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Farming the Slopes: How the Honey Family Makes No-Till Work in Norham | Crop Chats

• Ian Virtue • Season 2 • Episode 5

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In this episode of Winning with No-Till, we visit Bill and Wes Honey on their multi-generational farm in Norham, Ontario. Nestled in the rolling hills near Warkworth, their operation tackles the challenges of steep slopes, irregular field shapes, and a mix of sandy loam and clay — all while staying committed to a no-till system.

From Bill’s early involvement in Ontario’s conservation farming movement to Wes’s experience growing up without ever using a plow, the Honeys share how no-till became second nature — not just for soil health, but for work-life balance and long-term sustainability.

We dig into how cover crops, shared equipment, Phoenix harrows, and smart residue management help them protect their fields, reduce erosion, and farm with fewer passes. It’s a story of thoughtful adaptation, neighborly innovation, and holding firm to what works.

📍 Location: Norham, Ontario
 🧑‍🌾 Guests: Bill & Wes Honey

#NoTill #OntarioFarming #SoilHealth #FamilyFarms #CoverCrops #FarmLife

Crop Chats is a collaborative video and podcast series between the Ontario Soil Network and Ian McDonald (OMAFA). Watch the full video on YouTube or listen on your favourite podcast platform.

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Let’s keep growing—together. See you next time!

1:

The one that stands out to me is the soil compaction. I think maybe... I think maybe no-till is actually an advantage to have less compaction. And I had to see there was just too much dirt going to the gully and to the creek. So that was probably the inspiration of us to...

2:

to do something different.

1:

No-till was already a practice and I can I can definitely see why like I chuckled that I've never actually operated a plow.

3:

Hello and welcome to this episode of Winning with No-Till. Currently we're at Norham, Ontario near Workworth and we're with Bill and Wes Honey who are three generations of farming here in Norham. They've been No-Till for a number of years and we're going to talk about how they came to be in the No-Till and what the learnings are from that they can share with other people in an effort to So let's start off and Bill if you want to take the time to talk about who's currently involved in the business.

2:

Okay, well, Wes my son and I are we work together here we both have off-farm jobs so we kind of call our hobby So Wes has been here how many years you've been home, you know, it's 15 now. Don't say that, I'm very 15 years in college. I guess it was back the no-till I think off the ground back in I'd say the mid 80s, some of the veterans there were the innovators like Peter and Bruce Stewart. They started out with a no-till drill, a ten-footer, great planes, I think. And they were around in custom work as a demonstration part of their grant for that drill. And I was involved in the sowing crop, executive, executive back then. And, and for the next 10 years, it seemed that every meeting, everything was focused on no-till and reduced tillage and whatnot. we really got heavier into the no-till and what really worked out well for us is five people, actually five different families actually worked together in purchasing drills, planters and even we shared a tractor with our neighbours all part of that group. Since then many have outgrown it and it's just been a very very even, I'm trying to think of the right word for it, just a good even balance that we all based on our own now some have expanded what not and

3:

there. Wes you want to talk about the soil types and slopes that you deal with? Yes.

1:

In Sillin County, the rolling hills, we have lots of them, lots of big topography. We also have Salt Creek that runs through our home farm here. So not only do we have the hills, but we have really some odd shaped irregular fields, a lot of sandy loam. We do have some patches of clay as well. So I would say variability is a big one for us. Where we go from like blow sand here, where we're kind of sitting to like some heavier

3:

creek flats. So when you think about those soils and you think about those slopes what are the important things you get to consider? of managing things. those soils. Yeah. So for us, it's, I mean, when I came on scene, um, uh, no till was already a practice and I can, I can definitely see why. Like, I chuckled that I've never actually operated a plow. And interesting in the farms that have been involved in the series so far that second generation, many of them have never been on a tillage piece of equipment. So that's very interesting. Bill can you talk about what the crops and the rotation are that's... here at the farm?

2:

We've always grown that the corn. with soybeans and with a with the cover. wheat got to be pretty well standard. It's worked out well. each other and uh...

3:

that's what's really worked. And you follow up that we- Yes. at all anymore? No, over the years I have been...

2:

come to me and they wanted me to grow hay for them and I've never did that as a crop because I do believe that the big benefit of forages is growing them and feeding them and 70% of the value of that product goes back a little bit steeper, cleared onto the field. And to me, to sell that forage down the road is kind of minding your ground. So I just never, now I do appreciate the legume, I appreciate the alfalfa for the benefit, but I just feel that you're just too much, too much value going down the road.

