Cropping Update
What a difference a week can make! I had the opportunity to travel to several parts of Turkey with others from the University of Nebraska and visited several universities and visited about Cooperative Extension and how we get research based information from the university to the people in areas like agriculture, families, 4-H foods, beef, and in other areas. We left on Easter and returned on Saturday. It was a very enjoyable trip, but what a change has occurred this past week back in the York area. We had been short of moisture and received some good rains and the producers have continued to make great progress getting the corn and some of the soybeans planted.
It’s always difficult to guess the percentage of crops that have been planted, but I’ve visited with several producers and texted a few others to see where they are at and I’m guessing were at about 50% done with corn in our area with maybe 10% of the beans planted. As drove and checked my ETgages today before I began preparing my column this morning (Monday), I saw several rigs out ready to continue planting.
Soil temperatures at the 4 inch depth in four area fields have averaged just over 50°F +/- for the past week, while the soil temperature reported on the CropWatch Website have averaged about 57°F. For the latest estimates, go to: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/cropwatchsoiltemperature.
Good luck as you continue getting your crops planted. I’ve mentioned it before but just a reminder, it’s important that you as producer compare new practices of product that you try each year. If you are considering comparing any treatments or products, I’d really like to work with you and our On-Farm Research Efforts. If you’re comparing a single product or a treat to your normal practice all you need to do is do two strips of the treatment and then two strips of the check and repeat the process seven or eight times. The plot would look like the following:
By using this plan we can get great statistical information for you. So I hope area producers will consider joining us and our 2014 On-Farm Research efforts. If you have any questions and are interested in conducting and On-Farm Research study, give me a call at 402-326-8185 or email me gary.zoubek@unl.edu. The meeting we have discussing the results of these tests are the best ones we have each year, so I hope you’ll consider getting involved.
ETgages
Last week, I got my ETgages out and when I checked them this morning. On average they dropped about 1.0â€. So if we had some corn at the 2 leaf stage the crop would have only used .1†for the past week!
If you don’t have yours out yet, once you get those crops in the ground, it would be a good time to get it done! You want to clean them up, replaces the wafers and green canvas tops. It’s a good idea to do this on a regular basis. Canvas covers come in three different types, but we typically are using the #54 alfalfa canvas covers. If you need the canvas covers or wafers, I know that the Upper Big Blue NRD has them on hand and will provide them to you.
It takes a couple days for the system to stabilizes so after the first weeks readings, you should be good to go. I hope to read the ETgages I have each Monday morning and may also read them on Thursday morning so I can update the irrigation hotline.
We’re always looking for additional volunteers to post their weekly ETgage reading to our website. If you have an ETgage and would be willing to post it that website is: https://water.unl.edu/nawmn. Then click on the Online ETgage tool link.
FSA Livestock Information Meetings Scheduled
Leann Nelson from the FSA office asked that I’d share the following: If you owned livestock in 2012 and or 2013 you may be eligible for one or more of the Livestock Disaster Programs included in the 2014 Farm Bill as permanent legislation. Sign-up for these disaster programs began April 15, 2014. You should apply for benefits in the county that administers the farm with the grazing or livestock losses.
York County FSA will hold two more informational meetings at the York County USDA Service Center, 419 W 6th St in York beginning at 9:00 a.m. on April 30, and May 1. These meetings will explain each of the Livestock Disaster Programs, the provisions and requirements. Everyone is welcome to attend, no registration required.
The York FSA is making appointments for signup into the Livestock Disaster Programs now. If you suffered a loss of grazing in 2012 and or lost livestock in addition to your normal mortality rate in 2012 or 2013, you may be eligible for disaster benefits. Give the FSA office a call at 402.362.5700, ext. 3 to schedule an appointment for this signup.
Crop Scout Training Planned
The training for entry level scouts who will be working for crop consultants, industry agronomists, or farm service centers will be held May 6, 2014, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the university’s Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead.
For more information or to register, contact the ARDC, CMDC Programs, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, Neb., 68033, call 402-624-8000, fax 402-624-8010, email cdunbar2@unl.edu or visit http://ardc.unl.edu/cmdc.shtml.
UNL Extension Tractor Safety Courses Â
I used to do Tractor Safety Courses, but we were encouraged to have a few key people across the state conduct the training, so I have not conducted them the past few years, but the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Tractor Safety/Hazardous Occupations Courses will be offered at seven locations in Nebraska during May and June. Any 14 or 15-year-old teen that plans to work on a farm other than their parents’ should plan to attend. Federal law prohibits youth less than 16 years of age from working on a farm for anyone other than his or her parents. Certification through the course grants an exemption to the law allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and to do field work with mechanized equipment.
According to Extension Educator, Sharry Nielsen, the most common cause of death in agriculture accidents in Nebraska is overturn from tractors and all-terrain-vehicles (ATVs). Tractor and ATV overturn prevention are featured in the class work. “Instilling an attitude of ‘safety first’ is a primary goal of the course,†Nielsen said. “Where youth have the chance to learn respect for agricultural jobs and the tools involved.”
Classes consist of two days of instruction plus homework assignments. Classes are from 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. each day. Dates and locations include:
— May 22-23, Fairgrounds, Kearney
— May 28-29, Haskell Ag Lab, Concord
— June 2-3, West Central Research and Extension Center (WCREC), North Platte
— June 5-6, Fairgrounds, Valentine
— June 12-13, Farm and Ranch Museum, Gering
— June 16-17, College Park, Grand Island
–June 19-20, Ag Research and Development Center (ARDC), Mead
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged at least one week before a location’s start date to the Extension Office at the course site. Cost is $60, which includes educational materials, testing, supplies, lunches, and breaks. For more information, contact the Extension Office or Sharry Nielsen at (308) 832-0645, snielsen1@unl.edu.
The first day of class will consist of intensive classroom instruction with hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test that must be completed satisfactorily before students may continue driving tests the next day. Classroom instruction will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program. Homework will be assigned to turn in the next day. The second day will include testing, driving and operating machinery. Students must demonstrate competence in hitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course as well as hitching PTO and hydraulic systems.
