Crops – Page 2 – Views from VanDeWalle

Crops, Horticulture, Irrigation, Livestock

Hail Know: Resources To Remember This Growing Season

May 22, 2020May 22, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Screen Shot 2020-05-22 at 2.14.03 PM When hail strikes and growers have questions, Nebraska Extension has new resources to answer them at Hail Know located online at cropwatch.unl.edu/hailknow. Videos, infographics, and articles by a team of Extension experts in climate science, agronomy, engineering, agricultural technology, economics, and disaster education have been developed to build upon and expand Extension’s hail-related programs. Hail Know focuses on six key topics: Hail formation and storms; damage assessment; crop insurance and risk management; replanting considerations; managing a recovering crop; and cover crops.

In the aftermath of a hailstorm visit Hail Know for the answers and certainty, you need to make sound, research-based decisions to manage your crop. Hail Know is also on social media. Follow @HailKnowUNL on Twitter at twitter.com/HailKnowUNL and like Hail Know on Facebook at facebook.com/HailKnowUNL for all the latest information and updates.

Hail Know is a section of CropWatch.unl.edu, Nebraska Extension’s crop production and crop pest management website. The development of Hail Know was funded by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Smith-Lever Special Needs Grant with matching funds from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The column was co-written with Ashley Mueller, Nebraska Extension Disaster Educator. While you cannot prevent hail, you can prepare for and respond quickly when dealing with hail damage to crops. Nebraska Extension is here to help you make informed, timely decisions. Know your crop, know your tech, know your bottom line.

Crops, Livestock

COVID-19 Ag Producer Best Management Practices

April 25, 2020April 25, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Spring is a busy time of year for our farmers and ranchers and this year is no different. What is different however is the impact that COVID-19 has had on our rural communities. With kids home and schooling from home, some farm/ranch spouses working from home or not able to work at all, the stress is very real for many. Those of us in agriculture know the work we do to produce food for the world is essential but be sure to take precautions to protect you and your family during these uncertain and unprecedented times.

Recently I came across an article written by Brian Van Der Ley, Veterinary Epidemiologist Extension Specialist with Nebraska Extension. He provided the following are guidelines and recommendations that can be used to implement COVID-19 control in agricultural systems.

Stay Informed
Follow federal, state, and local direction to reduce personal risk for contracting COVID-19 and to limit further transmission if you or your employees become infected. Stay informed at cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov
Make a written plan by addressing the following:
- What are the essential activities of the operation? (Feeding, farm work, etc.)
- Who is primarily responsible for completing those activities?
- How those activities are accomplished? (What basic skills are needed for the activity)
- Who is available to complete those tasks if the primary individual becomes unavailable?
- How may essential activities have to be modified if primary individuals are unavailable?
- Write down the plan in as much detail as possible and make team members aware of the plan to insure continuity of business if COVID-19 infections begin to have a direct impact that disrupts normal management channels. Consider worst case scenarios for this situation (e.g. all team members are in quarantine due to exposure) and how essential operations can continue (e.g. asymptomatic team members self-quarantine at the operation to continue operations) and the logistics required for that plan.
Develop plans to separate the teams/family members/hired personnel to prevent transmission. Separate duties and use personal distancing of employees while at work and not at work. Examples – processing livestock, filling planters, brandings, etc.
Hold Virtual Meetings
Consider conducting employee meetings virtually – ZOOM, FaceTime, others. If in person, follow CDC guidelines.
Clean High Touch Areas
Limit use of common areas-use only with social distancing and hygiene guidelines going into and coming out of high touch areas, like meeting rooms, common kitchens, common restrooms, sinks, refrigerators, etc.
Clean and disinfect high touch areas frequently
- Bleach may be used to disinfect surfaces, but the concentration is higher for COVID-19 than for everyday sanitation: 5 tablespoons bleach per gallon of water
- Clean Vehicles, Tractors, Implements, and Tools.
- Place hygiene supplies (hand sanitizer, disinfect and/or disinfectant wipes in equipment and other shared areas (e.g. shop). When changing operators/users – when entering and leaving or before and after use.
- Disinfect hands using sanitizer.
- Disinfectant all high touch areas (e.g steering wheel, control handles, door handles, syringes, etc.)
- Consider disposable covers for porous surfaces like seats and other upholstered surfaces.
- Allow for 3 hour down-time to allow virus to die in confined spaces (e.g. cabs), if possible.
Communicate with People Coming to your Location (consultants, veterinarians, dealers, mechanics, etc.)
- Set up appointments that include time, meeting place, and a plan for transmission control (social distancing, cleaning/disinfection, personal protective equipment, etc.)
- Confirm that individuals are feeling well and have not traveled to high risk locations prior to departure for visit.
Coordinate Delivery of Products and Inputs (feed, medicine, supplements, pesticides, others).
- Develop non-contact delivery methods (e.g. drop off locations)
- Wash hands after handling packaging, consider wearing gloves.
- Consider disinfection of non-porous packaging.
- For deliveries that require person-to-person interaction:
- Develop physical reminders for social distancing (tape on floor, barriers, etc.)
- Practice hand sanitizing/washing before and after interaction
- Inventorying and back-up planning essential.
- Identify essential supplies and consider increasing inventory
- Develop contingency plans if essential supplies become unavailable

