No-Till On The Plains 2007 Gering Winter Meeting

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WINTER No-till MEETING 2007
Nov. 14-15 Gering, NE Civic Center

This meeting featured expert and producer speakers from around the world with a variety of sessions from beginner to advanced levels. Participants gained valuable ideas and materials that could be utilized on their farms.

Gering Meeting Press Release

No Till conference cultivates new ideas

By Kay Grote, North Platte NRD

Approximately 200 producers from throughout the region committed themselves to two days of learning about the the concept and practices of non tillage farming. The No-till On the Plains Winter Meeting was held Nov. 14-15 at the Gering Civic Center. From the panel of ten expert speakers, one message was repeatedly cultivated into the minds of producers—“save your moisture, enhance your soil.”

“I know farming is tough out here in this arid climate with less than perfect soils. So you have two choices, adapt…or get out,” said keynote speaker Dwayne Beck, research manager for Dakota Lakes Research Farm in Pierre, S.D. “You’ve got to learn to use what moisture you have and change your farming practices to enhance your soils.”

Beck’s often pointed remarks set the tone for the conference, which emphasized the importance of leaving the tillage equipment in the shed. The end payoff, said most speakers, is water, soil, fuel and input cost savings, increased yields and a better soil profile.

“This is something we need to get more people onto,” said Alliance area producer and Panhandle No-till Educator Mark Watson. “Continuous no till is an applied practice in Kansas, Colorado, North and South Dakota, but we’re just catching on here. We’ve got some habits to break.”

According to information presented at the two-day conference, continuous No-till progresses through four phases. Phase One is initialization, which occures in the first five years where farming without tillage begins to cause the transformation from low soil organic mater and low residues to regenerating soil structure and increasing microbial activity. This stage requires the application of additional nitrogen. Phase Two is transition, in which soil organic matter accumulates, residues increase, soil aggregation and soil microbial activity elevates. Phase Three is consolidation, or the strengthening, solidification and/or fortification to increase the amount of carbon in the soil. In Phase three, the soil has greater nutrient cycling and it usually takes between 11 to 20 years of continuous no till to achieve. Finally, in Phase Four comes the maintenance of the soil. The soil is well preserved with continuous flow of nitrogen, carbon and moisture and high residues continue to feed the soil’s organic matter.

A good illustration of this four-phase process was provided by retired Kansas state NRCS conservation agronimist Bud Davis with his rainfall simulator. His demonstration simulated a three-inch rainstorm and the benefits of crop residue for increased water infiltration. The basic concept is taken from nature itself; seeds germinate best in soils that are rich in organic matter and have good subsoil moisture, not atop barren or tilled soil.

Speakers and researchers at the conference stressed that getting onto the concept of no till takes a great deal of education and understanding. Dr. Gary Hergert, agronomy and soils specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, told producers that research needs to focus on adapting cropping, residue management, cutural practices and irrigation management for the Panhandle. Demonstrations need to show local producers what works; education needs to take place on how to convert from conventional tillage to no tillage practices and then the successes need to be promoted so that more producers can confidently adopt no till practices.

“This is not the corn belt,” Hergert told his audience. “We’ve go to learn to adapt to our climate, growing season, soils and shortage of water.”

No- Till On the Plains, Inc. program coordinator Jana Lindley of Wamego, Kan. said she was very pleased with the attendance at the Gering conference and the interest it generated among area producers, event sponsors and exhibitors.

No-till On the Plains is a regional, producer-run organization that reaches over 3,000 farmers annually, providing well-researched and practical information on continuous no till. The group will hold its annual Winter Conference Jan. 29-30 in Salina, KS. More information about No-till On the Plains and its upcoming events is posted at www.notill.org.

Gering Conference Photo Gallery - Click any picture for a larger view!

Speakers included:

Dwayne Beck, Dakota Lakes Research Farm

Dwayne Beck, manager of Dakota Lakes Research Farm, Pierre, S.D., has been studying farming systems for both irrigated and dryland. In addition to updating us on his latest research results and rotational ideas, Dwayne will also focus on how the most important crop nutrient, carbon, can be managed effectively only in No-till.

