Strip-Till Farmer Podcast

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Environmental Tillage Systems (ETS), we catch up with Mercer, Mo., strip-tiller Galt Porter for a conversation about his award-winning 405-bushel corn yield. The 27-year-old is the reigning national NCGA Yield Contest champion in the strip-till non-irrigated class. Porter shares the keys to his high-yielding success and reveals how strip-till has been a game-changer for his family's operation. The 5th-generation farmer also details his nutrient management strategies, which include split nitrogen (N) applications, and goes over the top lessons learned from his national championship yield that will influence how he manages the rest of his acres.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Environmental Tillage Systems, we catch up with Hatley, Wis., strip-tiller Mike Fischer as he gets ready to make spring strips.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Environmental Tillage Systems, we're tackling one of the most common yield-robbing pests in the Corn Belt and beyond — corn rootworm. Ann Marie Journey, independent soil, wetland and stream health evaluator and founder of EntoVentures LLC, shares her wealth of knowledge about the “billion-dollar bug.”

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, first-generation strip-tiller James Hepp takes us inside his operation in Rockwell City, Iowa.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter, longtime strip-tiller Alan Madison shares his 8 keys to strip-till success and reveals the top takeaways from decades of on-farm trials in Walnut, Ill.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter, Charles City, Va., strip-tiller David Hula shares the keys to his strip-till success. David Hula recently captured his 13th NCGA High Yield Contest title with a 490-bushel yield in the strip-till irrigated class — nothing new for the third-generation farmer, who remains the only one to break the 600-bushel mark (2019, 2021 and 2023).

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter, we're headed inside the 2025 National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Ky. We get the inside scoop on 4 new strip-till tools to help increase efficiency and maximize productivity in the fall and spring. Plus, Beck's Hybrids agronomists share the latest revelations about corn root structure and 7 tips for managing tar spot — an emerging fungal disease in corn in the Midwest.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, first-generation strip-tiller Eric Reed shares his formula for high yields with a limited budget in poor soils. Eric Reed had to figure it out on his own when he started strip-tilling corn on the Tennessee/Alabama border. His first yield was 170 bushels per acre in 2015. Four years later, he was up to 260 bushels per acre. And shortly after that, he broke the Alabama dryland record with 316 bushels per acre. The Elora, Tenn., native shares the keys to his success and lessons learned along the way, including insights on equipment, compaction, hybrid selection, plant populations, fertility, planter prep and more.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Shawn Olsen shares how he strip-tills his own 4,500-acres before custom strip-tilling another 20,000 acres in Hayti, S.D. On top of farming 4,500 acres with his dad, David, brother, Kelly and son, Carter, Shawn Olsen also runs a custom strip-till business that covers up to 25,000 acres in east central South Dakota. The strip-till calendar starts relatively early on Olsen's farm — he starts making strips as soon as soybean harvest wraps up in late September. Olsen explains how he's able to cover so much ground in such a short amount of time, details his approach to making strips and maximizing nutrient use efficiency in the fall and explains why strip-till is on the rise in his neck of the woods.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, the jovial Jon Stevens gives us a peek inside his Rock Creek, Minn., strip-till operation. Stevens began his relentless pursuit for healthy soils a little over a decade ago when he ditched conventional tillage for strip-till and no-till. In this presentation from the 2023 National Strip-Tillage Conference, Stevens details his systematic approach to building soil health using strip-till, cattle and cover crops, and shares results from on-farm trials to illustrate how farm profitability doesn't always equate to being the highest yielder.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, we're talking custom strip-till with Kentland, Ind., strip-tiller Jesse Stoller. The Stoller family started strip-tilling in 2014 on their 4,000-acre operation, and in 2020, Stoller expanded his custom strip-till operation to about 10,000 acres. Stoller explains why the custom strip-till route could be a cost-effective option for new strip-tillers. He also breaks down the structure of his custom strip-till operation, including pricing and payback, along with entry-point advice and tips for building better berms.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Andrew Reuschel details his switch from no-till to strip-till in Golden, Ill. Reuschel explains the motivation behind his transition to strip-till after decades of no-till on the family farm.

