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Helping Others

Brandy VanDeWalle

One of the things I love about rural communities is the amount of help and support given when people go through difficult times. I can attest to that, on several occasions. For example, when my mom had her stroke in 2011, neighbors, coworkers and friends stepped up to provide support, send cards and helped when I was needing to make trips to visit her. Also in 2011, 2012 and 2014, I was laid up with ankle surgery and very blessed that many people in the community helped watch my girls, made meals for our family, and showed many other acts of kindness.  A quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of my favorites, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

A part of the 4-H pledge is to “pledge one’s hands to larger service” and “heart to greater loyalty”. These are the values we try to instill in our 4-H youth. It is great to see youth helping each other during 4-H workshops and programs and friendships being made. There is research that shows how helping others has benefits for themselves. A professor, Thomas G. Plante from Santa Clara University, and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry at Stanford University has found that his students who attend a spring break trip working with people in poor and marginalized areas managed stress better than those who did not attend trips. He believes the research finding is due to a matter of perspective. Additionally, when helping others, you generally experience more empathy, compassion, and solidarity with others as well.

As we approach county fair season, it is important to remind adults, as well as youth of 4-H’s core values of helping others with our hands. It might improve their stress management abilities and make for a smoother fair for all involved. Rather than seeking out problems, remember the 4-H pledge and help others. You’ll likely be happier and create a better experience for everyone around you. So, instead of only worrying about your exhibits or animals or trying to get others in trouble, consider helping a fellow exhibitor and fill one’s bucket with water or call that person and tell them their animal is running low on water. If an exhibitor is struggling to know where to check-in their static exhibit, offer to help them.

By practicing these small acts of kindness, you might be surprised how much less stressed you and those around you will be. I am certainly appreciative of 4-H parents who can help my daughters when I am busy with my job. “I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service and my health to better living, for my club, my community, my country and my world.”  If we practice these principles, we can make a positive difference in the lives of others.

County Fair Schedules

You can find the 4-H events for the Clay and Fillmore County Fairs on each extension website or social media. Locally, go to fillmore.unl.edu or clay.unl.edu.     

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Dairy Month

Brandy VanDeWalle


June is Dairy Month, so I decided to share fun facts and information about the dairy industry this week. The Dairy Alliance has great resources and educational materials, including videos showcasing how today’s dairy farms operate. Dairy farmers know that healthy and happy cows produce more high-quality milk, so their cows’ well-being and comfort are their top priority.

Let’s explore some fun facts about dairy, starting with the fact that all 50 states have dairy farms, and 97% of dairies are family-operated. Also, it takes 5-7 minutes for a cow to be milked and dairy cows drink about 30-50 gallons of water daily! An average dairy cow weighs about 1,200 pounds and eats about 100 pounds of feed each day. There are 6 breeds of dairy cows: Holstein, Jersey, Guernsey, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire and Milking Shorthorn. Most people picture Holstein cows when they think of dairy and Holstein’s spots are like fingerprints – no two cows have the same pattern of black and white spots!

If we look at the nutritional benefits of dairy, first about 73% of calcium available in our food supply is provided by milk and milk products. Milk is packed with essential nutrients including protein, calcium, and vitamin D and chocolate milk’s combination of fluids, carbohydrates, and protein helps rehydrate and refuel muscles after a workout. To get the same amount of calcium provided by one 8-ounce glass of milk, you would have to eat 4.5 servings of broccoli, 16 servings of spinach, or 5.8 servings of whole wheat bread.

Photo by Matthias Zomer on Pexels.com


Next time you enjoy a delicious pizza or satisfying ice cream cone, appreciate the dairy farmers who work 365 days a year to provide you with a safe, nutritious, and wholesome product.

(Sources: American Dairy Association & the Dairy Alliance)

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South Central Ag Lab Weed Management Field Day

Brandy VanDeWalle

Those interested in learning the latest in weed management technologies and herbicides for weed control in corn, soybeans and sorghum are invited to attend Nebraska Extension Weed Management Field Day to be held on Wednesday June 26, 2024 from 9 am to 1 pm at South Central Ag Lab near Clay Center, NE. The Field Day is free to attend and lunch; UNL Dairy Store Ice cream will be provided. Register is required at https://agronomy.unl.edu/fieldday.

