Blog Archives
Upcoming November 2024 Events
Sharing this week on upcoming November events. Please be safe with the remainder of harvest and we’ll keep praying for rain!
Fall Gardening Program: The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District, USDA-NRCS, and Nebraska Extension are joining forces to present a fall garden workshop on Saturday, November 2, from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the York County Fairgrounds (4-H Building). This event is free to attend. Registration is requested but not required to 402-362-6601.
The workshop will include time to visit booths, speak with presenters, and enjoy refreshments from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Presentations will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. From 11:30-noon, there will be time for Q&A with both presenters, gathering materials, and viewing demonstrations at presenter booths. A representative from the Nebraska Forest Service will also be on hand to answer your tree care questions. Ordering for the NRD’s Conservation Tree Program will kick off in November.
This event will feature Extension Educator Sarah Browning, who has presented at our gardening workshops recently, including one on vegetable gardening and another on fruit tree care. Browning will present a Solution Gardening session that focuses on “right plant, right place.” Which plants are best for shade/sun? How about sandy or wet soil? What if you have a wildlife problem? If something didn’t work as planned this past growing season, Browning may be able to shed light on why and help you create a new game plan for next year.
Learn about opportunities for small-scale and urban agriculture producers with Brach Johnson, USDA Nebraska State Urban and Small-Scale Agriculture Conservationist. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has technical and financial resources for urban dwellers to enhance their production system and protect our natural resources. Urban agriculture includes the cultivation, processing, and distribution of agricultural products in urban and suburban areas. Community gardens, rooftop farms, hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic facilities, and vertical production, are all examples of urban agriculture. Tribal communities and small towns may also be included.
Cover Crop Grazing Conference is being held Nov. 6th with registration and trade show from 8:30-9:30 a.m. and program from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. at the West Central Research and Extension Center in North Platte. This year’s theme is “Getting the Most Out of Every Acre”. This conference is designed for producers looking to enhance profitability and sustainability through innovative grazing systems. Topics and speakers include: Winter Grazing Opportunities with Annual Forages and Latest Findings on Using Cover Crops for Forage, by Dr. Bart Lardner, University of Saskatchewan; My Journey to Integrate Cattle on Crop Ground by Logan Pribbeno, Wind Glass Ranch; and Filling the Forage Gaps Using Cover Crops by Dr. Mary Drewnoski. Breakout session topics include: Tips for Selecting and Using Temporary Fencing and What You Need to Know About Planting Dates and Forage Production. There is a charge of $40 to attend. Registration is at: https://go.unl.edu/ccgc24.
Central NE Regenerative Ag Conference will be held Nov. 19th in Holdrege at the Phelps Ag Center. Program is from 8:45-4:30 p.m. (Reg. 8 a.m.). Featured speaker will be Rodney Saunders with NRCS in addition to farmer panels. More info. and registration at: https://www.cccneb.edu/agconference
November 2023 Upcoming Events
Mending the Stress Fence are free webinars held on Nov. 1 and again on Nov. 29 at 12:15 p.m. It is important that we all learn how to manage our stress levels and reduce the effects of unwanted stress. Business owners, managers, farmers, and ranchers are no exception to experiencing stress. In fact, stress seems to be prevalent in rural communities at times. Too much stress can make us more accident-prone, and it can affect our overall health. This program provides information on identifying common stressors, recognizing stress symptoms, and managing stress. Register: https://ruralwellness.unl.edu/stressfence.
Bodily Fluid Clean Up Training Webinar will be held Nov. 1 from 2-4 p.m. The training is designed for employees in businesses, schools, child care facilities responsible for properly cleaning up bodily fluids, but anyone interested can attend. Certificates provided. Registration: https://go.unl.edu/ewat.
Cover Crop Grazing Conference will be held Tuesday, November 7th at the Eastern Nebraska Research Extension and Education Center near Mead. Registration and trade show are from 8:30-9:30 a.m. with program beginning at 9:30 a.m. Dr. Bart Lardner from the University of Saskatchewan will kick off the program sharing on annual forage production and grazing strategies and Dr. Mary Drewnoski will share more on this topic later in the day. The program also features a producer panel, field tours, and lunch and breaks. For more info. and to register, please visit: https://go.unl.edu/ys5b.
2023 Transition to Organic Farming Conference: Are you thinking about transitioning to organic farming or are a newly certified organic farmer? This one-day conference put together by a team of UNL researchers, extension personnel, and local farmers will have sessions on how to improve soil fertility, manage weeds, and develop resilient crop rotations for organic grain farms. Panel discussions with organic producers will be part of the program. Come, learn, and mingle with other growers, vendors, educators, and researchers. This event is held Wednesday, November 8th from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (8:30 a.m. registration) at the Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead. There’s no charge. More info. and registration at: https://go.unl.edu/myu0.
So You’ve Inherited a Farm…Now What? will cover Nebraska land industry topics for farms and ranches. Those include evaluating current trends in land values and cash rents, strategies for successful land transitions, lease provisions, legal considerations and managing communication and expectations among family members. Creating and adjusting estate plans will also be covered. The program is free to attend, and lunch or refreshments will be provided at each location. Pre-registration is requested by one day prior to each workshop. Programs in this area of the State include:
- November 30th from 1-4 p.m. at Cornerstone Bank (529 Lincoln Ave.) in York (Register at 402-362-5508).
