Darrell Bruggrink at NoTill Farmer, Lessiter Publications just called and asked me to fill in for Chris Nichols a week from Saturday at her 8:40 AM classroom.  She is ill so I ask for a prayer for Chris as I had recommended her as a speaker.

He asked me to update the group in What's Happening In High Yield NoTill Soybeans.  So I ask my trusted friends and readers  here on Crop Talk, what would you like to discuss if you were in my classroom that day?

The last time I presented this topic it raised a lot of discusssion as it always does and Lessiter even published a special bookelet from the talk.  We will take that as our topic basis and discuss what has changed since that presentation a few years back.

1.  variety, we narrow ourselves down to a handful of genetics for that high yield notill soybean crop.  Is it the right ones?  How do we evaluate?
2.  soil test and tissue test, not everyone even does this but if you do, how do you do it and what works and what doesn't?  There are several threads below discussing these questions.
3.  seeding equipment-we have 15 inch row notill soybean planters vs 30 inch rows vs notill drills, controlled spill and air seeders.  That would be a topic by itself!
4.  pest control, namely weed control, farmers are struggling nationwide to get good weed control, particularly we the progression of resistant weeds.  Weeds remain my number one pest.
5.  fertilizer, foliars, seed treatments, seed enhancements, what works and what doesn'?
6.  scouting, how do you evaluate the condition of your field and how do you change it if you identify problems?
7.  harvesting-most of you get an A on this one in my travels but how do we harvest the perfect day for each field so it can be handled, hauled, stored and marketed for the maximum value???

I told Darrell this should give us some fodder to chew on Crop Talk for the next week or so, so fire away!  Email works too if you want to go that route and many of you have my phone number 937-728-1478 but the phone rang off the hook yesterday before all of this evolved.

Thanks in advance,

Ed Winkle