Farm Advisors: A look back at how no-till and cover crops have improved my operation

Yields were plateauing and input costs were rising when I started farming full-time in the mid-1980s. To improve my bottom line, I switched to no-tilling soybeans in 1989.

We’ve been no-tilling soybeans ever since because the return on investment was significantly better than with conventional planting.

It took a little longer to adopt no-till in corn. I tried it for three years in the mid-1990s, but after not seeing the same success in yields, I returned to conventional methods.

Eventually, advice from a peer and information I gained from an annual conference helped me make the switch successfully. Since adopting no-till in corn, my yields have increased and my input costs have dramatically dropped.

I began incorporating cover crops about 20 years ago to improve our soil. I started with 20 acres of annual ryegrass and today I’m using various cover crop species across both corn and soybean fields.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that diversity in cover crops is critical. Instead of planting just one species, like annual ryegrass, adding a mix of species makes a big difference.

A diverse cover crop mix helps build soil organic matter, increase soil water-holding capacity and infiltration, and improve nutrient use efficiency.

Farmers interested in incorporating cover crops should start small, so the mistakes are small, too. There’s a learning curve to any new practice.

Look at cover crops that winterkill. Oats and radishes, for example, are a great starting point because you don’t have to worry about terminating them in the spring.

If you’re curious about trying cover crops or other conservation practices, don’t go it alone.

I’ve learned a lot from conversations with other farmers over the years — and that’s where Farm Advisors comes in.

It’s a network of farmers who are willing to share what they’ve learned, what’s worked, what hasn’t and what they’d do differently. Sometimes, all it takes is a real conversation with someone who’s been there.

Find out more at farmadvisors.ag.

Mike Starkey raises corn, soybeans and wheat, as well as beef cattle, on a seventh-generation family farm in Hendricks County, just west of Indianapolis.