by Amy M. Overstreet, USDA-NRCS 
Communications and Marketing Specialist

Ricky Rhode of Dorchester County, SC, has a cotton field that to some people is just unbelievable. "When I was planting this field, I had people come by and ask me what I was doing—like I was crazy for attempting to plant into residue!" remarked Rhode. Skeptical observers told Rhode that it wouldn’t work. But, Rhode proved them all wrong when he planted strip-till cotton and turned the field into a success story. Rhode has been working with Jeff Lucas, NRCS district conservationist in St. George, SC, to practice continuous strip-till on 500 acres of cotton, corn, and soybeans.

Rhode co-manages R&R Farms with his brother Dennis. Like their father before them, the Rhode brothers have lived on this farm all their lives and have a lot of pride in their work. Lucas praised the brothers by saying, "They were willing to try conservation tillage and once they realized the benefits, they were determined to stick with it." They also cooperate in field days and demonstration projects so that local farmers can also see first hand the benefits of conservation tillage.

Back in the 1970’s, Rhode rented a no-till planter from the Dorchester conservation district office. He also received cost-share to try conservation tillage and is glad that he did. "If it wasn’t for NRCS incentive programs,I’m not sure I would have tried conservation tillage on my own," remarked Rhode. "When I realized the long-term cost savings, reduced wear and tear on my equipment, and the time savings, I was hooked." As a professional land surveyor, Rhode works on the farm in his "spare" time, which is limited. "I needed a way to save time and with strip-till you can get the job done twice as fast without any loss in crop yields," he emphasized.

Rhode practices continuous no-till which means that no disking is done on his fields. This method of conservation tillage involves no mechanical preparation before planting, This allowing organic matter to increase which improves soil health. In addition, conservation tillage, as opposed to conventional tillage, improves soil drainage, helps prevent erosion, and can improve plant growth over time. Conservation tillage also cuts down on tractor trips across the field, and Rhode points out that this is essential with fuel prices going up. "I save money with strip-till because I don’t have to constantly fuel up my equipment. Strip-till allows me to get my farming done and maintain my land surveying company," confirmed Rhode.

NRCS' Lucas has been working with R&R Farms since he first came to work in Dorchester County six years ago. "They started growing cotton about five years ago and because cotton is very time consuming, strip-till has really been a lifesaver for them," said Lucas. "There are start up costs associated with switching to conservation tillage such as buying equipment, but in the long run, farmers can save money because their equipment will last twice as long," he said.

Rhode tells other farmers about conservation tillage and encourages them to at least try it. "Some people don’t like strip-till because it’s not pretty," he explained. Leaving the residue on the ground might not look neat and tidy, but it’s best for the soil and for the farmer too. "There has to be a full commitment on the farmer’s part in order for conservation tillage to work and many of them have to change age-old attitudes which might stop them from trying something new," advised Rhode.

Luckily Rhode was open-minded enough to try a new technique that has certainly worked out well for him. Now, when other farmers drive by R&R Farms and see Ricky Rhode planting directly into residue, they don’t seem so surprised. Instead, they get out and ask him what he’s doing to have such healthy crops, and he proudly tells them the benefits of conservation tillage.