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The movement from a traditional full width tillage program to one of conservation tillage is a significant paradigm shift, both in mindset and in operations, for the majority of conventional row crop producers. This shift can be confusing and intimidating if the proper steps aren't taken to select the best equipment for your particular field conditions, and crop rotation. The process takes careful thought, time, and an investment in equipment tailored to suit your environment. Your effort will likely generate a tremendous return within a very short time. Even for average sized farms, a move to Strip-Till (zone till) can reduce fuel and fertilizer input cost enough to rapidly elevate your bottom line.
Tillage practices necessarily vary in different environments. Often, what works in the arid western plains of Nebraska will decidedly not work in the wet clay hills of Wisconsin. Additionally, as a producer, you have to walk that fine line between reducing input costs, and boosting yield. In the past, the only tillage options available to satisfy these requirements were full width conventional till programs, min-till (usu disc or cultivator), and no-till programs. The producer had to decide if that land could turn a greater profit by increasing tilth and fertility to boost yield in a conventional tilling program, or by sacrificing some yield to reduce the input cost of fuel, fertilizer, and equipment in a no-till or min-till program.
The modern farm runs much like any other industrial business. The tools for this new era in agriculture must be durable, precise and highly efficient. Strip-tilling will advance you to the cutting edge of seedbed preparation, and fertilizer placement. This move is an exciting one, and it tends to interest true agricultural pioneers. Please take a look at some of these articles about strip-till. We strongly encourage you to thoroughly research methods and equipment as you prepare for the move to precision tillage and fertilizer placement. We are happy to help, and are here to answer questions via e-mail, or you can call us between 8AM and 4:30PM central time.
E-mail us at info@dawnequipment.com
Call us at 800.554.0007
Power Point Presentation by Tony Vyn, Cropping Systems Specialist at Purdue University
Purdue News article on Strip-Till, and Tony Vyn
Natural Resources Conservation Service - National Conservation Practice Standards
Corn & Soybean Digest Article: Avoid These 10 Strip-Till Mistakes
Check out the Dawn Equipment YouTube page!
Link to the "videos" section of Joe's YouTube site.
This link will take you to the Montag Manufacturing Homepage
A post about strip-till by Jim Bassett on the New AgTalk Machinery Forum