Coming Events
July 30, Horticulture Judging Contest, 2:00 p.m., 4-H Building York
August 1, BB Gun Contest, 9:00 a.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 1, Air Rifle & Pistol Contest, 7:00 p.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 2, Trap Shoot Contest, 2:00 p.m., Ikes Shooting Range, York
August 3, Tractor Driving Contest, 5:00 p.m., Fairgrounds, York
August 3, 4-H Style Revue, 7:00 p.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 4, Resistant Palmer amaranth Management Field Day, 8:30 a.m., near Schickley
August 4, Bicycle Rodeo, 9:00 a.m., Casting Contest, 11:00 a.m. Fairgrounds, York
August 4, Dog Show, 4:00 p.m. Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 4, Entry time for Open Class & FFA exhibits, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Ag Hall, Fairgrounds, York
August 5, Entry time for Open Class, 8:00 – 11:00 a.m., Ag Hall, Fairgrounds, York
August 5, Horse Show, 9:00 a.m., Horse Arena, York
August 5, Small Animal Show, 1:00 p.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 6-9, York County Fair Official Dates
August 6, Sheep & Meat Goat Show, 9:00 a.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 6, Dairy Goat, Dairy and Bucket Calf Show, 2:00 p.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 6, Pork BBQ, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Fairgrounds, York
August 6, 4-H/FFA Awards & Style Show, Big Tent, Fairgrounds, York
August 7, Beef Show, 9:00 a.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 7, Rabbit Show, 9:00 a.m., Small Animal Barn, York
August 7, UNL Science Mobil Lab, 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Fairgrounds, York
August 7, Extension Ice Cream Social, serving State Fair Carmel Corn Ice Cream, 8:00 p.m.
August 8, Swine Show, 8:30 a.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 8, Small Animal Round Robin, Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 9, Inspirational Service 9:30 a.m. Tent, Fairgrounds, York
August 9, Large Animal Round Robin, Cornerstone Event Center, York
August 9, Release of all Exhibits, 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Fairgrounds, York
August 18, Nutrient Workshop, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., 4-H Building, York
August 19, South Central Ag Lab Field Day, 8:50 a.m., near Clay Center
August 20, York County Corn Grower Plot Tour, 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Makovicka Farm, York
August 20, Crop Sense Field Day, 6:00 p.m., Cornerstone Event Center, York Fairgrounds
It’s Fair Time
It’s Fair time again! Have you raised some great vegetables, made some great cookies, canned some beets, sewn some outfits, quilted a quilt, taken some great photos or been crafty? Now is the time to plan to enter it at the fair in Ag Hall. To make entry time easier, stop by our office and pick up some entry tags and a fair book so you can fill them out ahead of time. Entry time for Open Class will be from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. on August 4th and from 8:00 – 11:00 a.m. on August 5th. Entries are made in Ag Hall on the Fairgrounds. Information needed for each entry are name & town, category (child, youth, adult or professional), class #, department, division and a description. If you were entering 10 ears of yellow corn it would be: class # 02017, department: Farm Products, division: Corn.Â
Our Superintendents and I can all way use a few extra hands on entry and judging day. We can also use a few people to staff Ag Hall and the Home Economics Buildings for a couple hours at a time on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoons. It’s not hard work, but we want someone in the buildings each afternoon/evening. If you’d like to help give me a call at 402-362-5508 or email me at gary.zoubek@unl.edu.
Cropping Update
Tamra Jackson-Ziems, UNL Plant Pathologist has confirmed that Southern Corn Rust disease has been confirmed in three Nebraska counties (Clay, Greeley and York). For the latest on this disease check out CropWatch at: http://cropwatch.unl.edu/. It’s important to scout your fields and confirm any samples via a lab test to determine if the disease is southern rust.
If you look over our list of coming events, you’ll see that it’s “Fair Timeâ€, but we also so have several other thing happening! Â
First, we have a Herbicide—Resistant Palmer amaranth Management Field Day planned for August 4th near Schickley. Registration at 8:30 a.m. program and tours at 9:00 a.m. Lunch will be provided. Featured speaker is Dr. Curtis Thompson, Kansas State University. Register at:  http://agronomy.unl.edu/weedresistmgt. More details on this and these other field days can be found at: http://york.unl.edu/crops-future. Just click on the appropriate link.
Second, we have the Soybean Management Field Days going on August 11th to 14th at Holdrege, Alda, Wakefield and Greenwood. Those attending will have an opportunity to register for a chance to win a 2015 Ford Explorer! For more information and directions to the field days go to: http://ardc.unl.edu/soydays.
Third, the Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (AFAN) and UNL Extension are sponsoring a series of free workshops. We will be hosting one in York on Tuesday August 18th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the 4-H Building.Â
The focus of these noon meetings is to showcase the ability for producers to diversify their nutrient portfolio with manure. AFAN, is working to promote the nutrient-rich product and help producers better understand the strides they can make when they use manure. Nebraska is helping lead the country in meat production and offers producers to take advantage of the by-products of this growing industry.
Producers will be able to engage with a myriad of industry professionals and answer their questions about manure application. Dr. Amy Schmidt of UNL’s Extension will head off the sessions in talking about the general idea and benefits of manure.
A free lunch will be served to everyone in attendance. If you are planning to attend, please call Emily Skillett – AFAN Livestock Coordinator at 402-421-4416 or email her at: emilys@a-fan.org.
Fourth, the UNL’s South Central Ag Lab (SCAL) near Clay Center will be hosting a field day Wednesday, August 19th with registration beginning at 8:00 a.m. and program from 8:50 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Â
Tour topics include:Â
Tour 1) Cover crop and water use research.Â
Tour 2) Resistance management for weeds and insects along with fungicide timing results.
Tour 3) Nutrient management topics of Nitrogen inhibitors, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Project Sense.
Tour 4) Soil moisture sensor research and underground wireless sensor demonstration.
Dr. Ronnie Green, Interim Sr. Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, NU Vice President and Harlan Vice Chancellor for IANR will be the keynote lunch speaker.
There is no charge for the field day, but you those attending are asked to RSVP to Jenny Rees for a meal count at jrees2@unl.edu or (402) 762-3644. CCA credits will be available.Â
Finally Fifth, the York Corn Growers will be hosting the annual plot tour on Thursday August 20th. It will be a little earlier than usual and will go from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The plot is located on the Ray and Ron Makovicka farm East of York on Road 14, north side between O & P. At 6:00 p.m. PROJECT SENSE (Sensors for Efficient Nitrogen Use and Stewardship of the Environment) Demonstration Day to follow at 6:00 p.m. at the Cornerstone Event Center, York Fair grounds. No Cost to attend register by calling 402-624-8000 or emailing Christina.franklin@unl.edu.   Â
I hope to see interested producers at several of these events!
Crop/Turf Water Use
Each week on Monday mornings I monitor several ETgages. The ones with alfalfa covers dropped 1.5†while the ones with grass covers dropped 1.25†for the week! Much of the corn is at the tassel stage or beyond, so the factor is 1.1. We use 1.65†for the week or .24†per day. We received about .5†of rain, so we were only about 1†short for the week. I’m sure the high humidity is what reduced the water use. The turf water use was 1.25†or .18â€/day. It’s important to monitor crop/turf ET. For the latest information check out our website: http://nawmn.unl.edu. Click on the view weekly ETgage data link.
Mobile Science Lab
Thanks to sponsorship from Flint Hills Resources, we will have the Nebraska Extension Mobile Science Lab at the Fair on Friday Augusts 7th from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
2:00 – 3:00 pm Open House for K-12 Teachers/FFA Advisors
Tour the new Mobile Science Lab
Learn how to bring the Science Lab to your school!
3:00 – 4:00 pm Science in Agriculture (adults)
Farm irrigation water management
Crop diseases
Plant breeding and genetics
4:00 – 7:00 pm Engaging Youth in Agriculture (youth)
Youth learn about crop genetics
Create your own seed germination necklace
Make an ultraviolet (UV) radiation detector
7:00 – 8:00 pm Open HouseÂ
Tour the new Mobile Science Lab
Youth science experiment displays
Learn how to bring the Science Lab to your community!
I hope you’ll plan to stop by and check it out!