Jay Riddell and Brian Watkins help us answer the question — when's the best time to make strips? — on this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment. Forty-five percent of strip-tillers make their strips in the fall, 33% in the spring and 21% do a little bit of both according to the latest Strip-Till Farmer Benchmark Study. Sparland, Ill., strip-tiller Jay Riddell and Kenton, Ohio, strip-tiller Brian Watkins had a conversation with technology editor Noah Newman about the pros and cons of both fall and spring strip-till during the 2024 National Strip-Tillage Conference. Riddell and Watkins also share their nutrient management strategies, strip-till truths, cover crop philosophies, lessons learned over the years and more!

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, we dive into the latest equipment, technologies and trends from strip-tillers and equipment manufacturers. Leesburg, Ga., strip-tiller Alex Harrell and Schlagel Manufacturing's Jonathan Spence sit down for an exclusive interview about Harrell's record-breaking 218-bushel soybean yield. Plus, Black Eagle Ag president Doug Hays gives us the scoop on the company's brand-new heavy-duty toolbar designed to hold up in the toughest soil conditions. Later in the episode, hear how strip-tillers are using their ETS SoilWarrior not just to make strips, but to also plant soybeans and cover crops. Redekop's Eric Schuler gives us the rundown on the SCU weed seed control unit and explains why it could be a game-changer for weed management in conservation ag systems. Also, Lynx, Kuhn Krause, Yetter and Unverferth share what's new with their equipment for 2025.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter, University of Illinois soil scientist Andrew Margenot shares key takeaways from his long-term phosphorous (P) studies. Margenot's research group focuses on everything from NPK recommended rates, soil test values, removal rates and more. He's currently leading the charge on a project to analyze thousands of soil samples dating back to the late 1800s — the largest soil samples archive in the world.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter, we catch up with Donnellson, Iowa, strip-tiller Mark Dobson. Dobson strip-tills 420 acres of certified organic corn, soybeans and wheat, and he custom strip-tills about 2,000 acres annually in southeast Iowa. The innovative strip-tiller shares some of his top lessons learned from pairing strip-till with organic farming and explains how he uses more than just yield to measure profitability. Dobson also discusses his approach to planting green, precision technology and nutrient management, which includes lower nitrogen rates, a mix of 5-7 micronutrients and manure applications at 50% the recommended rate.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, Bill Preller, longtime agronomist, Strip-Till Hall of Famer and founder of AGuru Machinery, kicks off a 3-part series exploring why strip-till is the ideal system for most soil types.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by DigiFarm, we visit with 2024 Strip-Till Innovator Award recipient Chris Perkins at his Banded Ag facilities in Otwell, Ind. Perkins shares his formula for growing a 300-bushel corn crop as he talks shop with fellow strip-tiller and Montag territory manager Harold Crawford. Perkins discusses the value of residue and fungicides in a strip-till system and explains how and why he's combining dry and liquid fertilizer on his LandLuvr strip-till rig.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by DigiFarm, Andrew Focht takes us inside his strip-till operation in Villisca, Iowa. Focht has increased his yields each year since switching to strip-till 2 years ago. He shares his nutrient management plan, which includes phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) applications in the fall, nitrogen (N) applications in the spring and variable rate N applications throughout the growing season.

Strip-tiller John Hanson gets creative with his strip-till rig on this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by DigiFarm. John Hanson switched to strip-till a few years ago to save money on fuel and labor costs and increase the moisture-holding capacity of the soils on his 1,600-acre farm in north central Iowa. He's found a way to be even more efficient by planting soybeans with his Environmental Tillage Systems (ETS) SoilWarrior.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by DigiFarm, we go 1-on-1 with Westville, Ind., strip-tiller Jeff Herrold for a conversation about nutrient management, cover crops, strip-till equipment and more! In recent years, Herrold has become a firm believer in spacing out his fertilizer applications to maximize uptake, while also marginally dialing back rates. Herrold shares some recent adjustments he's made to his nutrient management strategies and how he's applying N up to 4 different times and ways throughout the growing season.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, veteran agronomist Michael Petersen reacts to new data revealed for the first time from the 2024 Strip-Till Farmer Benchmark Study. How do your strip-till practices compare to hundreds of other farmers across all regions of the U.S.? You're about to find out as technology editor Noah Newman shares results from the 2024 Strip-Till Farmer benchmark survey.

