This document summarizes a presentation on choosing and implementing cover crops for a strip-till system. It discusses several farmers who have successfully used strip-tilling and cover crops, including the crops and seeding methods they use. It also provides resources on cover crop selection tools and seed suppliers. The presentation emphasizes learning from other innovative farmers and adapting practices to each farm's specific context and goals.
10. Where are you located?
Do you farm HEL soils?
Do you farm poorly drained soils?
What is your standard crop rotation?
When do typically plant/harvest?
Do you have livestock?
11. Where are you located?
Do you farm HEL soils?
Do you farm poorly drained soils?
What is your standard crop rotation?
When do typically plant/harvest?
Do you have livestock?
12. Managing your cash crop to
cover crop effectively
NoTill Farmer Webinar – 4/7/15
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFA6oXevOQk
14. McCracken, R.J. 1993.
Evangelists, scholars,
historians, lab types, computer
buffs, map makers and auger
pullers in the soil survey.
Soil Horizons. 34:61–71.
Interesting discussion of the
human resources needed to
create a good soil survey
15. Who are the people who grow the
seed, sell the seed, custom plant the
seed, share on-farm experiences w/
you, inspire you, caution you…?
These people are your CC human
resources and they are a key part of
YOUR CONTEXT for making sound
decisions about CCs!
16. Some people see opportunities in every problem
others see problems in every opportunity
17.
18. ~ 700 acres of continuous strip-till corn
After no-tilling for many years,
Loran built his first strip-till rig in 2006,
using a modified 12-row Rawson zone-till bar.
After 2 years,he began adding capacity to apply fertilizer
including an anhydrous shank
Currently runs a 12 row Krause Gladiator with a mounted
Montag box
Dry blended fertilizer and NH3 are delivered into the row
Frequently evaluates new equipment setups and
nutrient management practices
Loran Steinlage – West Union, IA
20. Tomhave Farms (Wayne, John and Austin)
Jacksonville, IL
~ 3000 acres mostly 50:50 corn:beans w/ some continuous
corn and longer corn rotations
moldboard - > chisel plow -> ridge-till -> strip-till
“often first to try something new”
JD 2510 S strip-till bar
custom built strip freshening system
Sometimes as many as 6 N applications:
Fall anhydrous, 28% while freshening strips,
3-18-18 pop-up, 1-2 sidedress applications of 28%,
late N
22. ~1800 acres, 50-50 corn soybean rotation currently
(7 years of all continuous corn in recent past)
Started strip-tilling in 2001, motivated by a couple other
farmers in the county who were already strip-tilling
Started with 350 acres, local coop ran their anhydrous bar
Following year he rented an anhydrous bar from the coop
First 4 years he strip-tilled without GPS guidance
He started using RTK guidance in 2005
Uses 8-row Orthman 1 trip stripper with a Montag cart
P+K (and sometimes S + pellet lime) are delivered into strips
1 blend for corn, 1 blend for soybeans
(rates varied based on previous yield)
Todd & MacKenzie Mooberry Lowpoint, IL
25. Meier Land and Cattle (Huey and Matt)
~ 570 acres of strip-till corn &
~1000 cattle in finishing buildings
All corn grain is sold.
Cattle are fed byproducts from food
manufacturers, ethanol plant and corn stalks.
~6,000 gallons of manure are injected on every
acre every year, supplying almost all of the
nutrients for the corn.
Dakota, IL
26.
27. Blake Vince – Merlin, Ontario
1300 acres of corn, soybeans and winter wheat
Dad was a no-till pioneer, beginning in 1983
Blake began strip-tilling in 2006 and
purchased a Soil Warrior in 2007
Now 100% continuous no-till
Heavy clay soils
31. Aerial seeding of ARG for 5 yrs on Tomhave Farms
>300 acres in 2014
Uneven stands, inconsistent kill, higher seed cost
Probably will NOT continue with ARG
32. Todd Mooberry’s first attempt at cover crops was a
blend of 60% ARG and 40% crimson clover (25 lb/a)
flown onto 600 acres of standing corn on 9/25/11
He harvested the next day and immediately went over
all acres with a Great Plains Turbo-Till.
The ARG and crimson clover grew 3 to 4 inches tall
before he strip-tilled on 11/10.
Todd was pleased with the results (including higher
corn yields the next season) and has expanded his
use of CCs
33. Mooberry Farm – fall 2011
Much of the CC appeared to be buried immediately
after strip-tilling but quickly reemerged
35. Frank Moore in Cresco, IA finds that ARG works well for him.
He gets about 4” of top growth and 30” of roots to help hold
soil in place. Ideally, much of his ARG winterkills, saving him
the effort of having to kill it himself in the spring.
“Last year all my ARG, except for the end rows, winterkilled,
which I loved because I didn’t have to kill it with an
herbicide,” Moore says. “I would’ve had to wait for the ARG
to start growing again for it to even absorb the herbicide —
that would have pushed me into a situation where I’d have to
plant later and lose yield potential.”
He doesn’t expect that ARG will always winterkill completely,
and he’s still on the lookout for a variety that will, while still
providing the same benefits.
From Strip-Till Farmer magazine:
