Upcoming Events:
Mar 9: Pesticide Training, 6 pm, Lincoln, Extension Office
Mar. 9: Beef Quality Assurance, 6-8 p.m., Community Center, Red Cloud
Mar 10: Pesticide Training, 9 am, Lincoln, Extension Office
Mar 10: Pesticide Training, 9 am & 6 pm, Clay Center, Fairgrounds
Mar 10: Pesticide Training, 9 am & 1 pm, Osceola, Fairgrounds
Mar. 10: Farmers/Ranchers College “Strategies for Family Farming Success in the Shark Tank”, 6 p.m. (Reg. 5:30), Fairgrounds in Geneva, RSVP here
Mar 10: Pesticide Training, 6 pm, Wilber, Extension Office
Mar. 11: Crop Scout Training for Pest Managers, ENREC (former ARDC near Mead)
Mar. 14: Intro. to Beekeeping Workshop, Raising Nebraska, Grand Island,
Mar. 16: Kiwanis Ag Banquet, 5:30 p.m. social, 6:30 p.m. meal, Fairgrounds, Seward, Tickets: 402-643-3636
Mar. 16: Annie’s Inspired Workshop: Crop Scouting, 6-8 p.m., 4-H Bldg, York, RSVP: 402-367-7410 or 402-362-5508
Mar. 19: Chemigation Training, 1:30 pm, Fairgrounds, Holdrege
Mar. 24: Hemp in the Heartland Seminar, 1-4 p.m., Nebraska Innovation Conf. Center, Lincoln, https://hnpfarm.com/events/
Mar. 26: Chemigation Training, 1:30 p.m., Extension Office, Kearney
Mar. 30: CSI for youth, 5-6 p.m., jrees2@unl.edu
Mar 31: Dicamba Training, 5 pm, Hastings, Adams Co Extension Office
This week is the anniversary of the 2019 Bomb Cyclone. Perhaps you’ve thought of that, perhaps you haven’t. I think this event for Nebraskans will forever be etched in our minds. Some may be reflecting on last year’s calving season being exceptionally difficult in February. Some lost additional animals to the blizzard/flooding in March. Some experienced flooding in our homes, fields, property. Some of us housed family/friends. Many of us found different routes with closed roads. Many of us helped others in the aftermath and/or donated money/supplies. Recovery is a process; a year later, recovery is still in process for many in our State.
Traumatic events, whether this one or others we experience in life, can conjur up a variety of feelings within us. Whether anger, sadness, fear, overwhelmed, relief, gratitude, or others, it’s important to honestly acknowledge our feelings. Children may not always know how to express their feelings, but having them draw pictures and talk about them can help. Michelle Krehbiel, Extension Youth Development Specialist, shares that acknowledging feelings is part of the recovery process. She also shares a number of other things to consider in the recovery process. These include:
“Engage in healthy ways to cope with stress (exercising, reading, journaling); Being gentle with oneself (show yourself kindness, reflect on how far you’ve come); Accept kindness and help of others (allow others to help and show you their care and concern); Use your social support system (talk with trusted friends/family/members of faith community); and Help others (volunteering can aid healing).” You can read more at: https://disaster.unl.edu/disaster-anniversaries.
What Michelle shared regarding ways to aid in recovery is so true for me. Regardless of the traumatic or difficult things in life, it is important to acknowledge our feelings, talk with others, and find positive ways to manage the stress. I know managing stress and the feelings associated with negative stress aren’t things that most in our farm community wish to talk about. Yet it’s so important.
I shared some of this during pesticide trainings this winter as well. I know it’s uncomfortable to talk about, yet we may not know what others are going through. I would encourage us to keep checking in with each other. If you’re struggling, please reach out to someone; you do matter! If you wish to talk to someone anonymously, the Rural Response Hotline 800-464-0258 offers free counseling, financial, and legal services. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 800-273-8255. I’m so grateful for those who’ve trusted me with their stories/struggles and I’m so grateful for those who have listened to and helped me! It takes courage, strength, and vulnerability to share and seek help; that is also being ‘Nebraska Strong’.
ARC-IC: I haven’t talked much about ARC-IC as an option for the farm bill. However, for those who had farms with 100% prevent plant or significant corn or soybean yield losses in 2019, it may be something to consider. I wrote a blog post sharing more at: https://jenreesources.com/2020/03/06/arc-ic-and-illinois-tool/.
Nebraska Soil Health/Cover Crop Conference Presentations: If you missed the Feb. 13th Soil Health/Cover Crop Conference or were unable to attend, the recorded presentations can be viewed at: https://go.unl.edu/n55x.
Nebraska Department of Ag (NDA) Pesticide Number: NDA no longer has an 800 or 877 phone number. If you received a post card for your $25 bill for pesticide training this year, it has an 877 number on the back. Please do not call that number as a scammer has picked it up. You can reach NDA at (402) 471-2351.