(Source: IANR News & author: Brian Van Der Ley, Veterinary Epidemiologist Extension Specialist with Nebraska Extension)

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock

Farm Family Transition & Stressors

March 16, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

The agricultural economy is no stranger to stress. Stress from difficult weather, stress from low commodity prices, production risks and many other reasons contribute to the stress for our farmers and ranchers. One of the constant pressures and stressors family operations deal with is the successful transition of the family business to the next generation.

Recently, Dr. Ron Hanson spoke at a Farmers & Ranchers College program on “Strategies for Family Farm Success in the Shark Tank.” Hanson has been working with farm families for over 40 years and reminded participants that money, wealth and property, especially land always put a family’s relationship to the test. His analogies to sharks indicate that some families have “predator sharks” that lurk parents’ property or belongings, waiting to make a move and take a “bite” into family wealth or estate. An effective management strategy is to put yourself in the shark tank and begin addressing difficult situations and questions that might arise from uncertainties in agriculture.

fish aquarium thailand royalty free — Photo by Public Domain Pictures on Pexels.com

In order for families to be successful in transitioning the family farm or ranch, contingency planning must occur. Contingency planning, sometimes referred to as business continuity plans simply account for planning for the unexpected. “Developing and then implementing a business management plan to overcome unexpected changes to the ownership structure and management leadership is crucial for the continued success of the operation” (Hanson, 2020). Contingency planning is not easy and can result in a lot of emotional stress and even conflict, but families that are willing to work through and plan this before a life-altering situation occur are more likely to ensure their farming or ranching legacy will continue for future generations.

Hanson reminded participants that some adult children in the family may already feel they are entitled and that their parents’ estate is the children’s estate. Parents have the right to divide their estate as they wish and letting everyone involved know before they die can prevent huge family fights or court fights down the road. It is sad that family wealth can destroy family relationships and put an end to a family farm legacy. Transparency in estate planning is important for all involved.

Handling the stress and potential conflict upfront can reduce the stress, fights and issues that might occur when a tragedy, family illness or death occur. Dealing with large and unexpected events is stressful enough, so why not make a plan in advance so time and focus can be spent on the situation at hand? Hanson recommends farm and ranch families adopt five guidelines or planning steps to accomplish this process.

Adopt a vision. What is the vision for the future of the family farm/ranch? What is the legacy the parents wish to leave? This starts with the parents.
Draft ideas into a plan. This is where the parents must sit down with family members and discuss expectations of each family members. A planning document must be put in writing.
Organize planning resources. Families must work with an accountant, farm loan officer, estate or wealth planning specialist or an attorney. These people have the expertise and can assist the farm family implement the plan.
Clarify family member assumptions. Arrange for a family meeting so all adult children are aware of the plan. Any existing jealousies and resentments should be resolved and feasible solutions found.
Take control and set deadlines. Take action and get the planning process started. Break down the plan into stages so that the planning goals make the plan become a reality.

Family farming and ranching has many external stressors which cannot be controlled such as commodity prices and weather. Don’t let lack of planning create additional stressors in your life.

