Feed aggregator

The Weather Ready Farms Designation Program is currently searching for participants in Eastern Nebraska to engage in the expanded pilot.

A new application period is now open for Nebraska Land Link — a program that aims to connect new and beginning farmers and ranchers with retiring landowners.

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Beef feedlot managers, owners, employees and allied industries will learn new information related to feedlot management at Nebraska Extension’s 2021 Beef Feedlot Roundtables via webinar in February and March.

“We are hoping feedyard employees and managers find useful information here to use in their own operations and can find a flexible time one of these two weeks to join us,” said Galen Erickson, beef feedlot nutrition specialist. “These will replace our in-person meetings we normally provide across the state annually in February.”

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Water flows through Goshen Irrigation District Tunnel No. 2 on June 15, 2020. (Gary Stone Photo) O

Cornhusker Economics February 10, 2021
Payroll Protection Program Increases Eligibility

By Marilyn Schlake and Austin Duerfeldt

Extension Educator, Sandra Barrera is helping to promote businesses along the 4th Street corridor in Grand Island.  The Grand Island Independent follows Sandra to learn more about this Nebrask Extension program and the businesses on 4th Street.

Monday, February 8, 2021

Winter is a good time of year to begin making grazing and forage plans for the upcoming season. Of course, there can be a tremendous amount of uncertainty on what type of growing conditions we will see in the spring and summer. This is especially true if we had droughty conditions the previous summer or little fall and winter precipitation.

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Northeastern and Northcentral Nebraska residents have several options for private pesticide applicator training sessions throughout March and April.

The Bazile Groundwater Management Area webinars will focus on soil quality management, as well as highlight research efforts on nitrate in the Bazile creek.

This week, Extension educators preview the upcoming 2021 Cover Crops and Soil Health Conference and  offer tips on how to get prepared for chemigation training sessions beginning this month in Nebraska. 

While there are no Nebraska-specific restrictions on RUP dicamba product use, there are new recordkeeping requirements for 2021.

A dry edible bean plot is irrigated at the Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center at Scottsbluff. Bean Day on Feb. 10 will include updates on UNL research into dry bean production, including irrigation methods. During the Zoom-based event this month, UNL specialists and educators will discuss new research findings on dry edible bean production in Nebraska.

Image Source: The Learning Child

Some questions only elicit rote answers and therefore will not spark a meaningful conversation or connection. Others encourage thought-provoking conversations and ideas.

Questions are powerful tools and they encourage children to think at a higher level. The types of questions that you ask young children can affect the quality of your conversation with them.

Having intentional and meaningful conversations with your children is critical to providing an atmosphere of emotional security.  Engaging with and listening to children help them to feel valued and respected. They learn to feel safe talking with you and sharing thoughts and feelings that may be otherwise difficult to discuss.

Here are some ways to inspire rich conversations.

• Try to ask more open-ended questions. Open-ended questions are questions that cannot be answered with one word. Instead of asking, “How was your day?” consider rephrasing and saying, “Tell me about the favorite parts of your day.”

• Distractions are all around us. Take time to fully engage with your child and practice active listening in a one-on-one environment. That means removing electronics and getting down on their level. Giving children your full attention demonstrates that you respect them and what they have to say.

• Make conversations a habit. The time of day that works best is different for everyone. Some might be able to connect deeply on the “to and from” school commutes, others at bedtime, or maybe around the table. Take notice of when your child feels the most comfortable opening up to you.

• Do your homework. If your child is in school and you have access to daily announcements, lesson plans, or newsletters, use that information to help spark conversations. Children can fail to mention exciting events unintentionally. They may be surprised with some pieces of information that you know about their day.

• Finally, remember that conversations are a two-way street. If you ask too many questions, children can feel like they are being drilled. Don’t just ask questions; open up and talk about YOUR day. Being authentic and modeling good communication with other adults in your house will encourage children to join in on conversations.

Asking higher level questions takes practice and time.  Think about what information you want to share with your child and what you would like to know from them.  Be genuine.  If it is tough to talk to them, don’t worry.  It is important to simply start practicing conversation skills, especially when children are young.  Have fun and keep a sense of humor and wonder.  Children will follow your lead.

Here are a few open-ended questions to get you started.

• If you were the family chef, what would you make today for breakfast (lunch, dinner)?  Why?
• If you could do anything today, what would it be?
• What was your favorite part about the holidays this year?
• This year has been hard for lots of people. Is there anything positive you experienced?  What things do you wish you could change? 
• If you could ask me anything (parents), what would it be?

For more ideas on starting conversations and asking higher level questions, visit High Level Questions for High Level Thinking, https://learningchildblog.com/?s=big+questions, April 1, 2020 authored by LaDonna Werth. 

References:

Big Questions for Young Minds:  Extending Children’s Thinking by Janis Strasser and Lisa Mufson Bresson

SARAH ROBERTS AND JACKIE STEFFEN, EXTENSION EDUCATOR | THE LEARNING CHILD

Peer Reviewed by Leanne Manning and Lynn DeVries, Extension Educators, The Learning Child

Make sure to follow The Learning Child on social media for more research-based early childhood education resources!

Peer Review:  LaDonna Werth & Kara Kohel

The February meetings will feature discussion from growers who conducted on-farm research during the 2020 growing season.

The Nebraska Cover Crop and Soil Health Conference will advise growers on the latest techniques to maximize profit from cover crops in a corn/soybean rotation, including aerial imagery, using cereal rye for weed control, and on-farm research on a three-crop dryland rotation. 

A close-up view of Ascochyta blight in chickpea, showing symptoms on pods and dead leaves. With demand on the rise, UNL will research fungal disease issues to enable a successful expansion of chickpea production in Nebraska.