Notill on the Plains

Agriculture production systems modeling nature. Focused on improving soil health worldwide through educational events including annual conference & field days.

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Agriculture has always had it's challenges. The economic outlook and recent weather challenges has many producers on the fence of where to turn for the 2027 production season.
This year there are multiple scholarship pools available to help get you to the 31st Annual No-till on the Plains Winter Conference.
Scholarships Pools include:
Department of Conservation (Kansas residents only) for conservation district employees, conservation district supervisors, and landowners who are first-time attendees to attend the No-till on the Plains Winter Conference.
Cargill Grant Scholarship-first time attendee, hardships, and historically underserved.
David Brandt Legacy Award scholarships that are available to young people that are excited about or have recently gotten into their soil health journey.
All of these scholarships are really easy to apply for and receive, contact Aaron for more information [email protected]
Make plans to be in Wichita, January 19-20, 2027.

For more information about the conference, as well as the full speaker line-up visit: https://t.co/p92cTkJ07e
#notill2027 #notillontheplains #soilhealthishumanhealth #SoilHealth #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #MAHA

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Breakout Session Speaker Spotlight
Jason Wiebe Dairy, Durham, KS
Jason and Sheri Wiebe, together with their 4 children, ages 19-29 , are third generation dairy farmers. They milk around 140 cows, with about half of them milked in a Delaval VMS300 robot installed in spring of 2023.
When Jason took over the farm from his brother in 1997, the logical way to farm their eventually 220 acres was to go no-till, as he had no tillage equipment. They need every acre to grow forages for their dairy, with corn, forage sorghum, and a triticale, hairy vetch, and winter peas blend being the main crops grown.
Jason and Sheri decided to branch out into processing some of their milk on the farm into cheese, with their KDA inspected cheese plant getting it’s permit in Feb 2003. They market their cheese locally and across the United States, selling direct to consumers, wholesale, and distributor accounts. Their AirBnB in the upstairs of the robot/freestall barn was finished in 2026.
They are working to attain healthy soils, healthy plants, healthy feed for the cows, and healthy cheese.
Join @Notillorg January 19-20, 2027 for the 31st Annual Winter Conference.
Registration is open so make sure to take advantage of the early bird discounts. https://t.co/p92cTkJ07e
#notill2027 #notillontheplains #soilhealthishumanhealth #SoilHealth #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #MAHA

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

No-till on the Plains Winter Conference Keynote Speaker Spotlight!
Dr. Ademir Calegari was born on a farm in south Brazil in 1957. He started working with no-till, cover crops, and crop rotations in 1977. He received degrees in agronomy from Brazil and a master in Soil Science from Aberdeen University, Scotland. Additionally, he acquired a Ph.D. from a combination of the University of Londrina, Brazil, University of Paris, France and Kansas State University. Dr. Calegari has also completed soils research for the Agronomic Institute of Panana, Brazil. He is a consultant for both the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Bank. Ademir previously worked in 47 different countries and is the author of numerous scientific papers and books. With 30 years of experience with no-till, he maintains Brazil’s success with no-till is due to effective selection of cover crops to suppress diseases and increase profitability. He helped growers in countries around the world shift to no-till and sustainable soil management.
Calegari's research emphasizes management, conservation and soil fertility. He has worked intensively with cover crops, no-tillage and crop rotation in different research projects in the state of Paraná, including a partnership with Itaipu Binacional and cooperatives in order to encourage the use of technology and soil and water management, and also promote development and training of technicians and producers from different regions of the state of Paraná and other locations.
Ademir will be our Day 2 Keynote on, Regenerative Agriculture-Improvement through Biodiversity Promoted by Plants and Soil Organisms as well as a breakout session on Strong Effects of Special Mix Cover Crops and Biologic Actives on Soil Biological, physical and chemical attributes.
Registration is open so make sure to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount!
https://t.co/p92cTkJxWM
#notill2027 #notillontheplains #soilhealthishumanhealth #SoilHealth #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #MAHA

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Make plans to be in Wichita this January for the Pre-Conference Workshop, January 18, 2027.
Graeme Sait-Soil Health is Your Wealth
Profit Building with Minerals, Microbes, and Humus- 1 Day Course
Registration is open and space is limited--->https://t.co/Bep0VPfTo7
#notill2027 #notillontheplains #soilhealthishumanhealth #SoilHealth #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

