John Dobberstein

Embracing the No-Till ‘Greenhouse’ Effect

From interseeding to relay cropping to ‘engineering by inventory,’ Loran Steinlage is building a profitable, divergent no-till operation

By John Dobberstein posted on July 24, 2018 | Posted in Grazing, Seeding Practices

Several years ago, a trip with friends to look at greenhouses led Loran Steinlage to a Mennonite farm. It was there that he started looking at his farming practices a little differently.

Feeding Off No-Till, Cover Crop Profitability

Tiffany Cattle Co. separates itself from the herd with a focus on grazing cover crops to improve soil health economically.

By John Dobberstein posted on July 23, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

When Shawn and Shane Tiffany took over the former Black Diamond feed yard in 2007 it wasn’t in terrible shape, mostly because of manure applications that kept organic matter in the soil. But after going to a cover crop field day 8 years ago, the brothers didn’t want to just settle.

Transitioning to No-Till, Cover Crops in the ‘Dust Bowl’

Nick Vos is pushing to overcome moisture challenges on his farm in southwestern Kansas by no-tilling and using covers to recycle available nutrients and keep his sandy soils protected.

By John Dobberstein posted on June 9, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices

After starting out with strip-till in 2014, Vos has gone to 100% no-till on the vast majority of acres and says he’s addressed erosion and nutrient issues and seeing some relief in irrigation costs.

5 Tips from the Field for No-Tilling ‘Green’ Successfully

Weather patterns, planter setups and termination timing can create challenges planting into living cover crops, but Matthew Griggs says it’s still possible with some attention to detail.

By John Dobberstein posted on June 9, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Humboldt, Tenn., no-tiller Matthew Griggs shared some other real-world insights about no-tilling cash crops green on his operation. Griggs no-tills cotton, cereal grains, corn and soybeans on 1,600 rolling acres in western Tennessee.

Getting More Dollars Per Acre With No-Till, Covers and Livestock

David Wessel’s recipe for no-till success lets him wring out profits from poorer ground and lean on covers and healthier soil to raise corn, soybeans and wheat more economically.

By John Dobberstein posted on May 12, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

David Wessel isn’t afraid to make the most out of every no-till acre, whether it’s rich, black gumbo, timber or sandy soils, or anything in between.

Tips for Getting Cover Crops to Pay Off from the Starting Gate

Kansas no-tiller John Stigge believes cover crops can deliver in year one if growers utilize the ‘power of 3’ that includes legumes, brassicas and grasses.

By John Dobberstein posted on May 12, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

One thing that discourages some no-tillers from adopting cover crops is a concern they won’t bring an immediate payoff.

[Podcast] Strategies for Getting Off the Starting Block with Cover Crops: Part 2

In the second part of this two-part podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., cover crop educator and Pennsylvania no-tiller Steve Groff concludes by sharing important insights for no-tillers who are grazing cover crops on their operation, as well tips for successfully planning and purchasing cover crop seed, and questions no-tillers should ask when identifying suitable seed suppliers.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 26, 2018 | Posted in Grazing, Seeding Practices

In the second part of this two-part podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., cover crop educator and Pennsylvania no-tiller Steve Groff concludes by sharing important insights for no-tillers who are grazing cover crops on their operation, as well tips for successfully planning and purchasing cover crop seed, and questions no-tillers should ask when identifying suitable seed suppliers.

No-Till, Living Roots Help Make Waterlogged Soils Productive Again

The Uetrecht family is managing moisture with cover crops, tile and long-term no-till to boost corn and soybean yields and keep more of their rich soils on the farm.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 14, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices

Every no-till operation has its challenges. For Dan Uetrecht and his father, Vincent, it’s dealing with moisture.

[Podcast] Strategies for Getting Off the Starting Block with Cover Crops: Part 1

In the first part of this two-part podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg. Co., cover crop educator and Pennsylvania no-tiller Steve Groff will talk about the mindset necessary to be successful in adopting cover crops in a no-till system.

By John Dobberstein posted on April 12, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Termination

In the first part of this two-part podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg. Co., cover crop educator and Pennsylvania no-tiller Steve Groff will talk about the mindset necessary to be successful in adopting cover crops in a no-till system.

No-Till Transition Succeeds Step by Step

The Forkner family is bringing productivity back to gently rolling hills by adding livestock and seeding cover crops to build soil health.

By John Dobberstein posted on January 13, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices

No-till adoption didn’t happen overnight for the Forkner family, but after several years of seeing positive results it’s not likely they’d ever go back to conventional tillage.