Tillage

Limiting soil disturbance to manage the amount, orientation and disturbance of crop and plant residue on the soil surface year round is the goal. Reducing the tillage in your field helps minimize the degradation of organic material in the soil and less soil disturbance allows the soil to be revitalized with life (i.e. worms and microryzahl fungi. You can also pair a reduced tillage method with cover crops and enhance your soil health even more!

There are different options of tillage and each has it’s benefits:

Strip Till

A conservation system that uses minimum tillage. It combines the soil drying and warming benefits of conventional tillage with the soil-protecting advantages of no-till by disturbing only the portion of the soil that will contain the seed. This option is great when paired with a cover crop!

Benefits of Strip Till:
* Still allows for the warming of the soil
* Still allows for a more conventional seedbed
* Allows for the soil’s nutrients to be better adapted to the plant’s needs and still gives cover to the soil between the rows.
* Decreases the amount of erosion than a conventional till
* Reduces tillage-induced particulate emissions
* Increases organic matter

Reduced/Mulch Till

A conservation system that manages the amount, orientation, and distribution of crop and other plant residue on the soil surface year round. Mulch till is any other reduced tillage system that leaves at least one third of the soil surface covered with crop residue.

Benefits of Reduced/Mulch Till
* Decreases the amount of erosion than a conventional till
* Reduces tillage-induced particulate emissions
* Increases organic matter
* Still allows for the warming of the soil
* Reduces soil erosion
* Conserves water by reducing evaporation at the surface
* Reduces the amount of fossil fuel emissions

No-Till

A conservation system for growing crops from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage. Next year’s crops will be directly planted into the residue that wasn’t tilled the year before.

Benefits of No-Till:
* Eliminates the use and upkeep of tillage equipment
* Decreases fuel costs
* Decreases the cost and time of labor
* Increases and maintains the soil’s ability to absorb water
* Provides food and cover for wildlife
* Decreases the amount of erosion than a conventional till
* Reduces tillage-induced particulate emissions
* Increases organic matter