UNL Extension Webster County
October 2022 Edition Newsletter
Happy October!
Have a happy and safe harvest!!
Sincerely,
The Webster County Extension StaffBeef
BQA Training- Geneva October 5th
Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance
Nebraska Extension and Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance will be offering Beef Quality Assurance and Beef Quality Assurance Transportation Certification.
The date and location is:
· Wednesday, October 5, 2022. 10:00am – 12:00pm, Ag Hall – Fillmore County Extension Office, 641 N 5th St, Geneva, NE 68361.
Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) will be presenting the latest on the BQA and BQA Transportation (BQAT) programs and certifying/recertifying producers in BQA and BQAT. The BQA and BQAT programs educates beef producers and transporters on animal health best management practices, proper stockmanship, and proper animal welfare guidelines. “Beef cattle producers, who are committed to producing a quality, wholesome and safe beef and beef products for consumers, are encouraged to attend to stay up to date on BQA practices,” says Jesse Fulton, Director of Nebraska Beef Quality Assurance.
“By becoming or staying BQA and BQAT certified you are an integral part of beef's positive story to consumers. A story that can increase their understanding - and confidence - in how you and your operation are raising and transporting an animal that is fit to enter the beef supply chain,” says Fulton.
Many commercial beef packing facilities require producers who sell fed cattle to them to be BQA certified and those who deliver cattle to their facilities to be BQAT certified. If you have questions on how this may affect you, call Nebraska BQA.
All producers are invited to attend. BQA and BQAT certification is valid for three years. If your last BQA or BQAT training occurred prior to 2020, your certification could soon be or already be expired. Beef producers are encouraged to attend in order to keep their BQA and BQAT certification current. The certification fee is $20/person or a flat fee of $100 for operations who bring 5+ people.
Attendees will need to register online at bqa.unl.edu or by calling the Panhandle Research and Extension Center at 308.632.1230. Locations with no registered attendance will be canceled. Those who call in their registration, will need to be prepared to give name, phone number, for all those registering. Additionally, an email address will need to be provided for certificates to be electronically issued.
For all other inquiries, contact Nebraska BQA via email at nebraskabqa@unl.edu or by phone at 308.633.0158.
Crops & Water Systems
Staying Safe During Harvest
September 21, 2022
Amy Timmerman - Extension Educator
These are all great comments and thoughts as we start our day; however, when we are in the heat of harvest, stress levels are high and with little sleep, accidents still happen.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 368 farmer and farm workers who died from work-related injuries in 2020. This translates to 18.0 deaths per 100,000 workers. Transportation incidents are the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers.
Roadway Travel
To put in perspective how quickly drivers come onto farm equipment, if a vehicle is traveling 65 mph, and a combine is half of a mile ahead and traveling at 15 mph in the same direction, it would take 36 seconds for your vehicle to meet the combine. When we cut that distance to a fourth of a mile, it only takes 18 seconds. With all the potential distractions drivers face on the road, it is easy to understand how an accident can occur. Here are some tips to keep everyone to safe.
Want to read more of this article? Check it out here: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2022/staying-safe-during-harvest
Preventing and Responding to Combine Fires
September 21, 2022
Amy Timmerman - Extension Educator
As we move into fall harvest, a majority of Nebraska is in moderate to exceptional drought conditions (Figure 1). Fire is of high concern due to weather conditions conducive for fires to move quickly throughout the landscape.
Beyond conducive weather conditions, equipment has changed dramatically over the last couple of decades. Compared to older machines, today’s equipment is bigger, more complex, and carries more oil and fuel. On combines, shields, panels and fuel tanks used to be made out of metal but are now mostly synthetic, which can easily catch on fire. When smoldering crop residue meets a hydraulic leak or fuel, a fire quickly starts and spreads throughout the machine.
It is important to note that improvements have been made on newer equipment to reduce fires. Radiator fans have increased in power over the years, with many spinning at 60 mph to keep debris off hot engine components.
For example, John Deer moved the air intake of the radiator on its 70 series combine to the top in 2007, compared to the 60 series where the air intake was lower down on the side, allowing flammable crop residue to more easily enter.
A study of about 9,000 combine fires completed several years ago confirmed that crop residue typically starts the fire by coming into contact with hot manifold, exhaust or turbocharger. The majority of fires — 76.7% — start in the engine area of the combine (Venem, M.T. et al 2002). However, the most devastating fires spread rapidly to other areas of the machine.
