Extension Update from Jenny Rees

Jenny’s REESources 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

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. 21:  Master Gardener Training, 6-9 p.m., York (402) 362-5508 and Clay (402-762-3644) County Extension Offices
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
Feb. 28:  Master Gardener Training, 6-9 p.m., York (402) 362-5508 and Clay (402-762-3644) County Extension Offices
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.

Hearing Impaired Private Applicator Pesticide Training:  Any private pesticide applicators who are hearing impaired will have an opportunity for special sign language accommodations during the February 17, 2017 private applicator pesticide training at the Dewitt Community Center in Dewitt, NE from 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.  If you are interested in attending for this purpose, please contact the Saline County Extension Office at (402) 821-2151.

Reminder Master Gardener’s Programs Tuesday Evenings:  The Master Gardener training program continues this week with distance-education lawn and garden programs.  These programs will be available to view at the York (402-362-5508) and Clay (402-762-3644) County Extension Offices on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m.  Anyone interested in becoming a master gardener, seeking master gardener educational credits, or in gardening without becoming a master gardener are welcome to attend.  Sessions cost $5 per session or $20 for the series to cover educational materials.  Please contact the Extension office if you plan to attend.  Please also contact us if you’re interested in becoming a master gardener as additional materials need to be ordered and there is a separate fee.  This week’s topic on February 14^th will be on “Turf Basics”.  Additional topics include:  Feb. 21-Small Fruit Production; Feb. 28-Soil Basics; Mar. 7-Landscape Design; Mar. 21-Insect Physiology, Pesticides, and Pollinators.

Emerald Ash Borer Programs to be Held in March:  The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) confirmed that emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered during a site inspection in Omaha’s Pulaski Park on June 6, 2016. A quarantine also regulates the movement of hardwood firewood and mulch, ash timber products and green waste material out of Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Washington and Dodge counties to assist in the prevention of human-assisted spread of the pest into un-infested areas.

Last summer, numerous questions were received at the Extension Office after the discovery of emerald ash borer in Nebraska.  To aid homeowners with their questions and correct identification, emerald ash borer programs will be held in York at the 4-H Building (March 16), Seward at the Civic Center (March 23), and Clay Center at the Fairgrounds (March 30).  A light supper will be served from 5:30-6pm at all locations with the program running from 6-7pm.   There is no charge for these programs, but please RSVP to the local Extension Office to ensure for enough food and materials.  RSVP to (402) 362-5508 in York Co; (402) 643-2981 in Seward Co; and (402) 762-3644 in Clay Co.

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.

2017 York County Corn Growers Plot:  Reminder to any seed dealers to consider adding your hybrid entries into the 2017 York County Corn Grower’s Plot.  Contest rules and information in addition to last year’s yield results can be found on the York County Corn Grower Website at:  http://www.yorkcountycorngrowers.com/.

On-Farm Research Update Meetings:  One of my favorite activities is working with farmers in their own fields conducting on-farm research to answer the questions they have in a scientific manner.  Likewise, some of my favorite winter meetings are the on-farm research updates that are upcoming in late February.  The reason?  Our farmer-cooperators who conducted research with Extension to answer their questions in their own fields will present their research results!  I enjoy the interaction, discussion, questions farmers ask each other as the highest level of learning occurs in these programs.  I think sometimes people walk away disappointed after these meetings when they realize there’s no silver bullets for increasing yields.  Often there’s a few things to consider trying or additional ideas are spurred from these meetings.  However, I’d also suggest there’s value to know what didn’t work to increase yields on your peer’s fields.  Attending these programs is a great way to learn what your peers are doing and what did and didn’t work for them in their situations. 

This past year, over 70 studies were completed in the following topic areas: cover crops, variable rate seeding, planting populations, multi-hybrid planting, starter fertilizer, fungicide applications, alternate crop rotations, seed treatments (including treatment for Sudden Death Syndrome), and side-dress nitrogen management technologies including commercially available models and Project SENSE which uses crop canopy sensors for in-season, variable-rate nitrogen management.

So please consider attending!  Locations and times include:  Feb. 20 — near Mead, at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center located at the Agricultural Research and Development Center; Feb. 21 — Norfolk at the Lifelong Learning Center, Northeast Community College; Feb. 23 — North Platte at the West Central Research and Extension Center; Feb. 24 — Alliance at the Knight Museum Sandhills Center, 908 Yellowstone Ave.; and Feb. 27 — Grand Island at the Hall County Extension Office, College Park Campus. 

At Mead, Norfolk, and Grand Island registration is at 8:30 a.m. and the program is from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CDT. At North Platte registration is at 11:30 a.m. and the program is from 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  At Alliance registration begins at 8:30 a.m. MDT with the program from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. MDT. Lunch will be served at all locations.

The event is free; preregistration is requested for meal planning purposes. Call (402) 624-8030 or e-mail onfarm@unl.edu to register for any of the five sites. To learn more about the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network and how to participate, visit http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch.  Certified Crop Advisor Credits have been applied for.  The on-farm research effort is sponsored by Nebraska Extension in partnership with the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Corn Board, the Nebraska Soybean Board, and the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission.