Leading the Way in Dryland No-Till
Michael Herrmann, Kinsley, KS
Michael Herrmann is a dryland, no-till farmer in Northern Edwards County.
Michael began farming with his father, Quentin, in 1971, but began
experimenting with no-till farming in 1978 when they bought a Buffalo no-till
planter. Looking for a better way to control run-off and conserve soil
moisture, Michael developed a dryland, no-till approach which sets him
apart from other farmers in the area. By converting to no-till, he not only
achieved his goals of saving water and reducing runoff, but he also noticed
other benefits, including saving time and energy. Michael farms 7,000 acres
of dryland acreage, and his farm also has 300-500 head of feeder steers and
100 cows. Michael Herrmann has integrated dryland farming and no-till in order to affordably achieve an
impressive number of environmental benefits, including saving water, reducing soil runoff, and saving
tremendous amounts of energy.
WATER
Michael Herrmann first began no-till farming on 200 acres in 1978, but continued conventional farming on the
rest of his farm. After noticing that his non-tilled fields conserved water when his rainfall was inconsistent, he
made a commitment to no-till, transferring all of his acres to no-till in 1995. In Michael’s estimation,
conventional farming loses six inches of moisture every time the field is tilled, and over the years he reassessed
the efficiency of his methods.
When we were doing conventional farming, I would think to myself as we were working the
ground three to six inches deep, I was thinking all the time, ‘we are losing all that moisture every
time we work the ground.’ For some reason it just started really bugging me. I thought there had
to be a better way to save that moisture, so that’s when we started experimenting with no-till.
On average we are around 22 inches [of rain] right here. This past year, we are at 26”, three
years ago, we were really droughty through here, as the whole state was. We were down
around the 12-15 inch range, but I was still growing my fall crops—my milo and stuff. I mean, I
was still growing 45-50 bushel milo, whereas conventional guys were not cutting anything or
down in the teens. That just proves the moisture we’re saving.
With no-till approaches, the groundcover keeps more of the moisture on the field. This also reduces runoff,
which is a big concern for farmers. In fact, ground that is not tilled holds moisture (and nutrients) better than
tilled soil. As many of the WEP innovators have found, no-till systems improve the soil’s infiltration and capacity
to hold water (see Darin and Nancy Williams, Gail Fuller, Dale Strickler, Lucinda Stuenkel). When farmers use notill approaches, they increase the residue on the soil and reduce evaporation.
This improves retention, and since the water is kept in the soil, it also reduces
erosion. While no-till does not eliminate runoff, it is greatly reduced, and
cleaner. The runoff that does occur appears less muddy or cloudy. Herrmann
farms on rolling hills, which normally would produce a high amount of runoff
with conventional tilling. That runoff would represent lost nutrients and
moisture usual held in the soil, but Herrmann has greatly reduced that
problem through no-till. “With no-till, I can’t say I have no runoff, but I don’t
Watch the Video!
https://vimeo.com/119387787
have much.”
Overall, his operation is almost entirely no-till. The only acres he tills are the new acres he acquires that need to
have some work done, and the tilling helps get the new land ready. This new ground will then be put into no-till
operation. Michael also has 400 acres in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which is on highly erodible
ground to keep it from washing out and damaging water quality. “It’s just best for the ground—there’s just no
other way to put it.”
Another important way Michael keeps his water quality high is by implementing winter feeding on milo stalks.
The cattle feed on milo stalks, spreading their manure out in the field, instead of keeping it confined in the
corrals. Manure that compiles in corrals can get carried away by runoff destined for nearby creeks. Therefore,
winter feeding is a sensible way to reduce pollution in nearby water supplies and protect water quality. Michael
stresses that water availability will be increasingly problematic for many farmers in Kansas, and he feels that his
methods will have to be adopted more widely in the future:
Water is going to be the biggest issue we have in western Kansas. The irrigators are having to
make some major changes to conserve water, and some of them are going to be shut off down
the road… In order for them to keep farming, in this part of Kansas, the only feasible way to do it
is through no-till, and to conserve all the water you can.