Tour one features onsite demonstrations of new technology/herbicides for weed control in soybeans in sorghum such as:

  • Planting Green and Residual Herbicide Interaction in soybean: Planting green refers to no-till planting of the primary crop into actively growing cover crop. Cereal rye is the most planted cover crop in corn/soybean cropping systems in Nebraska. The objectives of this project are (1) To evaluate effect of planting green on performance of residual herbicides applied pre-emergence for weed control in soybean, and (2) Effect of early termination of cereal rye versus planting green on weed control and soybean yield.
  • Inter-seeding Small Grains (Barley, Oat, and Wheat) in Soybean for Weed Suppression: Evaluate the effect of inter-seeding small grains into soybean on weed suppression and soybean yield and grain quality.
  • Comparison of Herbicide Programs for Weed Control in Soybean: Unbiased comparison of herbicide programs of different companies for weed control in Roundup Ready 2 Xtend and Enlist soybean. New herbicides and multiple herbicide-resistant soybean will be discussed for management of herbicide-resistant weeds.
  • Evaluating Residual Herbicides for Overlapping Residual Weed Control in Soybean: Can we achieve season-long weed control in soybean by using residual herbicides applied pre-emergence and post-emergence without a foliar active herbicide? This project will discuss the possibility of complete residual weed control in soybean.

Tour two features onsite demonstrations of new technology/herbicides for weed control in corn such as:

  • Comparison of Herbicide Programs for Weed Control in Corn: Unbiased comparison of herbicide programs by different companies for weed control in Roundup Ready/LibertyLink corn. New herbicides in corn will be discussed.
  • Control of Corn Volunteers in Enlist Corn: Volunteer corn is a major weed in corn-soybean cropping systems. Project will demonstrate how to control volunteer corn in Enlist corn using Assure II and a premix of glufosinate (Liberty) + quizalofop (Assure II).
  • Evaluating Surtain (saflufenacil + pyroxasulfone) for weed control and crop safety in corn & popcorn: Surtain is the new Kixor herbicide based on solid-encapsulation technology, enabling pre- and early-post-emergence application for weed control in corn.
  • Control of Corn Volunteers in iGrowth and Double Team Sorghum: When sorghum is planted after corn, corn volunteer is a major weed. iGrowth sorghum is a new herbicide-resistant sorghum that provides an opportunity for post-emergence control of grass weeds, including corn volunteers. ImiFlex (imazamox) and Zest (quizalofop) will be evaluated for control of volunteer corn.
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Youth Crop Scouting Competition – Connecting Youth with Crops

Brandy VanDeWalle

Looking for a fun club project? Want to unite your club members? Running out of ideas for club meetings?  If you answered, “yes” to any of these questions, help is on the way!  Nebraska Extension is pleased to present the 11th annual Crop Scouting Competition for Nebraska youth. Youth interested in crops can learn about crop growth & development and basic crop scouting principles. 

Don’t know a lot about crops?  Ask a local agronomist to assist by providing a short lesson on crop production. You can have the agronomist meet with the youth a little during each meeting or outside of the meeting. This is one way to engage those youth interested in crops. 

This contest will be held at the Eastern Nebraska Research & Extension Center near Mead, Nebraska on August 7, 2024. The event will include both indoor and outdoor events. Teams of junior high and high school students (those completing 5-12th grades) from across Nebraska are invited to participate. This event is limited to the first ten teams who sign up! 

            Clubs or other organizations may enter a team composed of three to five participants. An adult team leader must accompany each team of students. Team leaders could be FFA advisors, crop consultants, extension staff, coop employees, etc. 

Top-scoring teams win prizes: $500 for first, $250 for second, $100 for third place. The top two teams will be eligible for the regional competition held in Nebraska this year.

Teams will be expected to know the basics of scouting corn and soybean fields. This includes crop staging; looking for patterns of crop injury; disease, insect and weed seedling identification; etc. Other topics may include but are not limited to, pesticide safety, nutrient disorders, and herbicide injury. 

More information about the crop scouting competition and instructions on how to register a team are available online at cropwatch.unl.edu/youth. Register at: https://go.unl.edu/cropscoutingreg

Teams must be registered by July 15. This program is sponsored by Nebraska Independent Crop Consultant Association, Ward Laboratories, the Nebraska Soybean Board and Nebraska Extension.

