Monthly Archives: November 2024
Thanksgiving and Gratitude
For 20.5 years I’ve been writing news columns and sharing them each Sunday night under the name JenREESources. It was a play on my name and Deanna Peshek, the Clay County Office manager at the time, helped me develop the creative branding.
Several have asked what I’m going to do with my name with my recent marriage. My email and blog will come from Jenny Brhel and the branding as JenResources (but my website url will remain the same). I’m truly honored and humbled with all the information available that there are people who choose to read what I write!
Gratitude: With Thanksgiving this week, I just find myself extra grateful for the blessings God has given me in life. Some of those blessings are my new husband Brian, our families, and all the people who have spoken into our lives and walked alongside of us. We all go through brokenness of some type at some point in our lives. I’m grateful to God for all He brought me from, through, and to where I am today, for the healing, for the flourishing.
Those of you who’ve read my column for awhile know that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, yet I’ve seen the importance and seek to live with gratitude, albeit imperfectly. I wasn’t too grateful for a difficult situation this past year and had to dig deep to find some gratitude in it, but there is always something if we allow ourselves to choose a different mindset. As I talk with and walk alongside of people, it seems like there’s increasing fear, anxiety, stress. For encouragement, Fear and Anxiety can’t succeed in the midst of Gratitude. Gratitude produces Joy! Taking time to write or say aloud something you’re thankful for in the midst of fear or anxiety is a great way to change one’s mindset! So, this Thanksgiving, no matter how difficult the circumstances, may we seek to find Gratitude in the many ways we are blessed. May we then seek to live with gratitude and joy in our lives no matter the difficulties we each face!
Thanksgiving Food Safety: Interesting fact, the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest food borne-illness day of the year. Nebraska Extension continues to do their part to help our clientele remain heathy and have good food safety practices. The following are from Extension Educator Cindy Brison and our Food Safety Team. We also have this information available in Spanish.
One of the most frequently asked questions around Thanksgiving is “How do I thaw a frozen turkey?”…including on Thanksgiving morning! The answer to this question is an important step in meal prep for food safety. Unsafe handling and undercooking the turkey can cause foodborne illness. For information on thawing your turkey and more: https://food.unl.edu/how-thaw-turkey
Do not wash or rinse your raw turkey! Avoid washing or rinsing a turkey (or any eggs, meat or poultry products for that matter) before cooking. Juices can transfer bacteria onto kitchen surfaces, other foods and utensils. If you must wash or rinse your turkey because of brining or other marinating processes, be sure to thoroughly clean and then sanitize all kitchen surfaces to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination. For more safety tips: https://go.unl.edu/washingturkey
Reminder: Cash Lease Workshop in York from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (no charge and meal included thanks to Farmer’s National) on Dec. 3 at the 4-H Bldg. in York. RSVP: 402-362-5508.
Also Dr. Kohl is at the Bruning Opera House at 1 p.m. on Dec. 3 (no charge).
Sharing as one of my favorite songs-Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
JenREES 11/10/24
York Co. Corn Grower Plot Results: Special Thank You to Doug, Jason, and Karah Perdue for hosting the York Co. Corn Grower Plot this year! The results are located at: https://jenreesources.com/2024/11/08/2024-york-co-corn-grower-plot/ or can be obtained from the York Co. Extension Office. Congratulations to Dekalb with DKC 114-42 winning the plot at 289.4 bu/ac!
Out of the Office: I’m excited to take some time off, including for my wedding! I won’t be answering questions till I return November 18. You are still welcome to please reach out to your local Extension office with questions and the office staff will direct you to a colleague who can help.
Dr. Kohl at Farmers/Ranchers College Dec. 3: This year Farmers & Ranchers College will kick off December 3rd featuring Dr. David Kohl. Registration will start at 12:45 p.m. and the program will start at 1:00 p.m. at the Opera House in Bruning, NE. The program is titled, “Economic Realities in the Agricultural Industry: The Pulse.” What economic realities can we expect to see in the global and domestic agricultural industry? Dr. Kohl keeps a pulse on trends and factors to be mindful of during the economic downturn. Some of these topics are land and machinery values, interest rates, concentration of agriculture, importance of cash flows, non-financial factors and much more.
Many to the area are very familiar with Dr. Kohl, but if you are not, here are some details about him. Dr. Dave Kohl is an academic Hall of Famer in the College of Agriculture at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. Dr. Kohl has keen insight into the agriculture industry gained through extensive travel, research, and involvement in ag businesses. He has traveled nearly 10 million miles; conducted more than 6,500 presentations; and published more than 2,250 articles in his career. Dr. Kohl’s wisdom and engagement with all levels of the industry provide a unique perspective into future trends. Don’t miss this high energy session in preparation for 2025!