Cropping Strategies In Semi-Arid Climates by Dwayne Beck (Leading Edge 2004)
Fertility Placement by Dwayne Beck (Leading Edge 2001)
Dakota Lakes Research Farm

Gabe Brown, Bismark, North Dakota

Gabe and Shelly Brown own and operate Brown’s Gelbvieh Ranch, located 2 miles east of Bismarck, ND. The Brown’s purchased the ranch in 1991 and built a 250 head purebred cow operation. The Brown’s started working toward a sustainable cropping system after purchasing a No-till drill in 1994. Gabe enjoys exploring legumes that can be used in both his livestock grazing system and the No-till cropping system, using soil health as the fertility indicator. This ND producer will enlighten you with his practical application utilizing continuous No-till crops and livestock in an extreme environment. This amazing farmer-rancher will become one of your favorites as you profit from his experiences.

The Thrill of Competition - Leading Edge Featured Farmer: Gabe Brown

Bud Davis, NRCS KS State Agronomist (ret.) will provide demonstrations on soils and the Rainfall Simulator which will change the way you think about how you farm and will show you how to immediately save water in your soils. Davis was state conservation agronomist with NRCS for Kansas; a position he held from 1992 – 2007 where he was responsible for the technical adequacy of agronomic practices planned and implemented by USDA-NRCS in Kansas. Bud’s major job responsibilities or subjects included erosion prediction, crop residue management, carbon sequestration, soil quality, crop sequences, nutrient and pest management, and agronomic practice standards and specifications. He has a diverse background in natural resource management spanning 26 years in a variety of positions with NRCS including RC&D coordinator, district conservationist and soil conservationist. He was a strong supporter in organizing the Kansas Crop Residue Management Alliance—the forerunner of No-till on the Plains, Inc. and has been instrumental in cultivating (no pun) partnerships and getting industry, government, and farmers around the table to promote No-till and other profitable agronomic systems. His primary work interest is the promotion of agricultural systems that are profitable and sound in the environment. He manages the family farm in Ottawa Co. which has been No-tilled for 12 years.

Jay D. Fuhrer, District Conservationist NRCS, Bismarck, North Dakota

Jay is a graduate of North Dakota State University, in Agricultural Economics. He started a career with NRCS in 1980, and past North Dakota work locations include Crosby, Mohall, Dickinson and Bismarck. Soil Health is emphasized for cropping and grazing systems when working with farmers and ranchers. Information and education activities utilize farmer and rancher speakers for summer No-till cropping system and grazing system tours and winter workshops. Working with Gabe Brown and Brown’s Gelbvieh Ranch toward soil health and sustainability has been, and continues to be, a rewarding career highlight.

Gary Hergert, UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center, Scottsbluff, NE plans to discuss No-till and limited irrigation in the northwest Nebraska region that he calls home. Dr. Gary W. Hergert is a Professor of Agronomy (50% research, 50% extension) at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff, NE. Dr. Hergert's extension and research focus is soil and nutrient management. Current research efforts include soil and fertilizer management to improve crop production efficiency for major and minor crops in western Nebraska (corn, dry beans, winter wheat, brassicas, sugar beets, chicory). He is leading field research on No-till and limited irrigation that will enhance the UNL Water Optimizer program that helps farmers facing limited water supplies make better irrigation decisions.

Gary Maskus, Arriba, CO producer, former president of the Colorado Conservation Tillage Association and successful No-tiller hails from a very arid region. You will immediately be able to relate your farm to his and learn from his experience. Gary is a member and former President of the Colorado Conservation Tillage Association. He also is the owner/operator of a dryland farm in Colorado, 50 miles west of the Kansas border, just north of I-70. With an elevation of 5200 ft. and a 16” annual rainfall, he gets the most out of his short grass prairie environment.