Making transitions that can be more sustainable and profitable are going to be key in the future of farming, and
there have been numerous efforts encouraging the adoption of innovative methods, (see South Central Kansas
Residue Alliance).
ENERGY
In addition to the positive impacts on water supplies and water quality, Michael Herrmann’s practices have also
resulted in energy savings. Switching from conventional tilling to no-till has huge energy reductions, primarily
because no-till cuts fuel consumption by reducing the number of trips across the field. By no-tilling farmers
generally only have to go over the ground 2-3 times to spray the crops with herbicide. Michael can spray 2,000
acres of land with just one tank of fuel—nearly 0.06 gallons an acre, compared to conventional farming
requirements of 1 gallon per acre. In 2013, he used 12,000 gallons of diesel fuel in all of his machinery. Michael
estimates that if he used conventional tilling, he would use a minimum of 30,000 gallons. Herrmann was also
one of the first in the area to implement auto-steer in his equipment. This results in less overlap, fewer passes,
and saves time devoted to applying herbicide and pesticide. Moreover, recent research suggests that using less
inputs can significantly improve the indirect energy savings. The production of inputs to agriculture (fertilizers,
pesticides, and so forth) requires massive amounts of energy, so any
reduction of inputs saves energy.
Watch: Benefits of Solar & Wind
Power with Michael Herrmann
https://vimeo.com/119466800
Renewable energy also has a great deal of potential for Kansas farmers, and
Michael Herrmann’s operation serves as a very effective model of renewable
energy utilization. He uses eight windmills to pump water on his farm. In his
part of the state, windy conditions are fairly consistent, and the windmills
offer a reliable source of energy. More technologically impressive is his
investment in solar energy.
Solar panels made it possible for me to utilize [my] pasture. Solar
panels are coming down in cost. Pricewise, it is easier to put up solar panels… they’re just less
maintenance. Windmills you have maintenance. You have to pull them every two to three years…
they’ve got mechanical gears that wear out that you have to keep oiling every year. Rather than
putting a windmill up, people are putting solar up because it’s getting economically feasible to
do that.
Herrmann has three systems of solar-powered fences that enable his cattle to graze in the fields instead of
corrals. Michael also has a solar-powered submersible pump which can be moved into different pastures. The
panel can be set up next to a well, the pump can be dropped into a well, and it can pump water out at the rate
Michael Herrmann
Leading the Way in Dryland No-Till
www.WaterAndEnergyProgress.org
Page 2 of 4
of 5 gallons a minute. Both wind and solar energy are great renewable resources, and using them to extract
groundwater cuts well-pumping expenses.
If I didn’t have solar panels here, I would have to have electricity brought in… it costs
considerably to bring electricity into a location anymore. Or else I’d put a windmill up, a
windmill’s probably three to four thousand dollars. Solar panels are low maintenance, and I’m
saving a lot.
Speaking of affordability, Herrmann’s practices are great ways to keep farming expenses in check. The wind and
solar water systems save electricity and money, but the savings do not stop there. Feeding steers in the winter
by letting them graze on milo stalks in the fields saves significant feed dollars that can be invested in other
farming expenses. Michael does not have to buy or haul feed, and the manure improves the organic matter in
the fields. This saves money because he does not have to invest as much in nitrogen, which can be a big expense
on a farm Michael’s size.
Running a dryland, no-till farm also has benefits in terms of saving time, and
the amount of time saved by implementing no-till is tremendous. He keeps
busy by working on other farm projects, managing more acres, and spending
time with his family. He has been able to serve on Kinsley City Commission, as
City Mayor, and as Financial Secretary for the local Knights of Columbus
Council. “With the amount of acres that I farm, [dryland and no-till] makes
me more available to do things like that.” Michael also had time to invest in
See for yourself!
repairing a local school that was shut down and repurposing the school to
https://vimeo.com/118960963
accommodate hunters from all over the nation if they need a place to stay or
meet with community members. The school now appears to be redesigned and redecorated with themes
associated with Kansas wildlife, agriculture, and hunting.
