Extension Update from Jenny Rees

Extension Update from Jenny Rees

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Sept. 13-15: Husker Harvest Days, Husker Road, Alda, NE
Sept. 27:  Corn Residue Field Day, Noon, near Ainsworth, RSVP 402-387-2213
Sept. 27:  Corn Residue Field Day, 5:30 p.m., Northeast Community College, RSVP 402-387-2213
Sept. 28:  Corn Residue Field Day, 1:30 p.m. USMARC near Clay Center, RSVP 402-362-5508 or jrees2@unl.edu
Sept. 28:  Corn Residue Field Day 5:30 p.m., Buffalo Co. Extension Kearney, RSVP 308-236-1235
Nov. 14:  Ag Land Lease Workshop and Flexible Cash Lease Workshop, 4-H Building, York
Dec. 1:  Solar Power in Ag Workshop, 4-H Building, York

As I write this we are remembering 15 years since 9/11/2001.  Prayers and thoughts today for all those who lost loved ones as a result of the terror attacks and those who lost loved ones serving our country since. 

Corn Residue Cooperator Field Days:  Field days are being held throughout Nebraska for farmers to understand the impacts of grazing and baling corn residue on subsequent crop yields; effect of grazing and baling corn residue on soil components; and sharing survey results regarding what crop consultants and grain farmers think about grazing corn residue.  This research had been conducted on cooperating farmers’ fields and was funded by a Sustainable Ag Research Education (SARE) grant.  These free field days will be held at six locations across Nebraska and I’ll list the closest ones here.  On September 27^th at Noon near Ainsworth (Contact Denny Bauer 402-387-2213) and the Northeast Community College in Norfolk beginning at 5:30 p.m. with supper (Contact Denny Bauer 402-387-2213); Sept. 28^th at USMARC Building 1 Auditorium near Clay Center beginning at 1:30 p.m. with refreshments and adjournment at 3:45 p.m. (please RSVP to jrees2@unl.edu or 402-362-5508); Buffalo County Extension Office in Kearney with 5:30 p.m. dinner (contact Brent Plugge 308-236-1235).  Hope to see many of you at the Clay Center field day!

Pivot Pressure Regulator Testing at Husker Harvest Days:  A reminder with Husker Harvest Days this week that Nebraska Extension is offering free testing of center pivot irrigation pressure regulators at the IANR building all three days of Husker Harvest Days September 13-15 in Grand Island.  Irrigators are encouraged to bring two regulators per pivot span for testing. They can be dropped off at the IANR building in the morning and picked up, along with a report, later in the day.  For more information on pressure regulators see this NebGuide:  http://go.unl.edu/nmcm.

Irrigation Question:  Another question I receive a few times each month is ‘what should I charge my neighbor for my pivot/gravity system watering a portion of their non-irrigated land’.  There is actually a spreadsheet and an app to help answer this depending on what you’re more comfortable in using.  The IRRIGCOST spreadsheet is a downloadable excel file in which you can input information to determine the cost to irrigate on a dollar per acre-inch basis.  You can also use it to determine which fuel system would cost the least if you’re considering a change.  The spreadsheet can be found by scrolling to the center of this page:  http://cropwatch.unl.edu/economics/realestate and clicking on IRRIGCOST.  You can also download an app that will do the same thing at:  http://ianr.unl.edu/agriculture-irrigation-costs-app.

Wheat:  Last week’s edition of CropWatch at http://cropwatch.unl.edu/2016/unl-cropwatch-sept-2-2016 had a focus on wheat information to consider.  Wheat is a great crop in rotation and I’ve received more questions about growing it.  Also, Dr. Cody Creech, Dryland Cropping Systems Specialist, is conducting a wheat production survey for the State of Nebraska to identify practices that aid in successful wheat production and to identify research needs based on farmer input.  If you are interested in sharing your experiences by completing a 10 minute survey, please provide me your mailing address at:  jrees2@unl.edu or call 402-362-5508. 

Raising Nebraska:  The Raising Nebraska building in Grand Island at the State Fairgrounds has several special upcoming programs.  September 16:  Celebrate National Play-doh Day at Raising Nebraska! Register your class or daycare youth to participate in National Play-Doh Day at Raising Nebraska by making their own play-doh to take home!  Special day and fee of $0.50 per kid! Register by September 15^th to attend.  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e4aaaa62ea7fe3-national.
              October 8^: Nebraska Mystery Foods Event:  This is event is open to any youth aged 10 and older that has an interest or enjoys creativity, food science or culinary arts.  The event will begin at 12:30 and should conclude by 5:00 pm.  Youth will make a main dish in teams by using food items provided and one mystery ingredient.  For more information visit http://raisingnebraska.net or contact Beth Janning at ejanning2@unl.edu.  Teams must register by Sept 28.
               October 21^: Pork: How it’s Raising and How it’s Braised – This is a day for adults and youth (must be 2 years old) to come enjoy.  Adults will have pork food demonstrations focused on easy meals by Nebraska Pork Producer Jane Stone while youth will have their own program about pigs.  Program is from 10 am to noon.  Attendees must register by October 21^st to attend:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e4aaaa62ea7fe3-celebrate1
               October 24^th thru October 27^th – Pumpkin Galore – Register a class or group to attend a Pumpkin Day!  Learn about the Pumpkin Life Cycle, inspect pumpkin vines up close, and paint your own pumpkin.  Special Day and Program of $1.00 per student.  Registration Deadline of October 17, 2016:  http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0e4aaaa62ea7fe3-celebrate
               Science Saturday’s are free and open to the public for anyone to attend.  No registration needed. Time is 10:00 am to noon.  October 8^th – Drone Discover: Complete the National 4-H Science Experiment with us!  If you have done it before or it is the first time, plan on attending!  November 12^th – Insects!  December 10^th – Nebraska Pulses Feed the World.

Trees:  The cooler weather has caused aphid populations to increase in deciduous trees.  Aphids are insects with piercing/sucking mouthparts and secrete honeydew which is a sugary substance.  Some fungi feed on this honeydew and thus the black, sooty appearance that is also observed on tree leaves or on items where the honeydew has been deposited.  We don’t typically recommend anything for aphid control, especially this late in the season. 

Lawns:  After a summer of decent rainfall, weeds have grown quite well. Late summer into fall is the best time of year to control some weeds with herbicides. It is fine to hoe or hand-pull any weed at any time to reduce seed production and allow turfgrass to fill in areas to better compete next year. Common weeds for which herbicide control works best when applied from mid-September to mid-October include dandelions, ground ivy, white clover, violets, bindweed, thistles, and other broadleaf perennial weeds. Combination products containing more than one active ingredient, such as Trimec and Surge, are products homeowners can apply to lawns for perennial broadleaf weeds. Wait until mid-September to make the first application. If needed, make a second application in October.
              Yellow nutsedge is growing well. This grass-like plant, also known as water or nut grass, is a sedge, not a grass. Herbicides that kill grasses typically do not kill nutsedge. The blades are waxy and triangular rather than flat like grass blades. The plant is yellow-green and grows faster than bluegrass. Nutsedge is a warm season perennial that grows rapidly in July and August, especially in wet soils. It is hard to control because the waxy leaves repel herbicides, and its roots terminate in a nut-like tuber, the size of a popcorn kernel, from which new plants grow, even if the main plant is killed. Control begins with making sure the area is not over-irrigated. For homeowners, hand-pulling or spraying nutsedge with the herbicide Sedgehammer will kill the main plant now but new plants will still grow from the tubers; so be prepared to hand-pull or spray the area in June of next year.