3:

the role to grow forages. Some of the people that are into no-till have a real philosophy of why they're doing it as opposed to just you know for the for the cost or the time or whatever they sort of you know they want to protect the water or whatever you know while they have the time they're doing it.

1:

Why are you guys no tillers? that spring we had erosion and rastafel and... So for me, the big thing is I'm understanding the value of the social model. and trying to keep the soil away from wind erosion. and water erosion, big one.

2:

Okay, and Bill, yourself? move on to Soul Saver. That was kind of the one step towards reduced deli. conservation technologies, we used to have a bowl over the top. and fill in the ruts, washouts and that. And I had to see if there was just too much dirt going into the creek. inspiration of us to to do something different. first cost goes that's kind of a hard one just to balance because you're All this money, this extra equipment. whatnot and make that change. But in the long run, it had to be. of good dirt.

3:

the mindset of of being. in no-till. The proof has to be right on the spot. balance sheet or a D. It just.

2:

feel that this is the right thing to be doing? Absolutely. I feel it's the right thing to do. Yeah. It's, it's just worked. It's, I just can't imagine going out there and doing primary tillage and the cultivating and then worry about the soil. Like this, this operation we just did this fall with the. with the conservation television machine. There's... first we got 86 mil of rain and all I could think about after that rain was what if we had to work that field and got 80 mil of rain? six mil of rain in a few hours. Yeah, for me, it was kind of.

1:

going when I came on scene and I think it's definitely the way to go. Yeah actually talking about that a little bit we had debated what to do with our tile runs which I'm kind of spoiling the surprise about why the big tillage machine in our field and we really kind of debated and we just didn't want to or couldn't bring ourselves. enough to make the field perfect. So basically that and make it most of the way. level and then get the cover crop growing.

2:

When did you say you started in no-till bill? We weren't the early ones because we were still growing the peas and corn sweet corn and peas and they wouldn't they would they just that wouldn't

3:

Anyway, it was that early 90s. - And you're growing cover crops now. start right away as you moved into N0tail? It took a few years. I wouldn't say that many though.

2:

as long as I remember growing cover crops and just feel it's very, very important to get that cover crop seeded immediately after you get your weed off. And it's got the time to get time, hopefully moisture to get going. And we've never had one fail. 50 in the

3:

nothing's going to happen. So we went ahead and did that and had a fine crop. - And why do you put cover crops into the mix? Because it is a complication. What benefit are you getting? from that time and effort.

1:

I think just our overall soil health is what we're after, and we've seen, I know we've had the chat before the talk back and forth about we've had some challenging conditions and we feel that because we've tried to look after it.

3:

that maybe can get us through some not so great growing conditions. your beans or as part of the corn system as well? - No, I wash people with the corn system,

2:

6 leaf and try and get some rye in there or whatever. I guess I just never been convinced of that. Your varieties of corn and whatnot today trying to attain these high yields, there's just not enough light interception. in there to get that crop established. I've been to presentations where there was one I remember the gentleman was explaining that he does it, I know it doesn't look like much. He says if you have the rye in there versus not the rye, harvest, the difference. for a bit of rain when you leave the field. out the cover crop you'll track out and if you won't. I know I do have an idea.

3:

haven't got excited to do that.

2:

last summer instead of this summer, I would get a different answer, right? Okay, I'll start then. The one thing I always believed in and had trouble with, some people have the philosophy that you should till your ground once every so many years. I don't believe that. I do believe once your ground is no till, it creates its own biological world and you've got your physical world with your decaying roots and your earthworms and whatnot, your activity. To me, than RTS in 30 years.

1:

And the reason you used the RTS, what time was it? That was leveling because the front 15 acres was previously tiled. Just for the same reason, just for leveling.

3:

that tillage comes into the equation. Just leveling for tolerance is the only thing I can think of. And so in terms of the implements then, we've got this unit. Just talk about this unit for a minute. It's not your own. You had it contracted out. So just talk about why. you pick this one and what you. like after...