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock, Youth

Disaster Anniversaries

March 12, 2020March 6, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Birthdays, anniversaries and holidays are days to celebrate annually with joy and happiness. If you are like me, I’m sure there are also dates that might bring feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness. For example, I’ll never forget where I was when September 11, 2001 happened. I’ll never forget days that various people in my life were impacted by serious illnesses or passed away. Many Nebraskans will never forget March 15, 2019 when the ‘bomb cyclone’ hit causing massive and historic flooding in the state. This date forever changed the lives of many and will take years for many to recover. As March 15, approaches, our Nebraska Extension team put out resources which I decided to share in my column this week.

gray scale photo of trees — Photo by Ian Turnell on Pexels.com

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has the following tips for how to cope with these trigger events.

Be aware that special days may be difficult. It’s common for some stress and other emotional reactions to happen around the anniversary of an event. Simply recognizing that your feelings are normal will help. Dealing with some of your losses and the new realities you’re facing after a disaster can be challenging. Try not to be too hard on yourself.
Be gentle with yourself. Show yourself the same kindness and patience you’d give to others during this time. Allow yourself to feel angry or sad and recognize that these emotions are natural.
Participate in activities that you enjoy. This may be different depending on the individual. Some people like to reflect in solitude while others may prefer spending time with family and friends for support. Some of these activities may include: singing, prayer, meditation, attending a spiritual service, going to the movies, or just getting together with loved ones to share a meal.
Talk about your losses if you need to. If you want to talk about your losses since the disaster, you can. If you want to talk about the future, you can do that, too. Be sure to share your thoughts and feelings with someone you trust. That can be a friend or family member or a health care professional.
Draw on your faith/spirituality. For many, faith and other spiritual beliefs are a source of strength and comfort every day, and most especially during difficult times. Reach out to your faith adviser, spiritual community, or anyone that you feel comfortable talking with about your beliefs to support and console you.
Accept kindness and help from others. Support from family and friends is essential to healing. It’s often difficult for people to accept help because they don’t want to be a burden to others, or don’t want to appear weak. Allow the people in your life to show their care and concern.
Help others. For some people, volunteering is a healthy way to heal and they get a great deal of satisfaction from helping others. Some activities can be as simple as donating food, clothing, and other items.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

While it is hard to cope with these trigger dates, know that you are not alone and you are cared about, especially by Nebraska Extension. Nebraska Extension, along with numerous other partners has recently created the “Nebraska Needs You” campaign and is working to support others in times of difficulty. We have the Rural Family Stress & Wellness Team, that I am a part of which participates in activities supporting the wellness of rural Nebraska communities by working with community partners and the University of Nebraska. Resources can be found at ruralwellness.unl.edu.

(Source: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Crops, Uncategorized, Youth

Innovative Youth Corn Challenge

March 6, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers are in high demand and will continue to be in future years. To engage youth in crop science based education, the Innovative Youth Corn Challenge (IYCC) was created as a partnership between the Nebraska Corn Board and Nebraska Extension. Since the Innovative Youth Corn Challenge program’s inception in 2012, 53 teams have participated in the program with 32 teams successfully harvesting and analyzing their plot data. A total of 148 youth have participated. This contest, open to 4-H or FFA members, guided participants through all aspects of corn production, as well as agricultural careers related to corn production.

The winning team from the 2019 growing season was the Kornhusker Kids 4-H Club which included Kaleb and Landon Hasenkamp, Matthew and James Rolf, Levi Schiller, Ian and Payton Schiller. They worked with the UNL Project SENSE on an in-season nitrogen management program comparing using in-canopy sensors, a drone MZR treatment, or their standard grower treatment. Their results showed that the grower strips had the highest yield of 256.6 bu/acre but cost the most. The MZR treatment yielded 238.67 bu/acre. The Project SENSE treatment yielded 245.5 bu/acre and had the best return on investment. Also, it is important to note is that this team randomized their treatments and had 3 replications of the plots which is important in figuring out the statistical significance. Their project sponsor was Chris Schiller.

Receiving second place was the Allen-Wakefield FFA Chapter which consisted of Katie Bathke and Ashley Kraemer with Jeff Geiger as their sponsor and Josh Batenhorst as their advisor. They wanted to test a polymicrobial solution for bulk fertilizers called Nachurs Rhyzo-Link LF. The hypothesized that the treated plants would yield better due to the five Bacillus strains creating a better environment for the roots. They found that the Rhyzo-Link plot had a yield of 243 bu/acre compared to 240 bu/acre for the control, with five replications.

