Extension Update by Gary Zoubeck [October 9, 2014]

Coming Events

• 10/5 – 10/11 – National 4-H Week!
• 10/26/2014 – 5:00 p.m., 4-H Achievement Party, York County Fairgrounds, York
• 10/27/2014 – 8:30 p.m., Extension Board Meeting, Extension Office, York

Cropping Update

For the month of September we received 2.38” or slightly below normal and we’ve missed the heavy rainfall amounts this past week that other parts of Nebraska received, so producers are continuing to make great progress getting our soybeans harvested. We took out the RoundUp Ready soybean plot over the weekend that was hailed on during that June 3 storm. It sure did not look pretty following the storm, but will average 69+ bu/acre which is pretty good considering the hail storm and heavy rains. It was also harvested at near ideal moistures of 12.5%.

In talking with producers and crop consultants, many of the soybeans harvested to date have been at 12-13% which is really great! Hopefully we’ll get the rest of the beans harvest at similar moistures, and we’ll have several weeks of great harvesting conditions so that producer will get those crops in.

If you’ve conducted some on-farm research studies, be sure and take the time to get them harvested correctly so that we can analyze the data. Let me know if you need plant stands or help with collecting those yields. I’ve got a weigh wagon and would be glad to help, it’s always great to get out and see what’s going on harvest wise.

If you have not checked out our CropWatch (http://cropwatch.unl.edu) lately, I hope you will soon, the team just add a link to many of our grain storage publications.  It’s available at: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/grainstorage2.

In addition, this week they’ve included a couple stories related to grazing corn residue which can be a win-win for both crops and cattle producers. Another story by Bruce Anderson stresses the importance of reading and following the herbicide label when grazing stalks and cover crops. Some products cannot be grazed or harvested for as long 18 months, so it’s important to know what the label say prior to turning livestock into the fields.

Returning to the Farm

Each year UNL offers a workshop held over two weekends for students, beginning farmers, and established operations. This year the first weekend sessions are planned for Dec. 12 & 13 and the second are planned for Jan. 9 & 10.

Bringing a young person into a farm/ranch operation presents challenges. However, the business operation can accomplish numerous goals by helping the young person get a solid start in the operation, keeping the farm/ranch in the family, and ensuring a comfortable retirement for all involved.

Success does not come automatically; it requires effort. Blending a variety of talents and personalities into one farming or ranching operation takes planning, communication, and management. The Returning to the Farm program is designed to assist families and operations in developing a financial plan and successful working arrangements that will meet the needs of multiple families.

During the program participants will:

1)      Review financial feasibility, balance sheets and trend sheets

2)      Identify estate planning issues

3)      Develop a farm/ranch transition plan

4)      Set both personal and professional goals

5)      Look at the communication process between family members

Returning to the farm is sponsored by the University of Nebraska–Ag Economics Department. Presenters will include: Dave Aiken, Tina Barrett, Kate Brooks, Dave Goeller, Cheryl Griffith, Brad Lubben, Jay Parsons, Cory Walter and Roger Wilson.

I’ve posted a flier and registration form about this workshop on our website:  http://york.unl.edu/crops-future

Let me know if you have any questions about this workshop.

Watch Out For Deer

According to the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety there were 2,398 crashes in 2013.  Deer are the most frequently involved animals in motor vehicle-animal crashes.

Deer breeding season runs from October through early January and during this time they are highly active. As a result of the fact that they are being moved because of harvest as well as during the hunting seasons, this is the time of year that deer-vehicle collisions are common. Deer are most commonly found in wooded areas around waterways and are most active near dawn or dusk. They normally travel with other deer so if you see one, there is a good chance that others will follow.

To avoid hitting a deer and reduce the risk of injury we recommend the following:

• Slow down
• SLOW DOWN
• Wear your seatbelt
• Watch for the shine of eyes along the roadside
• Use your high beams when possible
• “Don’t veer for deer!”  Do not swerve to avoid the deer, brake and stay on the road
• Use the “What if?” strategy

So, you see the “deer crossing” sign; you slow down and ask yourself, “What if a deer comes up out of this draw?”  What will you do?  Are you going slow enough to stop and avoid hitting it?

National 4-H Week

October 5-11, 2014 is National 4-H Week!

More than 6 million young people across the country today will celebrate National 4-H Week, an annual celebration of 4-H during the first full week of October.

Research has proven that participation in 4-H has a significant positive impact on young people. Recent findings from the Tufts University 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development indicate that, when compared to their peers, young people in 4-H are:

• Nearly four times more likely to contribute to their communities,
• Two times more likely to pursue healthy behaviors like, and
• Two times more likely to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs in the out-of-school time.

In York County, we have some great 4-H youth and many outstanding volunteers involved in 4 H! We are  always recruiting more young people and are looking for additional volunteers, so if you have some spare time and talents and would be interesting in volunteering, don’t hesitate to contact our office at 402-362-5508 for volunteer opportunities or information. For more information about our 4-H program: http://york.unl.edu/county4h.

Yard and Garden

I’ve received a few calls and have been out and looked at some pine trees that have had needles turning yellow and dropping from the center of the trees.  The ones I’ve been out to this fall are normal needles cast that occurs every so many years depending on variety and the growing season.  If entire branches or trees are yellowing or turning brown, that is probably not normal needle drop, but could be pine wilt.