2:

And what did you think about what you saw? Well, I guess I made my mind up on what we should do. My vote, so to speak, is I looked at another machine, similar to this, different make, the same thing, and I, wow, I was impressed. Being that heavy. disc going each way and that heavy packer in the back. I think maybe that might do something because so many of these conservation utility machines they don't move the dirt and because this ground north roads got enough clay in it like we've had good luck in the past with the blade and the disc and wefty's so careful to try to level out it works but north the road it just didn't work it settled and it's got a memory to that ground and it's just very hard to get it level out again and with a marker had me drive over. you can still see the mark. Yeah. This is a good idea. Just. Yeah. What I saw in this machine is I saw a machine that would actually move some dirt. In my opinion, I thought it would. And he arrived here, he didn't start till five o'clock on a Friday night. And he was done about 830, he pulled out field did 72 acres. But he drives about 13 mile an hour. And in that dirt, you when you see that action at that speed, it's actually it's moving some impressed the first run and since then when we've planted it and been on the field for whatever, right with the kids there today, yes I'm quite impressed that it's uh leveled, it's good, it may not be perfect if you want it perfect you're go there and plow and cultivate it, we don't have to do that. And somebody asked me, I was asked this question, do you think you do that every three years? We absolutely not. I hope never do anything again in my time. Now you also have a Phoenix Herald. Yeah, the Phoenix Herald.

1:

a very important part of our whole no-till. It gets used so for the integration. crop. So we'll spread our cover crop with the fertilizer after a week. And then we'll kind of work it in to get that seed to sow.

3:

with the Phoenix Harrow right after. Just to mix the residue around and stir it up a little bit. So when when that field was tilled with this machine that we're looking at here, you drilled it in Bill, but you're saying normally you spread it on and then you use the Phoenix Harrow to work it in enough to... Yeah exactly. To get it established. All it does is scratch the surface just to get soil contact and it doesn't do any tillage whatsoever. It just scratches the ground. And talk about the success of getting the cover crops to grow in using that tool. Yeah, it's worked very well for us for many years. And then the other thing we use it for in the spring, after the cover crop has

1:

over winter. In the spring we'll Phoenix-arrow before we plant corn just to get all that kind of residue again stirred around and try to dry out the top of the ground a little bit.

3:

planting conditions, and just a side note, all the spread, all the wheat straws, all always spread. Think about the operation from the standpoint of the equipment that you need to make the operation successful and in the same light what you don't need on the farm anymore, so. are the implements that you guys have that make the no-till system work.

1:

our drill. along with the Phoenix Harrow. work. So the the 520 Salford drill with the I think kind of that we selected that one because it has the. separate colter cart up front with the wavy colters which do a nice We'll chop in the residue and maybe, not maybe doing any leveling, but a tiny bit. And how deep do you run those?

3:

Just above seedbed depth, I think normally. You wouldn't want to undermine your seedbed. And the corn planter is also planting soybeans for you now.

1:

beans now that you're adding in the roll cleaner. Yeah, now we've gone to actually, it's sort of silly, but we have three planters for the three different crops. So we have our corn planter with dry fertilizer. It's a

3:

Hotel, uh, Kearny Classic. I haven't seen that one yet. That's right. I missed that this spring. Okay. Mm hmm. So it's a very, very simple. Like I said, Kearny Classic. It's got...

1:

the wavy colter. front and then the fertilizer.

3:

the opener, row cleaner, and then the unit itself. - And so you've, even before you made this little change in a minute. You have been planting soybeans. as 15s. Yeah.

1:

off using the Salford 520 years and years ago. We're real happy. then we decided at that point actually,

2:

that share that drill. We kind of all went to the same style of planter for beans. green content to the other forage content in that field.

3:

over but I don't know we just yeah we just want to we want to get to a better system. The corn is no tilled into wheat that has had cover crop on it yes is that cover crop terminated in the fall or spring? Does it over winter with some of the species that are in that or is it all killed off with the frost? It's all we do spray it off. Okay, so you're planting into dry cover crop when you plant the corn. Yeah and after it's phoenix harrowed Because in the spring it seems to all be like matted down really tight. So then talk about this tool here and been sort of exploring how to make the no-till soybean system work better for you.

2:

It was just the farm paper, the better farming wizard or country guide and it was picturing. Gosh, I thought, you know, like that from what we've been trying to do, plant Pella with the rose, it's the residue. our struggle here. And when this double. cleaner comes along. I think part of the key of it is it's another trip over the field, another machine. What we didn't want to do is sometimes they load these planters up with all these extra whippers and all this stuff, and it almost makes bulldoze room. And your parallel linkage and your frames aren't always heavy enough for that long term. So we still have the trash rippers on the plant today. the later set, but with these... first it basically clears. most of the trash away and then you're on the planter doesn't have that much

3:

job due to clean up.

