Extension Update by Gary Zoubeck [June 4, 2015]

Coming Events

June 4, Emergency Preparedness (Disaster Kits) Workshop, 4-H Building, York

June 5, Pallet Planters Workshop, 1:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York

June 8, Sewing FUNdamentals Workshop, 1:00 p.m., 4-H Building

June 9, Sewing Fun: Perfect Pillow Cases, 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. 4-H Building, York

June 10, Fashion Fabric, 1:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York

June 11, Photography Workshop, 9:00 a.m. 4-H Building, York

June 11, Leafing Out Workshop, 2:00 p.m. 4-H Building, York

June 12, Revolutionize your Style Workshop, 9:00 a.m. 4-H Building, York

June 15, Creating with Mosaics, 1:30 p.m. 4-H Building, York

June 16, Creating with Mosaics, 1:30 p.m. 4-H Building, York

June 18, Iris Folding, 1:30 p.m. 4-H Building, York

June 19, Pizza Pizzazz, 9:30 a.m. 4-H Building, York

June 22. Unique Batiki, 9:00 a.m. 4-H Building, York

June 22, Unique Batiki, 1:30 a.m. 4-H Building, York

June 22, Extension Board Exec. Meeting, 8:00 p.m. Extension Office, York

NRCS Funds Ogallala Area Initiative 

The NRCS has released $500,000 annually over the next four years for The Upper Big Blue Natural all Phase II and Phase III groundwater management areas of the Upper Big Blue NRD which are Areas 2, 3, 5, 6 and parts of 11 in Adams, Clay, Hamilton, Seward and York Counties. These areas have a mean groundwater nitrate levels above 7:00 pm. The goal of the project is to reduce groundwater nitrate levels by improving irrigation efficiency and nutrient management. Eligible practices are Nutrient Management, Cover Crop, Irrigation Water Management, Gravity to Pivot Conversion, Subsurface Drip Irrigation Conversion, Irrigation Pipeline, and Conservation Crop Rotation.  Producers interested in applying for funds have until June 19, 2015 to sign an application. Contact the York County NRCS office at (402) 362-5700 ext. 3 for more information.

Cropping Update

Finally producers had an opportunity to get a little planting done this past week.  Hopefully most are completed nearing completion.  It’s sure been a long tough go so far.  Our soil temperatures in the York area have averaged 67.4° F compared to our normal of 66.5° F for the past week, so we’re finally getting close to normal.

I checked my ETgages this past week and they averaged a drop of 1.4” for the week and the earliest planted corn I’m monitoring is between V4 and V5, so crop water use was for V4 corn was only .25” for the week.  We calculate it by multiplying the ETgage drop times the Crop Coefficient of .18 for V4 corn.  I looked back at last years data and the ETgage dropped 1.90” last year and the earliest planted corn was also at the V4 stage.  I was kind of surprised at that, had thought it was farther along last year.

I plan to share this info each week, but you can also check out the York Automatic weather station daily info you can at:  http://water.unl.edu/cropswater/nawmdn.  Then click on our Online ETgage, York County and the blue balloon.

I’d like to encourage area producer that have an ETgage to post there reading weekly on our site.

I hope you’ll check out this week’s CropWatch, several great topics to check out!  The address is:  http://cropwatch.unl.edu.  Jenny Rees has spent considerable time searching the literature and summarizing the area producers on-farm research results using sugar.  A couple other topics include “Why is Bt Corn Refuge Compliance so Important?” and the Cornhusker Economics story “Precision Agriculture Usage and Big Agriculture Data”.

Nebraska LEAD Applications Are Due June 15^th 

I like to encourage area producers and those involved in the ag industry to consider applying for the Nebraska LEAD (Leadership Education/Action Development) Group 35.  Up to 30 motivated men and women with demonstrated leadership potential will be selected from five geographic districts across our state.

The Nebraska LEAD Program is designed to prepare the spokespersons, problem solvers and decision makers for Nebraska and its agricultural industry.  The program will consist of monthly three-day seminars throughout Nebraska from mid-September through early April each year, a 10-day national study/travel seminar and a two-week international study/travel seminar.

Seminar themes include leadership assessment and potential, natural resources and energy, agricultural policy, leadership through communication, Nebraska’s political process, global perspectives, nuclear energy, social issues, understanding and developing leadership skills, agribusiness and marketing, advances in health care and the resources and people of Nebraska’s Panhandle.

Applications are due by June 15 and are available via email. Please contact Lauren at lszalkiewicz2@unl.edu. Those interested can also request an application by writing Room 318 Biochemistry Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 68583-0763 or by calling 402-472-6810. For information about the selection process, visit http://www.lead.unl.edu.

It’s a great program and I hope we’ll again have representatives from our area.  Let me know if you have any questions.

Yard and Garden

Have you been keeping up mowing and following the 1/3 rule?  I’ve been seeing several lawns that have whitish tops?  Typically it’s either a dull mower bale or your removing more than 1/3 of the leaf surface.  Both are hard on your turf.  I’ve been mowing about every six days and have been recycling the clippings which helps seed up mowing and cuts down on fertilizer needs.  For the latest turf information check out http://turf.unl.edu.

How is your garden doing?  Most of my veggies are going well except my squash and cucumbers.  I’ve planted them twice and will interplant a few more.  Now that the soils are warming up I’m guessing they’ll start to do better.

I have not seen any of the cabbage worms yet, but I’m guessing they’ll be on the way soon.  My first broccoli and cauliflower and starting to shoot head and the peas are blooming, so it won’t be long.  The radishes, lettuce/spinach and green onions have all done well.

It’s also time to make fungicide application to tomatoes and peppers to keep they leaves from becoming diseased.  Also mulching to keep the soil (or a guess I could say dirt) off the leaves will help reduce leaf spot disease on your tomatoes.

I’m looking forward to our Pallet Planter sessions we’re doing this Friday.  We’ve got 17 young people planning to recycle pallets into some type of planter.  Should be fun!

Let me know if you have questions I could address in this column.  I’d be glad to do that!