Crops, Uncategorized, Youth

Making One Agronomist at a Time

Brandy VanDeWalle

Last week, eight Nebraska youth traveled to Iowa to participate in the 1st Annual Regional Youth Crop Scouting Competition held at Iowa State University’s Field Extension Education Location near Boone, IA. These youth scouted six fields for diseases, insects, abiotic/biotic disorders, weed identification and crop growth stage and development. Teams from IIMG_6290.JPGowa and Indiana also competed. Nebraska teams ranked 4th and 5th respectably. Between all three state competitions, 111 youth competed from Nebraska, Iowa and Indiana. Top two teams from each state competed at the regional competition. Congrats to all of the youth who not only networked with agronomic professionals, but also gained the most by improving life skills related to a potential career path.

While this is one program, which impacts a very small percentage of youth, it is very important to start training the next generation of ag leaders to feed our growing population. In fact the USDA’ National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) believes so strongly in the future of agricultural career pathways, they are funding $3.1 million through a Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program (NNF). This fellowship will aid in supporting the next generation of scientists and innovators who will be key to the future of our food and agricultural systems.

The NNF program is for graduate degree (masters and doctoral) programs and postgraduate training. The Nebraska Farmer website says it well, “the purpose of this program is to develop intellectual capital to ensure the preeminence of U.S. food and agricultural systems. This funding invests in experiential learning, including international experiences, for individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to NIFA’s mission.”

There are eight targeted expertise shortage areas in which applicants should target their projects which include:  animal production; plant production; forest resources; agricultural educators and communicators; agricultural management and economics; food science, human nutrition and human sciences; sciences for agricultural biosecurity; veterinary sciences; food and agriculture data analytics and tools; and integrative biosciences for sustainable food and agricultural systems. Applications are due September 22, 2016. For more information go to the NIFA – NNF website.IMG_6287.JPG

While this program is for graduate and postgraduate degree programs, it all starts by sparking the interest in youth, one at a time with the goal of “making on agronomist at a time.”

For more information on how to engage youth in crops, visit our UNL CropWatch site at http://cropwatch.unl.edu/cropwatch-youth.

Crops, Uncategorized

Saline County Wind Association

Brandy VanDeWalle

The Saline County Wind Association (SCWA) Inc. has voted to enter into negotiations on a wind lease agreement with APEX Clean Energy of Charlottesville, VA. APEX has indicated it plans to build a 300 M/W wind energy facility in the following Townships of Saline and Fillmore Counties: Atlanta, Olive, Turkey Creek, Belle Prairie, Chelsea, Franklin and Glengary.windturbine

APEX has renewable energy projects in 25 states. Most of those projects being wind energy facilities. This will be their first project in Nebraska.

SCWA’s role in this project is: 1) Educate the landowners in the project area about wind farms; 2) Help determine the level of interest in this type of project; 3) If there is sufficient level of interest, to negotiate a wind lease agreement for the landowners that choose to participate in the project.

SCWA Board Chairman, David Vavra, said, “The mission of the Wind Association is to Protect the Land Owners. Not to be for or against wind development, but to educate the landowners so they can make an informed decision as whether or not to sign a wind lease agreement.”

Wind Lease agreements can be 50 to 60 pages long. The SCWA has identified over 20 points of concern that land owners need to be made aware of when signing a lease of this type. These agreements can be in place for up to 50 years.

To help inform and educate the landowners in the proposed area, SCWA will be holding 2 landowner informational meetings in Ohiowa, at 1PM in the Ohiowa Auditorium on Saturday, August 13th, and in Tobias at 7PM in the Tobias Fire Hall on Sunday, August 14th.

Anyone who has land or interest in the project area is encouraged to attend. Even if you are not interested in wind development, you owe it to yourself to be informed.

For more information please call 402-526-0018.

(Source: David Vavra, SCWA Chairman)

Uncategorized, Youth

Reflections from the Road

Brandy VanDeWalle

This past week, I was fortunate to serve as a voting delegate for Nebraska Ag Educators and attend the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Professional Improvement Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas. At this conference agricultural extension professionals gathered from across the nation to gain leadership development and increased knowledge of agricultural issues. The presentations and networking with colleagues across the nations sparks ideas, concepts and programs to bring back home. There were several excellent programs and concepts I am excited to implement in Nebraska and locally, which will not only be a benefit to Nebraskan’s and the clients I serve, but make me a better educator. From agricultural literacy initiatives to youth development programs to new and emerging trends in production agriculture, this is always a highlight of my professional career.

rice field
At the NACAA Professional Improvement Conference, an Arkansas Extension Specialist shared with us how rice is grown. It is always interesting to learn about different types of agriculture outside of Nebraska. 