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Inspiring Rich Conversations Through Questions

Brandy VanDeWalle
Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

With the school year complete, hopefully, an opportunity to spend more time with your child exists. Reconnect and reflect on the school year and plan for the summer. Sarah Roberts and Jackie Steffen, Learning Child Extension Educators provided great tips on how to inspire conversations with your child by asking powerful questions which I’ve included in this week’s column. 

Questions are powerful tools, and they encourage children to think at a higher level. The types of questions you ask young children can affect the quality of your conversation with them. Some questions only elicit rote answers and, therefore, will not spark a meaningful conversation or connection. Others encourage thought-provoking conversations and ideas. Having intentional and meaningful conversations with young children is critical to providing an atmosphere of emotional security. Engaging with and listening to children helps them to feel valued and respected. They learn to feel safe talking with you and sharing thoughts and feelings that may be otherwise difficult to discuss.

Here Are Some Ways to Inspire Rich Conversations:

  • Try to ask more open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are questions that cannot be answered with one word. Instead of asking, “How was your day?” consider rephrasing and saying, “Tell me about the favorite parts of your day.”
  • Distractions are all around us. Take time to fully engage with young children and practice active listening in a one-on-one environment. That means removing electronics and getting down on their level. Giving children your full attention demonstrates that you respect them and what they have to say.
  • Make conversations a habit. The time of day that works best is different for everyone. Some might be able to connect deeply on the “to and from” activity/school commutes, others at bedtime or maybe around the table. Take notice of when your child feels the most comfortable opening up to you.
  • Do your homework. If your child is in school and you have access to daily announcements, lesson plans or newsletters, use that information to help spark conversations. Children can fail to mention exciting events unintentionally. They may be surprised with some pieces of information that you know about their day.
  • Finally, remember that conversations are a two-way street. If you ask too many questions, children can feel like they are being drilled. Do not just ask questions; open up and talk about YOUR day. Being authentic and modeling good communication with other adults in their school or home will encourage children to join in on conversations. Asking higher-level questions takes practice and time. Think about what information you want to share with your child and what you would like to know from them. Be genuine. If it is tough to talk to them, don’t worry. It is important to start practicing conversation skills, especially when children are young. Have fun and keep a sense of humor and wonder. Children will follow your lead.

    Here are a Few Open-Ended Questions to Get You Started:
  • If you were the family chef, what would you make today for breakfast (lunch, dinner)? Why?
  • If you could do anything today, what would it be?
  • What was your favorite part about the holidays this year?
  • This year has been hard for lots of people. Is there anything positive you experienced? What things do you wish you could change?
  • If you could ask me anything (teachers or parents), what would it be?

References: “Big Questions for Young Minds: Extending Children’s Thinking”  by Janis Strasser and Lisa Mufson Bresson

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Introductory Crop Scout Training

Brandy VanDeWalle

A May 21 Nebraska Extension training course is scheduled for industry representatives and corn and soybean growers wanting to learn how to better manage corn and soybean pests.

The introductory level crop scout training is designed for entry-level scouts who are working for crop consultants, industry agronomists or farm service centers in Nebraska and neighboring states.  The training is also ideal for growers who scout their own fields or are interested in improving productivity, as well as for students being employed by agribusinesses.

The course, which will be held in-person, is from 8:55 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. with registration at 8:30 a.m. at the University of Nebraska’s Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center, which is located at 1071 County Road G, Ithaca, NE 68033. Nebraska Extension Educator Aaron Nygren emphasizes that this is a hands-on, in-person experience for participants focusing on important crop scouting skills.   

Topics covered during the day include: 

  • Scouting Tips and Understanding Corn & Soybean Growth & Development
  • Crop Diseases & Quiz
  • Scouting Techniques – Soil, Tissue, Disease Samples & Drone Best Practices
  • Identifying Weeds – Morphology, Using a Key to Identify Weed Seedlings 
  • Corn & Soybean Insect Scouting, Identification, Management
  • Nutrient Deficiencies in Corn & Soybeans
  • Hands on Practice 

Some of the benefits past registrants stated the training provided included practical/working knowledge and better accuracy in field scouting.  Other participants appreciated the hands-on, practical format.  Past participants have consistently given the training high marks and state that the knowledge gained from attending improved their scouting skills.

