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Central NY | Agreed that’s it’s crucial to have other factors addressed before switching to no till. If drainage isn't installed, it’s asking for problems here. Or it just won’t be possible. We have a very wide range of soils, and water holding capacity. And each field requires its own management. Tillage certainly makes it easier to manage fields with problem spots. And can result in good yields.
No till for us is about long term low cost farming, efficiency, soil structure, and overall soil preservation. Cover crops help us hold soil, and build soil, the hard part is getting them established in our climate, and having it be even slightly economical. We still do them on most acres, but it would be hard to convince someone else to do them based on short term economics. It’s the long term play for us, and we definitely have seen soil health improve, and we have crops that can withstand weather extremes much better as a result. For corn, No till can definitely yield very close, if not just as well as tillage on a ten year average for us, even when planted into standing covers. Get drainage and fertility addressed first, and then it’s much easier to make it work. I just wish we didn’t have slugs to fight with on the soybeans planted into corn | |
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Switching to no-till is most successful when planned well
