Extension Update by Gary Zoubeck [October 24, 2013]

Coming Events

• Nov. 5, 2013 – Heuermann Lecture, 2:30 p.m., Cornhusker Hotel, Lincoln
• Nov. 18, 2013 – York Extension Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Extension Office, York
• Nov. 21, 2013 – York County Corn Growers Banquet, 6:30 p.m., Chances R, York
• Dec. 10, 2013 – Landlord/Tenant Workshop, 6:30 p.m., 4-H Building, York

Cropping Update
Producers have continued to make great progress with harvest following the rains which slowed them down for a short time but are welcome so that we can work at recharging our soil profile.  As I drove around the county this weekend, I didn’t see a lot of soybean fields that weren’t harvested.  More and more of the corn has been harvested along with some grain sorghum.  I’m sure things will continue to change this week.

I assisted on an irrigated national corn grower yield contest check this weekend and it averaged over 250 bu./acre, so look’s like the irrigated yields are good again this year.  I have not taken any rainfed yields yet.  The York County RoundUp Ready Soybean Plot data is now posted to our website at: http://york.unl.edu/web/york/plotresults.

Hopefully if thing go well, we will harvest the York County Irrigated Corn Grower Plot this week!  As soon as the data is checked and double checked, it will also be posted on our website.

Speaking of the Corn Growers, I’d like to invite all area corn growers to the York County Corn Growers banquet.  It will be held Thursday, November 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Chances “R” here in York.  Tickets can be purchased ($10.00) from any of the board of directors or from the Extension Office.  It should be a fun event with some great food, information, and fellowship.  One of the Nebraska LEAD fellows will make a presentation of their recent travels abroad, so order those tickets now.

Heuermann Lectures 
I mentioned it last week that I was unable to view the Heuermann Lecture that Dr. Sally Mackenzie in person, but did watch it on line at: http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu/2013-2014.  It was a great presentation titled “Beyond GMOs to a More Honest Dialogue about Our Food.”  I hope you will take time to view it.

The next Heuermann lecture will be November 5 at 2:30 p.m. at The Cornhusker in Lincoln for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.  He will be presenting, “Rural America:  New Markets, New Understanding, Unlimited Opportunity.”  You will be able to view it on line or archived at a later date.

Yard and Garden – Helping Out Bees and Butterflies
I received an email from the National Gardening Bureau indicating that YOU can make a difference for bees and butterflies!

Since 2006 we have heard about the unfortunate loss of honey bee colonies in North America and elsewhere. The decline in the number of bees is both shocking and frightening and blamed on a number of causes, but they wanted to emphasize that each of us could make a difference.  Just one more container of flowers than previous years, can help!  The following is what they suggested:

“Some ways that you can help the bees:

1. Plant flowers with open petals and upright stamens for easy access by our pollen-loving friends (cosmos, coneflowers).
2. Choose flowers that are heavy pollen producers (penstemon, salvia).
3. Some herbs provide food for insects as well as humans so add them to your garden also (oregano).
4. Limit or eliminate pesticide usage.
5. Plant cover crops and use compost rather than relying on synthetic fertilizers.
6. Make sure your garden blooms from very early spring (crocus–plant some now!) to late fall (asters) to provide food as long as possible.
7. If you have open spaces like fields, road sides, etc. plant with native wildflower mixes.
8. Provide shelter from the elements such as standing grasses, flower stalks, shrubs, etc.
9. For bees, provide nesting spots, for example, open ground without mulch for ground-nesters or make artificial nests using instructions found here.
10. Not all weeds need to be eradicated; see if the bees and butterflies are enjoying the buffet they offer and if they are, leave them be!

Ways you can help the butterflies:

1. Provide host plants such as milkweed for emerging Monarch caterpillars.
2. Host plants for other butterflies can be found here. And host plants WILL be munched on so don’t be alarmed when you see nibbled leaves!
3. Butterflies love butterfly weed, buddleia, coneflower (Echinacea), aster and marigold.
4. Choose flowers that have easy access points for nectar sipping (phlox, gaillardia, pentas).
5. Same as for bees, herbs provide food for butterflies so add them to your garden also (fennel, parsley).
6. Plant a variety of sun-loving annuals, perennials, wildflowers and shrubs as butterflies prefer sunny spots.
7. In that same vein, include a wide range of flower colors as well.
8. Provide sheltered resting spaces such as a flat rock in a sunny spot.
9. Butterflies sip water so provide a shallow tray with damp sand and rocks to land on.
10. Did we mention planting host plants, such as milkweed?
11. Encourage neighbors and your community to plant open spaces with low-maintenance native wildflowers and perennials.”

As you make your fall or spring planting, think about planting some of the plants that bees and butterflies enjoy.  Your butterfly gardening NebGuide can be found at: http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g1183/build/g1183.pdf.  It contains a list of suggested plants.