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Bloomfield, KY. | We started no-tilling in 1970. The planter was a 2-row Allis-Chalmers. The chemicals weren't much better than the planter.
We still did some tillage when establishing alfalfa & for many years on some fields, we had to use Eradicane for johnsongrass, so that was also tilled.
When no-till drills came onto the scene, we started growing some beans to help with the j-grass, since you could control it with post sprays in beans.
When Accent came out in about '91, we were finally able to control j-grass in corn w/o any tillage.
Because we did tillage for alfalfa & j-grass control, we don't have any fields that have been in no-til since we started in 1970. We do have fields that have been no-til since the mid-80's.
Effects on the soil are obviously, less erosion, but also less compaction. From doing some digging in fields, I have concluded that we have very little compaction. Last fall, as an experiment, I deep ripped 10 acres in the middle of a 35 acre no-til field. We could see no difference in yield this very dry year. Maybe a wet year would have been different, but the fuel savings with no-til give it an advantage if there is no yield boost with tillage.
Remember, that is "here".
Jack | |
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any long term no-tillers?
