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| I started with notil corn in 1978. Still have a couple of fields that have been notilled continuously since then. Early on notil corn was the easiest, notil beans were harder, and I did not even dream of notil wheat. Now it is the reverse. Notil wheat is a nobrainer, followed close with notil beans, notil corn takes more patience.
It is easier to do if soils hsve good internal drainage-either natural or tile improvements. It has been my experience that on similar soil types, my yields are equal to or better than neighbors who are conventional. This is on the more productive soils of western Ohio.
I cash rented 2 farms from 1997 thru 2003. The first soil test showed a ph of 5.5. The test called for over 4 tons of lime per acre. I knew that the landlord was not going to pay for the lime and I also knew that I would lose the farms in the future, 2 grandsons wanted to farm. The last soil test showed a ph of 6.4. I had not put any lime on. Earthworm populations had increased dramatically. I am sure that the earthworms were resposible for the increase in ph.
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any long term no-tillers?
