Coming Events
March 13, 6:30 p.m. – Private Pesticide Applicator Training – 4-H Building, York
March 13, 6:30 p.m. – MG Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: Identifying and Managing Tree Diseases – Graham Herbst and Proper Use of Rain Barrels – Kelly Feehan, Extension Educator
March 19, 10:00 a.m. – Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network Informational Meeting, Polk Co. Fairground Exhibit Building, Osceola
March 19, 1:30 p.m. – Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network Informational Meeting, Seward Extension Office
March 20, 10:00 a.m. – Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network Informational Meeting, 4-H Building, York
March 20, 6:30 p.m. – MG Horticulture Connect Training, Extension Office, York, Topic: March 20 – Weed Management Lowell Sandell, Extension Educator
March 21, 6:30 p.m. – Landowner/Tenant Lease Workshop, 4-H Building, York
March 23, 5:00 p.m. – Agri-Business After Hours, Cornerstone Ag Event Center, York
April 4, 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Chemigation Training, 4-H Building, York
Private Pesticide Applicator Training
I’m excited, my last private pesticide applicator training of the season is planned for today March 13th at 6:30 p.m. in the 4-H Building in York! If you are a producer and need to get certified for applying restricted use pesticide, I hope I’ll see you at the meeting.
Landowner/Tenant Lease Workshop Planned
I’m sure by now you’ve seen the headlines that the “Nebraska Farmland Values Soarâ€! We all hear about those top sales, but we often do not hear about all the other sales. It appears that the cash rents did not go up as much as the land values, but they did also go up. That report is posted on web at: http://agecon.unl.edu/cornhuskereconomics. We do also have copies available at our office.
This report just coming out is perfect timing; we’ve scheduled a workshop designed to assist landowners, tenants and agri-business professionals with issues related to farmland ownership management, and leasing arrangements. This workshop is planned for Wednesday evening March 21st from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Topics will include:Â Trend is farmland values and cash lease values, good lease communications, writing a good lease, and flexible cash leases.
The Nebraska Soybean Board is sponsoring the workshop, so there is no cost to attend and receive the handouts, but please call 402-362-5508 or email me at gzoubek1@unl.edu to reserve a spot and ensure adequate handouts will be prepared. This workshop is designed for both landlords and tenants, so reserve your spots today!
Nebraska Agricultural Water Management Network Informational Meetings Planned
I’d like to encourage all area irrigators to a series of informational meetings about our NAWMN planned for Monday March 19th and 20th in our area. Meetings are planned for:
10:00 a.m. Monday March 19, 2012, Polk County Exhibit Building, Osceola
1:30 p.m. Monday March 19, 2012, Seward Extension Office, Seward
10:00 a.m. Tuesday March 20, 2012, 4-H Building, York
Dan Leininger, Water Conservationist, from the Upper Big Blue NRD Office and I will be on hand along with some current NAWMN participants to discuss the tools being used in the NAWMN which are ETgage or Atmometers and Watermark Sensors. We hope to share what we have learned about irrigation scheduling in Nebraska using ETgages and Watermark sensors and the NAWMN. Equipment and tools used will be demonstrated and on hand to view as well as cost share order forms for those interested in ordering equipment for the coming year.
We hope to also have a “Question & Answer†session with current producers using these tools!
For more information or questions you can contact Dan at 402-362-6601 or me at 402-362-5508.
With the price of fuel going up, we have had more interest than ever about these tools and learning how to save fuel without sacrificing yields. I hope you’ll be able to attend one of these meetings. Watch for more details in my next couple of columns.
Agri-Business After Hours
I’ve received a couple of calls about when the Agri-Business After Hours is going to be? It’s great that we have people looking forward to the event. It’s planned for a week from this Friday or March 23, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Cornerstone Ag Event Center on the York Fairgrounds!
We just had a planning meeting last Friday and do we have a great list of over 50 different sponsors and a really impressive list of prizes to be given away in the raffle. Some of the bigger prizes will include a Vegas Trip, 2-Tickets to the Cattleman’s Ball, a grill, leaf blower, $100 worth of meat, as well as chamber checks & gift certificates and lots of great food!
The money raised each year goes to help sponsor scholarships! This year seven $500.00 scholarships will be given away! Please help me spread the word to your friends and neighbors so that we’ll again have a great turn out!
