Views from VanDeWalle

NE Ag Water Management Network

May 11, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

It’s certainly proving to be a dry spring so far. One of the ways to better manage irrigation costs is through participation in the Nebraska Ag Water Management Network. In addition to saving costs and water, producers report a reduction in nutrient loss. Evaluation results have shown a one to two-inch savings of irrigation since its inception. The Network has been having significant impacts on both water and energy conservation due to farmers adopting information and implementing technologies in their irrigation management. The cost of applying an additional 2 inches of water is going to vary depending on your depth to water, system pressure, and equipment costs, but could easily run from $10 to $30 per acre.

To determine the actual cost, I recommend using the IrrigateCost app, developed by Nebraska Extension. The app, which is available for both Apple and Android products, allows users to input their specific information such as acres irrigated, pumping lift, system PSI, pump and pivot life, and inches applied as well as related costs such as for the well and engine, labor, energy, district fees, and taxes. The app then calculates total irrigation, total ownership, and total operating costs. It also breaks down costs by irrigation well, pump, gear head, pump base, diesel e irrigatecost ngine and tank and system and calculates per acre annual cost and per acre-inch annual cost.

A couple of the tools the NAWMN uses are ETgages® or Atmometers which mimic crop evapotranspiration or ET and Watermark soil matrix sensors which measure soil matric potential or the energy required to remove water from the soil. These two tools have really worked well and have made irrigation management much easier than those gut feelings. The more information you have the better decisions you can make!

ETgage

If you are in the NAWMN, and have not already installed your equipment, be sure to remember to start the soaking/drying cycle on your Watermark sensors to be sure they work! It’s also important to replace the #54 alfalfa canvas covers and wafers on a regular basis at the start of each season. For more information, go to: http://water.unl.edu/web/cropswater/nawmdn.

Once you have your ETgage out, I hope you will post your weekly readings to the Nebraska Ag Water Management Network (NAWMN) website. As a reminder, once you are on the main screen, you can login to your site by entering your site name and password and clicking on “Login.” Once you have logged in, you will be taken to your weekly data from past weeks, including last year. To enter your weekly data, click on the “Add new ETgage reading” link which will take you to the data entry page where you can enter your growth stage, rainfall, and ETgage change.

If you’ve forgotten your site name or password, please contact Aaron Nygren at anygren2@unl.edu or 402-352-3821.

Programming

Nebraska LEAD Program

May 4, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

Ten years ago I met twenty-nine talented individuals with a passion of agriculture through the Nebraska LEAD program. To date, I remain friends with many of them and the networking opportunities have been tremendous. The in-state seminars challenged me to think outside of the box and remain an advocate for agriculture. I could go on and on about the excellent opportunities the LEAD program has provided, but I challenge you to experience it yourself!

LEAD Picture — These are the amazing LEAD “fellows” I’ve had the chance to meet, many of whom I remain in contact with today.

The Nebraska LEAD Program is dedicated to building future Nebraska leaders so that our food and fiber system is preserved and enhanced. If you would like to be a part of the leadership necessary to chart the course . . . now and in the future, and you are presently involved in production agriculture or agribusiness, there will never be a better time to make application to the Nebraska LEAD Program. Fellowship applications for Nebraska LEAD (Leadership Education/Action Development) Group 38 are now available for men and women involved in production agriculture or agribusiness and are due on June 15. Up to 30 motivated men and women with demonstrated leadership potential are selected annually for the Nebraska LEAD Program. Generally the program is for people between the ages of 25-55 years of age.

In addition to monthly three-day seminars throughout Nebraska from mid-September through late March each year, Nebraska LEAD Fellows also participate in a 10-day National Study/Travel Seminar during the first year and a two week International Study/Travel Seminar during the second year.

Fruit Market pic.jpg — Our LEAD group traveled to China, South Korea and Hong Kong.

Content essential to leadership focuses on public policy issues, natural resources, community development, interpersonal skill development, communications, education, economics, and social and cultural understanding. Soon beginning its 38th year, the program is operated by the Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, a nonprofit organization in collaboration with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and in cooperation with Nebraska colleges and universities, business and industry, and individuals throughout the state.

