Mark McNeely

Longtime No-Tiller Experiments with Flown-on Cover Crops

Oats and radishes provide excellent results as no-tiller Randy DeSutter experiments with covers on 120 acres post-harvest corn and soybeans.

By Mark McNeely posted on September 10, 2022 | Posted in Soil Health

Oats and radishes provide excellent results as no-tiller Randy DeSutter experiments with covers on 120 acres post-harvest corn and soybeans.

Carbonomics: Opening a Carbon Currency Exchange Within a Cover Crop Ecosystem

Crop diversity and biological activity in a cover-cropped farming system ensures healthy interactions between plants, roots and soil organisms, says Keith Berns.

By Mark McNeely posted on April 15, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Likening a healthy, robust industrial economy to the types of biological activities taking place underground in a no-till, cover-cropped farming system isn’t a stretch of the imagination.

Early Maturities, Cover Crops Can Help Tough No-Till Soils Flourish

Research on two southern Illinois farms shows the potential of using early maturity crops to establish covers sooner and boost yields in poorly drained, drought-prone, underperforming fields.

By Mark McNeely posted on March 24, 2020 | Posted in Soil Health

Randy McElroy sees the tough soils sometimes from behind sunglasses, because when the ground dries out completely it can be a white as a sand beach in Florida.

Precision, Non-GMO Crops Help No-Tillers Be More Profitable

John and Tim Bruihler developed their 1,700-acre no-till operation through experimentation and marketing their no-tilled corn and soybeans wisely.

By Mark McNeely posted on July 29, 2018 | Posted in Economics, Seeding Practices

It’s been a journey for John Bruihler’s family and their no-till farming operations in Minnesota and Iowa — both literally and figuratively.

What ‘Corporate No-Till’ Could Mean for Your Bottom Line

Enterprising no-tillers could pocket extra cash, efficiencies by working with large corporations embracing sustainable ag to please customers.

By Mark McNeely posted on July 24, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

The movement underway with large agribusinesses wanting to connect their sustainability programs more closely with their suppliers could mean some new advantages and opportunities for market-savvy no-tillers.

[Podcast] Regenerating No-Till Soils After a Season of Saturated Soil

In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., we welcome Barry Fisher, a veteran soil health expert and regional team leader with Indiana’s NRCS office to discuss soil health strategies.

By Mark McNeely posted on May 25, 2018 | Posted in Seeding Practices, Soil Health

In this episode of the No-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., we welcome Barry Fisher, a veteran soil health expert and regional team leader with Indiana’s NRCS office to discuss soil health strategies.

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Enlist Pollinators, Predator Insects to Help Fight Pests in No-Tilled Crops

‘Extending the bloom’ with buffer zones, cover crops and native prairie grass strips helps nurture the symbiotic relationship between insects, soils and flowering plants.

By Mark McNeely posted on May 12, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

In an age of surface-applied insecticides and seed treatments, the importance of beneficial insects and natural pollinators to a thriving agricultural ecosystem can easily be overlooked.

Carbonomics: Opening a Carbon Currency Exchange Within a No-Till Soil Ecosystem

Crop diversity and biological activity in a cover-cropped farming system ensures healthy interactions between plants, roots and soil organisms, says Keith Berns.

By Mark McNeely posted on March 10, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

Likening a healthy, robust industrial economy to the types of biological activities taking place underground in a no-till, cover-cropped farming system isn’t a stretch of the imagination, says Keith Berns.

No-Till, Cover Crops Improve Feed Quality, Limit Erosion and Build Soil Health

Reducing sediment and phosphorus runoff, improving soil health and reducing operational risk are goals for no-till dairy farmer Dan Brick.

By Mark McNeely posted on January 13, 2018 | Posted in Soil Health

Managing a dairy farm that traces its roots back 170 years isn’t out of the ordinary for Greenleaf, Wis., no-tiller Dan Brick. The fact that Brickstead Dairy is Wisconsin’s 2017 Leopold Conservation Award recipient, however, is a fairly recent development.

No-Till, Covers and Livestock Tame Volatile Weather Challenges

Howling winds, dryness and poor soil quality create tough conditions in South Africa, but Egon Zunckel is making no-till work with limited irrigation, cover crops and livestock.

By Mark McNeely posted on September 16, 2017 | Posted in Soil Health

Howling winds, dryness and poor soil quality create tough conditions in South Africa, but Egon Zunckel is making no-till work with limited irrigation, cover crops and livestock.