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Local farmer featured in upcoming no-till workshopNo-Till Field Day will highlight the benefits of no-till, equipment and carbon credits Nebraska The last thing Keith County farmer Eldon Dyck wants to do is tell folks how to farm. He believes that everyone has their own way of doing things. But he's found something that works well for him, and that something is no-till. No-till farming is a way of growing crops without disturbing the soil through tillage. Residue from last year's crop is left in the field after harvest. Next year's crop is planted directly into the residue of the previous year's crop. There is no soil disturbance, or tillage. Dyck decided to try no-till after doing a cover crop of wheat following his kidney bean harvest. Later that spring, he sprayed the wheat and planted corn directly into the wheat stubble. After seeing how well that first attempt went, he began to expand his no-till acres. For the past two years, Dyck has planted all of his acres using no-till. His original motivation for using no-till was to save time and fuel, which can be significant, according to Dan Gillespie, NRCS no-till specialist. "On a 160-acre field, it will cost an average of $4,177 for fuel and take 22 hours to prepare the seedbed using a three-pass conventional tillage system. On a 160-acre no-till field, it would only cost an average of $1,100 for fuel and take just 1.8 hours to apply a burn down herbicide to prepare the seedbed," Gillespie said. With a young family, Dyck and his wife both appreciate the extra time no-till farming provides. Eldon has also recognized several other benefits of no-till. "I've noticed how the quality of my soil has improved. It is more porous under the heavy trash matt that no-till leaves in the field. There has also been a big reduction in soil erosion," Dyck said. An additional benefit of no-till farming is water savings. No-till keeps a heavy layer of crop residue on the surface of the soil. This acts like a mulch that helps keep surface temperatures of the soil down and prevents evaporation. The high residue levels also work to slow water down. The residue prevents the water from running off the surface quickly, which helps increase the amount of water that infiltrates into the soil. "If you're in a limited water area like we are here, then no-till is a great way to go," Dyck said. Before applying irrigation water, Dyck uses a soil probe to check the moisture level in the soil profile. This way, he can time his water applications when the crop can best use the water. No-till also works well during a wet spring. Big rains generated by spring storms don't cause erosion. Dyck has also been able to plant into wetter soils and does not have to delay planting. His neighbors have commented that they can't tell if his field has even been planted. Dyck attributes all of this to the residue, which works to hold soil and water on the field. "If you're going to no-till, you've got to have residue or you won't be successful," Dyck said. When asked about his yields, Dyck said that he can raise the same yields with no-till as he did with conventional tillage. One thing he has noticed is that his crops may not be as tall as some of his neighbors' fields. But he has learned that his crops catch up in July and August and produce the same yield. "You have to condition your mind for the results of no-till. Your crops may not always be as big as your neighbors', and you have to be OK with that," Dyck said. Dyck seems to be more than OK with that. He is very enthusiastic about the positive changes no-till have brought to his farm. "It's so exciting to me to go out and see the benefits of no-till. The longer I no-till the more benefits I see," Dyck said. NRCS Resource Conservationist Carol Eakins has worked with Dyck and has seen his dedication to no-till. It is something she would like to see in more producers in Keith County. For that reason, she is helping organize a no-till field event for Friday, August 29, which will feature local no-till producers, including Dyck. "We have a lot of reasons for farmers to switch to no-till, but there is still a learning curve associated with the transition. Hopefully, this field event will help educate more producers and help them make the switch," Eakins said. The No-Till Field Day will be held Aug. 29 from 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mountain Time. Presentations will be given on no-till planters and equipment adjustments, carbon credits and soil quality in a no-till system. Speakers include Paul Jasa with Extension, John Hanson with the Farmers Union and Chuck Markley with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. There is a $5 registration fee to help cover the cost of lunch. Please RSVP by Aug. 25 to ensure an accurate lunch count by calling the Twin Platte NRD at 308-535-8080. Sponsors of the event include the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Sandhills RC&D, Twin Platte NRD, Nebraska Farmers Union, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Farm Credit Services of America. For more information about no-till and the upcoming no-till field event, please contact Carol Eakins at the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Ogallala at 308-284-2048 ext. 3 or e-mail carol.eakins@ne.usda.gov. 9/1/08 Date: 8/27/08
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