2:

They're not pushing any soil or anything like that. We've only done it now two years and we've learned the first year. I, we put it on the seventies on a track with duals on it. No. This last year, we used it on the case, which has just got, it's got 90, 60. centers so basically the point is you're not driving on any kind of So when you play into that you're basically whatever stocks there are they're still sticking off. And Wes, when you were planting.

3:

that with the pictures on you and I were standing there talking and like it it doesn't look pretty but it's it's moving enough residue out of the way that it seems to be working for you.

1:

one of our challenges with this system, the headlands because of our. fields. We can't always stay. row cleaner ran, we can't always... exactly follow. So you'll notice a difference. headlands versus. and you can get in that cleared row, then it's very easy.

3:

The headlands are still pretty good, but they're not quite as good as the main part of the field. And Bill, when we talked on the phone as you started this year, you were trying to start earlier in the day and then decided that, "No, the dew's got to be off." Talk about that a little bit. Yeah, that's one thing we've sure learned. The first year, of course, farmers are mourning people, eh?

2:

there five o'clock the next morning doing it and you'll see. A three-tying fork mounted on that. You have to change your whole procedure. and your whole mind. that machine, in fact this year, Weston over after supper, and just tried it, plugged up. We went over the next day after, sunny day after lunch. the way it went, not a problem. I think it wouldn't plug in the... And some speed, I think was the other thing you learned to. Yeah. More or less. A little bit more. Yeah. Less. Don't be afraid to get on and go. Yeah. And no, it's an afternoon thing. And that's the right question. Of course, if you got more acres, you have a bigger machine. It for a person that had to accomplish a lot of acres like we're small call us hobby farmers. We have that flexibility if it ain't gonna work today we can maybe try again tomorrow whereas southern... with a lot of acres have to keep going. So that is a drawback to that machine. It's not a machine you get on at five o'clock in the morning, go till 10 o'clock at night. - But I know guys in the problems that have them,

3:

role and and so it's scalable and they're making it work. and I haven't talked to them about this.

2:

scenario in terms of the dampness on it from the dew and stuff west we put the GPS on the big tractor there and that auto steer whatnot is part parcel yeah that's a that's a good point yeah we missed the the technology yeah without analogy we would we have on the other tractor for spraying and blah blah He spent the money on it.

1:

and putting it back on the track or for that. - Yeah, now we can row clean.

3:

with using the GPS and then the planter GPS to follow the row. So that's a lot easier. So talk to me about the residue management that came off of the corn combine here. that was the precursor. you did with the roll cleaner. Either commerce... crushing rolls on it or. How does it come off the combine? I think it's fairly conventional. Yeah, no extra chopping. No On that machine. And so when you talk about this issue with the Dew and stuff Bill I wonder if that would be part of it too because I've never heard that from Laurence and Steve and they have the commerce on their head and they haven't talked about the time of day and stuff. So I wonder if that residue management could be part of the equation as well.

2:

see that because it's so ropy ours is so ropy. Yeah we have really long.

3:

It probably wouldn't. So you want it to be drier and.

2:

Yeah, but but part of the good news story here is and it reminds me just looking at that picture, you know that's kind of what it looks like after you plant and And I know our neighbors kind of oh my goodness We got an awful mess there and I wondered too the first year The first year was this field here across the road and we just had the combine, the advice we got was just run the combine at a bit of an angle. had a moment's trouble harvesting and never had a moment's trouble planting.

3:

I wasn't surprised, but it was just nice to see it actually work through. whatever it is whether it's the mobile or plow, all those. straight and and it should all look even going into the fall so that it warms up nice and and uh quickly and efficiently in the springtime. We, and the and Lawrence and Steve are the ones that brought me to this equation, like nature is all about sort of chaos and violence and you know we're trying to make it simple and um easy to see and maybe change our paradigm about it, right? Because a lot of the cover crop baths, especially when it's the type that will go over winter and people will leave it. used to that are just horrified what looking in the field in November seeing all that and wonder how on earth are they ever going to plant that the next spring type of thing. And so, you know, we've got used to this paradigm of what I've got. It should look like in the fall. Maybe it's time. need to encourage the change of that thinking process in terms of what's best for us all in the end.

