John Aeschliman

Jea Farms Limited

Colfax, Washington

Whitman Conservation District

In the 1880s, John Aeschliman’s grandfather farmed the Palouse, running a moldboard plow over the sloped landscape. Aeschliman recalls that each spring there was mud everywhere due to the tillage and the soil erosion it caused. For a time, Aeschliman moved away from full-time farming to start his own business, but when his father was nearing retirement, Aeschliman came back to the farm. It was at this time, in the mid-1970s, he vowed something had to change.

The Aeschliman farmland is steeply sloped and receives between 12 and 20 inches of annual precipitation. His farm size has increased from the original half section homestead, with the land laying in about a 15-mile length east and west that covers three distinct rainfall areas. The most western receives 10” to 13” rainfall, the central area is a 15” to 18” rainfall, and the northeastern area, where the original homestead is located, in 18” to 20”. Under such conditions, Aeschliman needs to capture every inch of rain and, at the same time, keep his soil in place. It was the expense in time, money and loss of soil from erosion that drove him to try minimum till or no-till. In the late 1960s, Aeschliman learned from the no-till pioneers of his time, who experimented with the first no-till seed drills in the area that were “half the size of a boxcar.” Today, Aeschliman farms with his son Cory and is considered one of the no-till pioneers in the Palouse. With more than 45 years of direct seeding under his belt, he is always looking to expand his boundaries. He and his son have been able to increase the size of grandfather’s farm from 320 acres to 4,000 acres of mostly owned land.

Aeschliman grows soft white wheat, hard red and dark northern spring wheat, barley, canola, garbanzo beans, peas, sunflowers and dryland corn, including a rotation of cover crops in between the cash crops. The Palouse is not an area known for raising corn because of the low annual rainfall, so usually corn has to be irrigated. Due to long-term no-tilling and experimenting with the use of cover crops, Aeschliman’s soil structure is so healthy that it captures the rainfall and holds it in place for the crop’s use. Additionally, there is no visible erosion on the steep slopes. Much of the land has areas which can be in excess of 60 percent slope.

The early years for Aeschliman were trial and error as he learned how to manage the crop residue left behind the combine. With the use of a chaff spreader and an advanced straw chopper, the crop residue was broken up and spread more evenly, which helps manage weed control and disease. Additionally, the residue works as a protective barrier to the soil. It holds the soil in place, captures the rainfall, protects the soil’s surface from the heat of the sun, and captures some of the nitrogen from the residue, which also reduces the need for fertilizer.

Aeschliman is also experimenting with cover crops to help build soil fertility and combat soil erosion. By trying different seed mixes, his goal is to reduce opportunities for weeds, pathogens and pests to become established in his fields. Cover crops have been a challenge for moisture retention in his region with the low levels of precipitation in the summertime, but Aeschliman continues to work at it.

As an early adopter and soil health innovator, Aeschliman has advice for those farmers moving to a no-till system. Aeschliman suggests making the change in phases, starting with 50–100 acres of your best ground, paying attention to the soil quality. Timing is also key – it is important to start at the right time but also to decide on your crop rotation. To keep your initial investment low until you are further along in the transition, begin with a used drill. When Aeschliman began his transition, he rented different drills before finally purchasing his own in 1990. He also suggests working with an experienced direct seeder or even hiring them to seed for you in the early years.

Most of all, Aeschliman says to be patient. “It will take four to five years for soils to rebuild their life and regenerate themselves. It is necessary to go through a period of trial and error in order to discover what will work for you in your area and your operation,” he said. “If you will stay at it and make it work for the first few years, you will never go back to conventional farming with tillage! Direct seeding has completely changed the condition of our soil with increased moisture retention, soil life and especially your bottom line, because of being very efficient with fewer trips over the ground.”

Updated July 2021.