 

Also, this conference provides a renewed sense of purpose and reminds me what it is that I do. To some, all the county extension office does is conduct a county fair. It always amazes me how one week out of the year, extension is judged on the quality of work conducted. Don’t get me wrong, county fair is important, as it is one of the culminating activities in a youth’s project and allows them to showcase their hard work and dedication that is important. I enjoy seeing projects, both livestock and static exhibits, that youth have been describing to me and talking about for months. Seeing the pride in their eyes as they exhibit their project is awesome! The volunteers we have in Fillmore County are amazing and greatly appreciated. It is great having volunteers that have ownership in the 4-H program and we have countless volunteers who contribute many hours of hard work for the greater good of the 4-H program. To those, I cannot thank you enough!

At my conference, Walt Coleman resonated to me quite well, especially after coming off county fair. Coleman is a fifth-generation businessman in the dairy industry and currently serves as controller for Hiland Dairy. Coleman has also officiated NFL games for 25 years. You can probably guess as an NFL referee, he has experienced his share of negativity! One of the quotes that stuck with me includes, “All we can be is the best we can be” and reminded us to focus on the positive, not negative.

We often will never quite know the impact we’ve had on one’s life. I went into Extension in order to make a positive difference in the lives of those I serve. While it is not usually visible, I sure hope that what I do is making a positive difference and that I leave this world a better place. My parents instilled in me the importance of giving thanks to those whom have made a difference or went out of their way to do something that didn’t have to be done. Let’s reach out to others in a positive manner and be thankful what we have, rather than tearing others down with needless “put-downs” and poor sportsmanship.

In conclusion, with all of the negativity and challenges our world faces, let’s strive to work together, rather than against each other. Let’s be a part of the solution, not the problem and display positive character traits for our youth’s sake. I’d like to end this column with a quote by Henry Ford that sums up what I’m trying to express, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is a success.” We have so much to be thankful for and let’s not loose sight of that. Thanks again to all whom have contributed positive youth development to the 4-H and FFA programs!

Uncategorized, Youth

Sportsmanship & Youth Development

Brandy VanDeWalle

Webster’s Third International Dictionary defines sportsmanship as “conduct becoming to an individual involving fair and honest competition, courteous relations and graceful acceptance of results”. Sportsmanship starts with parents teaching their youth how to accept a win or a loss, although in the 4-H youth development program, even if the youth receives a red ribbon, nothing is lost as long as some basic knowledge and skills were gained. Too often in our society we focus on the tangible results of a ribbon or trophy and don’t think about the process that youth went through to achieve the end results and what was learned from that process.   It is your response to winning and losing that makes you a winner or a loser.- Harry Sheeny

I often use the example that as a youth, I’ll never forget receiving a red ribbon for a market heifer; I was disappointed, but will never forget my dad asking me, what the judge said in the comments. After we talked it over, I realized his reasoning and was able to understand the type of animal I should select the following year. That was a lesson I’ll never forget. My parents instilled the value of hard work into my sister and I and any animal we showed we bought with our own money to build a small cow/calf herd or they came from our own herd. We rarely had the award-winning animal and were extremely excited to even receive a purple ribbon. The learning that occurred, memories and fun we had were just as valuable than if we would have received a trophy or plaque. For these reasons, it is really rewarding to work with youth who are happy with any ribbon placing- white, red, blue or purple. It really is just one person’s opinion on one particular day!

The 4-H Program focuses on providing positive youth development and developing young people as future leaders. A ribbon or plaque placing does not achieve this; rather it is the process, skills and effort that went into the project. It is also important to mention that the entire 4-H program extends beyond the county fair and is done through educational workshops, career portfolios, leadership experiences and much more and is a year round program.

MeShowing
I enjoyed showing cattle and while purples were exciting to receive, the ribbon placing didn’t matter; it was the learning experience and fun had with friends!

