It hardly seems possible that it is already the 20th anniversary of our Zero-Till Association. This coincides or marks the beginning of the no-till cropping system that Jim McCutcheon of Homewood, Manitoba had initiated a couple of years previous.

Twenty years is indeed a fair amount of time, but in the time frame of a cropping system, it is a very short period. This is especially true when one considers that this method is completely diametric to the conventional cropping system, where extensive tillage is the primary method of seed placement and weed control. Tillage has been synonymous with crop production for hundreds of years.

At the onset, I want to say that the Manitoba - North Dakota Zero Tillage Farmers Association's place in history is secure. I say this because I believe without a doubt, this has been the catalyst to bring zero tillage to the forefront as a farming practice in the Upper Great Plains of the United States and Prairie Provinces of Canada. It has elevated conservation farming to new heights.

It is second to none in the conservation of our resources of soil and water. More than that, it is a sustainable system not only because it maintains the soil resource but it also puts in place a system to restore and rebuild the soil base.

There is an evolution of sorts that has taken place in these 20 years. It has taken place on several fronts and I would like to name a few that are evident. There were many "No-Till Myths' that floated around in those early years. Most of them were honest questions that would surface at either farm tours or informational meetings. I think the observers would fall into four main categories: 1 - Total disbelief, 2 - Skepticism, 3 - Radicals,

4 - Wait and see.

Some of the most often heard comments and myths were:

• It (the soil) will get totally hard - Like a brick.
• It just doesn't seem right to farm like this.
• It's the dumbest thing I have ever seen.
• I like to plow.
• The guy must be lazy.
• On rocky soil, if you don't pick the stone, it will soon be solid with stones as they work there way up
• You haven't got stones like I do.
• Disease will become rampant.
• What are you going to do with all the residue after awhile?
• Couldn't have been much of a crop here last year because there is no stubble left.
• It might work in your soil but not mine
• It's just a fad.
• He must be an interesting guy to farm next to.

Some of the early comments from machinery manufacturers and engineers were:

• Everybody says there's no market.
• It would be very difficult to build seeding equipment that fits the different soil conditions.
• No-till equipment doesn't fit our marketing strategy.

As a group, the scientific and the research communities were widely divided. Some embraced it wholeheartedly. Others said it is impossible to make this a viable cropping system.

While there are many things that have changed in these twenty years, there are also things that have remained the same. It is indeed gratifying that the purpose and the inherent purpose of the organization have remained constant. In fact, I feel the present membership has not only built on this foundation but has improved upon it. The two zero-till manuals that have been published are a case in point.

There is a common thread that runs through this organization from its inception up to this present day. There is a chemistry and an electricity that is present in the participants. I have never experienced this in any other farm gathering. I often felt that sometimes, perhaps we wouldn't need a program at all. Just turn everybody loose, and have one gigantic jam session - with everybody just sharing ideas and practices, one on one.

There is also a commitment to the ecology of the land. It is different from just conservation. It is a commitment not only to save the soil we now have, but also to attempt to restore it.

Another earmark of the no-till movement is innovation. It was true on day one and it is true today. I think there are more creative ideas per-capita than in any other group.

Dissecting mistakes or failures and learning from those experiences is another common thread. It would be interesting to know the cumulative hours that zero-tillers have spent on their knees looking at seed placement.

Perhaps the distinguishing characteristic of the members these past 20 years would be tenacious resolve to make the system work. It is as if a marriage vow had been taken. If I were to sum it up in one word, it would be perseverance.

After twenty hears we have developed a no-till logic. This logic tells us different things. It says, "See what you are looking at. Identify the problem and then work on the solution - not the symptom of the problem". We don't need stronger aspirin.

Mimic nature as close to and as often as you can. Be as non-evasive as possible. Try to understand and enhance the ecology of our land. No-till logic says bio-diversity is in the natural scheme of nature. Zero-tillers are helping rewrite the book on rotations.

We ain't seen nothing yet-- so where do we go from here? What direction or focus do we want our research to go? We have many secrets yet to unlock - mysteries yet to solve. For instance, what is the symbiotic nature of beans that enhance cereal grain production? What is the possibility of perennial cereal grain that could fix its own nitrogen? What is the adaptation of new technology that is being developed at Idaho State University? It is a high energy photon machine. In layman terms it would be about like a dental x-ray machine. It is high energy with variable levels of intensity. They have found they can destroy nematodes with this system. It is selective. Basically, it affects the water molecules and turns them into hydrogen peroxide, thus destroying the nematode. It's in the early stages of development. There remains many unanswered questions.

It is exciting as we ponder other adaptations of this technology. What other pests may we be able to control?

And if I might be philosophical for a moment - How do we uncover the secrets and mysteries of nature? We need to seek wisdom so we can wisely and safely use the sciences and technology to enhance both our environment and our livelihood.