No-tilling in heavy soil

Heavy soil can present challenges to farmers hoping to transition to no-till. But with patience and a whole-systems approach including cover crops, the problems can be overcome. Two farmers share the practices they’ve used to transition their heavy soil to no-till management and the benefits they’ve realized. An educational series for farmers who want to take their skills to the next level. Check out more Farm School content HERE. For corn and soybean grower Tyler Zimmerman, who grew up farming in the Red River Valley, stopping soil erosion on his farm of 2,800 acres near Leonard, North Dakota, was one of the main reasons he wanted to switch to no-till. Over the years, he’d seen too many “black clouds of soil” billowing off tilled fields in high winds. Stopping soil erosion also was a key motivator behind Tim Hansberger’s switch to 100% no-till in 2019. “Trying to eliminate soil erosion has been one of my main goals,” says Hansberger, who grows corn, soybeans, and cover crops on 1,200

Heavy soil can present challenges to farmers hoping to transition to no-till. But with patience and a whole-systems approach including cover crops, the problems can be overcome. Two farmers share the practices they’ve used to transition their heavy soil to no-till management and the benefits they’ve realized. An educational series for farmers who want to take their skills to the next level. Check out more Farm School content HERE. For corn and soybean grower Tyler Zimmerman, who grew up farming in the Red River Valley, stopping soil erosion on his farm of 2,800 acres near Leonard, North Dakota