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NW Minnesota | I have been no-tilling in northwest MN since the mid 90's, just south of Thief River Falls. I Strip till for corn using an 8 row Yetter/Maverick machine behind a JD7830 in loam and sandy loam soils. We are cow/calf/feedlot so also apply a lot of manure on the surface. We use a heavy harrow after manure application and apply much of our manure over cover crops. I no-til all my alfalfa as well, usually in the fall after wheat harvest. Generally use three crop rotation of corn, soybean, and spring wheat. I fallow the wheat with cover of radish and turnips. I just started following corn silage with cereal rye and soybean with rye and radish by air. Compaction can be a problem especially on headlands for the soybeans. I plan to strip till some ground for soybeans this year and see if that fixes the problem. Otherwise everything but corn planted with a JD 750. We rotate our manure application so that it is mostly just ahead of corn and the strip tiller can break any compaction from harvest and level any minor ruts. The cover crops will go a long way to alleviate compaction as well. I would seriously look at incorporating cover crops into your plan to help build the soil and help replace Organic matter lost by harvest of silage, and straw.
Edited by djmranch 4/24/2014 08:08
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No tilling in the north