Fires become especially severe when fuel lines rupture from the heat or when a fire burns through a hydraulic hose. Soon the combine becomes an inferno, especially if the engine is still pumping out fuel or hydraulic fluid under pressure. Typically, when fires ignite one or more tires, the result is complete loss of the machine. Availability of fire extinguishers and quick response from local fire departments can prevent total loss.
The following is a guide that can help ensure a smoother and safter harvest season without fire emergencies. Want to read more of this article? Check it out here: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2022/preventing-and-responding-combine-fires
Preventing Weed Seed Distribution from Combines
September 22, 2022
Nate Dorsey - Extension Educator
Daniel H. Smith - Southwest Regional Agronomist, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Chris Proctor - Weed Management Extension Educator
Luan Pereira de Oliveira - Assistant Extension Educator
Weed Seed Introductions
Weeds can enter and establish in fields in a number of ways. Some weeds may be introduced by wildlife, wind or water and can be transported dozens of feet or even miles.
Another method of seed transport is human activity. Weeds can become attached to vehicles, which then spread seeds along roadways or into fields. Weed seeds are also commonly transported on agricultural equipment, such as tractors or tillage implements, through soil attached to machines or by carrying plant material.
As the prevalence of resistant and hard-to-manage weeds such as Palmer amaranth and common waterhemp increases, the need for weed management tools in addition to herbicide is increasingly important. These weeds are known to produce as many as 500,000 seed per plant so preventing their spread within a field or across a farm will help manage these difficult weed species.
How Combines Spread Weeds
Combines spread weeds primarily in two ways. One way is spreading weed seeds within individual fields. This has the potential to make an isolated weed problem, such as an individual plant, a fieldwide issue in only a handful of seasons. Another way that combines can spread weed seeds is by transporting them between fields, introducing weeds to new areas of the farm. Want to read more of this article? Check it out here: https://cropwatch.unl.edu/2022/preventing-weed-seed-distribution-combines
Community Environment/Horticulture
Nuisance Pests
It’s here. It’s here. Fall is officially here! Bring on the pumpkin spice flavored everything and changing leaves, and who could forget the migrating wolf spiders and crickets. Not exactly what you had in mind for a peaceful fall? Find out how to start preparing now to keep these invaders from making themselves at home in your home.
When the temperatures start dipping, the pests start coming in. Nobody really wants to spend the winter outdoors, and insects are no different. Some of the more common nuisance pests, or occasional invaders, include boxelder bugs, multicolored Asian Lady Beetles, millipedes, and crickets. These pests don’t do any harm inside the home; they are just looking for a cozy place to spend the winter. Proper identification of the insect will assure the proper control method. Crickets hop their way into homes and provide ‘music’ in the night with their chirping. Commonly it’s the black field cricket that migrates inside, but there are others that follow right behind.
Wolf spiders may look scary, but they are more bark than bite. These large, hairy spiders can be found both outdoors and occasionally inside the home. They are hunting spiders, so they don’t spin a web or a trap, but prefer to chase down their prey. They often find their way into homes in the fall following their favorite food source, the cricket. They are not venomous, nor do they want to disturb people, but they can bite if they feel trapped or threatened. If you do get bitten, everyone will react differently to bites, just like with insect bites, so there isn’t a good indicator as to if you were bitten by a wolf spider or not.
If you don’t like having these unwanted guests in your home, there are a few things you can do. Sanitation and habitat modification are the first steps for controlling pests indoors. Vacuuming corners, window sills, and attic areas will help get rid of spider webs, spiders, and egg cases. The vacuum is a great, non-toxic way to suck up any unwanted guests too. Keeping areas free from clutter also makes it more difficult for the insects and spiders to find places to hide.
The saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has never been more true. Discouraging occasional invaders from entering the house is going to take a little work, but it will be worth it in the long run. Start by finding and sealing up any cracks or spaces they could enter through with silicone caulk or expanding foam. Make sure that window screens are in good repair and that doors are tight fitting. Also remove any dead plant debris from window wells or near the foundation. Also take a look to see if there is a gap under doors. Place a piece of weather stripping under door so that there is no gap when the door is closed.
Pests can be discouraged from entering the house in a number of ways. The most common way is by applying an outdoor perimeter insecticide treatment. These insecticides are labeled for various pests and often times have residual effects to help protect the house for longer. Read and follow the label instructions on how and where these products should be applied. Ideally, try to apply these insecticides out from the foundation about two to three feet around the perimeter of the home, or whatever is recommended on the label. The insecticides will help to decrease the numbers of pests that make it inside the house, but don’t expect it to stop all of them.