Applications are due no later than June 15 and are available via e-mail from the Nebraska LEAD Program. Please contact Shana at sgerdes2@unl.edu. You may also request an application by calling (402) 472-6810.

Nebraska LEAD Program offices are in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. If you are even thinking about applying, contact me and I’d be more than happy to share my experiences with you and visit with you about this life-changing opportunity!

Horticulture

Bagworms

April 27, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

One common horticultural pest our office receives questions on is bagworms. Bagworms feed on the foliage of a wide variety of trees and shrubs, but are of most concern for evergreens, especially junipers. Bagworms overwinter as eggs in their bags which are attached to tree branches. The eggs hatch in mid-May to early June. As bagworms grow, leaf fragments are added to bags which often grow to 2 inches in length by the end of the summer. The earliest signs of bagworm injury in evergreens are brown or stressed needles at the tips of branches. Heavy infestations of older bagworms may completely defoliate a tree or shrub and if severe enough can kill the tree or shrub. Less severe injury will slow growth and stunt plants.

To control bagworms on small trees or small infestations, remove the bags by pulling them off the branches and immersing them in soapy water. If you place the bags next to the tree, the larvae might return to the host plants. If you have bagworms in a windbreak or large tree, insecticides are most effective when applied during early bagworm development. For early season damage, insecticides from mid to late June when bags are less than ½ inch in length are effective. By late August, chemical control is no longer effective as the bagworms have ceased feeding and are enclosed within their bags.

Reduced-risk insecticides to use contain Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and insecticidal soaps are quite effective on young bagworm larvae but may require repeated applications. Additional insecticide options for bagworms include: acephate, bifenthrin, carbaryl, cyfluthrin, malathion or others. As always, be sure to read and follow all label instructions and use all insecticides with caution to avoid exposure to humans, pets, wildlife and other non-target organisms.

For more information, check out Nebraska Extension’s NebGuide on bagworms which can be accessed online through extension.unl.edu websiteor in our office.

Crops, Irrigation, Programming

Crop Scout Training

April 20, 2018April 19, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

Have you ever thought about where crop scouts and agronomists receive some of their training? Nebraska Extension helps provide education for them and others; one opportunity will be coming up on May 9^th. The course 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 and Extension Center near Mead. The training course is scheduled for industry representatives and corn and soybean growers wanting to learn how to better manage corn and soybean pests.

Keith Glewen, extension educator who coordinates the program said, “The 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 course 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 day-long event provides participants practical/working knowledge and better accuracy in field scouting. Topics include: corn and soybean insect Scouting, identification and management; crop diseases; identifying weeds – plant morphology, using a key to identify weed seedlings; nutrient deficiencies in corn and soybeans; and understanding corn and soybean growth and development.

The cost for the program is $165, which includes lunch, refreshment breaks, workshop materials and instruction manual. Updated reference materials are included in this year’s take-home instruction manual. For those attending the day-long training without the resource book, the fee is $50. 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 available with 6 in pest management, 1 in crop management and .5 in fertility/nutrient management.

For more information or to register, contact Nebraska Extension at (402) 624-8030, (800) 529-8030, e-mail Keith Glewen at kglewen1@unl.edu, or online at https://enre.unl.edu/crop.

Programming, Youth

Raise Your Hand for 4-H

April 14, 2018April 13, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

Nebraska 4-H currently reaches one in three youth through 4-H programming. Considering the amazing benefits youth experience through participation in 4-H programming, Nebraska 4-H anticipates reaching one in two youth by the year 2020. In order to achieve this goal, leadership of Nebraska 4-H asked counties to establish growth goals for their local 4-H programs beginning in 2014. These growth goals were meant to encourage and challenge 4-H programs to think of creative and innovative ways to engage more youth in 4-H programming. While reaching one in two youth may initially seem overly ambitious, fifty four counties currently reach one in two youth through their 4-H programs. This is due, in large part, to the great work of our 4-H alumni and volunteers. Fortunately, Fillmore and Clay Counties have already achieved this goal and are working to expand even more through diverse audiences.

