One Machine, No Limits: Why Mike Jaeger Strip-Tills 100% of His Acres

In the heart of north-central Iowa, Mike Jaeger isn’t just maintaining a family legacy; he’s evolving it. As a fifth-generation farmer, Mike understands that the old ways of tilling and planting aren’t always the most efficient for today’s demands. By integrating the SoilWarrior strip-tillage system into his Charles City operation, he has streamlined his workflow—allowing a two-person crew to manage what used to take significantly more time and equipment. Today, we’re riding along with Mike to explore how this shift to precision tillage has not only defended his land’s health but also maximized his yields and fuel efficiency.

Mike Jaeger credits the SoilWarrior with fundamentally changing his workflow, stating, “With the SoilWarrior, I can go through standing corn stalks with ease and strip-till 100% of my acres, getting all my work done in the fall so my next trip is straight to the planter in the spring”.

Mike also appreciates the versatility the SoilWarrior gives him if plan A doesn’t work. “Last year (2024) was a very, ended up being a very wet fall, so I was not able to get any of my strip-tilling done. So, I had to go to plan B, and that was strip-till in the spring all my acres, and what I came to find out was that my plan B was equal to my plan A because my yields were tremendous this fall (2025).”

The shift to strip-till with the SoilWarrior allowed him to consolidate his machinery. He was able to sell a large tractor and a ripper. Beyond equipment reduction, Jaeger highlights the precision of planting on a “stale strip” without additional freshening, noting that it “creates a perfect seedbed with minimal planter row unit movement”. Having that ideal seedbed also allows for an even emergence. Research shows that even a 12-hour delay in initial emergence can correlate with an average 11% yield loss, while a 48-hour delay can lead to deficits of nearly 60%*.

As Jaeger reduced the number of trips across the field, he began to look more deeply into the ROI of owning his SoilWarrior. One of the biggest contributors to his increased ROI was his reduction in fuel consumption. He calculated that his fuel consumption while strip-tilling and applying fertilizer was 0.8 gallons per acre. “I have been really happy with the amount of fuel savings I can get with the SoilWarrior.”

At the end of the day, Mike Jaeger’s story isn’t just about a new piece of equipment; it’s about a farmer finding a better way to honor his land while enjoying the work. You don’t have to choose between high yields and a manageable workload; with the right system, you can have both.

If you’re tired of making endless passes across your fields and want to see how strip-till could fit your own operation, reach out to the team at ETS or even check out our rental program to see the results for yourself.

*Dr. Robert Nielsen of Purdue University.

 Ready for a better seedbed? Get the SoilWarrior Advantage on your side.