Third place went to the Rising Stars 4-H Club from Platte County which consisted of Kade and Isaac Stromberg with Brad Stephens as their sponsor. They tested seeding a blend of two hybrids compared to each planted separately. They had two replications and found that the blend of Pioneer 1197AM with Dekalb DKC60-88RIB yielded 245.48 bushels/acre, while the 1197 by itself yielded 243.99 and the 60-88 yielded 240.29 by itself. This team also took advantage of an offer from Crop Metrics to have a free soil water sensor placed in their field to monitor irrigation scheduling.

Other teams who completed their plots were the Oakland-Craig FFA team of Joe Monson, Aiden Jorgensen, Ryan Smith, Cole Buress, Hannah Mosemen with Kylie Penke as their sponsor. They tested Envite seed treatment, which is supposed to help non-legume plants fix nitrogen to see if there would be an increased yield when the nitrogen rate on the entire plot was reduced by 40%. They found that the Envite plot had a yield of 232 bu/acre compared to 229 bu/acre for the control.

Also finishing their project was Shelton FFA with Jacob Synder and Andrew Rayburn and Hannah Horak as their advisor. The main topic of their research was a starter fertilizer with a microbial catalyst called Nachur’s Rhyzo-Link 9-15-3. They had 2 reps and found that the Nachur’s Rhyzo-Link yielded 230.25 bu/acre at a cost of $9.95 per acre and no treatment yielded 224.4 bu/acre.

Other teams that participated but due to various circumstances were unable to finish their project included Adams Central FFA Chapter, Ord FFA Chapter and the Golden Gate Clever Clovers 4-H Club of Washington County.

As a team, youth worked with an adult mentor throughout the process. Mentors can be extension faculty, ag teachers, or other qualified agronomy professionals.

Other awards handed out during the banquet held on UNL’s East Campus included:

The Extra Mile Award went to the Rising Stars 4-H Club.
The Innovation Award was presented to the Kornhusker Kids 4-H Club.
The Sustainability Award went to the Rising Stars 4-H Club. They utilized the Field to Market tool which is a leading multi-stakeholder initiative that is working to unite the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production in the United States.

To participate in 2020, youth must complete and return an entry form by March 15^th to the Fillmore County Extension Office in Geneva, NE. Forms can be downloaded at https://cropwatch.unl.edu/youth/cornchallenge. For more information, contact Brandy VanDeWalle at brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu.

Crops, Irrigation, Livestock

2020 Crop & Cow-Calf Budgets

January 28, 2020January 24, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Two decision-making tools created by Nebraska Extension for agricultural producers across the state have been updated for the new year. The 2020 Nebraska crop budgets (https://cropwatch.unl.edu/budgets) and representative cow-calf budgets (https://go.unl.edu/cow-calfbudgets) are now available to provide producers with cost-of-production estimates. Both sets of budgets are available as PDFs and Excel files, which feature tools that allow users to enter information into worksheets to calculate estimated production costs.

black calculator near ballpoint pen on white printed paper — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Both the crop and livestock budget files are made available online so producers can download, then modify, production and expense figures to more closely match their various enterprises. Glennis McClure, a Nebraska Extension educator in the Department of Agricultural Economics takes the lead on completing the budgets and reminds producers that understanding enterprise cost of production in agriculture is important in product mix decision-making, pricing, marketing and financial analysis.

The crop budgets include 82 production budgets for 15 crops produced in Nebraska, along with cost data for power, machinery and labor. They were compiled by a team led by Robert Klein, an extension crops specialist, and McClure, utilizing a template created by Roger Wilson, a retired extension farm and ranch management analyst.

There are five cow-calf budgets that offer representative herd data for different regions of the state. Background stories are included to assist producers with information relevant to each budget, which may guide producers in determining their own costs. McClure led the cow-calf budget effort, which was compiled from information gathered from producer panels that have met as part of the university’s multidisciplinary Beef Systems Initiative.

Crops, Programming

Risk and Reward Workshops

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

An upcoming Nebraska Extension workshop will help farmers develop marketing plans for 2020. “Risk and Reward: Using Crop Insurance and Marketing to Manage Farm Survival” will be presented in Clay Center on February 5^th. Extension economists will discuss the role of farm location and yield/price relations in making informed grain marketing and crop insurance decisions.

green field during sunset — Photo by VisionPic .net on Pexels.com

“This is a unique opportunity to think about grain marketing differently,” said Jessica Groskopf, a regional economist with Nebraska Extension. “Often, we think of marketing and crop insurance as two separate decisions. This workshop will show the importance of how these tools work together to help farms survive.”

