Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Improving soil resiliency and water infiltration rates requires an evolving approach to residue management and equipment selection, especially in regions prone to excess moisture and poor drainage, says Marcel Van Staveren, who farms near Creelman in southeast Saskatchewan.
VanStaveren shares how his operation’s transition to disc drills and stripper headers has helped his farm enhance long-term soil health and resilience in tough years. He says that traditional tillage practices can leave soil vulnerable to severe wind erosion, prompting his farm to rethink how residue is managed in one-pass systems.
To minimize soil disturbance and protect soil biology, the operation incorporated K-Hart Spyder disc drills alongside stripper headers to leave standing stubble as soil armour.
“There’s more beneficial fungi or your mycorrhizae and/or less destructive to earthworms,” Van Staveren says emphasizing the need to keep residue intact. “We need to do better, and I think those are the two key metrics I would say: infiltration rates of moisture and keeping that soil in place.”
By focusing on living roots, reduced mechanical disturbance, and higher field efficiency, Van Staveren believes large-scale operations can successfully align environmental sustainability with economic profitability.
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Improving soil resiliency and water infiltration rates requires an evolving approach to residue management and equipment selection, especially in regions prone to excess moisture and poor drainage, says Marcel Van Staveren, who farms near Creelman in southeast Saskatchewan.
VanStaveren shares how his operation’s transition to disc drills and stripper headers has helped his farm enhance long-term soil health and resilience in tough years. He says that traditional tillage practices can leave soil vulnerable to severe wind erosion, prompting his farm to rethink how residue is managed in one-pass systems.
To minimize soil disturbance and protect soil biology, the operation incorporated K-Hart Spyder disc drills alongside stripper headers to leave standing stubble as soil armour.
“There’s more beneficial fungi or your mycorrhizae and/or less destructive to earthworms,” Van Staveren says emphasizing the need to keep residue intact. “We need to do better, and I think those are the two key metrics I would say: infiltration rates of moisture and keeping that soil in place.”
By focusing on living roots, reduced mechanical disturbance, and higher field efficiency, Van Staveren believes large-scale operations can successfully align environmental sustainability with economic profitability.
Website: realagriculture.com
Find us on our other social media platforms:
X/Twitter: twitter.com/realagriculture
Instagram: instagram.com/realagriculture
Facebook: facebook.com/realagmedia