Recently, the National 4-H Council announced their own growth goal of reaching ten million youth through 4-H programming by 2025. They asked all states to begin setting growth goals to help them achieve this. It is great to see Nebraska 4-H setting the standard for growth and leading the way as we work to give as many youth as possible the opportunity to make their best, better.

How can you be a part of Nebraska 4-H reaching one in two youth by 2020? Invite new members to join 4-H clubs, perform community outreach projects in the county, or invite your child’s teacher to utilize school enrichment programs in their classroom. Are you on social media? As you share great accomplishments with 4-H members and use the hashtag #4Hgrowshere and #NE4H. Even if you are not directly involved in 4-H programming, share great 4-H memories or experiences that helped you make the best better. Growing the reach of Nebraska 4-H begins with volunteers and alumni sharing their stories and shining the spotlight on the life changing moments experienced in 4-H. Help Nebraska 4-H continue to lead the way to reaching one in two youth in counties of our great state and ten million youth nationally.

If you are a 4-H alum, don’t forget to Raise Your Hand! Together we can help 4-H provide the hands-on learning that empowers kids across America with the skills to handle what life throws at them.

It’s easy:

Raise Your Hand: Go to www.4-H.org/RaiseYourHand to show your pride as a 4-H alumni.
Compete for Your State: Raising your hand is a vote towards a $20,000, $10,000 or $5,000 award for the states with the most alumni hands raised. In Nebraska, this award will be used to reach more youth through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs.
Pay it Forward: Tweet, post and share your #4HGrown and #NE4H experience or support and tag fellow alumni asking them to raise their hands for their state at www.4-H.org/RaiseYourHand

In addition, share the campaign by:

Adding the Nebraska 4-H Frame to Facebook Profile Picture – Log into Facebook. Click this link to change your profile picture. Search for “Nebraska 4-H” and click “Use as Profile Picture.”
Asking Four Friends to Raise Their Hand by Voting for Nebraska – Send an email, social media message, or text to four friends asking them to Raise Your Hand for Kids in Nebraska! Include the link to https://4-h.org/raise-your-hand.

Help kids learn responsibility, compassion, respect and the value of hard work by supporting 4-H. Together we can grow the next generation of true leaders.

Horticulture, Programming

Tree Care Program

April 10, 2018April 7, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

treewkshppic Trees are very valuable in our landscapes. They provide us with beauty, shade, oxygen, and better resale on our homes. These trees need our help to ensure they have healthy growth. When they have a disease or insect problem, it is up to us to manage those pests to help them live many years. On Wednesday, April 18^th from 5:30-7pm at the Clay County Activities Building in Clay Center, Nicole Stoner will teach us what to do with our trees. Nicole Stoner is a Horticulture Educator from Nebraska Extension in Gage County. This tree program is only $5.00 and will cover light refreshments and your educational materials. Nicole will cover watering, insect and disease problems, general care, and planting of trees. Please pre-register by April 13^th with Nebraska Extension in Clay County. You can pre-register by calling 402-762-3644 or by emailing dpeshek2@unl.edu.

A repeat of the program will be held at the Fillmore County Extension Office on May 1^st starting at 5:30 p.m. This tree program is also only $5.00 and will cover light refreshments and your educational materials. Nicole will cover watering, insect and disease problems, general care, and planting of trees. Please pre-register by April 25^th with Nebraska Extension in Fillmore County. You can pre-register by calling 402-759-3712 or by emailing holly.ackland@unl.edu.

Crops, Irrigation, Programming

Nebraska On-Farm Research Network Opportunities

April 7, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network (NOFRN) is seeking growers who would like to conduct research trials in the 2018 crop season. NOFRN is designed to help growers test and answer questions they have about products or practices they’re considering implementing on their farm. The on-farm research studies provide a unique opportunity to collaborate with university and industry experts to design and conduct research suited to the farmer’s own operation.

