UNL Extension: Morrill County
March / April 2021
Events & Deadlines
March 2 - Feedlot Round Table Seminar @ 3:00-5:00 PM (CT)
March 3 - Private Pesticide @ American Legion-Rushville (8:30 AM & 1:00 PM)
March 3 - Feedlot Round Table Seminar @ 3:00-5:00 PM (CT)
March 4 - Private Pesticide @ Wesleyan Church-Oshkosh (8:30 AM & 1:00 PM)
March 4 - Feedlot Round Table Seminar @ 3:00-5:00 PM (CT)
March 10 - Private Pesticide @ Knight Museum-Alliance (8:30 AM & 1:00 PM)
March 11 - Chemigation Training @ PWCC-Bridgeport (1:00 PM)March 16-17 - ServSafe Training @ PREC-Scottsbluff
March 17 - Private Pesticide @ Fire Hall-Harrison (1:00 PM)
March 25 - Private Pesticide @ PREC-Scottsbluff (8:30 AM & 1:00 PM)
April 14 - NAA Arborist Exam Registration Deadline
April 21 - NAA Arborist Exam @ PREC-Scottsbluff (8:30 AM)
Meet an Extension Educator: Tammie Ostdiek
Morrill County Extension
Beef
2021 Feedlot Round Table Seminars
Calving Season - Not the Time to Skimp on Nutrition
Crops & Water Systems
Hay Probes
Private Pesticide Applicator Training
Remaining Dates:
March 3 - Rushville
March 4 - Oshkosh
March10 - Alliance
March 17 - Harrison
March 25 - Scottsbluff
Due to COVID-19, for the in-person training, pre-registration is required for each individual for all training dates and locations, whether getting their applicators license for the first time or re-certifying. Seating space will be limited and once filled, no more registrations will be accepted, and the applicator will have to choose another date and location. Those that do not pre-register may be turned away due to lack of space.
To recertify your private applicator license, you have three options.
Option 1: Attend one of the nine Crop Production Clinics that will be offered via Zoom / virtually during the month of January. The cost of the training is $80.00, and you will need to pre-register on-line at https://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc.
Option 2: Attend one of the in-person trainings scheduled for January, February, and March. Cost of the training is $50.00. You will need to call your county office in order to pre-register (required). If unable to attend one of the trainings in your county, look at the schedule below to determine if there is an alternative date that would work better for you in another county.
You can recertify or get a new applicator license.
Option 3: Take the on-line self-study private pesticide training. Cost of the training is $50.00. Registration link for this training done on-line at https://pested.unl.edu/. You can recertify or get a new applicators license.
To pre-register, call the office at (308) 262-1022. Know that the in-person trainings are subject to cancellation due to COVID-19 Safety Protocol or bad weather and may not be rescheduled.
Chemigation Training
Date: March 11, 2021
Location: PWCC, Bridgeport, NE.
Time: 1:00 PM
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, there will be limited numbers of people allowed to attend each of the in-person trainings. These in-person trainings are subject to cancellation due to the COVID-19 safety protocols or bad weather. The preferred option for both initial and recertifying chemigators would be the online version of the training and testing program. A link to the online training program along with directions can be accessed at: http://water.unl.edu/cropswater/chemigation.
If you plan to become certified and you wish to attend an in-person training, please pre-register at the Extension Office whose training session you plan to attend. If you pre-register, you can receive a training manual and calibration workbook to review prior to the training session by calling a training location which can be found on the NDEE chemigation page. On the day of the training session, please bring your Chemigation Training Manual, Calibration Workbook, No. 2 pencil, and calculator along to use during the training and test.
If you do not pre-register, you will receive a new copy of the training materials the day of the training. Review of the material in your training manual prior to the training session will be very helpful when taking the exam. Training and testing will take approximately 2-3 hours. Participants are strongly encouraged to wear masks/facial coverings and maintain 6 feet of physical distancing. Some locations may require these, and have additional requirements, including reduced capacities and hand as well as surface sanitizing.
There is no charge for the training or the manuals.
To learn about the time and location of a training session near you, contact your local Extension Office or watch the newspapers for information about the training sessions in your area. For those with internet access, after January 15 a list of training dates and locations can be found at the NDEE chemigation page: http://deq.ne.gov/NDEQProg.nsf/OnWeb/Chemtrai.
Got Questions???
Gary Stone
(308) 632-1475
2021 Nutrient Management Record Keeping Calendars Now Available
The 2021 Nutrient Management Record Keeping Calendars are now available from Nebraska Extension. Tracking manure application rates, part of the calendar’s recordkeeping tools, is important for getting the maximum crop nutrient value from manure and documenting one’s environmental stewardship.
This easy-to-use recordkeeping calendar tracks manure-related records for livestock and cropping operations. Designed to be used by all sizes of livestock operations, it includes all records required for operations permitted for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). It has been approved by the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a valuable resource for livestock producers.
The calendar is free and can be ordered online at the UNL Water page. If you have a previous calendar, you may also mail in the postcard found inside the calendar to get your 2021 calendar. An electronic sample of the calendar is available. If you have questions about the calendar or suggestions for future calendars, contact Leslie Johnson, animal manure management coordinator.
Women in Agriculture
Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options
The next session of “Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options,” Nebraska Extension’s four-part record-keeping course, will be held virtually on Thursday from 10:00 a.m. - noon CT March 4, 11, 18, and 25.
Participants should plan on attending each of the four workshop dates. The course requires participants to have an internet connection.
This course is designed to help farmers and ranchers understand their current financial position and how big decisions like large purchases, new leases or changes in production will affect their bottom line. Participants will work through the financial statements of a case study farm, watching pre-recorded videos, completing assignments, and participating in video chats. Upon completion of this program, participants will have a better understanding of how financial records can be used to make decisions and confidently discuss their financial position with their family, business partners, and lenders.
