Coming Events
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
We are in full swing! We’ve had the BB gun, air rifle/pistol and trap contests over the weekend. The 4-H style revue was last evening along with the tractor driving contest. Today is the Tuesday August 4th is the bicycle rodeo, casting contest and dog show.Â
Entry time for Open Class exhibits is from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. today on Tuesday the 4th and from 8 to 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday August 5th!
I hope to see you at the fair that’s going on thru Sunday August 8th! For the latest updates go to: http://www.yorkcountyfair.com/ or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/YorkCountyFair
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.Â
Below is the planned schedule:
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!
Cropping Update
I hope you were one of the lucky ones that received a little rain Friday/Saturday. Here at the Extension Office I had a little over and inch of rain between the two events! If not, it looks like we’ve got some chances for rain the next several days.Â
The ETgages I’ve been monitoring weekly drop an average of 1.3†for the week. With much of the corn and soybeans in our peak stages for water use, if we multiply by the 1.1, the average water use has been about 1.43†for the week or about .20â€/day. For the latest crop water use or ET go to: https://nawmn.unl.edu/ and click on view weekly ET data.
I’d like to remind area producers about the 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.
The Alliance for the Future of Agriculture in Nebraska (AFAN) and UNL Extension are sponsoring a series of free manure workshops and 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 several industry professionals and have their questions about manure application answered. 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.
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
For more information and a flier go to:  http://york.unl.edu/crops-future and click on the August 19th link. It should be a great field day!
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
Lawn and Garden
How’s your lawn and garden doing? It won’t be long and we’ll be thinking fall and fall gardening or renovating/seeding turf.Â
If you’re planning a fall garden, prepare a shallow frim seed bed, soak the seeds overnight before planting, open deep rows and plant slightly deeper than spring planting. Planting a little thicker than normal, water and thin stands once established.
Some suggested crops and planting dates for our area:Â
Table beets, carrots, lettuce and snap beans –first week of August
Chinese cabbage, radishes – first three weeks of August
Spinach – mid August – mid September
Good luck if you give it a try!
I’ve had a couple of questions about seeding turf or improving current grass stands, so I thought I’d share a couple of publications that can help you out. Keys to successful establishment is good site prep and seed selection. Beginning in mid-August is a great time to establish cool season grasses. Check out the links to these two publication or stop by our office for a copy:
http://turf.unl.edu/NebGuides/Establishingturffromseed2012l.pdf
http://turf.unl.edu/NebGuides/ImprovingTurfinFallPrograms2010A.pdf
Good luck, I hope to see you at the Fair!