Monitor the home regularly to see what pests have made their way inside. Glue boards, or sticky traps are used to catch and hold pests as they try to move throughout the home. Be sure to use sticky boards in locations where non-target animals, like pets, won’t get stuck in them. If something other than the target pest does happen to get ‘caught’ in the trap, use an oily material, like vegetable or mineral oil, to dissolve the sticky substance on the trap. When properly placed, these traps will allow you to see which pests are inside the home and their approximate numbers.
With a little prevention and monitoring you can ensure that you are sharing your home with wanted house guests this fall and winter.
Elizabeth Exstrom is the Horticulture Extension Educator with Nebraska Extension in Hall County. For more information contact Elizabeth at elizabeth.exstrom@unl.edu, her blog at http://huskerhort.com/, or HuskerHort on Facebook and Twitter.
Rural Prosperity
Three Wishes
In my role as a Rural Prosperity Nebraska, Extension Educator, for the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, I have a 10-county region to cover. In those ten counties, I have approximately 80 cities and villages. I try to physically visit each one at least once a year. I normally meet with the city or village clerk. I have a list of questions that I ask them to get to know their community.
One of the questions that I ask is, “What are three wishes you have for your community?” This one simple question can provide a lot of information about a community. It also is a great follow up question when I visit the community next time. Just the other day I was in Plymouth and asked the village clerk about the three wishes she had last time and if they had made any progress. She got a big smile on her face and let me know that they had accomplished all of the wishes that we talked about last year. I was so impressed that I walked out without asking her what her next wishes are. I did go back in and write those new wishes down.
Sometimes the wishes that I hear are for basic needs like water or sewer systems. When that is the only wish that a community has, I can tell that the community is in a difficult situation. They are concentrating on the needs of their citizens. Other times the community talks about something like a splash pad. That means they’ve got the needs of their citizens covered and now they are working on wants. Both types of answers helps me to learn more about how RPN can assist those communities.
Water and sewer systems as a wish sound bad, but it isn’t the worst answer that I get. The worst answer is that they have no wishes, or they can’t think of a wish for their community. In this case the question in my mind is whether or not the whole community feels this way or if this is the opinion of just one person.
How do three wishes help a community? Three wishes give communities hope. They give a vision for the community to strive for. But where do the wishes come from? They can come from anywhere, from the village board, from the citizens, from civic groups, or even kids. The three wishes are just things that people from the community want. When a community can all get behind just one wish, they can make it happen. Perhaps the wish is for improved parks, and a group come together on a weekend to pull weeds, rake sand, paint playground equipment…or even build a new bathroom. Having a common goal helps to move communities forward.
When I ask someone their three wishes for a community, the answers I receive are their personal wishes. Sometimes their city council has done some goal planning for the year and the wishes are the council goals. The trick is either turning the council goals into the goals of the community…or making the goals of the community into the council goals. When everyone agrees on the goals, great things can happen.
Can you think of three wishes for your community? Are they the same as your village or city board? Are they the same wishes as your neighbor? If so…,are you doing anything to make your wishes come true? Can you make someone else’s wishes come true? Don’t be afraid to make wishes and definitely don’t be afraid to help someone else’s wish become a reality.
If your community could benefit from any of the Rural Prosperity Nebraska ideas that I’ve discussed in this column, please reach out to me. I’d love to speak to your community about these topics. You can reach me at jason.tuller@unl.edu or at the Thayer County office at 402-768-7212.
Jason Tuller is an Extension Educator for the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. He works in the Rural Prosperity Nebraska program and covers ten-county area including Kearney, Adams, Clay, Fillmore, Saline, Franklin, Webster, Nuckolls, Thayer, and Jefferson Counties.
Learning Child
Food, Nutrition, and Health
Preserving Pumpkins
Garden
4-H
Webster County 4-H Newsletter
Other
Join the Extension Team!
Nebraska Extension is looking for an Extension Educator to provide regional expertise (Nuckolls/Thayer Counties) and develop focused learning experiences that inspire young people to achieve their potential.
For a detailed position description, required materials, and how to apply, go to: https://lnkd.in/gUpVta_Z
The application review date is October 10.
There will be a Webster County Extension Board Meeting on October 6th.
The Webster County Extension Office and Courthouse will be closed on Monday, October 10th in observance of Columbus Day.
Regional Experts
Megan Burda
Engagement Zone 10 Coordinator
Megan is a Nebraska Extension Educator with a passion for fashion! She holds a Master of Arts degree in Textile and Apparel Design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a specialization in entrepreneurship. Megan serves as an Engagement Zone Coordinator in Zone 10 with a focus on staff development, stakeholder connections, and UNL engagement. She is a maker, entrepreneur, Husker sports fan and baking enthusiast.
