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The latest forecast shows numerous chances of precipitation, along with cooler than normal temperatures, throughout the first half of June.

USDA/Flickr Nine workshops have been scheduled from June to September to help producers learn how to estimate their cost of production using the ABC tool.

Experts discuss how various agricultural economic conditions, such as high commodity prices, record-setting farmland values and farm financial conditions will affect the ag industry throughout the remainder of 2022.

Thursday, June 2, 2022

Nebraska Extension will host a stocker/yearling systems summer meeting and tour Thursday, June 23 in Imperial, Nebraska. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. MDT and the program will kick off at 9:00 a.m. MDT at the Crossroads Wesleyan Church, Imperial.  Lunch is sponsored by Merck Animal Health, followed by a tour of Wine Glass Ranch in the afternoon.

Spanish: 

Image Source: Jackie Steffen

Reading with children is one of the most effective and educational activities you can engage in with your children.  Children learn concepts of print, letter and word recognition, comprehension, and storytelling (https://reachoutandread.org/why-we-matter/child-development/).  To help you incorporate reading into your daily routine and bring in some exciting science concepts, check out Nebraska Extension’s 2022 STEM Imagination Guides.  This year, we are discovering all things ocean!  

Each guide features an exciting book about oceans, water, or sea animals and includes a fun science experiment or activity you can do right at home.  Additionally, we have included a nature activity, a creative arts element, and an infant/toddler specific component.  We are especially excited to announce that our guides are translated into Spanish to help expand our reach!  To access these guides, visit go.unl.edu/imagination.   

Mess Free Painting 
Infants and toddlers bring the story Rainbow Fish alive by using their senses to create a one-of-a-kind painting. 

You might be wondering what is so exciting about oceans.  After all, Nebraska is a land-locked state.  However, I’m sure you are familiar with the Missouri River that borders the east side of our state.  This river meets up with the Mississippi River and empties out into the Gulf of Mexico.  Even though we are not directly connected with the ocean, our actions still impact the plants, animals, and water of the ocean (https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/help-our-ocean.html).  Therefore, it is so important to introduce children to the value of our world’s oceans.  Together, we can help children build a love for the environment and an interest in conservation.  

The following books have been selected and paired with activities that provide opportunities for exploration and play to inspire creativity and wonder.  These books tie directly to the Collaborate Summer Reading Program’s theme, Oceans of Possibilities (https://www.cslpreads.org).  

• The Sandcastle the Lola Built by Megan Maynor 
• Pokey, The Turtle Patrol by Diana Kanan 
• The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister 
• A House for Hermit Crab by Eric Carle 
• Hey, Water! by Antoinette Portis 
• My Ocean is Blue by Darren Lebeuf 
• Rocket Says Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon 
• The Treasure of Pirate Frank by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham

STEM Connection:  Fast Fish 
Make your own fish and then see how quickly they can swim when you break the tension. This is an engaging activity about surface tension. 

Check out go.unl.edu/imagination for access to the guides.  If you have questions or would like additional resources, please contact Sarah Roberts at sarah.roberts@unl.edu, or Jackie Steffen at jsteffen2@unl.edu.  

JACKIE STEFFEN, EARLY CHILDHOOD EXTENSION EDUCATOR AND SARAH ROBERTS, EARLY CHILDHOOD EXTENSION EDUCATOR | UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA

Peer Reviewed by Amy Napoli, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, University of Nebraska,

LaDonna Werth, and Lynn DeVries, Early Childhood Extension Educators

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

Leafy spurge is an aggressive noxious weed that is difficult to remove once established. For optimum control, early detection and herbicides are recommended. (Photo by Ben Beckman) Extension educators share tips on determining water needs for cattle, options for controlling leafy spurge, and a grass hay harvest timeline.

Chuck Burr, crops and water extension educator and TAPS team member, (at center in gray shirt and red cap), stands with attendees in a problematic plot at the 2021 UNL-TAPS Summer Event Field Day, as they examine and discuss issues during the problematic plot educational activity. (CropWatch file photo) The 2022 Field Day will feature several events, including Agronomic Olympics, a drone obstacle course and sensor demos, with a clay target shoot social capping the day's activities.