The course fee is $20 per participant and class size is limited to 20 people. Registration closes February 25.
This course is hosted by Nebraska Extension and made possible by Annie's Project, which is supported by Farm Credit Services of America in Nebraska. This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2020-70017-32735.
Four-Part Class
10:00 a.m.- noon (CST) each week
- Thursday, March 4
- Thursday, March 11
- Thursday, March 18
- Thursday, March 25
Find more information and register at: https://wia.unl.edu/know
Food, Nutrition, & Health
ServSafe® Managers Training - March 16-17
Date: March 16-17, 2021
Location: Panhandle Research & Extension Center, Scottsbluff, NE
Check-In Time: 8:30 AM (MST)
Instructor
Tammie Ostdiek, Nebraska Extension Educator
(308) 262-1022
(308) 632-1480
Registration deadline for this training is February 22, 2021. If unable to attend this training, contact Tammie Ostdiek to find out other ServSafe® Training dates.
Everyday Kitchen Surfaces to Clean and Disinfect
With many people prioritizing clean and disinfected environments, it may be a good time to give your kitchen some well-deserved attention.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes transmission of the novel coronavirus to persons from surfaces has not been documented, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces remains a best practice for preventing the spread of viral respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.
If you are looking to clean and disinfect the heart of your home, consider paying special attention to the following frequently touched, and often overlooked, surfaces.
To find out more information, go to: https://food.unl.edu/eight-everyday-kitchen-surfaces-clean-and-disinfect
Multi-Cooker Zoom Workshop
Multi-cookers are one of today's most popular kitchen appliances! They can be used as a pressure cooker, a yogurt maker, a steam, a rice cooker and to sauté or keep food warm. During this 2 hour workshop learn how to successfully and safely operate a multi-cooker while creating quick and safe meals for your family while in the comfort of your own home. If you do not have a multi-cooker this workshop is an opportunity to see if you want one of these handy devices.
This zoom workshop will take place on April 15th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm via Zoom. Please register by April 9th by contacting Melissa Mracek at mmracek2@unl.edu.
Rural Health, Wellness, & Safety
Extension Master Gardener Classes Available Online in 2021
Are you yearning for spring and the growing season? Beat the winter doldrums by attending Nebraska Extension Master Gardener classes starting Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. This year’s lineup of classes will be taught completely online due to COVID-19 protocols.
Gardening enthusiasts can participate by attending individual classes without extra commitment to the program for a nominal fee for the entire series. Participants can attend the classes of their choice to increase their personal horticultural knowledge.
- The goal is to teach with as much demonstration as possible so we are not just watching a set of slides. The presenter will strive to keep the presentation under 1 hour in length with some breaks to stretch and get the eyes off the screen.
- Fees are $20 for returning Master Gardeners from last year. New Master Gardeners will pay $180, which includes the manuals, shirts, name badge, etc. This is a one-time fee. Make checks out to the “University of Nebraska” and mail to the Extension Office address at 348 W. State Farm Road, North Platte. If you have not received your manuals from last year because of the office closings, please reach out to David Lott at (308) 532-2683.
- Classes are going to be live on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. CT/6 p.m. MT. Recordings of each class will be posted on YouTube, and emailed out to everyone the next day or so. The presenter will also post a follow up knowledge quiz. Filling these out will count for the state exam for the program. So no big exam at the end!!!!
- If you need paper copies of the handouts, please email David Lott at david.lott@unl.edu so that he can establish a standard mail distribution list for the beginning of the year. This way, material can be mailed out to you so you have it ahead of time for class.
If you have not sent in your Master Gardener education and volunteer hours, please send them to David Lott via e-mail, phone call, snail mail or register your hours on the online reporting system at https://mastergardenervolunteer.unl.edu/vrs/sec_Login/sec_Login.php. You can find a PDF version of the volunteer log below.
Do not worry if you do not have enough hours for certification (20 volunteer and 10 education for veterans) because of the pandemic. Time and events have been beyond our control, and Extension administration understands that people could not be very active in 2020.
If you have any questions about the Nebraska Extension Master Gardener program or the topics for 2021, contact Extension Educator David Lott by e-mail message at david.lott@unl.edu, by calling the Lincoln-Logan-McPherson Extension Office at (308) 532-2683, or by contacting the Scotts Bluff County Extension Office at 308-632-1480.
2021 Tractor Safety Training
Successful completion of this training in Nebraska will allow youth to operate a tractor over 20 horsepower, and connect or disconnect an implement or any of its parts to or from a tractor.
To register, please fill out the fillable PDF found below.
NAA Arborist Exam - April 21
When: April 21, 2021
Time: 8:30 a.m. MT Check-In
9:00 a.m. MT Exam Begins
Where: University of Nebraska Panhandle Research & Extension Center
4502 Ave I
Scottsbluff, NE 69361
Please register by April 14, 2021.
Please contact staff@nearborists.org to sign up or to answer any questions on becoming a Certified NAA Arborist.
4-H
Morrill County 4-H Newsletter
Morrill County Extension Office
Email: krosas2@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/morrill/
Location: 514 Main Street, Bridgeport, Nebraska, USA
Phone: (308) 262-1022
Facebook: facebook.com/MorrillCounty4H/
Jackie Guzman
Unit Leader - Morrill/Scotts Bluff Counties
Extension Educator - Learning ChildEmail: jguzman2@unl.edu
Phone: (308) 632-1475
Sarah Paisley
Email: spaisley3@unl.edu
Phone: (308) 262-1022
Tammie Ostdiek
Email: tostdiek5@unl.edu
Phone: (308) 262-1022