“Understanding production risk becomes especially important as farm locations move farther from the center of the corn belt,” said Cory Walters, associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics. “These workshops are designed to assist Nebraska farmers improve their decision-making and understand the role of production risk considerations in their marketing plans.”

Participants will learn how to use crop insurance and pre-harvest marketing together. The workshops will encourage producers to focus on specific risks to evaluate the balance between these two tools, which will vary from operation to operation.

“The role of crop insurance and marketing is not the same for everyone,” said Walters. “Farm location matters.”

Attendees should leave the workshops with a strategic plan of farm survival, focused on the role and use of crop insurance and pre-harvest marketing specific to their location and crop.

Schedule for “Risk and Reward: Using Crop Insurance and Marketing to Manage Farm Survival”

Clay Center, Feb. 5, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., at the Clay County Fairgrounds, 701 N Martin Ave. To register, call 402-762-3644.

Crops, Irrigation

Ag Winter Programming Updates

January 17, 2020January 17, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

Chemigation Certification

Applying fertilizer through pivots is becoming more popular due to the hybrids we are planting today and the opportunity for nitrogen efficiency savings. If your certification has expired in 2020 or taking the class for the first time, please pre-register.

Nathan Mueller, Saline Co. based educator will be providing the following trainings that run from 9:00 am to 12:00 Noon at the following dates and locations: Beatrice on Tuesday, January 28 at the Gage County Extension Office, Tecumseh NRD office on Tuesday, March 17, or on Wednesday, May 20 at the Lancaster County Extension Office. Register for those by calling the Saline County Extension office at 402-821-2151.

Steve Melvin, Merrick based extension educator will be providing the following trainings that start at 1:30 p.m. at the following dates and locations: January 24 at the Courthouse Meeting Room in Hebron or March 4 at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds in Aurora. Register for those by calling the Merrick County Extension officeat 308-946-3843.

For initial certifications, getting materials in advance from one of the offices listed above is suggested or view online at: water.unl.edu/article/agricultural-irrigation/chemigation (scroll to the bottom of the page). For more detail on Chemigation, go to https://go.unl.edu/2020chemigation.

Private Applicator Restricted Use Pesticide Training

There are over many applicators in the area that need to renew their private applicator pesticide license to purchase and/or use and apply restricted use pesticides. If you only purchase and use 2,4-D and glyphosate those are general use products and of course no license is required. If you have questions give us a call. Michael Sindelar, Clay County-based educator (who covers Clay, Fillmore, Thayer, & Nuckolls counties) will be offering a series of private pesticide safety education programs January 23 – March. I will still be helping with the Fillmore County programs and to see the full list of trainings, view https://go.unl.edu/2020pat or call our office at 402-759-3712.

Crops, Livestock

Characteristics of a Successful Producer

January 6, 2020January 3, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

A new year often brings a sense of hope for new opportunities and bright beginnings. For many Nebraskans, the year 2019 brought many challenges and hardships so a new year is welcomed. Last month, the Farmers & Ranchers College conducted a program with Dr. David Kohl titled “Agriculture Today: It Is What It Is… What Should We Do About It”. He provided many insights on key economic indicators that will impact agriculture. What I also appreciate about his message is how he points out key characteristics of what makes a farm or ranch successful. Goal setting is so important and also so under-utilized. I’ve heard and presented the importance of goal setting for years and it was refreshing to hear him emphasize some key points. Dr. Kohl pointed out that 80% of Americans don’t have any goals and of those who have goals, 4% that have written goals obtain more money and success than others who do not write their goals down.

marketing school business idea — Photo by Gerd Altmann on Pexels.com

In any business, it is important to be proactive rather than reactive. Those who pre-market their grain are generally more successful than those who do not. Kohl mentioned that the culture of a workplace or farm is also important. Many leadership development speakers and researchers emphasize the importance of culture in the workplace. For example, in her book, Dare to Lead, Brene Brown points out the importance of a daring leader to cultivate a culture of belonging, inclusivity and diverse perspectives. She states that, “Only when diverse perspectives are included, respected and valued can we start to get a full picture of the world: who we serve, what they need and how to successfully met people where they are.” For years, Dr. Kohl has pointed out that farmers and ranchers need their own advisory board that involves people who will challenge you and differ from your thinking. If we only hear from people who always agree with us, you won’t be challenged to improve your operation.

