Extension Update by Gary Zoubek [January 26, 2012]

Extension Update by Gary L. Zoubek - Extension Educator

Coming Events

Jan. 25, 2012, 1:30 p.m. – Private Pesticide Applicator Training, 4-H Building, York

Feb. 1-2, 2012 – Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association Conference & Trade Show, Midtown Holiday Inn, Grand Island http://neata.org

Feb. 2, 2012, 6:00 p.m. – From Farms to Families Program, Opera House, Bruning

Feb. 6, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – Center Pivot Irrigation Management Short-Course, Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center, Gothenburg

Feb. 8, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – Center Pivot Irrigation Management Short-Course, Cornerstone Ag & Event Center, York

Feb. 16, 2012, 1:30 p.m. – Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 4-H Building, York

Feb. 16, 2012, 6:00 p.m. – From Farms to Families Program, Opera House, Bruning

March 7, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Chemigation Training, 4-H Building, York

 

Pesticide Safety Education Programs

As I mentioned last week, I will be conducting my first Private Pesticide Applicator Training (PSEP) session on Wednesday January 25^th at 1:30 p.m.  In addition to the core required topic concerning pesticide safety, I will share information about our on-farm research and our ag water efforts as well as other timely UNL research updates.  Other dates will be Feb. 16^th and March 13^th!

If you are unable to attend one of these sessions, you can attend a session in a different county or take it by home study, which costs $60.00 compared to coming to the sessions I present which cost $30.00.  A list of all the Nebraska pesticide safety education programs can be found at: http://pested.unl.edu/.

 

Center Pivot Irrigation Management Short-Courses Planned

Enhancing the value of water through advanced irrigation management is the goal of a series of two center pivot irrigation management short-courses planned for Feb. 6 & 8, 2012 in Gothenburg and York.  The sessions will be held February 6th at the Monsanto Water Utilization Learning Center near Gothenburg and for February 8^th here in York at the Cornerstone Ag & Event Center on the York County Fairgrounds.

These should be excellent sessions and we cannot have them any closer than here in York.  Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. with the welcome at 9:30 a.m.

The Planned Program Topics will include: Performance of center pivots; soil water management; matching sprinklers to soils; sprinkler package selection; minimizing pumping costs; estimating crop water use; water balance, consumptive use/limited irrigation; center pivot technology and variable rate irrigation; and center pivot management.

The meetings will close with keynote speakers at 2:20 p.m.

Feb. 6^th – Chandler Mazour, Monsanto Learning Center Manager, Gothenburg Water Utilization Learning Center

Feb. 8^th – Ronnie Green, NU Vice President and IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor, Lincoln

These two short courses are sponsored by the University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension, Reinke, Valley, T-L Lindsay, and the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund.

No cost to attend, however participants are asked to register so that adequate materials and meals will be available.

For the Feb. 6^th Gothenburg meeting call 308-995-4222 or email:cburr1@unl.edu

For the Feb. 8^th York meeting call (402)-362-5508 or email:gzoubek1@unl.edu

Additional information can be found at: http://water.unl.edu/web/cropswater/home.  Please call in 402-362-5508 or email me at gzoubek1@unl.edu to register today!

Chemigation Training and Certification Classes Planned

I’ve received a few calls and questions about Chemigation classes.  The dates for these classes in our area of the state have been set!  These sessions are designed for producers that may want to apply nitrogen or pesticides thru the irrigation water.  We’ve had increased interest in this process especially for spoon feeding nitrogen during the growing season.

Participants will be provided a chemigation manual and calibration workbook the day of the training.  Participants attending for the first time are encouraged to pick up a copy of the training materials prior to the training.  Review of study materials prior to the training session is encouraged.

Training and testing will take approximately 3 to 4 hours.  On the day of training please bring your Chemigation Training Manual, Calibration Workbook, and a calculator. There is no charge for the manuals or training. Advanced registration is not required.  Let me know if you need information about the chemigation sessions.

Training sessions in our area of the state are planned for:

Mach 2, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Extension Office, Fremont

March 2, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Extension Office, Beatrice

March 7, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York

March 13, 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Extension Office, Grand Island

April 4, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York

Other sessions across the state can be found at: http://bit.ly/A8FGbg.

NeATA Conference Planned

Dave Varner and the Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association (NeATA) have a great Conference & Trade Show planned for Feb. 1-2^nd at the Midtown Holiday Inn in Grand Island.  Some topics I’m interested in include: Farm-Based Networks for Irrigation Management, Variable Rate Irrigation, Smartphone and Tablet Applications for the Farm and Irrigation Sensor Remote Data Access just to name a few.

Check out their website: http://neata.org for more information or to register.  I hope you’ll be able to attend!

UNL Extension Survey Posted On CropWatch

What is the greatest value you receive from UNL Extension?  If you are like me, you really don’t like to complete survey’s, but they’re a great tool to evaluate programs and efforts, so I do try and complete them.  We have an online survey posted on the CropWatch website that I’d encourage you to take a little time to complete.  It’s relatively short.

1)    Better quality of life/health through nutritional programs?

2)    Financial savings through money and credit management programs?

3)    Protecting your health and the environmental through proper fertilizer or pesticide usage?

4)    Saving time by finding and using research-based information from a source you know you can trust?

UNL Extension is constantly striving toward excellence in providing information and programs that meet Nebraskan’s needs.  Help us serve you even better, by providing your input in the short survey.  Go to http://CropWatch.unl.edu and click on the survey link at the bottom of the page!  Thanks!

Helping U.S. Veterans Farm

I received some information from Leann Nelson at the Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) that she wanted me to share in my column.  The FSA office needs help reaching out to U.S. veterans that would like to start or get back into farming as well as any landowner that may be willing to offer ground to help a veteran farm.

Through a grant and a partnership with the Center for Rural Affairs and other partner agencies, FSA’s goal is to reach a minimum of 100 veterans interested in farming.  Two workshops in Kansas and two workshops in Nebraska as well as two farm tours in each state are being planned.

One workshop in each state will focus on specialty crops; one will focus on livestock.  Topics will include crop insurance options, markets and production techniques for high value markets; financial tools and business planning for farmers; state-level resources for beginners; USDA programs; resources for disabled veteran-farmers; and organizations that support beginners.  Speakers will be experienced in the topics presented.

Farm tours will demonstrate production, marketing and decision making.  Individual consultation will occur for financial and production advising to include one-on-one financial advising for loan applications or business management.

For additional information or to submit the names of prospective veterans and landowners willing to get involved with this project contact the Nebraska Farm Service Agency State Office at 402-437-5581;  the Center for Rural Affairs by emailing Kathie Starkweather at kathies@cfra.org or Wyatt Fraas at wyattf@cfra.org or by calling 402-617-7946; or your local FSA Office.

We owe our Vets a lot, so hopefully we’ll help get those that want to farm an opportunity to do that!