Cost for the program is $100, which includes lunch, refreshment breaks, workshop materials and a 3 ring binder instruction manual. The take-home instruction manual includes a variety of reference materials that provide resources for crop scouting.  For those attending the daylong training that don’t want a copy of the instruction manual, the fee is $60. Attendees should preregister to reserve their seat and to ensure workshop materials are available the day of the training session.

Certified Crop Advisor continuing education credits are being applied for with 6 credits in pest management, 1 in crop management and .5 in fertility/nutrient management.

To register or for more information, go to https://enreec.unl.edu/fieldcropscouttraining, contact Nebraska Extension at (402) 624-8030, or e-mail Aaron Nygren at anygren2@unl.edu. Preregistration requested by May 17 for meal planning purposes.

(Source; IANR News)

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Celebrate Beef Month

Brandy VanDeWalle

As we enter the spring and summer months, nothing smells better than a delicious, juicy hamburger or steak on the grill and being able to barbecue outside with friends and family. It’s no surprise then that May is National Beef Month!  The beef industry is especially important to Nebraska’s economy. According to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Nebraska is first in commercial cattle slaughter, second in beef and veal exports, and second in commercial red meat production. According to the Nebraska Beef Council website, Nebraska has the top three beef cow counties in the U.S., including the nation’s No. 1 cow county – Cherry County, with nearly 166,000 cows. Custer County is No. 2 (100,000) and Holt County is No. 3 (99,000). Also among the top counties in the nation is Lincoln County at No. 12 (69,000).

The Nebraska Beef Council also reports that nearly 5 million head are finished and marketed in Nebraska, a state with a population of 1.9 million residents. January 2022 figures illustrate that Nebraska continues to have far more cattle than people. The 1.8 million cows combined with the nearly 5 million head that are annually fed in Nebraska total nearly 6.8 million cattle. That’s over 3.5 times more cattle than people in Nebraska!

So, why is Nebraska, the beef state?  It has a unique mix of natural resources and according to the Nebraska Beef Council, cattle turn grass from 24 million acres of rangeland and pasture, more than one-half of Nebraska’s land mass, into protein and many other products for humans. Land that is grazed allows more people to be fed than otherwise possible and more than one billion bushels of corn are produced in Nebraska, of which 40% is fed to livestock in the state.

Now that I have explained how and why the beef industry is important to Nebraska, let’s explore the health benefits of beef. Beef is a good source of zinc, iron, and protein and 29 cuts of beef meet the government labeling guidelines for being lean. In fact, a 3-ounce cooked serving of lean beef (which is about the size of a deck of cards) provides 10 essential nutrients and about half of the daily value of protein in about 170 calories. According to recent research from Purdue University, the cuts of beef considered lean can be included as a part of a heart-healthy diet to support cardiovascular health and has consistently demonstrated that the nutrients in beef promote health through life.

With May being beef month, I want to remind you that the 2024 Nebraska Beef Passport launches May 1 in locations across the state that are known for offering outstanding beef. This year’s participants include 32 restaurants and 19 meat processors. This is the 4th year of the program which encourages people to visit the featured locations and earn points towards prizes offered by the Nebraska Beef Council.  Check is out at nebeef.org.

If you would like more information on beef production, you can view our Nebraska Extension website beef.unl.edu. Our Extension experts have a variety of articles from beef nutrition to reproduction to lease information. If you would like recipes or tips for preparing beef, you can also check out Nebraska Extension’s food.unl.edu website. There are some great tips on saving money when purchasing beef and links to the Nebraska Beef Council’s website which has great recipes as well.

Enjoy some beef today! 

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4-H Helps Youth Thrive Series

Brandy VanDeWalle

The next several articles I will be sharing will focus on the 4-H Thrive Model which focuses on ensuring high-quality 4-H programs for youth and positive youth development. In the 4-H Thriving Model, this process of positive youth development is described by seven indicators of thriving: openness to challenge and discover, growth mindset, hopeful purpose, pro-social orientation, transcendent awareness, positive emotionality, and self-regulation through goal setting and management. This first article focuses on volunteers who are the heart of a high-quality 4-H program.