In this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, we honor the life and legacy of the late Bill Northey with a look back at his keynote presentation from the 2015 National Strip-Tillage Conference about applying science and technology to improve strip-till operations.

Spring Strip-Till Tips, New RTK Technology & More At 2024 National Farm Machinery Show by Strip-Till Farmer

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Galva, Ill., strip-tiller Brian Corkill shares the ups and downs of his cover cropping journey. Listen in as Corkill leads a classroom session at the 2023 National Strip-Till Conference on how to manage unique interactions between different cover crop species and strip-tilled cash crops, and the key to seeding cover crops quickly at a low cost.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Manufacturing, we ride along with Marlette, Mich., strip-tiller Ryan Shaw as he makes spring strips with his Environmental Tillage Systems SoilWarrior.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Famer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Randy Bump takes us inside his strip-till operation in Albany, Wisconsin. Bump explains the keys to success for making 100% of his strips in the spring and how to manage his number one concern — seed to residue contact.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Manufacturing, representatives from several companies showcase their new strip-till equipment. As 2023 comes to a close, we revisit our trip to the Farm Progress Show in Decatur, Ill. Strip-Till Farmer editors scoped out some of the latest strip-till innovations set to hit the market for the 2024 growing season.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., James Crouch, national segment manager for Yokohama Off-Highway Tires, breaks down new technology that can help strip-tillers minimize compaction, save fuel and boost yields.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., Smithville, Ga., strip-tiller Alex Harrell shares perspective on his world record-breaking soybean yield in 2023. The 33-year-old set a new soybean yield record with 206.7997 bushels per acre, topping his mentor, Randy Dowdy's 2019 yield of 190.23 bushels per acre.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., 3 successful strip-tillers share some of their top strategies and lessons learned from their strip-till journey. Paul Dubbels of Fergus Falls, Minn., Larry Tombaugh of Streator, Ill., and Jon Stevens of Rock Creek, Minn., take questions from the audience at the 2023 National Strip-Tillage Conference in a workshop-style session.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., a trio of experienced strip-tillers talk with a first-time strip-tiller who's making the switch after years of conventional tillage.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Montag Mfg., a trio of experienced strip-tillers talk with a first-time strip-tiller who's making the switch after years of conventional tillage.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Sound Agriculture, Elora, Tenn., native Eric Reed shares the keys to his high-yielding success. “Our dirt is the kind they build racetracks on,” Eric Reed says. Reed grows corn, soybeans and cotton on the Tennessee/Alabama border. Despite limited resources and soil that's “as red as can be,” Reed increased his yields dramatically over a couple years, including a 100-bu./acre bump with corn.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Sound Agriculture, Purdue University cropping systems and tillage specialist Tony Vyn reacts to results from the 2023 Strip-Till Benchmark Survey. Strip-Till Farmer's 10th annual benchmark study of strip-till practices conducted in early 2023 shows that strip-tillers continue to have the upper hand over their counterparts when it comes to corn and soybean yields.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Sound Agriculture, Kuhn Krause marketing director Curt Davis examines the evolution of the strip-till equipment market and why the conservation practice is becoming an increasingly popular option for farmers.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Sound Agriculture, Jason Webster, Precision Technology Institute (PTI) Farm manager, discusses the biggest strip-till lessons learned from years of research at the 400-plus acre research farm.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Sound Agriculture, Otwell, Ind., strip-tiller Chris Perkins discusses the impact of hybrid selection on banded fertility, the key to a balanced nutrition plan below the root zone and how manipulating kernel weight can impact the yield equation.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Sound Agriculture, we go 1-on-1 with Blakely, Ga., strip-tiller Caleb Traugh, who accumulates ideas from across the country and finds a way to make them work on his farm. Traugh, who also works as a crop consultant, placed second in Georgia's 2021 NCGA Corn Yield Contest with just over 270 bushels per acre in the strip-till, minimum-till, mulch-till, ridge-till irrigated class — a remarkable accomplishment considering he's still in his 20s and didn't grow up on a farm.