Managing His Ecology - Feature Farmer Article, Leading Edge 2005

Dr. Kristine Nichols, Soil Microbiologist Mandan, ND

Her experience includes over 13 years of research on arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi – a beneficial plant root symbiont that helps plants obtain nutrients from the soil. She has B.S. degrees in Plant Biology and in Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Minnesota, a M.S. in Environmental Microbiology from West Virginia University, and a Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Maryland. Since 1996, Nichols has investigated glomalin – a glycoproteinaceous substance produced by AM fungi. Glomalin contributes to soil structure and plant health by helping to form and stabilize soil aggregates. Nichols has found that glomalin is a major component of soil organic matter (ca. 20%) in undisturbed soils and may be an agriculturally managed soil carbon sink. Kris is also studying the production of native prairie grasses for potential biofuel production and soil carbon storage.

Dr. Merle Vigil, Central Great Plains Research Station, Akron, CO collects on-going data on 100% No-till in a semi-arid to arid region and will speak on fertility management. Proper fertility is critical to your success – don’t miss this presentation. Merle was born and raised in Thornton, CO, but his family farmed in the San Luis Valley. It was during summer visits to the valley, that Merle became interested in agriculture. He went to CSU to get his B.S. in agronomy (1980) and his M.S. in soil fertility in 1983. Dwayne Westfall was his graduate advisor at CSU, but we don't hold that against him! Merle was a county agent in Logan County for one year, and then went back to school to get his Ph.D. in soil fertility/chemistry from Kansas State University in 1989.

After all that schooling, Dr. Vigil got a post-doc position with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Lincoln, Nebraska. He moved to Akron in 1991 to accept a position at the Central Great Plains Research Station as a soil scientist. Merle's research focus is on nitrogen transformations in agricultural soils and on nitrogen fertilizer use efficiency. He uses simulation modeling of these processes to expand the application of his research results. Dr. Vigil was promoted to Research Leader for the Akron station in 2000.

Dr. Ray Ward, Ward Laboratories, Kearney, NE is president and co-owner of Ward Laboratories, Inc. since 1983. He holds numerous memberships in scientific and honorary academic societies and organizations. His goals for agriculture and agronomy are to help production agriculture use its resources as efficiently as possible, to provide information and data for developing the best use of soil and water resources while maintaining environmental quality, to be involved in “value-added” agriculture, and to provide accurate laboratory data for managing production enterprises. Come experience his vast knowledge of soil quality and agronomic expertise in an easy-to-understand presentation. He will answer all of your questions on continuous No-till.

Nitrogen As A Plant Nutrient by Ray Ward (Leading Edge 2004)
Soil Organic Matter and N Cycling by Dr. Ray Ward

Mark Watson, Alliance, NE Mark farms 3,500 acres with his brother Bruce 10 miles north of Alliance, Nebraska. His farm has been in the family for approximately 115 years so Mark considers himself definitely born and bred to farm. They have been completely continuous No-till since 1994. Their farm is dryland and irrigated, raising wheat, corn, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, proso millet. Mark is married to Denise and has a son Jacob and daughter Hannah. Bruce and Mark have been selected as Master Conservationists for the state of Nebraska and will be receiving the award in September 2007. Mark Watson also serves as the No-till education coordinator for Western Nebraska. Mark will deliver an excellent presentation on the how’s and why’s of continuous No-till featuring real-world economics from his own operation. Click here to view Mark's slides for his presentation.... (these are not included in the Proceedings Manual, so feel free to print these off and bring them with you)

“Breaking the tillage mindset” by Mark Watson

The Value Of Residue by Mark Watson

No-till Notes by Mark Watson

No-till and Water by Mark Watson

Gering is rich in history and lies just east of Scotts Bluff National Monument, a well-known landmark on the Oregon Trail. Gering is located in Western Nebraska's Scotts Bluff County just 40 miles north of I-80. It is centrally located between the Colorado Front Range, Yellowstone National Park and Mt. Rushmore.

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