The word change can be scary. Adjusting your farming operation takes months of careful consideration and research. After all, the average farmer only has the opportunity to plant and harvest a crop fifty times or less during their lifetime. One wrong decision could impact an operation for years to come.
Strip-tillage may be a new term to some of those in the farming industry, but for three neighbors, strip-till has been on their farms for over two decades. Each farmer has discovered benefits from using strip-till on their operation. While their equipment may differ, their soil and yields are thriving as a result of their practices. Meet these three farmers from Morristown, Minnesota, and discover the differences in their strip-tillage operations.
Although some areas are still experiencing cooler temps and plenty of rainfall, planting season is officially upon us. At Environmental Tillage Systems, we understand the urgency of seedbed preparation. Keep these 10 commandments of strip-tillage in mind throughout the hustle and bustle of the season.
If you’re young and progressive, you can identify with this farmer. He was chosen as a 2016 4R Advocate by the Fertilizer Institute for his focus on nutrient stewardship. Since then, he’s sought out more practices and innovations that help him achieve the goals of 4R Nutrient Stewardship. He’s been using strip-till on his eastern Iowa farm since 2018. He has a passion for sharing what he’s learned with other farmers, like you. In fact, he hosted the 2019 Iowa 4R Field Day on his farm. We had the opportunity to ask him some questions about his farming operation and practices this past spring. See what he had to say - meet Darin.
Preparing your tractor for strip-till is equally as important as the equipment that it is pulling. Environmental Tillage Systems (ETS) Precision Ag Specialist, Gavin Held, shares his checklist of the most commonly overlooked items that will prepare your tractor for a successful strip-till season.
Technology doesn’t have to be your enemy. Conducting pre-season technology checks can save you time when it's “go time”. ETS Precision Ag Specialist, Gavin Held, has been on many farms across North America and Canada facilitating machine set-ups, inspections and in-season trouble shooting. He has also personally ran the SoilWarrior over 1,000 acres using RTK guidance and prescription maps for variable rate fertilizer application. Gavin has shared his personal pre-season SoilWarrior technology check-list.
Purchasing new farm equipment takes time and consideration. Equally important is finding an operator for your new piece of equipment. At Environmental Tillage Systems (ETS), our customers often tell us one key to their success is having a skilled operator for their SoilWarrior.
Dan Coffman isn't just a customer who runs a SoilWarrior. Coffman adds to his SoilWarrior experience by sharing updates from his operation on social media regularly.
Three popular pre-plant phosphorus (P) application methods are broadcast or surface applied, deep banding and strip- or zone-application. Each of these methods has a definite impact on movement of P both on- and off-target that directly influences plant health and growth, but also nutrient reduction strategies put forth by many states.
Many Environmental Tillage Systems customers are interested in learning more about strip-tillage practices, even after they purchase a machine. We caught up with Ron Frankenstein and Darin Stolte at National Strip-Tillage Conference to ask them about their experiences at the conference and running a SoilWarrior.
