Time and Tillage Part II

Most of the information I’ve gleaned about time saved using reduced tillage has come from growers. In general the consensus is that reduced tillage saves both time and fuel. These two factors are cited as the primary reason that reduced tillage is a profitable alternative to conventional tillage.

Last week at the New York State dry bean meeting several growers mentioned that the amount of time saved with reduced tillage made the system worthwhile. One fellow who had switched to reduced tillage several years ago remarked that he spent less time tilling and was able to finish field work during the day light hours, or in to paraphrase his words: you spend less time banging around in the fields after dark. He also mentioned that equipment lasted longer and he needed less horsepower. To make use of the tractors he had left from conventional tillage he had just bought a 30 foot grain drill (used). Here’s another interesting point. The grain drill in question came from Ohio and with freight it was still cheaper than a new 15 foot drill in New York. Used equipment if it has been properly maintained can be quite a deal.

Another component of reduced tillage we aren’t able to measure at the research level is equipment maintenance. Reduced tillage typically requires less machinery than conventional tillage. When compared to conventional tillage the maintenance requirements and costs of maintenance are typically lower for reduced tillage implements.