Extension Update by Gary Zoubeck [March 19, 2015]

Coming Events
March 18, 42nd National Ag Day
March 20, Archery Hunter Education Class, 7:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York
March 23, Archery Hunter Education Class, 7:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York
March 24, Archery Hunter Education Class, 7:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York
March 26, Archery Hunter Education Class, 7:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York
April 2, NE Ag Water Management Network (NAWMN) Meeting, 9:00 a.m. Fairgrounds, Hastings
April 4, Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, 2:00 – 5:00 pm. York Co. Fairgrounds, York

Archery Hunter Education Classes Planned
Dan Barrett stopped by and indicated that archery hunter education classes are planned for March 20, 23, 24 and 26th at the 4-H Building on the York County Fair Grounds. Starting time is 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Anyone 12 years old to 29 MUST have an archery hunter education card to hunt with a bow or crossbow. To register go to huntsafe.nebraska.org. Participants must attend all four sessions. For more information contact Dan Barrett at 402-362-4380.

Nebraska Weather, Lawn and Garden Tips
We’ve really had a few summer like days already this spring! It was a great weekend temperature wise. We definitely could use a little moisture. Typically in December, January and February we receive about 2.24” of moisture. This past year we’ve received 1.61”, so we’re ¾” short but in March we typically receive 2.39” and so far we’ve received less than .10”. We really want to be extra carefully until it rains so that we don’t accidently start any grass or cornstalks on fire.

I emailed our UNL Turf Specialist Bill Kreuser asking about care of our turf. He responded: “It’s definitely been dry but the difference from this year to last was that the precipitation was better timed this year. We aren’t expecting too much winterkill. For now, we recommend irrigating high maintenance and turf under traffic but low maintenance turf will be fine for now. They won’t need water until they green up. It’s similar to summer droughts.”

Our turf specialists have suggested that we not be too aggressive with lawn cultivation such as dethatching, aerating, and low mowing and try to limit traffic which can also be quite damaging. The turf is recovering from winter stress and are dehydrated and fragile. They suggest that we let the plants rehydrate and begin to regrow before starting aggressive management practices. The grass will quickly recover from dethatching and aeration once it beings to grow.

Hopefully we will get some needed moisture in the next week or two, it looks like it will cool back down into some more normal like conditions.
With the nice weather, I’ve also received a few questions about what to plant when in the garden. I’ve put together a one page fact sheet that includes some suggested planting dates for many of our common veggies. It can be found at: http://york.unl.edu/water-environment, click on the York Vegetable Planting Guide.

With the weather so nice this weekend, I did till up part of my garden. I left part of it because it was still very wet, it must have had a big snowbank on it which just recently melted. It’s a little early, but I did plant some peas, spinach, lettuce radishes onion and kohlrabi. I’m about a week early for most of these veggies, but if they make it ok if not, I guess I’ll be replanting.

The veggies you want to plant first are the cool season crops that like cool conditions. Cole crop transplants like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli as well as potatoes can be plant the first part of April. Lettuce, spinach, onions, peas, radishes are several crops that can be planted in late March.

We’ve got lots of resources for the gardener, check them out at: http://environment.unl.edu/. Speaking of resources, Backyard Farmer airs live Tuesdays on NET1 at 7pm CST from March through September. I hope you’ll check it out. Some facts from the Backyard Farmer Website:
% of US homeowner gardeners – 49%
The average time spent in the garden per week – 5 hours
Average food gardening return on investment – $530.00

Nebraska Ag Water Management Network Annual Meeting
It’s hard to believe, but this the 10th year for the Nebraska Ag Water Management Network (NAWMN). It has grown from a few participants to over 1,200.

Last year we had an update here in York in the city auditorium. This year the program will be held at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings on April 2nd beginning at 9:00 a.m. and ending around 2:45 p.m.
Topics will include:
Updates about Capacitance type sensors AquaCheck USA & JD Field Connect
Update about Matric potential type sensors – Profiler
Innovation sharing
NRD Updates
NAWMN expansion to NE Ag Teachers and FFA members
Research Updates
Network sharing and discussion

No cost to attend, but please RSVP to me at gary.zoubek@unl.edu or (402) 362-5508 so that we can have adequate meals prepared. It should be a great meeting for new NAWMN participants as well as those that have been involved for all 10 years. We can all learn from each other.

National Ag Day/Week
This week we celebrate National Ag Week in which we recognize and celebrate agriculture. We are thankful for all our farmers and ranchers and all those involved in the ag industry for providing an affordable, safe, and healthy food supply!

The National Ag Day program believes that every American should:
Understand how food, fiber and renewable resource products are produced.
Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.
Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, fiber and renewable resource industries.

Do you want to learn more about agriculture? Raising Nebraska in Grand Island is hosting an Ag Day Open House on Saturday, March 21, 2015 from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. This is a free event open for the public. You will enjoy interactive engagement stations that allow you to learn more about agriculture through an activity, getting their questions answered, and feeling excited about Nebraska agriculture. From science and innovation, to community and culture, and even the global economy, Nebraska’s agricultural experience touches everyone.

Raising Nebraska is located in the Nebraska Building on the Nebraska State Fairgrounds at 501 E Fonner Park Rd, Grand Island, NE 68801. For more information on Raising Nebraska, visit www.raisingnebraska.net.

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day Planned
All residents of York County are invited and encouraged to bring your residential household hazardous waste to the York County Fairgrounds from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday April 4th to be properly disposed. Waste you can bring includes: acids, antifreeze, pesticides, yard chemical/fertilizer, small quantities of gasoline/oil, lead batteries, mercury, paint, and fluorescent bulbs.

DO NOT bring dried paint, it can go directly into trash. NO tires or large quantities of farm chemicals.

Now’s the time to gather these products up so you can have them properly disposed of.