Extension Update from Jenny Rees

Jenny’s REESources 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

**NOTE Date Change:  Feb. 2:  Land Application Training, York Extension Office.  RSVP tojrees2@unl.edu or 402-362-5508
Feb. 2:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 p.m., Senior Center, Kenesaw, ron.seymour@unl.edu
Feb. 3:  Pesticide Training, 9am, St. Joseph Fellowship Hall, Friend, rpryor1@unl.edu
Feb. 6:  Pesticide Training, 9am, Hebron Activity Center (downtown), jrees2@unl.edu
Feb. 6:  Pesticide Training, 2pm, Community Center, Nelson, jrees2@unl.edu
Feb. 7:  Pesticide Training, 9am, 4-H Building in York, jrees2@unl.edu 402-362-5508
Feb. 7:  Pesticide Training, 2pm, 4-H Building in York, jrees2@unl.edu 402-362-5508
Feb. 7:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m., Hruska Library, David City, mrethwisch2@unl.edu
Feb. 7:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m., Ag Building Fairgrounds, Aurora,smelvin1@unl.edu
Feb. 8:  Sprayer Clinic, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. 4-H Exhibition Building, Tuxedo Park Crete, NEhttp://extension.unl.edu/statewide/saline/Crops/2017%20UNL%20Sprayer%20Applicator%20Clinic%20Flyer.pdf
Feb. 8:  LBNRD Nitrogen Training, 9am, Hebron Community Center, 402-364-2145
Feb. 8:  UBBNRD Nitrogen Training, 1:30 p.m., Holthus Convention Center, 402-362-6601
Feb. 9:  Pesticide Training, 9 am, Hall Co. Extension, Grand Island,
Feb. 9:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m., Fairgrounds Central City, smelvin1@unl.edu
Feb. 9:  Pesticide Training, 6:30 p.m., Community Center, Blue Hill, ron.seymour@unl.edu
Feb. 10:  Wilbur Crop Clinic, Sokol Hall 317 South Wilson – Wilber, NE, 8am-3pm,http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/saline/PDFFiles/Randy/2017%20Wilber%20Crop%20Clinic%20Flyer%20with%20Times.pdf
Feb. 12-14:  Great Plains Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference, Missouri Western State University, St Joseph, MO
Feb. 13:  Pesticide Training, 9am, Community Center, Nelson jrees2@unl.edu
Feb. 13:  Pesticide Training, 6:30pm, Fairgrounds in Clay Center, jrees2@unl.edu 402-762-3644
Feb. 14:  Nebraska Cover Crop Conference, ARDC near Mead, http://ardc.unl.edu/nebraska-cover-crop-conference
Feb. 14:  Hamilton County Ag Day, Fairgrounds, Aurora
Feb. 14:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 p.m., Dick’s Place, Lawrence, ron.seymour@unl.edu
Feb. 15:  Pesticide Training, 9am, Harvest Hall Fairgrounds Seward, jrees2@unl.edu
Feb. 15:  Pesticide Training, 9 am, Hall Co. Extension, Grand Island
Feb. 15:  Pesticide Training, 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Fairgrounds, Aurora,mrethwisch2@unl.edu
Feb. 15:  Chemigation, 1 p.m., Hall Co. Extension Office, Grand Island, troy.ingram@unl.edu
Feb. 15:  Pesticide Training, 2pm, Harvest Hall Fairgrounds Seward, jrees2@unl.edu
Feb. 15:  Pesticide Training, 6:30 p.m.,  Saline Center Hall, Western, rpryor1@unl.edu
