GrainsWest Fall 2018

Fall 2018 grainswest.com 29 no-till farming systems as well as soil management techniques that require little to no chemical fertilizer and crop protection products, in part, to lower the cost of production. At the same time, farmers are lining up to observe field demonstrations of the latest tillage equipment. Conservation farming advocates say they hope tillage keeps a low profile and maintains a limited role in crop production. They hate to think marketing programs by machinery manufacturers might encourage farmers to chase increased production by means of what amounts to recreational tillage. FARMERS VALUE CONSERVATION Harvey Brink farms near the west-central community of Bentley and was an early adopter of direct seeding. He’s run a mixed farming operation for about 30 years using tillage on a limited basis. “We just returned to a strictly zero-till cropping system,” said Brink, who was one of the founders of the now-defunct Rainy Creek Conservation Club. About four years ago, to spread out farm workload, he began applying nitrogen in the form of anhydrous ammonia after fall harvest or just before spring seeding. “But we found incorporating the anhydrous disturbed the soil too much,” he said. “The seeding system we were using didn’t like disturbed soil, so we stopped using anhydrous.” Brink had been using a Conserva Pak air seeder and more recently switched to a Pillar hybrid disc/hoe air drill, but it also didn’t work well with tilled soil. Brink said both seeding systems are designed to deliver optimum performance—in- cluding improved seed bed utilization—as they work through crop residue and undisturbed soil. He added he’s not opposed to tillage in specific situations but doesn’t see the need on a regular basis. He has used a disc and cultivator to work up some “extremely rough” rented land to prepare a proper seed bed for annual cropping. “But once we get a field smoothed out, then it is just managed with direct seeding,” he said. “There’s no need for further tillage after that.” He noted he is fortunate to farm in an area where fields drain well so ruts and standing water aren’t issues. Just west of Red Deer, Larry Van Slyke said while he practices conservation farming as much as possible he does use tillage when necessary. Van Slyke was also a member of the Rainy Creek Conservation Club and a director of the Alberta Conservation Tillage Society. “Zero-till isn’t a religion for me,” said Van Slyke. “I still own and occasionally use an old deep tillage cultivator.” With about one-third of the farm in perennial forages, he said he has been direct seeding his annual grain and oilseed crops since 1998. “But I find there are just certain times and situations where tillage is needed,” he said. For example, in years when he is converting perennial forages to annual cropping, the land may need light to heavy tillage, depending on pocket gopher activity, to prepare for seeding. Depending on growing season and harvest conditions he may also have to cultivate areas that are rutted or compacted. He said while it’s important to minimize tillage, he appre- ciates that no-till isn’t always practical. He points to dairy and hog operations where liquid manure must be incorporated and that potato growers need to cultivate to prepare fields for planting. As well, sod farms work the soil between each crop, and some farmers fertilizing with City of Red Deer sewage sludge must incorporate it into the soil. He also noted large farms may need to incorporate fall fertilizer into the soil for logistical reasons. Van Slyke also suspects there are situations where farmers are “beating up the soil for nothing,” though some tillage is often necessary. “One of the reasons we grow forages is to manage weed control without herbicides or tillage,” he said. “And with alfalfa in our forage mix, I always call alfalfa ‘nature’s deep tillage tool’ because it has a root system that will help improve soil texture and quality.” In northeast Alberta, Vermilion area farmer and Lakeland College dean of agriculture Josie Van Lent is another zero-till farmer. With her family, Van Lent operates Staden Farms, a mixed farming operation producing grains, oilseeds, cattle and bison. They have practiced direct seeding as much as possible for more than 30 years. Back in the early 1980s, as the conservation farming message was gaining traction, she also worked as a district agriculturist for the Alberta government. “I well remember under conventional farming operations the soil blowing here just like in the 1930s,” said Van Lent. “Over the years farmers have adapted practices and technology that have alleviated the issues we saw many years ago.” On their family farm they use a disc-type air seeding sys- tem that has its pros and cons, said Van Lent. It’s an excellent low-disturbance tool for seeding that minimizes soil moisture losses, but with higher yielding crops it can also be chal- lenging to work through heavy crop residue. Depending on residue amounts they may harrow before seeding to better manage chaff and straw. “With canola, for example, I am not sure if we are getting the highest yields we could with this system,” said Van Lent. “But on the other hand, it is cost efficient and conserves moisture. At the end of the year, it’s not yield, but net revenue that tells the story.” Van Lent said while she realizes interest in tillage has risen, she hasn’t seen any research that supports the value of some of the more aggressive systems. MANUFACTURERS MEET THE NEED Tillage equipment manufacturers say that as farming practices and weather conditions change in Western Canada, farmers are looking for tillage options to suit. Scott Ousdahl, central Alberta territory manager for Ontario-made Salford equip- ment, said while no-till farming has many benefits it comes with drawbacks. Farmers are producing higher yielding crops