Big Questions and Innovative Solutions in Land Management is a series of workshops being presented throughout the State for farm and ranch landowners, landlords, and tenants who want to learn more about current trends in farm or ranch real estate, and best practices for managing or leasing land.
Topics include evaluating current trends in land values and cash rents, lease provisions and legal considerations, proper communication strategies and considerations for successful land transitions. Workshop participants will also be able to find answers to common farmland leasing and land ownership questions. The program is free to attend but registration is required by calling the phone number at the location you desire to attend.
Nov. 19 in Kearney: 9 a.m.-noon CT at the office of Nebraska Extension in Buffalo County, 1400 E. 34th St. Register by Nov. 18 at 308-236-1235.
Dec. 3 in York: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. CT at the York County 4-H Building, 2345 Nebraska Ave. Lunch provided by Farmers National Company. Register by Dec. 2 at 402-362-5508.
Dec. 10 in Mead: 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. CT at the office of Nebraska Extension in Saunders County, 1071 County Road G, Ithaca. Lunch provided by Farmers National Company. Register by Dec. 9 at 402-624-8030.
Dec. 12 in Wilber: 1-4 p.m. CT at the office of Nebraska Extension in Saline County, 306 W. 3rd. Refreshments provided by Farmers National Company. Register by Dec. 11 at 402-821-2151.
2024 York Co. Corn Grower Plot
Thank you to Doug, Jason, and Karah Perdue for hosting the 2024 York Co. Corn Grower Plot! Thank you to Fontanelle for providing the tester and Congratulations to Dekalb for the winner! Thank you to all the companies who support the Corn Grower Plot for the scholarships and ag literacy events we provide for youth!
Fall Nitrogen Challenge
It’s such a blessing to receive some moisture! With November here, sharing this week on nitrogen applications.
While the November 1 date that allows for fall fertilizer application to fields has arrived, we also recommend waiting to apply fall nitrogen till soil temperatures are below 50F. At that temperature, soil microbes are less active and less likely to convert ammonium to nitrate. Soil temperatures can be viewed at: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/soiltemperature. As I write this, the daily average 4” soil temperature is currently 55F with the weekly average at 53F.
Nearly a year ago, I shared my Nitrogen Challenge with you. I’m grateful for all the producers who gave that a try! Some who wanted to try it had applied too large a base rate before I had released the article, so sharing a reminder now.
My Challenge: The challenge is to everyone with irrigated ground who applies fall anhydrous or spring pre-plant fertilizer:
- Leave 1 piece of ground with a base rate of 70-100 lb N/ac.
- Apply the rest of the N in season as needed using a tool like Sentinel Fertigation that senses plant needs.
- Asking each grower to consider this for 1 field. Are you willing to join me in this?
I genuinely believe this is the primary way to change the nitrogen story both now and for future generations. Why? We can’t impact the legacy nitrate from previous generations that is impacting groundwater nitrate levels now, but we can impact the nitrate that remains in the soil after current nitrogen practices now.
Nitrogen rate is the most consistent thing I keep seeing in nutrient recommendations and on-farm research studies that we can adjust. I’ve shared On-Farm Research results from farmers’ fields in this part of the State on heavier textured soils showing there’s no one solution with nitrification inhibitors, nitrogen application timing, biological products. The most consistent thing I see is an opportunity around reducing nitrogen rates. I’m not saying there’s one solution. My challenge is around what I feel holds the most promise right now for irrigated ag in this area.
We can’t precisely know an amount of nitrogen to recommend for application to land using pre-plant soil tests and/or any nitrogen equation. They’re good tools. But, we don’t know how much irrigation will be applied in season nor how much mineralization will occur due to weather conditions. 2022-2023 were high mineralization years and 2024 was a low one. Soil agronomy needs biology in addition to chemistry and physics. That’s why I’ve been so supportive of the in-season sensing technologies where the plant tells us what it needs based on what is occurring in the soil. Project Sense was a UNL/NRD/Corn Board/USDA research effort using ground rig applications. I think it never took off because I’m unsure any Co-op or company took the idea on as a business. Would still be applicable.
The UNL pivot-based sensing research resulted in the graduate student forming the company Sentinel Fertigation. If there’s other companies doing this, please consider them too. There’s so much in ag we have to react to. Applying N in-season is also reactive. However, we can also be proactive in showing that farmers and agronomists locally want to keep looking for solutions to the nitrate problem by trying newer tools/technologies to see any impacts. Please contact me if you are willing to join me in this challenge.
JenResources 