Three reasons adults and teen leaders should be concerned with developing sportsmanship are:

  1. Youth programs are easier to conduct and are more positive experiences for everyone involved if good sportsmanship is demonstrated.
  2. The development of sportsmanship is an important part of youth development. Youth and adults who develop and show good sportsmanship get along better, and are much more successful on a long-term basis in becoming self-directing, productive, contributing, competent, caring, capable adults, than are those whose behavior is un-sportsmanship-like.
  3. Sportsmanship is one of the key elements of civilized society. Those who think of the “big picture” know the reasons for developing sportsmanship extend beyond an individual, a community, or a program. When societies allow sportsmanship to decline, their civilizations also decline.

As we get ready for another Fillmore County Fair, let’s be reminded that the end result is not the ribbon placing, but the skills that each youth learned!

Source: Kathryn J. Cox, Ohio Extension 4-H Specialist, Youth Development, Developing Sportsmanship- A Resource For Preparing Youth And Their Families For Participation in Competitive Programs and Events, 2006

Crops, Programming, Uncategorized, Youth

Youth Crop Scouting Competition

Brandy VanDeWalle

Connecting Youth with Crops…

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 3rd annual Crop Scouting Competition for Nebraska youth. Youth interested in crops have the opportunity to learn about crop growth & development and basic crobrandy vandewalle slide on crop scout clinicp 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 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 ARDC near Mead, Nebraska on August 2, 2016. The event will include both indoor and outdoor events. Teams of junior high and high school students (those completing 7-12th grades) from across Nebraska are invited to participate.

Clubs or other organizations may enter a team composed of three or four 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.

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 many 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.  Top two teams will be eligible for regional competition in late August at Iowa.

Teams must be registered by July 18. Registration is $50/team; the fee will be refunded when the team attends the competition. Payment by check is due along with the registration form by July 18. This program is sponsored by DuPont Pioneer, the Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska Independent Crop Consultant Association and Nebraska Extension.

Crops, Programming, Uncategorized

Weed Management Field Days

Brandy VanDeWalle

weedmgmtdayGrowers, crop consultants and educators are encouraged to attend Nebraska Extension’s Weed Management Field Day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 29 at the South Central Agricultural Laboratory near Clay Center. The field day will include on-site demonstrations of new technology and new herbicides for corn, soybean and sorghum. An early morning tour will focus on weed management in soybeans followed by a tour of weed management in corn and sorghum. Field experiments will provide information for weed control options using several herbicide programs.

“Several new herbicides and technologies are coming to the market, including Enlist Corn and Soybean, Roundup Ready 2 Xtend Soybean, Balance Bean and INZEN sorghum” said Extension Weed Management Specialist Amit Jhala. The field day will provide an opportunity to identify several broadleaf and grass weeds commonly found in corn and soybean fields in Nebraska.

Three Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) Continuing Education Units are available in the integrated pest management category. There is no cost to attend the field day, but participants are asked to register at http://agronomy.unl.edu/weedresistmgt. The South Central Agricultural Laboratory is five miles west of the intersection of Highways 14 and 6, or 13 miles east of Hastings on Highway 6.amaranthGrowers, crop consultants and educators interested in management of herbicide-resistant Palmer amaranth are encouraged to attend Nebraska Extension’s Field Day, supported by the Nebraska Corn Board, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 12 near Shickley.  Palmer amaranth is a member of the pigweed family and is one of the most troublesome weeds in seed cornfields because of its resistance to atrazine and HPPD inhibitors. Greenhouse dose-response studies have confirmed resistance when atrazine and HPPD inhibitors were applied post-emergence. Palmer amaranth is of particular concern in south-central Nebraska because of its proximity to intense seed corn production, which is heavily reliant on these herbicides for weed.

At the field day, experiments will demonstrate how to control Palmer amaranth in field and seed corn production fields in Nebraska. Keynote speaker, Jason Norsworthy will share his experiences for management of glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth. Norsworthy is a professor and endowed chair of weed science at the University of Arkansas.

Three CCA credits will be available. There is no cost to attend the field day. However, pre-registration is required before 3 p.m. on July 11. To register, visit http://agronomy.unl.edu/weedresistmgt.

Directions to the Field Day: From Geneva, go south on Highway 81 for seven miles. Turn west onto Highway 74 for 12 miles. Turn north on Road 2 for three miles. Turn west on Road Q for 0.1 mile. The farm field is on the north side of Road Q.

For more information, contact Amit Jhala at 402-472-1534 or amit.jhala@unl.edu.

