines of, “I’m interested in anything that will make more money.”

But there have been plenty of thoughtful replies — from wanting to know which cover crop will best suit a strip-till system, to what type of return to expect from adopting implement-guidance technology.

For Illinois strip-tiller James Schoff, it’s about learning from his peers, through participation in Mosaic Co.’s Pursuit of 300 program. Schoff and five other farmers from different states are in the midst of an experimental journey that began with pushing seeding populations and adding new application methods in spring and summer.

“I’m anxious to find out what the other farmers are learning and how I can apply some of those techniques,” Schoff says.

Heading into harvest, there’s no doubt that you’re focused on taking crops off your fields. But once the dirt settles, attention will turn to next season. Here at Strip-Till Strategies, we’re also thinking about next year, and some of the hot-button topics and innovative strategies to discuss at the first National Strip-Tillage Conference on July 30-31, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

In the coming months, we’ll begin to solidify a top-notch program schedule. But in doing so, we’d like to hear from you about what information we can provide to make you better strip-tillers.

Perhaps it’s education on the latest precision technology, or innovative fertility practices you can put to work on your farm. Or, maybe it’s simply looking for a solution to what’s keeping you up at night in your strip-till operation?

As I continue to visit with strip-tillers, especially during the next several months, I’ll continue the discussion about what will help them improve and succeed.

We hope to see you in Cedar Rapids next summer — and until then, share with us some suggestions about what you’d like to see covered at the conference. Contact me at 262-782-4480 ext. 441 or at jzemlicka@lesspub.com.