Feb. 16:  LBNRD Nitrogen Training, 1:30 p.m., Fairgrounds in Clay Center 402-364-2145
Feb. 16:  Pesticide Training, 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Fairgrounds Geneva, bvandewalle2@unl.edu
Feb. 17:  Pesticide Training, 9am, DeWitt Community Center, DeWitt, rpryor1@unl.edu
Feb. 17:  Solar Energy Workshop, 1-3:30 p.m., Jones National Bank and Trust Basement Auditorium, Seward, jrees2@unl.edu
Feb. 20:  Nebraska On-Farm Research Update, ARDC near Mead, http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch
Feb. 21:  Pesticide Training, 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Fillmore Co. Fairgrounds, Geneva,bvandewalle2@unl.edu
Feb. 21:  Pesticide Training, 9 a.m., Webster Co. Fairgrounds, Bladen, ron.seymour@unl.edu
Feb. 21:  Chemigation, 2 p.m., Franklin Co. Fairgrounds, ron.seymour@unl.edu
Feb. 22:  Farmers/Ranchers College:  Managing for Difficult Times, 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Fairgrounds in Geneva, RSVP  (402) 759-3712
Feb. 22:  Pesticide Training, 1:00 p.m., Firehall Meeting Room, Tobias, rpryor1@unl.edu
Feb. 23-24:  Women in Agriculture Conference, Holiday Inn Kearney, http://wia.unl.edu
Feb. 27:  Nebraska On-Farm Research Update, Hall Co. Extension Office, Grand Island,http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch
Feb. 27:  Farmers/Ranchers College:  Tips and Tricks for Women in Ag, 6:00 p.m., Lazy Horse Winery in Ohiowa, RSVP  (402) 759-3712
Feb. 28:  LBNRD Nitrogen Training, 9am, Shickley Community Center 402-364-2145
Feb. 28:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 p.m., Fairgrounds Osceola, mrethwisch2@unl.edu
Feb. 28:  Beef Profitability Meeting, 10am, Fairgrounds, Osceola
Mar. 1:  Chemigation, 1 p.m., 4-H Building, York, smelvin1@unl.edu
Mar. 1:  Chemigation, 1 pm, Pinnacle Bank, Columbus, anygren2@unl.edu
Mar. 2:  Pesticide Training, 9am, United Church of Christ, Crete, rpyror1@unl.edu
Mar. 2:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 p.m., Ag Building Fairgrounds, Aurora, smelvin1@unl.edu
Mar. 2:  Pesticide Training, 6 p.m., Bruning Opera House, Bruning, bvandewalle2@unl.edu
Mar. 6:  Pesticide Training, 2pm, Harvest Hall Fairgrounds Seward, jrees2@unl.edu
Mar. 6:  Pesticide Training, 6:30pm, 4-H Building Fairgrounds York, jrees2@unl.edu 402-362-5508
Mar. 8:  Pesticide Training, 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Fairgrounds Osceola, mrethwisch2@unl.edu
Mar. 9:  Pesticide Training, 9 am, Hall Co. Extension, Grand Island
Mar. 9:  Pesticide Training, 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Hruska Library, David City,mrethwisch2@unl.edu
Mar. 16:  Chemigation, 1:30 p.m., Adams County Fairgrounds, Hastings, ron.seymour@unl.edu
Mar. 22:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m., Adams Co. Fairgrounds, Hastings,ron.seymour@unl.edu
Mar. 23:  Pesticide Training, 9 am, Hall Co. Extension, Grand Island
Apr. 11:  Pesticide Training, 1:30 and 6:30 p.m., Hruska Library, David City,mrethwisch2@unl.edu