A number of NOFRN research protocols are available for 2018 and even more can be customized to address specific farmer questions, said Laura Thompson, Extension educator and NOFRN co-coordinator with extension educator Keith Glewen. For more information, go to https://cropwatch.unl.edu/on-farm-research. onfarmapp

Accessing resources from the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network is available at your fingertips – in the field, in the tractor or truck, or wherever you want to use the research app. The research app was launched in April 2015 is available for iPhone, iPad and Android users. The app enables users to create treatment strips in their own fields and develop a map of their research study. Once the field is created the user has the ability to enter periodic observations related to insects, diseases, weeds, irrigation totals, or other key observations, including photos. At the conclusion of the research trial, the user inputs the harvest results and exports them to an excel file. The plot layout, observations, and yield data can all be emailed at any time as an excel file. The data collected will be beneficial to both the app user and to those evaluating the data and results with the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network.

Programming, Youth

Progressive Ag Safety Day

April 4, 2018March 30, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

Statistics from those impacted by a farm-related injury or death are sobering. Many know someone who was impacted by a farm accident that in many cases could have been prevented. This is why I feel so passionately about conducting the Annual Progressive Safety Day each year. The Progressive Agriculture Foundation provides safety and health information to rural communities that need it, which is why I’ve teamed up with them. The mission of Progressive Agriculture Days is simple – to provide education, training, and resources to make farm and ranch life safer and healthier for children and their communities. Safety_Day

During the program’s first year, a total of 2,800 participants and volunteers were reached throughout the South and Midwest and now the program impacts close to 110,000 annually. To date, the program has impacted more than 1.6 million children and adults.

Current 1^st through 6^th graders are invited to attend Progressive Agriculture Safety Day on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds. Youth will participate in a variety of events designed to help them be aware of safety in potentially hazardous situations such as electricity, emergencies, lawn mowers, tractors and pinchpoints, agricultural settings, and others. Youth will also learn about protecting their eyes and the opioid epidemic and how this impacts families. This year, families will walk away with a weather radio to use in the case of storms. Registration and consent form is REQUIRED by all youth who participate. This can be found at fillmore.unl.edu or by stopping by the Extension Office in Geneva or Clay Center.

April 20^th is early bird registration at only $5 per child that includes a t-shirt, lunch, snack and goodie bag. After April 20^th, registration increases to $10 per youth in order to participate.

This event is conducted by Nebraska Extension in Fillmore/Clay Counties, Shickley and Fillmore Central FFA chapters, 4-H and W.I.F.E. For more info or to register, call 402-759-3712 or email brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu.

Programming, Youth

Tractor Safety Training for Teen Farm/Ranch Workers

March 30, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

Federal law prohibits youth under 16 years of age from using specific equipment on a farm unless parents or legal guardians own the farm. Certification received through a course provided by Nebraska Extension grants an exemption to the law, allowing 14- and 15-year-olds to drive a tractor and work with certain mechanized equipment. slow-down

The most common cause of agricultural-related death in Nebraska is overturned tractors and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). Employing anyone uncertified under age 16 is a liability risk for farmers if those children operate such equipment.

Nebraska Extension’s Tractor Safety & Hazardous Occupations Courses take place at 12 Nebraska locations this year for teens 14 or 15 years of age who will work on a farm. Anyone older than 15 is also welcome to attend, but those under age 14 are not eligible to take the class. Extensive training on tractor and ATV safety occurs during in-class lessons with hands-on activities. Instilling an attitude of safety and a respect for agricultural equipment are primary goals of the course.

The first day of classroom instruction includes hands-on demonstrations, concluding with a written test. Classroom instruction will cover the required elements of the National Safe Tractor and Machinery Operation Program. Students are required to pass the test before taking the driving test on day two. The second day will include a physical driving test with equipment operation and ATV safety lessons. To receive certification, students must demonstrate competence in hitching and unhitching equipment and driving a tractor and trailer through a standardized course. Instructors will offer an ATV simulator experience to learn about safe behaviors and laws for ATVs and UTVs. Students will also complete homework assignments for the second day.