With a passion for leadership development, I appreciated Dr. Kohl’s message that interpersonal skills will continue to be critically important. He also noted the importance of having a positive attitude and the need to invest as much in human capital as in technology. Effective communication and being able to interpret data with critical thinking skills are also critically important for the future generation.

Finally, I’ve leave you with a checklist of business IQ management factors and critical questions for crucial conversations that Dr. Kohl has created. In the checklist, the most successful producers have the following written down: cost of production, cost of production by enterprise, goals (business, family & personal), record keeping system, projected cash flow, financial sensitivity analysis and understanding financial ratios and break evens. Also, those who regularly work with an advisory team and lender have strong management skills. Successful producers have a marketing plan written and execute it, in addition to a risk management plan. Successful managers have modest lifestyle habits and a family living budget. Progressive businesses also have a written plan for improvement with strong people management, have a transition plan, attend educational seminars such as extension programs and also have a proactive attitude.

For more information about the next Farmers & Ranchers College program which will be the Cow/Calf College on January 28^thgo to fillmore.unl.edu.

Crops, Horticulture, Irrigation, Livestock, Youth

New Year’s Resolutions

January 3, 2020 Brandy VanDeWalle

If you are like many nearly half of the American population, you probably have a New Year’s Resolution set for 2020, while 38% of Americans absolutely never make New Year’s Resolution according to research by University of Scranton, 2016. A majority of those resolutions are self-improvement or education related resolutions (47%), weight related (38%), money related (34%) or relationship related (31%). University of Southern California’s John Monterosso who is an expert on psychology and neuroscience of self-control offers insight on how to achieve setting those resolutions.

Monterosso suggests thinking of a resolution as a special kind of plan and visualizing your future-self. If you have already made that resolution or still working to tweak it, he suggested keeping the following in mind:

Failed resolutions are not harmless. Most people don’t like to fail; in fact it hurts our confidence and can actually lead to worse behavior. Keeping this in mind and accepting the fact that one might not have accomplished all that was planned is important. If you get off track, you can always start again and don’t have to wait until a new year.
Resolutions work by linking single decisions to a bigger picture. For example, if you have a goal of quitting smoking or eating unhealthy foods and let a craving lead to poor decisions, you might think, “it’s just one cigarette or just one meal of fried foods” which may or may not lead to the continuation of a bad habit. If one takes a resolution seriously, think about the health consequences and the potential “relapse” that could occur.
Consider being less ambitious in your resolutions. We tend to be overly confident when making a resolution and think we can change our behavior overnight. While it is good to be confident with your goals, be careful not to make overly ambitious goals. For example, if you plan to work out one hour/day every day of the week and have an already packed life with a career, community obligations and a family, consider starting at 20 minutes/day and work up to more minutes if time allows. Setting a good resolution requires being realistic.
Resolutions should not be vague. If you set a resolution of “eating healthier.” What does that mean? Does it mean drinking 64 oz. of water/day? Does it mean to include a fruit or vegetable at every meal? Write down a SMART goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-based.
The New Year is a fresh start. Setting resolutions/goals at the first of the year helps us “clean the slate” and put past failures away. It gives us a sense of confidence and optimism. Capitalize on that.
Even successful resolutions can be mistakes. If you set restrict your diet to the point of starvation or over-exercise to the point of hurting yourself, you must be able to adapt, know yourself and use common sense and wisdom to correct the resolution.

In summary, Monterosso suggests that done correctly, “resolutions play a role in great human achievements.”

Extension’s Help with Resolutions

As stated above, almost half of resolutions made include education or self-improvement. If you need any educational resources or materials on nearly any subject, Extension has resources. Whether it is information on a website, talking with an extension professional, utilizing an app from your smart-phone, attending a face-to-face program, participation in a webinar or many other avenues, Extension works to solve complex problems for clients. If you haven’t been to Extension’s website recently, I encourage you to go to extension.unl.edu. There you will find an abundance of resources on topics such as food, nutrition and health, cropping & water systems, community vitality, community environment, learning child, beef systems and 4-H youth development. Consider attending a program or utilizing a resource to help you achieve a resolution or goal you may have.

For a list of extension programs in the area, visit our website or call our office at (402) 759-3712.