By May 29, 95% of corn had been planted, and soybean planting was near 90% complete.

The estimated crop water use for Nebraska Panhandle crops for the week of May 29.

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Various factors affect water intake; but temperature, humidity and feed intake are the main drivers. Additionally, the first heat events of the season (late May and early June) are the most stressful on cattle: cattle are generally reaching finishing weight and condition, they are not acclimated to heat, and they have not shed their winter coat. This transition also catches managers and staff off guard as they are focused on late-winter yard management.

Spanish: 

Heavy residue area with frost-damaged soybean plants. Several rows impacted like this make replant decisions more difficult as often what is seen is the entire length of the field isn’t impacted, just areas of several rows with heavier residue. At first glance, these plants may all seem dead, but it’s been interesting to see what may be surviving when the residue is pulled back. (Photo by Jenny Rees) Nebraska Extension recommendations on evaluating fields that were affected by crusting, hail, wind and frost damage this past week in order to make plant recovery or replant decisions.

This summer, in nearly 100 communities across Nebraska, vendors are selling fresh produce, baked goods, handmade crafts, clothing and more at local farmers markets. To make fresh goods and produce even more accessible, this year two rural Nebraska farmers markets are qualified to accept SNAP benefits.

In the Northern Plains Region in April, farm worker hires were down 6% compared to last year.

USDA/Flickr This webinar will review California's 2015 groundwater legislation, highlighting features that may be applicable improvements in Nebraska.

CPC's latest forecast calls for below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures for Nebraska in June.

(From left) Ron, Justin, Oliver and Brad Makovicka. Results of eight Nebraska on-farm research trials on using Xyway™ LFR® as an alternative to mid-season foliar fungicide applications, particularly where aerial applications are restricted or infeasible.

Figure 1. Seedling with post-emergence damping off (left) next to a healthy seedling.

Twenty-two 4-H members will represent Nebraska at the 2022 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships held at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska from June 26 to July 1. The event will bring together 4-H members from across the nation. Approximately 685 competitors from 39 states will convene in Grand Island to compete. The event features competitions across nine shooting sports disciplines including compound archery, recurve archery, air rifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, .22 pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading, and hunting skills. 

The Nebraska 4-H shotgun team, coached by John Lilly, includes: 

• Syras Boston, York County
• Sheyenne Morgan, Rock County
• Andrew Koehlmoos, Holt County
• Michael Day, Sarpy County

Members of the Nebraska 4-H air rifle team, coached by Darin Gruenke, include: 

• Keiziah Connell, Dixon County
  
• Rachael Thomas, Stanton County
  
• Dylan Glendy, Custer County

Youth on .22 rifle team, coached by Todd Knutson, include:

• Kurissa Mizner, Holt county
  
• Risken Dawson, Holt County
  
• Kyle Rote, Garden County
  
• Maya Knutson, Cedar County

The compound archery team, coached by Matt Carmin, consists of: 

• Taylor Rath, Douglas County
• Lilly Hanley, Lancaster County
  
• Bo Behlen, Platte County
  
• Sam Bissell, Buffalo County

The recurve archery team, coached by Jeff Goble, includes:

• Parker Walahoski, Dawson County
  
• Dylan Naslund, Cherry County
  
• Isaac Olsen, Banner County

Members of the muzzleloading team, coached by Mike Erickson, include: 

• Matt Koehlmoos, Holt County
  
• Kelsey Howard, Holt County
• Kylee Howard, Holt County
• Justin Warembourg, Hayes County

The 2022 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships are hosted by Nebraska 4-H and the National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee. For more information, visit 4h.unl.edu/shooting-sports/national. 

When selecting a summer annual forage to plant, base your choice primarily on whether you plan to use it for pasture, hay or silage. For example, this sorghum-sudangrass would be best used as hay, due to its yield and feed value. (CropWatch file photo) The time to harvest cool-season annuals, perennial forages and alfalfa first cutting is quickly approaching. Read these extension tips to get prepared for harvest, and planting summer forages.