Financial challenges pushed Mike Belan’s family into conservation practices, but the Ontario no-tiller is focusing on improving soil health to propel the farm forward.
High interest rates were the push my dad and uncle needed to make the switch to no-till on our farm. They had long raised wheat, corn and soybeans on our generally flat Brookston clay fields that sit just 30 miles north and south, respectively of Lake Erie and Lake Huron.
Pastures used to help hold the soil in place on the rolling hills that dominate our Kentucky farm. My dad raised cattle, so he would rotate fields between corn and hay. When he eventually retired, he liquidated the herd and shifted to row crops.
Our farm hit a plateau in the 1990s. Yields were flat and we just weren’t making the gains we thought we should be. It’s not that we sought out no-till as the magic solution; we just knew we had to try something different, as conventional tillage wasn’t cutting it.
My dad gets the credit for taking the initial steps of reducing tillage on our farm, but I can probably take some credit for pushing us into a full no-till system. And I do mean system, because no-till is just the tiny tip of the very large iceberg that is our farm management strategy today.
A little nudging from the former owners of some of our farms helped move us to 100% no-till in the early 1980s. A little more nudging and before you know it we were diversifying our farm — and a large percentage of our neighboring farms — with cover crops.
Leaving fields in fallow, and heavily tilling to keep them that way, is a deeply ingrained tradition in the often-parched southeastern corner of Montana, where I farm with my wife of 41 years, Lana.
No-tillers can reduce the cost of their cover-crop program and still keep most of the benefits by closely examining their seeding rates and methods and potentially trimming back mixes.
With corn prices looking a little more bear than bull these days, many no-tillers may be looking for places to trim their input costs. Fair or unfair, the newest management darling of no-tillers — cover crops — may find themselves in the crosshairs.
I never was one to like tillage. It just didn't make sense. You would go through and make a perfect seedbed to plant into and then, without fail, you couldn't get back in the field with the planter before it would rain. Then you would have to start all over again.
Lucas Criswell is pushing his 30-year no-till system another step higher by seeding row crops into taller cover crops and using precision technology to safeguard nutrients and the environment.
I wish I could rewind and start over no-tilling with what I know now. The longer we no-till, the more we learn about what was really happening in our fields as we made the transition, and what we could have done then to take our soils farther, faster.
The National No-Tillage Conference returns January 12-15, 2027!Build and refine your no-till system with dozens of new ideas and connections at the 35th Annual National No-Tillage Conference in Indianapolis, Jan. 12-15, 2027. 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.
This week we are looking at a clip from Cody Hornaday, a technical agronomist with Koch Agronomic Services, as he explains a few tips that no-tillers and cover croppers should keep in mind for unlocking phosphorus in their soils.
Family Owned since 1964 – Remlinger Manufacturing was founded by Wilbur Remlinger in 1964 and the family tradition continues today with Wilbur’s grandson being the current CEO/President. Although the business has expanded and diversified, family remains a core value to the company and is evident in the company culture.
Made in USA – Remlinger Manufacturing is proudly located in Kalida, Ohio. We have dealers located across the US and Canada to conveniently serve our customers.
Quality Driven – With over 60 years of producing farm equipment, we continue our tradition of manufacturing high quality attachments and products to serve farmers around the globe.
Byron Seeds LLC is a team of individuals who have a passion for high energy forages, cover crops, and proper farming techniques. Byron personnel seek to understand our clients’ goals so that we may provide the best environment for our clients’ success through research, education, support, and...
Our years of experience and network of dealers make us the ideal choice for your mowing, no-till and horse drawn equipment needs. Use our Dealer Locator to contact your nearest I&J dealer today.