Diverse Farming Practices Boost Yields on Varied Terrain

New York farmer Donn Branton tailors no-till, strip-till, and zone-till techniques to maximize returns on his 1,300 acres of varied soils.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:36am

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A high-end studio still life featuring a collection of premium farm implements like a tractor gear, soil probe, and seeds, arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic background to conceptually represent the precision and strategy behind a farmer's diverse tillage and crop management techniques.Precision farm tools symbolize the tailored approach Donn Branton takes to managing his diverse 1,300-acre operation.Rochester Today

Donn Branton, a 23-year no-till veteran farming 1,300 acres in upstate New York, has found that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work on his diverse terrain. Instead, he utilizes a combination of no-till, strip-till, and zone-till practices to manage the unique soil types, rock formations, and slopes across his fields of processing peas, soybeans, sweet corn, grain corn, dry beans, wheat, oats, and alfalfa.

Why it matters

As more farmers face increasingly variable field conditions, Branton's story highlights the importance of adapting tillage and crop management strategies to the specific needs of each acre rather than relying on a single blanket approach. His willingness to experiment with different techniques demonstrates how precision agriculture can boost yields and profitability on complex, heterogeneous farmland.

The details

Branton's farm, located in the fertile "breadbasket" region near Rochester, New York, features a range of soil types from loamy to sandy to high clay, as well as areas with shallow bedrock that are unsuitable for traditional tillage. To manage this diversity, he employs no-till for his processing peas, wheat, oats and alfalfa, strip-till for his soybeans, grain corn, sweet corn and dry beans, and zone-till for his grain corn, soybeans and oats. Branton says he continuously evaluates the best practices for each field to ensure maximum economic returns, rather than simply sticking to one method across the entire operation.

  • Branton has been no-tilling for 23 years.

The players

Donn Branton

A 23-year no-till veteran farming 1,300 acres of diverse terrain in LeRoy, New York, growing processing peas, soybeans, sweet corn, grain corn, dry beans, wheat, oats and alfalfa.

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What they’re saying

“I'm trying to figure out the best practices to manage each of our acres in an economical way. I'm not just going to stick with one practice across the whole farm to say I'm doing it. It has to show returns.”

— Donn Branton, Farmer

The takeaway

Branton's diverse approach to tillage and crop management on his heterogeneous farmland demonstrates how precision agriculture techniques can help maximize yields and profitability, even on complex terrain with varied soil types. His willingness to experiment with different methods, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution, serves as a model for other farmers facing similar challenges.