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| Like a lot of other guys around this board appear to be, we are kicking around the idea of adopting strip till. Being in extreme north central Iowa, I think this would only be a corn-into-bean stubble operation as I fear that corn stalks would be a HUGE challenge to go into with corn planting because of all the residue, not to mention dry falls being rare and combines and grain carts not getting any lighter. I can't imagine going into the tracks that can be left by those machines and making a decent seedbed!
Anyway, I think a shank machine, used in the fall, would be the tool of choice vs. a coulter machine. Reasons being: I like the idea of creating fertility bands that would not be disturbed every 15 inches, due to being at 6 to 8 inch depths. Due to corn on corn, over-usage of chemical, perennial weed, and seedbed levelness concerns, we must incorporate some full-width tillage into the mix. This way, using a mulch finisher, coulter machine, etc. would not fowl with the fertility bands. I also like the idea of dealing with some minor compaction at the same time.
As my title implies, I am thinking of ways of freshening those strips in the spring. I have heard of at least one trial around my parts of fall strip till vs. full width tillage that lagged about 15 bushels per acre, and that was soybean stubble! Even with lousy marketing, that can't be made up with cost savings. The person that did this attributed it to the stale seedbed, in part. I was thinking that a coulter tool like the Salfort RTS, Great Plains Turbo Till, or a Summers SuperCoulter may be an answer here. Low horsepower requirements, loosening and areating of full width of field would have to help aerate and warm ground, and harrow and rolling basket along with the coulters would probably make that strip good and fresh, right? This is the question at hand.
I welcome any and all guys that have strip till experience to take shots at all parts of this plan. Switching from a reduced/conventional tillage program to this is intimidating to think about! The price of trading for the equipment needed is as well.
Thanks in advance!
KK | |
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Strip Till - Freshening Strips in Spring
