Advocates and novices alike are invited to the Ohio No-Till Conference on Dec. 6 to take in an agenda focused on the title, “Green and Growing can Secure the Soil”. Plan to arrive as early as 8 a.m. at the Der Dutchman Restaurant located, on U.S. 42 (445 S. Jefferson) at the south edge of Plain City.  

Enjoy the eatery’s famous pastries with your favorite breakfast beverage while learning from various exhibitors.

Be on hand by 9 a.m. to learn about the “ Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative: Indiana’s Approach to Phosphorous Issues.” Barry Fisher, USDA-NRCS Indiana state agronomist, plans to provide practical insight that could benefit farmers from any nearby state.

After a mid-morning break, Brian Lindley, who hails from Salina, Kan., will share ideas during his “No-Till on the Great Plains” presentation. An hour later, Ohio State University Extension’s Jim Hoorman from Ohio’s Mercer County, tabulates the “Economics of Cover Crops.”

Just prior to the nutritious and delicious home style lunch, well deserved no-till award presentations are made by Kale Marketing. Bret Margraf from Sycamore is to be recognized as Ohio’s Outstanding No-Till Farmer; Brookside Consultants of Ohio will earn the Business/Industry Award; and Martin Shipitalo, working at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service at Coshocton, receives the Educator/Researcher Award. I am particularly interested in hearing about “Forty-Eight Years of Continuous No-Till” from Shipitalo at the Coshocton research location. (Circleville’s Bill Richards plans to contribute to that discussion). Last week, a couple of farmers who manage similar soils and livestock operations reminded me that such individuals can be on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of no-till. One farmer who has no-tilled silty-clay and clay loam soils successfully for over 20 consecutive years cannot understand the reluctance of his neighbors to change. The second farmer points out several reasons why no-till does not work on similar soils. Both could benefit from this continuous no-till presentation.

A panel discussion then tackles a pertinent question. “Can no-till solve the P problem in Ohio lakes and streams?” Moderator for the panel is Dr. Scott Shearer, chair of OSU’s Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department. Panel members include Libby Dayton (OSU School of Environment and Natural Resources), Rafiq Islam(OSU South Centers), Norm Fausey (USDA-ARS, Columbus) Mark Scarpitti (USDA-NRCS, State Agronomist, Ohio) and Hoorman. Lots of interaction with the audience is anticipated. “Cover Crop Seeding from the Sky” ends the program on a high point. Margraf and a farmer to be named later will provide the details.  

David Brandt, the Ohio No-Till Council president, closes out the program by 3:45 p.m. Registration of $30 is due by Dec. 2 or you can pay $5 more at the door. Send a check payable to the Ohio No-Till Council to Mark Wilson, Land Stewards, 1122 Somerlot Hoffman Road East, Marion, Ohio 43302. Call 740-751-4703 for more details. Can green and growing secure your soils and allow you to remain profitable? You might learn how on Dec. 6.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Roger Bender may write to him in care of this publication.