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Sanilac Co. Michigan | Aside from leveling fields after pattern tiling (and often a year or two later when the runs finish settling), or dusting in some bad ruts, my land and the farms I rent have been continuous no-till for over twenty years. The soils I work with range from blow sand to three day clay, often going from one extreme to the other a couple of times in the same field pass. This isn't "idiot ground"!
I don't recall much, if any, yield drag in the third or fourth year but that may be related to the crops (soybeans and small grains) grown initially. Some are just a little more forgiving than others. I do know that even on the untiled ground it has been easier to get into the field in the spring and has been better able to support harvest equipment in wetter falls. I also notice that as the seasons progress I'm finding less and less need for no-till coulters on this ground. In addition my yields have steadily increased or remained comparable to my conventional tillage neighbors.
Does a regiment of no till increase soil fertility significantly? I don't know for sure. Yes, OM% has stabilized or increased some, and P&K levels seem to be more easily maintained, but I don't really believe no till has had a significant impact on my fertilizer inputs. You still can bet you don't get something for nothing in that regard. I do know stones don't cause much trouble, my fuel bill is lower than the guy doing full on tillage, and I don't spend much time or money replacing field cultivator teeth, disc blades, of contemplate the virtues of the newest tillage tool and the horsepower required to haul it.
All that said, it's worked pretty well for me in my little corner of Michigan, so I don't think I'll be changing practices any time soon. | |
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are you thinking about going to long term no-till?