1:

trouble with our cover crops getting too big and then having trouble the following spring planting.

3:

them too so I guess we're a little nervous about that. Is your weed control different in the no-till system than the conventional system that you see your neighbors doing? No, not really. It's just the big thing.

2:

Talking to the crop advisors and people out there with custom sprayers or whatnot, trying to organize it. You want to figure out a two-pass program. And a lot of them just can't get to the two-pass program because there's so many acres to get over. And that's the advantage we have of being small and whatnot that we can go out there and put on that first pass, have your residual down, and then come back with whatever we should have.

3:

touch up or clean up post-emergence. Because if you're in the tillage, oftentimes that... your physical burn down, so to speak, right? Because the telegist didn't hear that first. Yes, yes. because you're no tillers, like are you gonna buy this? if you were a conventional tillage person versus a--

2:

in so much that I bought a 7,000 John Deere from my neighbors when they moved up to $72,000. many years ago and it was all fixed up for no-till, used for no-till. But it wasn't that many years. The weakness there is, is your whole

3:

of each unit will get tired, it only takes once that stress. So I think the answer to that is you need a beefed up unit for no till. The thing that's interesting, and you'll remember this Bill, sort of, like early on with the innovative farmers, you know, relatively small planters, six and eight row units, and those things would get pulled into the shop and every winter they'd be adding more stuff to them and making them every, and more discs, so they were becoming more of a tillage tool than a plant. and now, as people have gotten more into it, everything including the fertilizer is... coming off those to make them light.

2:

really get out there, and yet they're having good planting success with that planter that doesn't have a lot on it anymore. But I've watched the John Deere conversation, we've had that so many times over the years, and we never, our group, we're buying together. We always shy away from John Deere because we thought we need that wavy action and that colder out front. And I am convinced now, if I start again, I could make it very simple and just go with

3:

I'm not sure how many, some people wouldn't want me to hear us saying this. This is on record. You guys have this on record here. But the thing is, the whole key with John Deere is to keep those blades sharp. So that actually leads us right into this next slide that I've got up now, Bill. The different parts that make the system work for you. We talked about the cover crops, talked about weed control. We haven't talked about fertility management. about how you fertilize these.

2:

in a no-till situation. I guess I was somewhat brainwashed in a good way. Forever we've put on 100 pounds of map and 200 pounds of potash on every acre after harvest for the next year. It's been great getting the meds in the last few years for the starter fertilizer for the corn. It just goes through the plant. It's just unbelievable. compared to the map mixed with a bit of potash. then that mess, it just goes through the plant. Your augers are cleaner when you get done than you start. Yeah, it doesn't plug up at all. soil testing every acre and then trying to grid sampling and trying to work with that. Maybe. for me being behind or slow but but if you test labs have demonstrated that... has been on the decline. I'm comfortable, we've always been on a build program. and I just don't want to get away from that because I know the top of the hill maybe needs less than the bottom of the hill sort of thing because wash down blah blah blah but I'm just not sold yet. And I do believe in going with this high fertility like we touched on before. We never have trouble with aphids. It's polar sun. years we just don't have a crop failure and I think the extra fertility, having a good fertility base has been the biggest problem for the past few years. a real strong point in this farm. And I know, thank God we did it. Pour the fertilizer to it for the last extra number of years.

3:

last few years. Wow. And the thing is in your no-till system, when you're putting that on there, soil's not leaving the farm, so you're retaining those nutrients. So what we haven't really talked about and I'd be interested in the difference in the generation's thoughts on that is this whole aspect of timing and patience. We always talk about no-tillers needing to have the patience. So to speak talk to us about how do you two make the decisions on when the conditions are right for planning? whatever operation you're doing in this no-till scenario.

1:

challenge for sure. This brings a good example that it was. wet conditions and yeah I was you try your best. to get the right conditions and then. We were kind of debating about one field this spring whether to go or not and it was corn and we didn't make the decision again. kind of it was we're we're pushing it a little bit more.

3:

And you're pushing it because of...

1:

predicted weather coming at you. Yeah predicted weather coming and then looking at harvestability of the corn and the moisture of the corn in the fall. It was good.

3:

on the calendar. But most times the two of you agree on things or is there often a difference? opinion on when we should. or stop.