- December 13th from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Extension Office in Beatrice (402-223-1384)
- Jan. 24th from 1-4 p.m. at the Extension Office in Hastings (402-461-7209)
- Feb. 6th from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Extension Office in Lincoln (402-441-7180)
- Feb. 21 from 1-4 p.m. at the Extension Office in Central City (308-946-3843)
Tax Strategies for MidWestern Farm and Ranch Women: An upcoming virtual workshop series for Midwestern farm and ranch women will teach the basics of tax planning for agricultural operations. Men who are interested may also attend. Hosted by women in agriculture extension programs at UNL, K-State and Purdue University, the three-part series will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Central time on Tuesday, Nov. 28, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. A comprehensive range of tax topics relevant to agricultural producers in Nebraska, Kansas and Indiana will be covered, including an introduction to income taxes, completing Schedule F forms, claiming deductions, tax strategies to shift income and lower tax bills, and compliance requirements. More info. and registration at: https://wia.unl.edu/taxes.
Farmers and Ranchers College: Dr. Kohl is returning to the Opera House in Bruning on Dec. 7th at 1 p.m. The title of his presentation is “Economic Shockwaves: Challenges and Opportunities”. You can RSVP at 402-759-3712.
JenREES 10/23/22
With each of these red flag days, am grateful for our firefighters, first responders, and all involved helping fight fires; praying for all of them and those who are impacted. Sharing this week on some upcoming November programs and a grain question I received when it was cold last week.
Should low moisture corn be cooled in bins? Will running air remove much more moisture? Dr. Ken Hellevang with NDSU answered the following question. “The temperature of the corn will change many times faster than any moisture content change. We can estimate the cooling time by dividing 150 by the airflow rate. So, if the airflow rate is 1.0 cfm/bu, it will only take about 15 hours to cool the corn. To change the moisture content of all the corn at that airflow rate will take about 40 days. Even at a typical aeration airflow rate of about 0.2 cfm/bu it only takes about 3 days to cool the corn.
Anytime we cool the corn, there will be a minor (fraction of a percent) reduction in moisture. Therefore, with dry corn running the fan at night during higher humidity conditions is beneficial. I would run the fan all day and night for the most rapid cooling and just at night if willing to be controlling the fans.
I encourage farmers to cool the corn whenever outside temperatures are 10-15 degrees cooler than the corn, so they certainly could utilize the cooler air to cool the corn.
With the corn at moisture contents of 13% or less, it will store at the warmer temperatures for a while, so there is not a problem with waiting. They will need to cool the corn for winter storage at some time to limit the potential for moisture migration and wet corn at the top of the bin. This occurs if there is consistently at least a 20 degree difference between outdoor air temperature and the corn temperature.”
2022 Nebraska Ballot Initiatives are explained by Dr. Dave Aiken in this document https://agecon.unl.edu/2022-nebraska-ballot-issues and webinar https://go.unl.edu/n2pw.
Cover Crop Grazing Conference will be held November 1st at the Nebraska Research and Extension Center near Mead (1071 Co. Rd. G). This conference is designed for crop and livestock producers with a trade show, speakers, producer panel, and cover crop field demonstrations. The day begins at 9 a.m. with registration and a trade show with the program running from 10 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Speakers include Ben Beckman (Rotational/Strip Grazing) and Brad Schick (Grazing of Perennial and Annual Forages). There is a $10 registration fee payable via cash or check at the conference to cover lunch and refreshments. RSVP at: https://enrec.unl.edu/covercropgrazingconference/. If interested in exhibiting in the trade show, please contact Connor Biehler at cbiehler2@unl.edu or 402-624-8007.
Nebraska Extension Weed Science School will be held Nov. 9 at the Eastern NE Research and Extension Center near Mead (1071 Co. Rd G). Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with program from 8:45-2:30 p.m. CCA credits are available. Speakers and topics include: Amit Jhala (Nebraska Weed Management Survey Results); Kevin Bradley with University of Missouri (Future of Weed Management in 2023 and Beyond); Jenny Rees (Herbicide options when interseeding cover crops into corn and soybeans); Nahar Neta with Greeneye Technology (Spot herbicide application technology for weed management in corn and soybean); Bob Klein (Spray quality and carrier rate-how they affect herbicide efficacy and spray drift?); Stevan Knezevic (Soybean response to 2,4-D and dicamba); Sam Wortman (Off target injury of dicamba or 2,4-D in specialty crops). No fee but please RSVP for lunch: go.unl.edu/weedscienceschool.
Central NE Regenerative Ag Conference will be held Nov. 18 at the Tassel Performing Arts Center in Holdrege, NE from 1-4:30 p.m. with Gabe Brown as the featured speaker. Fee is $15 if pre-register by Nov. 14; otherwise the fee is $25. Registration is through Central Community College in Holdrege. Register online or you can call them at 308-995-8133. Just FYI, it gave me a confirmation email saying I registered for “Entrepreneurship”, but the day and time were correct. More information at: https://greencover.com/event/soil-health-and-regenerative-agriculture-conference/.
JenResources 