Lance Feikert is the fifth generation on his family farm, which started in 1890. After no-tilling for more than eleven years, the farm is beginning its move to continuous no-till. Lance and his wife, Heidi, have four children.

Lance has been experimenting with cover crops for six years, as well as trying out other crops to learn what will work best in his region. He raises wheat, milo and soybeans on dryland and irrigated acres. With less water available to pump each year, many of his irrigated fields are becoming more like their dryland counterparts. No-till helps him make the most of limited resources. Lance has also tried pollinator strips and companion crops in sorghum plots over the last two years. He hopes to better understand the multiple benefits of a diverse system on the farm.

Lance farms with his brother Kyle. Their father recently retired from the farm but remains active with the brothers giving them advice as needed. Lance says no-till practices allow him to spend more time with his children while allowing their soils to improve. He sees better water infiltration, greater resilience in his crops and more life in the soil since adopting the current system. The Feikert’s also have re-introduced cattle in their operation to better utilize crops and encourage better soil health.