2:

There's times I'll start up the tractor and I get rowdy a little bit. It's not, but I think in... to the world around us, I think both very patient. Lots of times after a heavy rain, I'll see other people going with a sprayer or something. thinking wow like this year is perfect example we plan the corn and beans is late this year. have, I think it just stayed wet. My first part of first half of me stayed quite wet. And that's what we're battling with is that, that those wet.

3:

isn't till a middle of the month. - But I've been sort of back and forth. the field several times this summer, and they're looking amazingly well.

2:

So you've got to be pleased that.

1:

up right and take the time to do that. Yeah. One guy in the seat, one guy checking seed depth and setting. and how important that is. You get to the end and you think, "I will..." I would have done this different.

3:

Do you find? that in that sort of early part of the season. after the crop comes up that the no-till fields versus-- Neighbors conventional till fields.

1:

Yeah, I know we had that with that's common thing with our beans But yeah, they don't look they don't look as good as a conventional field off the bat But again, it comes back to when is the crop delivering the seeds?

3:

And that's when the combo in there, right? That's the time. by mid-August, you can't really tell the difference between the no-till fields and the conventional fields. Would you say that that's true for this area? Yeah, I would say that's true.

2:

that no tailing, especially beans. after you plant your beans just go away for three weeks. Don't look the field. it's not a recommended thing to do but.

3:

that's kind of a chuckle. How important is it to you guys to get that planting equipment in the shop? every winter. So very important. Yeah.

1:

because if we're... and see depth and checking and trying to make adjustments. and we have problems or things aren't right, then he just somehow wouldn't be able to do it.

3:

trains those blades. That's the biggest piece I think I'm to-- replacement parts on a planter that you need to deal with in a no-till situation. When they recommend and I...

2:

add that I. I'm the old guy, I'll be saying we keep one more year than West West no So, we, stuff does get. it is the planter did in this year because of this machine behind us but most years you finish planting it goes to the shop both units through the shop and their part and all you got to do for the drawable in plans. Let's talk about residue management a little bit more, Bill.

3:

and I standing out in the field after the combining had. and you had two different combines come into Combine this year. Talk about what you have in the field based on this picture.

2:

Well, Jeff, the stripper head he used in part of the field here this year and he wanted to do it last. but Jeff got a used hand. didn't have quite rated goal. last year, he did his own with it last year. He's asking if we wanted to try it and sure. The only reason he left the field, and Gary actually came with the other head, the conventional head, and another person wanted to come do their wheat and they wanted to bail the straw. So obviously the stripper head wasn't the machine to use. I guess my knee-jerk to it is, for us people in No-Tel, they're trying to spread our residue. the pattern. which we're not doing 50 foot heads we're doing... three foot heads, uh, Gary and Jeff have, but you can't spread it any either than leaving it where it is. you're standing up. and of course it was a different process this year. I know I'm quite sold on that procedure. One drawback to it is... You almost have to have two heads, because thank goodness we used the growth regulator this year. if then actually some of the field that Gary did first was down a bit. That head wouldn't be very good. So as long as your grain is standing I think it's just a tremendous system. Like that rotor-turner. RPM in there and it whips the grain back into the head, augers in as it normally would and not putting all the straw through the rotor, then the sieves are your limiting components.

3:

right? So in into the future then Bill when you're thinking about this, are you are you going to lean towards the draper or the stripper in terms of the that might fit. I think that's the guy to talk to. Okay, well.

1:

Yeah, we're we're starting to do our own combating hopefully for beans this fall. So yeah, we don't own a stripper header. So I don't think it'll be in the cards right away, but something to think about on down the road possibly. But like, that's a good point, that if you have one and you have down wheat, then you might need the convention.

3:

head as well. Which you're probably going to have because of soybeans anyways. Exactly. So yeah, it's really interesting and it would have been nice to see this year if we hadn't done the leveling with the tillage. I wanted to see the side by side comparison. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I just wanted you to think about a little bit. You said it's not suitable for straw in using the stripper header, but in some ways you might be better in that if you cut it with a hay mower instead of through the combine, you're not going to lose

2:

- Of course, what some people do is they'll go to a John Deere or a cylinder for the, if they got that option. Like I know Ron Elmer's, what he'll do, he's got, he always had the older combine of the cylinder for the customers who wanted straw. - A lot of people, when I talk to them about no-till say, "Well, there's all these hurdles that I'm unwilling to deal with."

3:

So I mentioned fertilizer management, I mentioned-- emergence, uneven crops and.

