Coming Events
Feb. 14, 6:30 p.m. – Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: Vegetables: Growing and Pest Control – Sarah Browning, Lancaster Co. Extension Educator
Feb. 16, 1:30 p.m. – Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 4-H Building, York
Feb. 21, 6:30 p.m. – Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: Plant I.D. and Plant Diagnostics – Kelly Feehan and Natalia Bjorklund, Extension Educators
Feb. 27, 1:00 p.m. – Quad County On-Farm Research Planning Meeting – 4-H Building, York
Feb. 28, 6:30 p.m. – Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: Tree Problems: Environmental and Pests – Graham Herbst, Community Forest Specialist
Feb. 29, 10:00 a.m. – Cornhusker Economics and Outlook Conference – Fairgrounds, Clay Center
March 6, 6:30 p.m. – Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: Herbaceous Perennial Management –Kim Todd, Landscape Design Professor
March 7, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Chemigation Training, 4-H Building, York
March 12, 6:30 p.m. – Landowner/Leasing Workshop – 4-H Building, York
March 13, 6:30 p.m. – Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: Soils and Soil Management Brad Jakubowski, Landscape Environmental and Earth Sciences, Doane College
March 13, 6:30 p.m. – Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 4-H Building, York
March 20, 6:30 p.m. – Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: March 20 – Weed Management Lowell Sandell, Extension Educator
April 4, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Chemigation Training, 4-H Building, York
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Horticulture Connect Sessions Planned
If you will check out the list of coming events you’ll see that we have six connect or breeze two hour sessions planned from this Tuesday Feb. 14th to March 20th beginning at 6:30 p.m. each evening. We use these sessions to train Master Gardeners; however the public is also invited. Cost for materials is $5.00/session or $15.00 or all six sessions.
Topics for each of the evenings can be found in my list of coming events or goto the following website:
http://york.unl.edu/water-environment and click on the MG training schedule. I hpe you’ll be able to attend! Email me if you are interested in attending. My email address is gzoubek1@unl.edu.
Corn Grower, Ag Chamber and Pork Producer Scholarship Application Time
It is hard to believe that it’s that time of year when graduating senior residing in York County and/or Graduating from a York County High School or are members of a 4H or FFA Chapter in York County2012 to apply for Corn Grower, Ag Chamber or Pork Producer Scholarships. The Corn Grower and Ag Chamber Scholarships are due Feb 23, 2012 while the Pork Producer Scholarship is due March 1st!
The Corn Grower/Ag Chamber Scholarship application can be submitted on line at the Greater York Chamber of Commerce website at: http://yorkchamber.org/. While the Pork Producer Scholarship and the Corn Grower/Ag Chamber forms can be found on the York Extension Website at: http://york.unl.edu/web/york/4hscholarships.
Please encourage your seniors to consider applying for these three scholarships. If you’d like a copy of the word document, email me and I’ll email it to you. Remember the deadlines are Feb. 23rd and March 1st which is just around the corner.
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Center Pivot Irrigation Management Short-Courses Planned
We had a great Center Pivot Irrigation Management Short-Course last Wednesday! We had nearly 140 vendors and participants attend. Each receive a 130+ page Center Pivot Irrigation Management Handbook.
The 10 chapters are Introduction, Center Pivot Performance, Soil Water Management, Sprinkler Packages, Energy Use in Irrigation, Crop Water Use, Water Resources Management, Limited Irrigation and Center Pivot Management. I hope to share some of the info in some of my upcoming columns.
The final page of the handbook is a checklist of Pivot Maintenance and Management Activities that can serve as a great check list for your systems.
___ 1. Obtain the sprinkler chart for your center pivot and ensure that the package was installed properly. Check with your dealer for a replacement copy if the sprinkler chart has been lost.
___ 2. Determine if system capacity is adequate for your location, check NEbGuide G1854 at http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=1005.
___ 3. Ensure that pump and pivot are properly matched. Make sure that the engine and pump speeds are correct for needed voltage or hydraulic pressure and for pressure at the pivot inlet, as well as for engine performance.
___ 4. Buy a good pressure gage and operate the center pivot system at the design pressure. It is also a good idea to install a pressure gage at the distal end of the pivot. Periodically check the pressure at the far end of the pivot at its highest elevation. Pressure should be at least 5 psi above pressure regulator rating.
___ 5. Operate the system when crops are small and look for broken or plugged sprinklers or pressure regulators and leaks. If you have questions about the suitability of the existing sprinkler/regulator package, you can install a new regulator and sprinkler (with the proper nozzle) in the middle of each span and observe any differences between performance of new components and existing devices.
___ 6.
Observe water application in the outermost span on the steepest portion of the field and the soils with the lowest infiltration rate to see if you have runoff problems. If problems exist:
• Reduce the application depth.
• Use reduced tillage to enhance surface storage and infiltration.
• Eventually evaluate if a different sprinkler package is necessary. Select sprinkler devices that provide at least as much wetted diameter as required in selection procedure.
• Select devices with large droplet sizes when renozzling. If you irrigate a significant portion of the year on soils (especially fine sandy loam and silt loam soils) without residue cover, you may want to choose devices that provide medium diameter droplets.
___ 7. Routinely maintain mechanical/electrical/hydraulic components
I have a few copies of the handbook available at our office, so if you were unable to attend and would like a copy, stop by and I’ll get one for you.
Crop consultants, I put out the CCA signup sheet during the last break, but did not remind you to signup. If you did not do that, but would like the credits, email me at gzoubek1@unl.edu with your name and CCA number, I’ll get you added to our list. I have the sign in sheet of all those that attended.
Nebraska No-till Conferences Planned
Area producers have a couple locations where they can go to attend a no-till conference. The conference is from 9:25 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 21 at UNL’s Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead and from 9:25 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Ag Center in Holdrege.
They have some great topics and speakers on the program. Information and online registration is available at http://ardc.unl.edu/no-till.shtml. I hope you’ll be able to attend.
Chemigation Training and Certification Classes Planned
Chemigation training dates have been planned. Particpants will be provided a chemigation manual and calibration workbook the day of the training, but it this will be your first time, you can stop by our office to obtain copies of the training materials so that you can review the materials prior to the training session.
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.
I have training sessions planned for:
March 7, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York
April 4, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York
On-Farm Research Planning Meeting
Are you interested in conducting your own on-farm research? We will be holding our annual planning session on Monday February 27th at 1:00 p.m. here in York at the 4-H Building. Mark the date on your calendar and plan to attend!