2027 Winter Conference Session Speaker Spotlight!
Dr. Stephan van Vliet, Director of the Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University
Dr. Stephan van Vliet is the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University.
Dr. van Vliet’s research is performed at the nexus of agricultural and human health. He routinely collaborates with farmers, ecologists, and agricultural scientists to study critical linkages between sustainable agriculture, the nutrient density of food, and human health. His work has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Scientific Reports, the Journal of Nutrition, and the Journal of Physiology.
If you've been to any conferences focused on soil and human health in the last 2-3 years you have heard Dr. van Vliet's name come up when talking about nutrient density and the testing his lab has been doing. Make plans to be in Wichita, at the 31st Annual No-till on the Plains Winter Conference, January 19-20, 2027.
Registration is open so take advantage of early bird pricing!
https://t.co/p92cTkJ07e
#notill2027 #notillontheplains #soilhealthishumanhealth #SoilHealth #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming

[Farmer Tom 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 @Farmer_Tom_UK]

Farmers in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire - the deadline is this weekend to apply to go on a life changing learning experience funded through the East of England Agricultural Society’s Scholar’s Programme: https://t.co/pN0qjkfxJl

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

2027 @Notillorg Keynote Speaker Spotlight-Graeme Sait

Graeme Sait is the CEO and co-founder of Nutri-Tech Solutions (NTS), a world leader in regenerative agriculture. He is also an author/educator responsible for over 300 published articles and a popular book, "Nutrition Rules". He created the internationally acclaimed, five day, “Certificate In Nutrition Farming”, and authored the associated, 360 page training manual.

His latest teaching vehicle, “The Nutrition Farming Podcast” has become an International phenomenon with hundreds of thousands of listens in over 70 countries.  Graeme is a sought after  speaker, specialising is soil health, plant health and animal health. More recently, that emphasis has expanded to include planetary health, in recognition of the link between humus and carbon sequestration.

His TED talk “Humus Saves the World”, has had half a million views. His more recent video contribution involves his popular, “How to do it”, YouTube series, which is now in its fifth season.

Graeme is also an expert in human nutrition and his fascinating presentations cover every aspect of wellness. His seminars are often described as "life changing".

Make plans to join us for the 31st Annual No-till on the Plains Winter Conference, in Wichita Kansas January 19-20, 2027 at The Marriott. Registration is open so make sure to take advantage of the early bird discounted prices!

https://t.co/K0FTsuzQwv

@ntsaustralia

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

2027 @Notillorg Winter Conference Speaker Spotlight

Paul Jasa, Retired Extension Engineer, formerly with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, develops and conducts educational programs related to crop production that improve profitability, build soil health, and reduce risks to the environment.  He has been working with planting equipment and tillage system evaluation at the University since 1978.  Across the years, he’s worked with soil and water conservation, residue management, crop rotations, and, more recently, cover crops and soil health.
With Paul's experiences gained from research and Extension activities, he has become one of the best sources of information in the Midwest on no-till planting equipment and system management to protect and build the soil.  Paul admits, if there is a mistake to be made with no-till, he's either made it himself or has seen it done.  More importantly, he has learned from those mistakes and shares that information in presentations that stress the systems approach and the long-term benefits of continuous no-till.

