Feed aggregator

Higher hay prices and forage shortfalls have many producers considering baling corn residue, but it's important to first analyze the cost effectiveness. Plus, winterizing alfalfa before dormancy using growing degree days and toxicity concerns from black nightshade in corn residue.

Photo by Craig Chandler, University Communication Nebraska students who opt to take the new, innovative TAPS high school program in its inaugural year will learn about hybrid seed selection and seeding rate, and nitrogen application, in the decision-making format customary for the TAPS farm management competition.

Jinliang Yang, assistant professor of agronomy and horticulture, is leading an effort to better understand sorghum’s genetic makeup to improve the crop’s nitrogen use efficiency. (Photo by Craig Chandler, University Communication) This new research will focus on increasing sorghum’s fertilizer use efficiency, as well as other aspects of sorghum’s fertilizer use, including nitrogen sensing, signaling and downstream regulatory pathways.

Photo by Hannah Borg, realagstock Net farm income in Nebraska is projected to remain nearly unchanged from 2021 to 2022, at around $8 billion, whereas the national outlook projects a 6% increase in total U.S. net farm income.

A visual representation of various manures' nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) contents compared to volume of organic matter and water. Animal Manure Management Extension Educator Leslie Johnson reviews the different kinds of manure and how the nutrient contents and characteristics of each product differs.

Interested producers are encouraged to participate in this new UNL project, wherein researchers are interseeding cover crops into late-season corn to provide additional growth time before winter dormancy.

Results of all team decisions on irrigation for the 2022 TAPS farm management competition.

In comparison to 2021, winter wheat production is down 36% and oat production is down 37%.

The final production for the 2021 potato crop was up 1% from 2020.

Most Nebraska grain stocks were down from last year as of Sept. 1, with wheat stocks in the largest shortfall at 40% down, according to USDA NASS.

As of Oct. 2, corn harvested was 24% and soybeans were 29%. Crop and pasture conditions continue to deteriorate, with an increase in deficits across the board as drought holds firm in Nebraska.

Nebraska Extension's second annual grazing conference will feature presentations on rotational/strip grazing, perennial and annual forage grazing, live field demos and a producer panel.

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.

Murals have long been part of Nebraska’s culture. Omaha is home to “Fertile Ground,” one of the largest murals in the country at 32,500 square feet. Designers spent 40 years installing 20 murals in the State Capitol. This summer, Rural Fellow Faith Junck contributed to that culture by helping paint the newest of 12 murals in Chadron’s downtown Art Alley.

“I never thought that I would be able to help paint a mural because I’m not super artistic,” Junck said.

But in Chadron, anyone who was willing was welcomed to help.

Summer 2023 will mark the Rural Fellowship program’s 10th anniversary. The seven-week program, housed in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, places college students in Nebraska towns to help create and execute community-improvement projects.

(Eighteen to Thirty-Six Months)

Image source: Canva

This is an exciting time for caregivers of toddlers!  Every day brings new glimpses of personality and their expanding interests. Tap into your toddler’s creativity with a few inexpensive and low-stress creative activities.  Your child’s self-confidence and language will develop at a fast pace when participating in a variety of art, music, dance and story-telling activities.

Eighteen to Twenty-Four Months

At this age, you’ll notice your toddler finds undressing to be quick and fun but dressing is still difficult.  Physical coordination is also improving daily and you may notice your toddler standing on tiptoe, walking up and down stairs, and catching balls using both arms and chest.

Better watch what you say and do!  Your child is becoming an excellent mimic of action and voice.  Here are some creative activities to try:

• Hold hands with your child and move to music.  Let your movements vary from fast to slow, high to low, and forward to backward.

• When socks won’t stay on the feet, pretend socks on hands are puppets or animals.

• Visit the library and choose picture books.

                    Look at pictures and photos and tell stories.

• Act out favorite stories with simple props (toy phone, doll, scarves).

• Play with simple child-sized instruments.

• Creative art projects may use paper plates, Popsicle sticks, torn paper, nontoxic paint, or Play Dough.  As the caregiver, you will be supervising but allowing your child room to experiment.

Image source: Canva

Twenty-four to Thirty-Six Months

Growing into the “Terrific Twos” you will notice your child’s coordination improving and concentration lasting longer on some activities.  Since that attention span varies day-to-day, be ready to move on if an activity doesn’t “click” on a particular day. Here’s a wide variety of ideas to try:

• Draw on paper and name objects drawn

• Go outside and draw on sidewalks with water

• Complete puzzles that have large knobs on each piece

• String large beads

• Use motions for “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” or “I’m a Little Teapot”

• Experiment with brushes and paints, Play Dough and clay

• Create simple costumes using fabric or old clothes

• Play with puppets to retell stories or create new ones

• Point out shapes, textures, and colors when dressing

• Demonstrates loud/quiet and fast/slow when singing or dancing

• Demonstrate and explain light and dark colors and hard and soft pressure when drawing and coloring

Image source: Canva

For more information on developmental milestones, check out our NebGuide, Ages and Stages for Toddlers https://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/g2104.pdf

I also invite you to watch these short videos from our Beautiful Day series, Paint with Water https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/13293 and Exploring Shapes https://mediahub.unl.edu/media/13189 for more creative inspiration with your child. Discover and Design are packed full of ideas https://fitandhealthykids.unl.edu/discover-and-design.

Linked Resource:  Creative Connections:  Young Children and the Arts

by the Maryland State Department of Education in 2013

www.marylandhealthybeginnings.org

LA DONNA WERTH, EARLY CHILDHOOD EXTENSION EDUCATOR | UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Peer Reviewed by Jackie Steffen, Lisa Poppe, and Lynn DeVries, Early Childhood Extension Educators

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