On this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Ron Schilling talks about the motivation behind their switch to strip-till, how they incorporate cattle into their system, why they build strips in the spring and more!

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, New Prague, Minn., farmer Greg Entinger shares his economic-based strategy for managing his 900-acre strip-tilled corn operation. Entinger switched from conventional tillage to strip-till in 2015 to save money and reduce soil erosion. He bet the farm on the practice and it paid off almost immediately.

For this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, a trio of strip-tillers discuss their plans for 2023. Jon Stevens of Rock Creek, Minn., Ryan Nell of Beaver Dam, Wis., and Ryan Shaw of Snover, Mich., joined Strip-Till Farmer's Noah Newman on stage at the 9th annual National Strip-Tillage Conference in Iowa City. Listen in as Stevens, Nell and Shaw cover a variety of topics including the challenges in their operations, nutrient management strategies, cover crops, equipment, how they plan to approach the upcoming growing season and more!

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Ben Kron shares the keys to his record-breaking success. The Evansville, Ind., farmer won the National Corn Growers Association 2021 National Corn Yield Contest's strip-till, minimum-till, mulch-till, ridge-till irrigated class with nearly 391 bushels per acre. He also broke the state's strip-till, irrigated corn yield record that same year.

On this edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, Dr. Fred Below, researcher and crop physiologist at the University of Illinois, joins managing editor Michaela Paukner for a conversation about ideal plant populations in a strip-till system.

For this Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by Yetter Farm Equipment, we chat with Jeremiah Durbin, independent crop consultant, Sustainable Legacy Consulting; soil health specialist and Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts, about those physical, chemical and biological aspects of soil health and how he uses his mechanical background to help trouble-shoot issues in the field.

On this special edition of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by the Pluribus Lite from Dawn Equipment, we're revisiting the top 3 most listened to interviews of 2022.

For this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by the Pluribus Lite from Dawn Equipment, we head out to Tipton, Calif., to catch up with west coast strip-till pioneer Tom Barcellos. Barellos was the first in his area to switch from conventional to conservation tillage in 2000. He farms about 1,800 acres, primarily growing feed for his dairy operation. Listen in as Barcellos shares his nutrient management plan, equipment choices and lessons learned from 20 years of strip-tilling. He also talks about the challenges of farming in California and how strip-till has helped deal with skyrocketing fuel costs, water regulations and labor challenges.

In this week's Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by the Pluribus Lite from Dawn Equipment, editor Frank Lessiter speaks with early strip-till adopter Dean Fehl about how he got started strip tilling, his current role as a retiree helping his sons work the family farm, and more.

For this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by the Pluribus Lite from Dawn Equipment, we're riding in the combine with Putnam, Ill., strip-tiller Jay Riddell as he completes corn harvest on one of his farms.

In this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by the Pluribus Lite from Dawn Equipment, you'll hear Jim Lappin, AMVAC director of SIMPAS product portfolio & Alliances, and Caleb Schultz, AMVC retail channel precision ag services lead, break down the basics of SIMPAS technology and why strip-tillers are excited about it.

In this episode of the Strip-Till Farmer podcast, brought to you by the Pluribus Lite from Dawn Equipment, we speak with Dan Berning, Pioneer agronomy manager, and Scott Walker, Pioneer marketing manager. Berning and Walker explain how to manage drought conditions and share tips on what to do in the fall to set yourself up for success in the spring.