Registration is open!
https://t.co/l0YQQKxjfW

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Grazing Bus Tour Spotlight!
Kevin Wiltse, Timken, Kansas
Kevin's conservation journey began on a bus. He traveled with his father to Dakota Lakes in 1996 to learn about soil health. The day after returning home, they sold their tillage equipment and bought a no-till drill. But soil health success didn’t come overnight, nor was it achieved relying solely on not tilling the soil.
Ever since that fateful trip, Kevin’s commitment to conservation has driven him to challenge conventional approaches and pursue untested methods of farming. The result has been a more profitable business, one less reliant on commercial inputs and subsidies, while balancing agricultural productivity with ecological integrity.
One of the most transformative aspects of his strategy has been successfully transitioning more than 500 acres of conventional cropland to native perennial grasses and forbs, without cost-share assistance. By fostering deep-rooted plants, he improves soil structure, enhances water retention, and mitigates the impact of drought.
Enhancing biodiversity while preventing erosion is why Kevin also began growing cover crops within his normal rotation of crops. The presence of continuous ground cover provided more options to graze beef cattle year-round.
Beyond individual farming techniques, Kevin’s success lies in his mindset. He partners with nature rather than trying to control it. This philosophy drives experimentation with interseeding crops, biological amendments, and perennial cool-season planting. Each practice reinforces his farm’s ability to withstand unpredictable weather and market conditions.
Kevin, and his wife Amanda and their three children farm with his mother. Wiltse Family Farms consists of native range and dryland cropland spread across three counties.
Kevin made sweeping changes to the farm’s business model after attending the Ranching for Profit School in 2013 amid a three-year drought. He decided to rely less on cash crops and more on grazing cattle.
The large, intact land base at Wiltse Family Farms has made grazing and moving livestock easier. The borders of farm fields, planted with diverse perennial vegetation, are fenced in to serve as travel lanes between pastures for cattle. These perennial borders attract beneficial pollinators and pheasants. About 30,000 feet of water lines were installed to distribute water to stock tanks. The only cash crops grown now are, milo, triticale and rye, all of which can double as forage for livestock and wildlife.
Kevin credits rotationally grazing livestock on cover crops and diverse perennial pastures with accelerated restoration of the soil. His pastures have remained green during recent periods of drought. More grass on the ground attracts more wildlife and insects, which Kevin considers a good indicator of success.
Kevin’s impact extends beyond his own farm with speaking engagements and mentoring other landowners. Leading experts in regenerative agriculture seek his insights. Yet, he admits that 30 years ago as a Kansas State graduate, he was more concerned with crop yields than soil health and bird habitat.
“You need to be at your place and time to do this,” he said.
Much like the bus tour he took years ago, he encourages others to visit farms and ranches that utilize conservation practices, and to then experiment on a few acres at home.
Peers and visitors are consistently inspired by Kevin’s quiet and humble stewardship. His willingness to test and refine methods is pushing conservation agriculture forward, while establishing a model for future generations.
https://t.co/hEMhnfisTj
Registration is open! https://t.co/gSuZXifg7P

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Enhancing Your Grazing, From the Ground Up Grazing School
Join us June 24, 25 or 26, 2026, with Steve Kenyon, Greener Pastures Grazing Ltd, Alberta, Canada.
Steve will join us for three, one-day workshops in Winfield, Wilmore and Kiowa Kansas. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. with the program kicking off at 9:30 a.m.
Topics include We Grow Soil, It’s All About Water, Livin’ on the Edge, What Bugs Me; all from the Ground Up.
This workshop explores what it takes to grow soil, rebuild the water cycle, what happens above the ground, building ecosystems and managing for biodiversity on the farm. These components result in better grass and improve range health, resulting in enhanced grazing and stewardship on the ranch.
Grazing School Locations: June 24th - Baden Square Community Center, 700 Gary Street, Winfield, KS
June 25th - Wilmore Community Center, 105 S. Taft, Wilmore, KS
June 26th - Kiowa Community Center, 1195 5th St. Kiowa. KS
This workshop is free. Registration is greatly appreciated for adequate meeting planning.
When asked why ranchers should attend Steve said. “We will take a deep dive underground and see what it takes to grow soil. We will explore some of the symbiotic relationships between plants and microbiology to show how they sequester carbon to build soil through root exudation.
We will also investigate rebuilding the water cycle; we might not be able to control how much rainfall we receive, but we can control how much we hold onto. Increasing water holding capacity and improving infiltration can be a game changer for most farms. In the afternoon, we will focus above ground, looking at building ecosystems and managing for biodiversity. Planning for a polyculture of plants and maximizing the interactions between the different management zones allows us to reduce if not eliminate the use of inputs like fertilizer and pesticides. Building a healthy soil, protecting riparian areas and creating insect and wildlife habitats can greatly increase your bottom line.
If you want less pharmacology on your land, we need more farm ecology!”
Steve has been teaching sustainable grazing management along with agricultural economics for more than 20 years. He has been a keynote speaker at many conferences and seminars throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe. He has also been a writer for the Stockman Grass Farmer and Canadian Cattleman magazines for over 15 years, as well as the creator and host of the ongoing Wednesday Night Networking webinar and podcast.
Steve is well respected in the agriculture community for his business management practices and innovative ideas. Greener Pastures Ranching is a regenerative farm with environmental goals focused on creating a living soil, healing the water cycle and rebuilding ecosystems. Their mission statement is “Economic ad Environmental Sustainability for Generations.”
It is important to us to provide an enjoyable, profitable and sustainable business for future generations.
Please take advantage of this unique grazing school by registering at your selected location. Please RSVP with names and numbers; using the QR Code, send an email to Mary Howell at [email protected] or call/text Mary Howell at 785-562-8726. There is no charge for this workshop and lunch will be provided.
This great educational opportunity is offered with funding for this grazing school made possible by a grant from USDA-NRCS. Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition is joined by other educational partners; National Grazing Lands Coalition, SAVE Farm, and Kansas Soil Health Alliance.