1:

compaction these are things that get thrown at me your thoughts on these relative to being a no-tiller and the one that stands out to me is the soil compaction. I think maybe, I think maybe no-tills actually an advantage to have less compaction. And what's interesting,

3:

with all the people in the... series, that people that probably need to be least concerned about soil compaction, these are the people like yourself. are more conscious of that soil compaction because they don't want to have to employ the tillage that other people would use to chase that compaction. Whatever you do you're going to be stuck with because you're not fixing it. Or you can fix it with cover crops and that but it takes a longer period of time and tougher the deeper it goes. I always think back on the in the early days

2:

here again on the 31st of July, make reference to that rainfall again, 86 mil, that is unprecedented for us. I know west-southwestern Ontario, I know eastern Ontario gets that kind of rainfall, but that was unprecedented for the here, this area. But as we

3:

at that statement, you know, does delayed planting, slow emergence, uneven crops. Do you notice that in your crops relative to the neighbourhood where conventional tillage is used in the system? I would say--I know we talked about already the slow emergence or the uneven crops.

1:

I would say off the bat with beans especially. Yeah, you notice it's like we talked about doesn't look great off the bat, but seem to, if you'd come back a while later, it seems.

3:

just as good as any. And how do you find your yields versus sort of county average or township average? Are you in the ballpark with everybody else or are you behind?

1:

I think we're at a boat on par with everyone else from what you hear around.

3:

system that you guys being a note to you think you're losing. to your conventional neighbors and I'm happy for you to say no. The only thing I'm saying is that if you're going to no-tell,

2:

make sure you got pipe to the ground. Yes. So where are the wins then in no-till for you guys? Well, we both work out in very limited time here sometimes and I just can't manage spending all that time. In fact, that was one of the options to fix this field this year was take this whole 12-foot one-way disc out there. Of course, if you did that, you'd have to go and cultivate it three times. I just don't, can't manage to find the time to do all that. Yeah, spend hours and hours and hours.

3:

And in the old days, just put up with that. But nowadays, dads want to be involved in the kids' activities. work-life balance is a more important thing to farm families like it is to city families nowadays. So absolutely and then sometimes our department or whatever you want to call it our main jobs sometimes get very busy as well. Is there anything next on the list that you would be? for in your operation. And now you're starting to. combining and so residue management and that you'll be taking that into consideration. But what else is out there? and maybe you're 100% satisfied with the system you got, but is there something you've sort of been, you know, any curiosity that you're looking to explore? - I think with the row cleaner, we kind of touched on it already, but maybe some slight...

1:

some more sizing of that residue so we can move it a little bit easier. Combine or trying to put a...

3:

disk on that machine or what are you thinking? I was actually thinking along the lines of what you were...

1:

with the stock rolls. that maybe but the only challenge i see with that if you get the the material too fine that that tends to just blow you can see it blowing around and we're all ending up at the bottom of the hill and the field even though it's not moving you get all that red

3:

Yeah, accumulating. Just a little bit of sizing might be nice. So you'd have those long streets. And again with those crushing rolls, they really don't, they just crush and kind of leave. It's not like they're cutting it into fine little pieces like confetti. Yeah. If people were wanting to take that sort of first stab into no-till. What are some of the things that you guys would advise them to be thinking about? - I wouldn't, yeah, the tile.

2:

And that's been a more of a recent thing that we've done a lot more than we ever did in the past. The difference between having livestock and not having livestock, because I mean next door laborers they've gone to an RTD. that they got their ones now they're down to five inches whatnot, they leaned that way partly because they're got manure, right? So for this new different situation for the livestock person compared to the person like us that does the work.

3:

stock I guess. of people.

2:

to not go in the fields when it was wet. But everything we've got here, we try to keep the flotation up and the weight per square inch down. And yeah, we really work towards that. And keep as much as possible.

3:

and try to keep loaded stuff on the headlands. - Mm-hmm, yeah. - The best we can. - You're not driving, you're not chasing the combine with gravity wagons and stuff. - And we have some fields and some spots we have no choice, but we're kind of making little improvements that way. Like we do have the VF tires on that, that are largest, heaviest tractor now. - Okay, that's awesome. That brings us to the end of the session. And I just wanna say on behalf of those that'll take in the opportunity to view this video no-till situation, just thank you for taking the time and allowing me to sort of follow you around in the fields with the camera and the drone and stuff into this and how do you guys feel about people contacting you with questions