It turned into a community project. A lot of neighbors would stop in and help us do different
things. …It just gets back to my no-till and the time savings. It opens up a whole new parameter
for time, family, and projects. It seems like the younger generations are wanting to reconnect
back to their ancestors, and I think this project with this school will help do that.
Another advantage of converting to no-till is the noticeable improvement in soil health. Building organic matter
increases the holding capacity of the soil so it more effectively holds nutrients and moisture. This leads to lower
levels of runoff and erosion, which can have an enormous impact on water quality and reduce silting issues in
nearby sources of surface water.
In my operation when you go out in the spring, [in fields] where it’s been long term no-till, when
you dig down you’re going to find earthworms. Those earthworms are doing the tillage for me….
With the crops you plant, the more roots you keep out there, the more passageway there is for
water to soak in.
Fortunately, not only are these practices affordable and environmentally responsible, they can also be adopted
by other farmers. When asked whether they were replicable, Michael replied:
Absolutely. Over the years, my dad and I were the first to experiment with no-till. A few more
tried each year and are now seeing the benefits of it. Many neighbors over the past few years
have gone complete no-till after seeing what I’ve done and what the benefits are.
In addition to staying committed to these excellent environmental practices, Herrmann is also enrolled in the
Conservation Security Program. As a member of that program, he leaves strips of crops at harvest time for
wildlife habitation. Along with one of his landlords he has constructed a dam to hold water for wildlife. He has
also started investing in pheasants and quail to help increase the bird population in the area.
Michael Herrmann
Leading the Way in Dryland No-Till
www.WaterAndEnergyProgress.org
Page 3 of 4
It’s nice to see wildlife. I have a large group of cousins and family that come out every pheasant
season… and want to pheasant hunt… We try to keep people connected with the ground in a
way. People have been gone from the farms so long that generations don’t understand where
our food comes from. This is one way to at least get them out to the country to show them how
things are done out here. We’re not abusing the land. We are trying to do things in an
environmentally-friendly way, and wildlife is one way of getting people out in the country to see
that.
Progress
Improved soil health is a tremendous asset whether in extremely dry or wet conditions. No-till increases residue,
improves soil health, and protects against extremely dry or wet seasons. Since farmers make their decisions
about crop rotation on moisture conditions, these are also important soil attributes. More generally, having
healthy, high-retaining soils will be increasingly valuable as droughts continue to threaten the High Plains.
Farming practices that keep the soil healthier will allow the soil to hold more moisture during dry years. Better
soil structures will facilitate a healthy level of saturation after the fields receive rain. Herrmann noted:
Before no-till we had big mud holes. When it rained, the hole filled up. Now you drive by and
there’s water one day, the next day it is gone—it soaks in. The same happens with terrace
channels: water soaks in because of the residue, earth worms, [we] got rid of hard pans, water
just soaks in. It saves time, energy, and money.
As previously outlined, Michael has made progress in conserving water, energy, fuel, and time with his approach
to farming. He continues to be innovative and forward-thinking in his practices, and has become an unassuming
leader among no-till farmers. His advice and guidance are appreciated by many neighboring farmers when they
are deciding whether to transition towards no-till operations. Herrmann was a featured speaker at one of the
first No-Till on the Plains Conferences and has spoken at numerous extension meetings about farming practices.
Michael Herrmann’s farming operation is substantially different from his neighbors because he uses entirely
dryland grain farming. For decades, he has been successful at no-till and minimum-till farming thanks to his
technical acuity and uses of the latest in machinery. His practices should be a useful guide for those interested in
combining non-tillage approaches with dryland farming. Michael Herrmann’s operation is a testament to water
and energy-efficient agriculture, which are practices that will become increasingly important in the western, arid
parts of Kansas.
Michael Herrmann
Leading the Way in Dryland No-Till
www.WaterAndEnergyProgress.org
Page 4 of 4