A farmer can also decide to plow and bury the residues. Out of sight, out of mind. These tillage systems ensure the residues will slowly decompose and release nutrients. It also keeps the field clean for planting next season. No need to worry about residues gumming up the planter.


And overwintering habitat for harmful insects? Denied! Corn Borer caterpillars love to linger in stalks. Plow down the stalks and the squatters have nowhere to turn. Of course, they can always recolonize from the outside when things warm up next year. The problem is that some of these strategies too easily dismiss the contribution of residues as a homegrown fertilizer. In turn, long-term productivity takes a hit.And sup- plemental fertilizer has to be purchased and applied.


Most importantly, these strategies also rob the soil of carbon. Plant residues are mostly carbon. Soil carbon isn’t really a nu- trient — plants get their needs through inor- ganic carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphere (through photosynthesis) — but it does have a valuable role. Organic carbon is locked up in carbon- based life forms like plants and animals (or at least things that were, like fossil fuels). The soil is a major carbon storehouse. This provides a number of benefits like better nu- trient/water retention and soil structure. Carbon glues soil particles together — think about cooking without a binding agent like eggs. It also supports a diverse ecosys- tem of underground critters, many of which recycle nutrients and troll disease-causing or- ganisms.


But instead of stockpiling organic car- bon as a best practice, our historical approach is to use practices that release it back into the air (as carbon dioxide). Ideally, we want it to stay locked up in organic soil-bound form. With that said, farmers are increasingly adopting no-till systems. This means that they minimize any activities like disking or plowing that disturb the soil. This can largely prevent erosion — avoiding the Dust Bowl scenario of the 1930s. “Keep it [the soil sur- face] covered” is the motto! It also conserves soil carbon.


Crops are planted directly into the stub- ble from the previous year using a no-till drill, a specialized planter. But that mat of or- ganic litter can pose a problem. It can inter- fere with seedling germination and establishment.


Some minor pre-plant decluttering is in order.


No-till equipment has “leading coulters” (a vertical cutting blade) that slice into the residue and clear a path to cleanly


November 2025 | Goat Rancher 21


deposit the seed.


So, to stubble or not to stubble? That is the question. Do we want to squeeze out extra value (like ethanol); tap the nutritional benefits (like a fertilizer); or use as an amendment (something that improves the physical and chemical properties of the soil, where nutritional contributions are more an afterthought – like carbon)?


How can the farmer put a dollar figure on these practices — short term gains, long


term pains? Vice versa? Only the farmer can answer this question based on their individ- ual circumstances. Every landscape, soil and crop combination is different. There’s rarely a one-size-fits-all approach. Tailored management is key. With that said, the stover is free recycled fertilizer and carbon. And from a budgeting perspective, it makes sense to at least replace the nu- trients that have been removed by the ker- nels at harvest. n


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