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Choosing Covers to Maximize Your No-Till Nitrogen Payback

Cover crops can prevent nitrogen losses during winter fallow, but no-tillers should be mindful of how carbon-to-nitrogen ratios in residue affects what’s available for the next crop.
By Laura Barrera posted on October 1, 2013 | Posted in Soil Health
Just because corn and soybeans have been harvested doesn’t mean it’s time for no-tillers to stop worrying about nutrient management.
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No-Tillers Tame Heat and Tough Clay Soils

Relay soybeans, controlled traffic and cover crops play key roles in helping Randy and Nicole Small make no-till work in southeastern Kansas
By Mark Parker posted on April 1, 2013 | Posted in Soil Health
Continuous no-till is an uncommon practice in southeast Kansas, where tight clay soils can hinder nutrient distribution and the growing environment causes rapid breakdown of residue.
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Cover Crop Options after Corn or Soybean Harvest

October 3, 2012 | Posted in Soil Health
Source: By: Paul Jasa, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Engineer
With this years drought conditions there is less residue than normal in many fields. In some, the crop was harvested as a forage or cut as silage, leaving very little residue at all. Without residue to absorb the energy of raindrop impact and keep the wind off the soil surface, soil erosion will be greater and surface crusting could be a problem. Also, without the water-conserving residue mulch, soil moisture losses by evaporation will be much higher.
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Cover Crops: Starting Is the First Step

The right covers can transform tough soils, but no-tillers must fight past early challenges to find what works on their farm, Terry Taylor says.
By John Dobberstein posted on October 1, 2012 | Posted in Soil Health
Terry Taylor has spent much of his adult life figuring out how to unlock the potential of cover crops on his southern Illinois farm.
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Using Cover Crops to Take Up Nutrients

August 9, 2012 | Posted in Soil Health
Source: By Matt Ruark, Kevin Shelley, Jim Stute, Francisco Arriaga, UW-NPM Program
One benefit of planting cover crops after corn silage, small grain, or a processing vegetable crop, or after a manure application is that the cover crop can take up residual nitrate and reduce the risk of nitrate leaching between harvest and planting.
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The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 9-12, 2024! Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 32nd Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Ind. Jan. 9-12, 2024. Experience an energizing 4-day agenda featuring inspiring general session speakers, expert-led No-Till Classrooms and collaborative No-Till Roundtables. Plus, Certified Crop Adviser credits will be offered.

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New FAA Exemption: Efficiency Boost or Safety Hazard?

New FAA Exemption: Efficiency Boost or Safety Hazard?

The Federal Aviation Administration recently granted a regulation exemption that will allow 1 person to operate 3 drones in a swarm. While some see this as a big win from a productivity standpoint since it has the potential to make cover crop drone seeing more efficient, others see it as a massive safety concern.

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