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Bus Tour producer spotlight!
Make plans to join us August 11-12 at the Lohrding Three Bar Ranch, Coldwater, Kansas
Mark and Sindi Lohrding, along with Mark's Parents, Arlie and Patricia own and operate Lohrding Three Bar Ranch Inc. in Comanche and Clark County Kansas.
The ranch consists of both a registered and commercial black Angus cattle operation that incorporates a year round grazing system. They market bred females, bulls, grass fed beef, and high quality grass fed feeder animals.
The ranch has been involved in management intensive grazing for 20+ years that encompasses over 100 semi- permanent paddocks and has recently added their cropland to the grazing system.
Mark is the 4th generation Lohrding to ranch in Comanche County and the 3rd generation to live at the headquarters in North West Comanche County. Mark and Sindi have three sons Cole, who is back on the operation full-time, Cade, who is a local school teacher and spends his summer and weekends helping on the ranch, and Cody, a traveling welder who helps out as his schedule allows, along with one daughter Hadley who also assists with the family business.
The 5th generation of Lohrdings is now being raised on the ranch with grandkids being added to the mix.
Registration is open!
https://t.co/gSuZXifg7P
For more information about Lorhding Three Bar Ranch-
https://t.co/4RoDmR4B4A

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Aug 11-12, 2026, make plans to join us on the Southwest Kansas Grazing Tour!
Join us for a 2-day grazing tour! The bus will leave and return each day to the Best Western in Greensburg, KS.
There is a room block under Aaron Sawyers. ***Attendees are responsible for their own rooms.***
Thankful to our sponsors for allowing us to offer this 2-day tour for only $50!
Register at: https://t.co/gSuZXifg7P
Tour stops include: Lohrding Three Bar Ranch, Coldwater, KS, Kevin Wiltse, 2025 Kansas Leopold Award Recipient, Timken, KS, and Lazy KT Ranch-Katie Blunk, 2021 Oklahoma Leopold Award Recipient, Freedom, OK.

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Urban Ag Mini-Conference
March 7, 2026, Lawrence, Kansas
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Daphne Miller
Daphne Miller, MD, is a practicing family physician and Professor in Family and Community Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. She also serves as Leadership Faculty at the Lifelong Family Medicine Residency Program in Richmond California, where she teaches physicians-in-training about the ecological determinants of health. She serves as her clinic's lead to Richmond Rising, a $34 million, multi-partner grant designed to build a connected, climate-resilient, healthy neighborhood. She has been a regular health and science contributor to the Washington Post and has published two best-selling books about food, agriculture and health: The Jungle Effect, The Science and Wisdom of Traditional Diets and Farmacology, Total Health from the Ground Up. She lives and gardens in Berkeley California.
Registration is open and prices go up next week! Don't miss this opportunity to learn about soil health practices and their implications with human health in the urban ag and smaller acreage agricultural operations. For $75 all educational materials and lunch is included.
Register today: https://t.co/N8N747o1l4...

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Make plans to join No-till on the Plains for a Mini-Conference focused on Urban Ag! Registration is $75 for all educational materials and lunch provided.
Keynote speaker: Dr. Daphne Miller
Session speakers: Rachel Summer Resilient Growers, Ok, Angela Dake, Hidden Hills Farm, KS, and Chris Tecklinberg, Teck Farms, Kansas
Check out the speaker bios at: https://t.co/N8N747o1l4...
Stay tuned for more information soon!

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will unfortunately not be able to have Dr. Jason Rowntree attend and speak at the Winter Conference this year.

Hugh Aljoe, Noble Research Institute will be our Keynote Speaker on January 21, 2026.