Horticulture, Uncategorized

Emerald Ash Borer in Nebraska

Brandy VanDeWalle

A couple of years ago, I hosted Nicole Stoner, Extension Horticulturist for a program on Emerald Ash Borer and she reminded attendees that it’s not a matter of if it will happen, but when it happens. Guess what? The Nebraska Department of Agriculture announced recently that the emerald ash borer (EAB) has found in soutEABheast Omaha. This is the first confirmation of the insect in Nebraska. EAB has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in 26 states. It is projected that Nebraska’s taxpayers and homeowners will spend over $961 million on ash tree removal, disposal and replacement. The following information was take from the Nebraska Forest Service’s press release.

Deputy State Forester John Erixson reminds people that now is a good time for residents in and around Omaha—and municipalities throughout the state—to take proactive steps to deal with EAB as once EAB is found in an area, most ash trees are killed within 10-15 years. Residents with ash trees in the Omaha area may want to begin treatments. “The best candidates for treatments are healthy, high-value trees that are in a good location,” said Mark Harrell, Forest Health Program Leader with the Nebraska Forest Service. “Trees in poor condition or located under wires or too close to sidewalks or buildings generally should be removed rather than treated.”EAB 15miletreatment

Professionally applied trunk injections are the most effective treatments, especially for large trees. Their main drawback is the damage they cause to the tree and therefore are best applied by certified arborists well-trained in the procedure. The most common products available to the homeowner are soil applications, but they are somewhat less effective than injections and have a greater chance of harming beneficial insects, such as bees.

“Treatments need to be applied every one to two years and must be done for the remaining life of the tree,” said Harrell. “For this reason, many trees will not be worth saving.” Owners of ash trees outside of the Omaha area may be anxious to begin treatments, but the recommendation is still to wait until EAB has been found within 15 miles of your trees. The chances that your tree will be the first one infested is very low, especially if it is being well cared for.

The current treatment consideration zone extends from Fort Calhoun to Plattsmouth and from Gretna to east of Council Bluffs. Municipalities and anyone else managing large numbers of ash trees even if they are outside of the Omaha area should take steps now to prepare for EAB. “Upwards of 80% of the ash trees will die within 8 years after EAB is found in a community if nothing is done to manage the pest,” said Eric Berg, Program Leader for Community Forestry and Sustainable Landscapes. “This can put a strain on city budgets and staff and create liability issues if dead trees are left standing. Nebraska municipalities need to be proactive in dealing with EAB.”

“Municipalities should gain an understanding of the number, locations, sizes and conditions of their ash trees and develop a management plan,” Berg added. “Removing poor quality trees in a community even before EAB is discovered will help spread removal costs over more years.” As trees are removed, they should be replaced with a diverse selection of trees, not just a few species. This will help avoid another significant loss of the urban tree canopy when the next serious pest arrives.

More information about the emerald ash borer, finding an arborist, and recommendations for municipalities can be found at www.eabne.info.

An educational program on Emerald Ash Borer program will be held June 30th at 5:30 p.m. free to the public. This will be held at the Fillmore County Extension Office in Geneva, Nebraska and taught by Extension Horticulturist, Nicole Stoner.

Programming, Uncategorized, Youth

ATV Safety Training Courses

Brandy VanDeWalle

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were more than 100,000 injuries from ATVs in 2012 and about 25% of those involved youth under 16 years of age; these were just the emergency department-treated injuries. On average 144 youth die from ATV accidents and 568 adults die from ATV accidents (2001-2008 averages). Riding an adult ATV is much different than a youth riding a bicycle. For comparison, a bicycle can weigh up to 30 pounds, is self-propelled and will go only as fast as a kid can pedal, whereas an adult ATV can weigh up to 600 pounds, is motorized and can go up to 65 mph.ATV

For these reasons, the Nebraska 4-H ATV Safety Program, in collaboration with the American Safety Institute, offers age-specific free e-learning courses to address basic ATV safety principles. Adults, teens, and children will learn how to apply the “golden rules” of ATV riding in an interactive setting. The course includes videos, pictures, and interactive games to make it a fun and effective learning experience for all age groups. After taking the course, users can take an ATV Safety exam and receive a certificate of completion. The entire course takes approximately 2–2.5 hours to complete. You can stop at any point and your progress will be saved so that you can return and pick up right where you left off. It’s free, fun and a great learning experience for ATV riders of all ages. Sign up on the ATV Safety Institute’s website.

