Cover Crop Training: A one-day, hands-on cover crop training will be held Thursday, April 23, at the ENREEC near Mead, offering ag professionals a closer look at ongoing research and practical management strategies. The training will showcase current studies on cover crop varieties, grazing systems and perennial cover crops, with both outdoor field tours and classroom sessions planned throughout the day. The event begins at 9 a.m. at ENREEC headquarters, with guided tours of cover crop research plots starting at 9:30 a.m. Participants will return indoors for lunch, followed by an afternoon session focused on cover crop species identification and selection criteria. The program will conclude at 3 p.m. Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) continuing education units will be available.

There is no cost to attend, thanks to support from the Midwest Cover Crops Council, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa State University, University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Center for Regenerative Agriculture. Participants are encouraged to email Ethan Thies to register: ethies@iastate.edu. ENREEC is located at 1071 Co. Rd. G, Ithaca, NE 68033.

Crop Scout Training: Nebraska Extension will offer an introductory crop scout training Tuesday, May 19 from 9 a.m. to 4:40 p.m., with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m., at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Mead, Nebraska. Designed for entry-level scouts working with crop consultants, agronomists and farm service centers, the training is also a good fit for growers who scout their own fields and students preparing for agribusiness roles.

Topics will include: Scouting tips and techniques, Hands-on field practice, Corn and soybean growth and development, Crop disease identification, Weed identification, including morphology and seedling keys, Corn and soybean insect scouting, identification and management, Nutrient deficiencies in corn and soybean. The cost is $115 and includes lunch, refreshments, workshop materials and a three-ring binder instruction manual with reference resources. A reduced registration fee of $75 is available for those who do not wish to receive the manual. Pre-registration at: https://web.cvent.com/event/609c90d6-7e08-443d-8c9d-4ef8935ea463/summary. For more information, contact Aaron Nygren or Nebraska Extension at (402) 624-8030. 

Crabgrass Preventer for lawns is best applied when soil temps have been 55F at 4” depth for several days. Last week we close; watch soil temperatures this week at: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/soil-temperature/. For new lawn seedings, there’s options of a couple products to prevent crabgrass. Siduron (commonly sold as Tupersan) and mesotrione (found in Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action Built for Seeding) are available options. Tenacity is also a product containing mesotrione that works as a POST for emerged crabgrass, foxtail, and for those dealing with nimblewill (best to apply on troublesome grassy weeds up to 1” tall).

Rhubarb and Frost: For those impacted by frost/freeze this past weekend, if rhubarb leaves are not damaged too much and the stalks remain firm, it is still safe to eat. If the leaves are severely damaged or the stalks become soft or mushy, do not eat these stalks. Remove and discard them. New stalks can be harvested and eaten.  Rhubarb often develops seedheads following cold temperatures, but this also does not affect eating quality of the stalks.  Remove rhubarb seedheads and discard.