Farmers Can Save Time and Money with No-Till Drill
Farmers in and around Adams County can save time and money on fall seeding by using the no-till drill available from the Adams Soil & Water Conservation District (ASWCD).
Using a no-till drill can decrease input costs by reducing the number of trips over the field. No-till planting also helps reduce erosion, improves soil health and increases agricultural production.
Charlie Veselka in Indian Valley has used the no-till drill to plant oats, alfalfa, and sorghum so far this year, with excellent results.
“The Esch no-till drill works great,” Veselka said. “It’s easy to use and it saves a lot of fuel, so it’s well worth the small cost to rent. It’s especially useful in flood-irrigated ground, because you can irrigate immediately with minimal erosion.”
The Adams Soil and Water Conservation District purchased an Esch no-till drill last fall that local producers can rent to use on their ground.
The Esch Model 5612 has a unique design that allows it to pivot on the tongue from a narrow profile for towing on the road to a wider profile for planting. In towing mode, the drill is just 8 feet 10 inches wide. But in planting mode, it covers a 12-foot swath for greater efficiency.
“Using no-till technology offers numerous benefits,” said ASWCD supervisor Kris Stone. “No-till minimizes disruptions to soil aggregates by not breaking them up. That, in turn, can increase soil organism diversity and help protect networks of mycorrhizal fungi that plants need to thrive.”
To encourage use of the drill and make it affordable, Adams SWCD rents the drill for just $15/acre, plus $50/day and a small deposit.
Learn more about renting the Esch no-till drill on the Adams SWCD website: www.adamsconservationdistrict.org/esch-5612-no-till-drill.