Great Plains Sandhills Crane & Bluebird Festival
Don Mason stopped by the office last Friday and he and Vera Rauscher wanted to shared some information about the Great Plains Sandhills Crane & Bluebird Festival coming up March 22-25th at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center. It looks like they have a great event planned. For more information give Don a call at 402-362-3848 or Vera at 402-724-2268 or visit the Bluebirds Across Nebraska website at: www.bbne.org.
Farm Transition/Estate Planning Mtg. – March 30
I received word from Allan Vyhnalek, Extension Educator in Platte County about a workshop designed Farm Transition/Estate Planning Meeting being sponsored by UNL Extension and Platte County Farm Bureau to be held on March 30. It will be held from 10:00 to 3:00 p.m. at Wunderlich’s Catering, Columbus.
Cost is only $10 per operation with generations encouraged to attend together.  Lunch and handouts are provided. Registration is required by March 27 to insure an accurate meal count. Call Platte County Extension at 402-563-4901 to register.
Thinking about how you plan to transition the farm is a key part of the morning discussion. How are you going to phase out of farming? Will you have a farm sale, pass the farm to the next generation, or will you consider helping a new farmer – non family member get started? Options for estate planning will be part of the program. Knowing how each option works, especially when considering tax consequences is key.
A highlight includes information about situations the presenters encountered while working with farm families. “Fair†isn’t always the same as “equal†and that subject is a key in establishing a smooth transition of property to the next generation. I encourage landowners that will be passing assets on to their children to attend this workshop. More importantly, anyone over 55 years old with control of Ag land assets should have a succession plan in place. This workshop will be invaluable for those needing to start work on that plan.
The key value to participants is that they will learn about the process of estate planning so that when they need to start, they become better consumers of legal information, which will save them time and money.
Speakers include: Dave Goeller, UNL Transition Specialist, and Joe Hawbaker, Ag Attorney from Omaha. Both have extensive experience in this area making several presentations a month on the topic
Persons with questions should contact Allan Vyhnalek at UNL Extension in Platte County at 402-563-4901.
Chemigation Applicator Training Planned
I had 43 participants last week at the training session of which ¾ were being certified for the first time to be qualified to chemigate. I will be conducting one final session on April 4th at 1:00 p.m. here in York in the 4-H Building. I you are planning to attend, bring your manual, work book and a calculator!
Weatherfest: “Weather and Climate All Around Usâ€
We tornadoes and weather already in the news, I thought families might be interested in attending Weatherfest 2012 which will take place in Hardin Hall, which is located on the East Campus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Hardin Hall is located at the intersection of 33rd and Holdrege Street. The Weatherfest event provides weather and science related educational activities for K-12 students and their families. The underlying theme for all Family Weatherfest events is: “Surviving the Storms”. Exhibitors and Severe Weather Experts are brought in to each event to touch upon this theme, and its varying aspects.
The listing of activities at Weatherfest 2012 includes: Be Weather Wise with Weather Whys; Clouds all Around Us; Discover Geography; Lore of the Tree Rings; Nature Corner; Observing the Weather; Picture Yourself in the Storm; “Snakes Alive at Weatherfest; Tern and Plover, Meet Pebbles; The Great Reservoir Race; Tornado Generator; and Weather and Climate Hit or Myth.
They will also have Face Painting with weather related themes as well as emergency response vehicles and a disaster command post located outside Hardin Hall that you can view. It should be a great event, Saturday March 31, 2012 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. For more information go to: http://www.cpsws.unl.edu.
Gardening Info Available
Speaking of weather, we’ve had several nice days and a little rain over the weekend has many gardeners thinking spring! I’d like to remind area residents that we have lots of information available related to lawn care as well as gardening. Check out some of our UNL resources at: http://acreage.unl.edu/. This site includes info about turf, Backyard Farmer, horticulture updates and links to many of our horticulture publications like the Kentucky Bluegrass Lawn Calendar which includes tips about what to do when! Now would be a good time to get those sticks and debris pickup off the turf before you mow it for the first time this spring. If you are new to the area or have not planted a garden before, I have a vegetable planting guide posted at: http://york.unl.edu/water-environment. Just click on the York Vegetable Planting Guide. It won’t be long and avid gardeners will be getting a few crops planted like peas, radishes, onion, spinach and lettuce to name a few! I thought about it, but did not get to before the rain came on Sunday!
