For the 2nd year in a row, UNL Extension in Gage County is partnering with local businesses & organizations throughout the growing season to keep garden produce out of the landfill & help fight hunger among our Beatrice neighbors.

Ready to spread hap-PEA-ness? Here's how you can be involved!

1. Plant, tend & harvest your home garden. We're rooting for its success this growing season!

2. Bring your whole, washed garden extras to one of our community drop locations from June through September any time that drop location is open for business.

Current participating drop locations:

-Beatrice Public Library

-Beatrice Farmers' Market (Thursday evenings)

-Beatrice Mary Family YMCA

-Gage County Extension Office (on the fairgrounds)

-Beatrice Community Hospital System (this drop location is available to BCH employees only)

-Exmark (this drop location is available to Exmark employees only)

That's it! Once your garden extras are dropped off, UNL Extension will pick them up, weigh them & deliver them to organizations serving individuals who may not have regular access to fresh produce, such as: pantries, feeding services, childcare programs, senior centers, etc.

Check back regularly for updates, photos & our final community impact report. Thanks for making a difference when it comes to decreasing food waste & increasing food access in our community!

Nebraska Land Link provides opportunities to connect land seekers with retiring landowners.

Land access is one of the biggest challenges facing aspiring and beginning farmers. For some landowners, they simply do not have the next generation available to take over their operation.

When you apply to Nebraska Land Link, either as a land seeker or a landowner, Nebraska Extension personnel will work to match your application with the most compatible counterpart. Using the answers you submit and offer in a potential interview, Nebraska Land Link matches are based on the shared values, interests and skills of both parties, so that a mutually beneficial and satisfying partnership can be forged over the course of the transition plan.

Before and throughout the process, we work to provide important educational information regarding transfers, communication, negotiations, goal setting and more. And we are here to answer any questions you might have.

Nebraska Land Link is a project of Nebraska Extension's Farm and Ranch Succession and Transition program and Nebraska Women in Agriculture.

Enrollment deadline is June 15. We encourage all members to enroll using a computer and not your mobile device. This site is not mobile friendly and can cause some issues when it comes time to pay your dues online. Enrollment instructions for new members can be found at the Extension Office or online at gage.unl.edu. Call Jacie or Sarah at 402-223-1384 with any enrollment questions.

$12 dues must be paid online at conclusion of enrollment process. **No enrollment fee for Clover Kids.

"Moo”-ve over May. It’s June, which means it’s time for National Dairy Month. Need some reasons to celebrate this year? With the extra focus on supporting small businesses in this time of economic uncertainty, one fun fact about dairy is that, nationally, nearly 97 percent of farms are family-owned. The Cornhusker State is no different, with the Department of Agriculture reporting virtually all of Nebraska’s dairy farms are family owned and operated.