Hugh Aljoe serves as the director of ranches, outreach, and partnerships at Noble Research Institute, where he focuses on regenerative management of range and pasture, high stock density grazing and holistic ranch management. He has been associated with Noble since 1995 and, before joining, managed a 3,000-acre, 1,500-head cattle operation in Texas. Hugh received his master’s degree in range science from Texas A&M University with an emphasis on grazing management.

@nobleresinst @Notillorg #notill2026

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Special Guest Speaker!!!

Jimmy Emmons doesn't need an introduction in the Regenerative Agriculture or no-till world.
This week we confirmed Jimmy will be on hand to share the state of the Natural Resource Conservation Service, as well as the New Regenerative Pilot Program.

We hope you will make plans to join us in Wichita for the General Conference January 20-21, 2026, in Wichita, at The Wichita Marriott.

https://t.co/gWbVz9Ats8

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Make sure to take advantage of Early Bird price savings ($305 general conference) before prices go up to the full registration price ($400)!

Full Speaker line-up: https://t.co/jquXD01OSy

Registration Link: https://t.co/p92cTkJxWM

Checkout an interview with Aaron Sawyers, from our good friends at the Kansas Soybean Commission. https://t.co/k7wp4vjqR9

Agriculture has always been and will always be inherently risky. The more dependent an operation is on outside inputs, the more vulnerable it is to the radical changes in weather, markets, and costs of inputs that are certain to occur.

What's your plan to make it through these hard economic times? A few days of investing in continuing your education could have major ramifications on your bottom line. The one thing you can control is how much you spend, come make a plan to get your operation back on track.

"To be sustainable, an operation must be profitable; no operation can be truly profitable without being sustainable." Walt Davis-"How to Not Go Broke Ranching

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Speaker Spotlight, Rodney Rulon!

As a member or Rulon Enterprises LLC in Arcadia, IN, Rodney Rulon has been farming full time since graduation from Purdue University with a B.S. in 1994 and M.S. in 1996 in Agricultural Systems Management.  Rulon Enterprises is a fifth-generation family farming operation which includes Ken, Roy, Rodney, Nick and Neal Rulon as members. The farming business includes more than 7,000 acres of no-till corn and soybeans in central Indiana as well as a Beck’s Hybrids Dealership, The Peer Network, a subscription based ag discussion group, custom drainage design and installation business and several other custom services.

Since 1989, the Rulons have been pursuing their no-till system as a business model and a responsibility, with a family history of conservation and a belief in its inherent value environmentally, societally and agronomically. In the late 1990s after achieving what they found to be a good economic production system using no-till combined with intensive input management using GIS and 1 acre grids, the Rulons began to pursue next level soil health by incorporating cover crops and soil amendments such as chicken litter and gypsum into their system. After many years of experimenting with this system the Rulons are now seeing the benefits to a highly sustainable production system which produces excellent yields, minimal environmental impact and improved resilience in their soils.

Rodney currently serves as chairman of the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District board and the newly founded https://t.co/o5fyVm9iIF, a conservation mentoring program connecting farmers to share conservation ideas. He also is active in several other groups including church and as a 4-H project leader. Rulon Enterprises received the No-Till Farmer Magazine/Syngenta’s  National No-Till Innovator Award in 2011 based on Rodney’s efforts focused on improving soil health and the economics of conservation production practices and the ASA Regional and National Conservation Legacy Award in 2012. In addition the Rulons have won many state and local awards and continue to work hard to promote no-till and soil conservation as a sustainable and responsible cropping system.

Register at: https://t.co/l0YQQKxR5u @Notillorg #soilhealth #regenerativeagriculture #notill2026

[Notill on the Plains @Notillorg]

Conference Speaker spotlight!
Liz Haney
Liz is a soil and ecosystem scientist with experience in soil testing and analyses, carbon and conservation practice modeling, and is the co-developer of the Haney soil health test. Liz’s purpose, drive, and passion are helping to improve producer profitability, environmental sustainability, and human health through regenerative practices and soil health. Throughout her career, she has developed an expansive network of scientists, thought leaders, consultants, farmers and ranchers within the sustainable agriculture space. Liz loves nothing more than creating community and is skilled at coordinating and conducting educational events, workshops, and conferences that bring together today’s leading innovators in regenerative agriculture. Liz is also a co-founder of Regen Mills and Heritage Ground with Russell. Liz is proud to also be a part of farmer-owned Farmers Reserve Distillery.
Register to take advantage of Early Bird Pricing: https://t.co/p92cTkJxWM