Nebraska Extension in Fillmore County is pleased to announce that we are teaming up with Fillmore County Farm Bureau to offer two sessions of a half-day, hands-on training for youth ages 8-18 in Geneva. If numbers warrant, two sessions will be offered on June 29th at the Fillmore County Fairgrounds. The first session will run from 9-Noon with an afternoon session from 1-4:00 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon for both sessions and ATV helmets will be provided through the generous support of Farm Bureau.

The ATV RiderCourse® is a fast-paced, half-day, hands-on training that is exciting and fun. Sessions include: pre-ride inspection, starting and stopping, quick turns, hill riding, and emergency stopping, swerving and riding over obstacles.

The training is conducted by certified RiderCourse® instructors. Whatever your experience, you will come away a better rider. Space is limited, so register by June 22nd by calling the Extension office at (402) 759-3712. A consent form must be completed, in addition to youth taking the course prior to June 29th.

Programming, Uncategorized, Youth

Keeping Youth Safe

Brandy VanDeWalle

That, “no child would become ill, injured or die from farm, ranch and rural activities.” That is the vision for the Progressive Agriculture Foundation. The Progressive Agriculture Foundation governs and secures funding solely to educate youth and families on ways to make farm, ranch and rural life safer for children and their families. The Progressive Agriculture Foundation is the largest rural safety and health education program for children in North America, which Fillmore County is proud to provide one of those programs. In fact, over 400 safety days are held across the United States & Canada reaching over 70,000 participants.IMG_5433

On May 26, 2016, Nebraska Extension in Fillmore County coordinated Progressive Agriculture Safety Day for 108 area youth in collaboration with the local WIFE (Women Involved in Farm Economics) and Fillmore Central and Shickley FFA Chapters. The event for youth who just completed 1st to 6th grades provided hands-on activities for youth on a variety of topics from bike safety to healthy lifestyles to agriculture literacy. This program is possible through the assistance of numerous volunteers from varying agencies or businesses.

IMG_5452
Each youth took home a kit with supplies to get them started should an emergency situation arise. 

 

This year youth learned what should go into an emergency kit and assemble their own kit to take home. Goody bags with lots of resources and other activities were also sent home with the record-breaking number of participants. IMG_5429

Crops, Uncategorized

Field Flooding

Brandy VanDeWalle

Recent heavy rains in parts of the area reminded me of an article about the survivable chances for corn that has been flooded in low-lying areas so I’ve summarized and put some excerpts from an article written by R.L. Bob Nielsen from the Purdue University, Agronomy Department. Obviously, plants that are completely submerged are at higher risk than those that are partially submerged and the longer an area remains ponded, the higher the risk of plant death.

Nielsen reported that most agronomists believe that young corn can survive up to about 4 days of outrighIMG_5480t ponding if temperatures are relatively cool (mid-60’s F or cooler); fewer days if temperatures are warm (mid-70’s F or warmer). Soil oxygen is depleted within about 48 hours of soil saturation. Without oxygen, the plants cannot perform critical life sustaining functions; e.g. nutrient and water uptake is impaired and root growth is inhibited. Even if surface water subsides quickly, the likelihood of dense surface crusts forming as the soil dries increases the risk of emergence failure for recently planted crops.

Young corn (less than V-6 stage) is more susceptible to ponding damage than corn beyond the sixth leaf stage. This is because young plants are more easily submerged than older and taller plants and since the corn plant’s growing point remains below ground until about V6. The health of the growing point can be assessed initially by splitting stalks and visually examining the lower portion of the stem. Within 3 to 5 days after water drains from the ponded area, look for the appearance of fresh leaves from the whorls of the plants.

Another consideration is that extended periods of saturated soils AFTER the surface water subsides can also take their toll on the overall vigor of the crop, causing IMG_5475stunted roots and dying roots. As a result, plants may be subject to greater injury during a subsequently dry summer due to their restricted root systems.

Loss of nutrients is another concern on saturated soils. Significant loss of soil N will cause nitrogen deficiencies and possible additional yield loss. Lengthy periods of wet soil conditions also favor the development of seedling blight diseases, especially those caused by Pythium fungi. Poorly drained areas of fields are most at risk for the development of these diseases and will also be risky for potential replant operations.

There are other diseases that can affect flooded areas of corn as well, but for now, it’s kind of a wait and see until you can get into the field and assess the health of the growing point. For more information refer to Effects of Flooding or Ponding on Young Corn by R.L. Nielsen.