Photo and Bio from UNL Extension
Email: megan.burda@unl.edu
Location: 1340 G Street, Geneva, NE, USA
Phone: 402.759.3712
Lynn DeVries
Early Childhood Extension Educator
Lynn is an Extension Educator on The Learning Child Team, University of Nebraska Extension in South Central Nebraska. Lynn has a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Nebraska Kearney in Vocational Family and Consumer Science Education, and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Nebraska. Lynn works with families, child care providers, teen parents and schools to promote developmentally appropriate practices and enhance parent involvement throughout the child’s education. Lynn has 11 years of experience teaching Family and Consumer Science in the public schools, and 10 years of experience coordinating programming and curriculum with the Head Start programs.
Email: lynn.devries@unl.edu
Website: https://child.unl.edu/
Location: 2975 S Baltimore Ave, Hastings, NE, USA
Phone: 402.461.7209
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtensionthelearningchild/
Elizabeth Exstrom
Horticulture Extension Educator
I am Community Environment Extension Educator with a horticulture focus who works in the Nebraska Extension office in Hall County. I provide horticulture related programs for youth and adults, act as the Central Nebraska Master Gardener Coordinator, and answer horticulture-based related client questions. I am a Nebraska Arborist Association Certified Arborist and a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and Nebraska Nursery and Landscape Association. You might recognize me because I am regular panel member on NET's Backyard Farmer program and even filled in as host a few times. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture with a landscape design emphasis and my Master’s Degree in Public Horticulture from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln.
Photo and Bio from UNL ExtensionEmail: elizabeth.exstrom@unl.edu
Website: https://huskerhort.com/
Location: College Park, U.S. 34, Grand Island, NE, USA
Phone: 308.385.5088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.m.killinger/
Ron Seymour
Crops & Water Systems Educator
Ron Seymour is a cropping systems Extension Educator with emphasis on corn and soybean production. Ron also works extensively in crop pest management with specific expertise in insect issues. Ron has an interest in developing areas that border field crops as habitat that promote populations of beneficial arthropods.
Email: rseymour1@unl.edu
Location: 2975 South Baltimore Avenue, Hastings, NE, USA
Phone: 402.461.7209
Jason Tuller
Rural Prosperity Nebraska Extension Educator
Jason has been working in the economic development field in rural Nebraska for more than a decade. He has worked as a small business consultant and as a rural economic developer. His goal now is to help grow stronger communities in Southeast Nebraska and throughout the stat
Photo and Bio from UNL ExtensionEmail: jtuller2@unl.edu
Website: https://ruralprosperityne.unl.edu/
Phone: 402.768.7212
Cami Wells
Food, Nutrition, and Health Extension Educator
I am a Nutrition, Food and Health Educator and Registered Dietitian located in Hall County. Part of my time is allocated to the Nutrition Education Program (NEP) that provides nutrition education to limited-resource families in central Nebraska. I teach a variety of food safety and nutrition programs to adults and youth as well as serve on the media/marketing team that develops content for our food.unl.edu website. I graduated from University of Nebraska–Lincoln with a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science and Dietetics and earned a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Health Sciences from Northern Illinois University.
Email: cami.wells@unl.edu
Location: College Park At Grand Island, West U.S. Hwy 34, Grand Island, NE, USA
Phone: 308.385.5088
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UNLExtensionFoodAndFitness
Meet Our Team in Webster County!
Dr. Lindsay Waechter-Mead
Beef Systems Educator, DVM
Lindsay Waechter-Mead is the new Beef Systems Educator in Webster County and serves surrounding counties in this region. She is excited to bring her interests surrounding cow/calf health and preventative medicine to the Beef Team. Her current work involves looking at environmental effects on neonatal calf immunity and colostral transfer. She is also passionate about rural agriculture and what the veterinary profession can do to positively influence rural communities to ensure that generations can continue to enjoy the life that she loves.
Email: lindsay.waechter-mead@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402-746.3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCBeefExtensionUNL
Beth Janning
4-H Youth Development Extension Educator in Adams/Webster Counties
Beth Janning is a 4-H Youth Development Extension Educator. She provides programming in school enrichment, after-school, and traditional 4-H Programs. Her topic areas include but not limited to animal science, science, engineering and volunteer development.
Email: elizabeth.janning@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402.746.3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE
Alexa Pedersen
Office Manager
Email: alexa.pedersen@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402.746.3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE
Katie Bolte
4-H Programming Assistant
Email: katie.bolte@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/
Location: 621 North Cedar Street, Red Cloud, NE, USA
Phone: 402.746.3417
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WebsterCoExtNE