4-H Volunteers Help Youth Thrive   

Volunteers have been the long-time champions for the 4-H program, delivering 4-H experiences to youth across the nation for decades. Volunteers bring invaluable skills and resources to their role, dedicating hours to teaching youth new skills and helping them grow as leaders. It is certainly not difficult to visibly see a volunteer’s impact in this way.  

However, there are many other ways in which volunteers help youth thrive that are not as easy to visibly see. Volunteers, specifically 4-H club leaders, undoubtedly are a key part of the 4-H program and the impact on youth for years to come. But, how? This happens through developmental relationships, which are close connections through which young people discover who they are, cultivate abilities to shape their own lives and learn how to engage with and contribute to the world around them.   

Developmental relationships between youth and adults are important aspect of the 4-H program. Research shows that the relational quality between the 4-H leader, volunteer and member is connected to positive youth development. 4-H volunteers foster a developmental relationship with youth when they express care, challenge growth, provide, support, share power and expand possibilities.  

Some of the ways 4-H volunteers build a developmental relationship with youth is through a variety of visible approaches. Examples include, but are not limited to, showing youth they enjoyed spending time together, making youth feel known and valued, being someone, youth can trust and praising youth for their efforts and achievements. Implementing these approaches to having a developmental relationship with youth encourages youth to know their 4-H club leader cares about them and their success.  

Healthy developmental relationships grow over time to move past a mainly adult-driven relationship to shifting the power to the youth. In addition, as the relationship between the 4-H leader and the youth continues to grow and foster a deeper connection, the impact on the youth deepens as well.  

Thank you, 4-H volunteers, for creating 4-H experiences for youth to experience new skills and helping them grow as leaders, and ultimately finding their spark in life!  

This article was written by Jill Goedeken, Nebraska Extension Educator.

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Emergency Preparedness Workshop Series for Rural Families

Brandy VanDeWalle

An upcoming four-part extension workshop for women in agriculture will focus on emergency preparedness for rural families. The program will be a four-part series, held at numerous locations across Nebraska and Indiana. The series will focus on farm and ranch emergency management, first aid, fire protection and hazardous materials. Workshops will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Central time on March 5, 7, 12 and 14.

The program is a collaboration between extension women in agriculture programs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Purdue University. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, agricultural occupations have high rates of work-related injuries and deaths. While not all emergencies result in bodily injury or death, they also may cost rural families in other ways.

“Women play a critical role in ensuring the safety of their homes and rural communities,” said Jessica Groskopf, director of the Nebraska Women in Agriculture program. “In many farm and ranch families, safety is an important topic, but it sometimes gets overlooked because it does not directly impact profitability.”

Each state’s workshop sites will be hosted by local extension personnel. Keynote speakers will be simulcast to each location, and each site will provide additional speakers and hands-on activities. Dinner will be included.

Groskopf said the program’s structure is intended to strengthen women’s networks in rural areas, which can provide opportunities for building trust and sharing information.“Connections are so important to rural women,” she said. “We have seen the benefits that come from knowing your peers, having a place to share difficulties, and mitigate the isolation that so many of us in agriculture often feel.”

The workshops seek to help participants initiate preventative practices, set up a plan to deal with emergencies before they occur and be more comfortable reacting to emergency situations. There is a registration fee of $50 per person before Tuesday, Feb. 20. The fee increases to $60 per person after Feb. 20. Participants should plan to attend each session. A virtual option is available for those unable to attend a workshop site, although in-person attendance is highly encouraged to better network with other attendees and interact with speakers. The virtual registration fee is $75 before Feb. 20, and $80 after Feb. 20. Registration may be completed on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website.

This project was supported by a grant from NCRCRD through funding from USDA NIFA Award #2022-51150-38141.  ​

Nebraska Workshop Sites

  • Beatrice — Beatrice Fire and Rescue, 300 S. Sixth St.
  • Concord — Haskell Ag Lab, 57905 866 Rd.
  • Grand Island — Raising Nebraska, 501 E. Fonner Park Rd., Suite 100
  • O‘Neill — Holt County Courthouse Annex, 128 N. Sixth St.