Master Gardener Training:  Tuesday evenings 6-9 p.m. from February 7-March 21 at York and Clay County Extension Offices.  Please RSVP to jrees2@unl.edu or 402-362-5508 for attending in York or Deanna Peshek at 402-762-3644 to attend in Clay.

Farm Finance Clinic Sites and Dates To sign up for a clinic or to get more information, call Michelle at the Nebraska Farm Hotline at 1-800-464-0258.

Nebraska Ag Technologies Association Conference:  The annual Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association (NeATA) conference will be held Feb. 1-2 at the Nebraska Innovation Campus Conference Center, 2021 Transformation Dr., Lincoln.  The Nebraska Agricultural Technologies Association is a membership network that provides a venue for members to share agricultural research experiences and knowledge related to current and emerging technologies in agriculture. Membership is not required to attend the conference.

The conference begins at 10 a.m. on Feb. 1 and ends at 4 p.m. on Feb. 2.  The first day of the conference will be a full-day symposium on aerial imagery in agriculture. Six speakers, from both private industry and governmental agencies, will discuss satellite, plane and UAV platforms for capturing imagery, before participating in a panel discussion. Tours of the Food Processing Center and Greenhouse Innovation Center will be offered at the end of the day.

Day two speakers include Nebraska Extension Associate Dean Dave Varner and Jeremy Wilson, Technology Specialist for Crop IMS. Attendees will also be able to choose from 16 break-out offerings, covering topics including soil management, water management, data management, and machinery and hardware. The closing keynote speaker will be Agrifood innovation expert and data strategy consultant Lisa Prassack. Prassack will discuss assembling the precision agriculture puzzle for farm profit.  For more information about the conference or to register, visit http://neata.org or contact Nebraska Extension Educator Nathan Mueller at 402-727-2775 or nathan.mueller@unl.edu.

Solar Energy Workshop in Seward:  A solar energy workshop will focus on applications of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for farms, ranches, residences, and rural businesses in Seward on Friday, February 17 from 1-3:30 p.m. at Jones National Bank and Trust Basement Auditorium in Seward.  The seminar is open to the public at no charge.  Grid tied solar PV, economics, basic design considerations and feasibility will be the main topics of discussion.  Participants will learn how to use basic online tools to model their own locations and learn about economic considerations such as payback, grants, tax credits, and depreciation.  Please pre-register at the Seward County Extension Office if you’re interested in attending by calling (402) 643-2981.

Nebraska Cover Crops Conference:  Interested in adding cover crops to your corn-soybean rotation, but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re already using cover crops and would like to talk with others about some challenges you faced?  From farmer experiences to agribusiness opportunities and research updates, speakers at the 2017 Nebraska Cover Crops Conference will be addressing a variety of topics pertinent to cover crop growers at every level.

The Nebraska Extension conference will be held at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead Tuesday, Feb. 14, starting with refreshments at 8:30 a.m., followed by a program at 9 a.m., and ending at 3:15 p.m. (The ENREC is located at the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research and Development Center, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca.)

The conference is sponsored by Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Soybean Board in partnership with the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District and USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE).  More information and registration can be found at:  http://ardc.unl.edu/nebraska-cover-crop-conference or by calling (402) 624-8030.  Please pre-register by February 10 to ensure adequate materials and meals.

Topics and Speakers include:  Termination of Cover Crops: What if the Plan Doesn’t Work? Developing a Plan for Grain Crop Herbicide Management — Rodrigo Werle, Extension cropping systems specialist; Planting Green Management — Dan Gillespie, no-till specialist, USDA NRCS; Cover Crop Influence on Corn and Soybean Nutrient Management — Ray Ward, president, Ward Lab and Paul Jasa, Extension engineer; How Cover Crops are Managed on Our Farms, and Cover Crops and Early Maturing Corn and Soybean Hybrids and Varieties — Roger Elmore, Extension Cropping systems specialist, and Nathan Mueller, extension educator.  Two panel discussions will also be held.  A farmer panel sharing cover crop experiences will include:  Ben and Paul Steffen of Humboldt; Tom Fick, K Double T Certified Crop Adviser of Albion; and Mick Minchow, farm operator of Waverly. 

A second panel will feature individuals from Nebraska agribusinesses that have expanded their products or services to include cover crops. 

Among the speakers will be Jody Saathoff, a farmer and farm representative for CHS Agri Service Center in Minden, who has been working with cover crops since 2004. The first year he started with a monoculture cover crop planted after winter wheat. After attending a No-till on the Plains tour to Gabe Brown’s North Dakota farm, he tried a multi-species mix that provided improved performance, despite water restrictions in his area. Since then he has worked with farmers to grow, tweak, and refine cover crop plantings, often in parallel with no-till, in standard rotations.  In a four-year grower study conducted in central Nebraska, Saathoff said growers found benefits for several years when planting cover crops in just one of three years.

Ryan Krenk, a farmer and agronomist with Roth Aerial, said they have been seeding cover crops for the last five years, including aerial seeding into soybean just before the leaves start to turn yellow. The cover crop helps avoid a flush of weeds immediately post-harvest that can rob the soil of valuable moisture.

Brothers Todd and Russell Kavan, owners of Saunders County Seed Services in Wahoo, initially sold cover crop seed and then found that growers didn’t have the proper equipment or the time to get cover crops seeded when they wanted to.

Learn more from these and other innovative growers and agribusiness representatives at the Nebraska Cover Crops Conference.