Two locations, Gordon and McCook, will offer online course instruction to replace the first day of the two-day course. Students complete this at their convenience before attending the driving component of the course on-site. All on-site classes begin at 8:00 A.M. and end times will vary, depending on the number of participants. Training site locations, Site Coordinator contact numbers, and dates of training are as follows:

Training Site Location Site Coordinator Dates of Training

Fairgrounds, Geneva (402) 759-3712 May 22 & 23
Fairgrounds, Hastings (402) 461-7209 May 24 & 25
Fairgrounds, Kearney (308) 236-1235 May 29 & 30
Fairgrounds, Auburn (402) 274-4755 May 31 & June 1
Evangelical Free, Ainsworth (402) 387-2213 June 5 & 6
Plains Equipment, O’Neill (402) 336-2760 June 7 & 8
WCREC, North Platte (308) 532-2683 June 12 & 13
Fairgrounds, Wayne (402) 375-3310 June 19 & 20
Fairgrounds, Gordon (308) 327-2312 June 21 (Day 1 online)
Fairgrounds, McCook (308) 345-3390 June 22 (Day 1 online)
Fairgrounds, Weeping Water (402) 267-2205 June 29 & 30

Cost of the course is $60, which includes educational materials, instruction, supplies, and lunches. Print and complete a registration and submit with payment to the appropriate Extension office location at least one week before the course (call the specific location number listed above for mailing address and instructions).

Crops, Livestock, Youth

Celebrate Agriculture

March 18, 2018March 16, 2018 Brandy VanDeWalle

My daughters, McKenzie and Meredith love caring for their calves, helping in the garden and learning about agriculture.

Growing up on a small farm in Saline County, I appreciate the work of our farmers and ranchers. My dad still farms and my girls enjoy visiting the farm and I hope I can instill the same hard-working values and beliefs my parents instilled in my sister and I. This is part of the reason, my husband and I have starting raising a few chickens and have bucket calves for the girls to care for. With my husband as the Fillmore Central ag education instructor and myself as an extension educator for UNL, we hope to be teaching future generations the vast opportunities available in the agricultural industry. This week marks the time to celebrate agriculture so I have included some of the Agriculture Council of America’s press release in my column this week as well as some of Extension’s work in agriculture literacy.

2017AgDay 625x90 The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) will host National Agriculture Day on March 20, 2018. This will mark the 45th anniversary of National Ag Day which is celebrated in classrooms and communities across the country. The theme for National Ag Day 2018 is “Agriculture: Food For Life.”

On March 20, 2018, ACA will host major events in the nation’s capital including an event at the National Press Club as well as a Taste of Agriculture Celebration. Additionally, the ACA will bring approximately 100 college students to Washington to deliver the message of Ag Day. These events honor National Agriculture Day and mark a nationwide effort to tell the true story of American agriculture and remind citizens that agriculture is a part of all of us. A number of producers, agricultural associations, corporations, students and government organizations involved in agriculture are expected to participate.

National Ag Day is organized by the Agriculture Council of America. ACA is a nonprofit organization composed of leaders in the agricultural, food and fiber community, dedicating its efforts to increasing the public’s awareness of agriculture’s role in modern society. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:

Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.
Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food and fiber industry.

You might be glad to know that Nebraska Extension has a team of extension staff working on programming to educate consumers and youth about agriculture and tell the story of the American farmer and rancher. This is being done through agricultural literacy-focused festivals and programs, development of beef-booster curriculum, quality assurance programs and many others. In fact, over 26,000 youth learned about agriculture through ag literacy programs in 2017 alone and 216,000 individuals accessed web materials to teach/learn about food labeling, when food is still acceptable to eat and how to reduce food waste. Over 3,600 Nebraska youth were certified in Livestock Quality Assurance to implement good production practices ensuring animal care and well-being.

Check out the impact this group had in 2017 related to agriculture literacy.