Feature stories/news
Private Pesticide Applicator Certification
Need to renew your certification? Find upcoming in-person training dates across Nebraska.
Chick Care Basics
Register for Free Webinar on April 6
With chick days underway at farm supply stores across Nebraska, many families and small-scale producers are preparing to welcome new chicks this spring. To help ensure strong, healthy development during those critical first weeks, this webinar will cover essential considerations for raising chicks, including proper nutrition, housing setup and biosecurity practices. Dr. Sheila Purdum, Poultry Extension Specialist, and Brett Kreifels, Nebraska Extension Educator, will discuss:
- Chick nutrition and starter feeds
- Brooder setup and housing considerations
- Temperature and ventilation management
- Biosecurity best practices to protect flock health
Register
Tools for Managing Hypertension
Virtual Course Begins April 7
Nebraska Extension is offering Smart Health: Tools for Managing Hypertension, a free virtual course that provides practical tools for managing blood pressure and improving overall health.
Participants will learn about:
- Understanding and controlling blood pressure
- Nutrition and physical activity
- Tobacco cessation
- Medication management
- Stress management and action planning
Course Schedule
Tuesdays, April 7 through May 26, 2026
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Central Time
Online via Zoom
2026 Tractor & Equipment Safety Training
Trainings planned across nebraska
Federal law restricts youth under 16 from using certain farm equipment unless their parents or guardians own the farm. However, 14- and 15-year-olds can earn an exemption by completing a two-day certification course, which includes a written test and a driving exam. Successful completion grants NSTMOP certification, allowing them to operate tractors and certain mechanized equipment on farms and ranches, and obtain a husbandry permit.
Locations include: North Platte, McCook, Gordon, O'Neill, Grand Island, West Point, Lexington, Holdrege, Ord, Crete and David City.
Questions? Contact Priscila Soto Prado at priscila.sotprado@unmc.edu.
Learn More
Free Training
Food Preservation Virtual Learning Series
All Sessions will be held online via Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Nebraska Extension is offering a FREE Food Preservation Virtual Learning Series. The nine-session series is designed to help you build confidence in preserving food at home. Topics will range from the basics of food preservation, pressure canning, making salsa, pickling and more!
Questions - Contact Brenda Aufdenkamp, at 308-532-2683 or baufdenkamp1@unl.edu
How to Talk to Your Doctor
Learn more about communicating with your health care provider, taking medicines as prescribed and filling out medical forms at your next doctor visit. The class is scheduled at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19 at the Peterson Senior Activity Center.
2026 GroBigRed Virtual Learning Series
Wednesdays at 12 p.m. CST
Join the experts from Nebraska Extension to learn and
ask questions about:
- March 11 — The Road to Ripe: Growing Great Tomatoes with Dana Freeman
- April 8 — Vegetable Garden Insect Pests with Dr. Jody Green
- May 13 — Lawn & Landscape Weeds with Scott Evans
- June 10 — Beyond Pollinators: Predatory and Beneficial Bugs with Ian Peterson
- July 8 — Recognizing Tree Hazards and Non-Hazards with John Fech
- August 12 — Composting for Small-Scale Growers with Katja Koehler-Cole
- September 9 — Fall Garden Preparation with Nicole Stoner
- October 14 — Spring Flowering Bulbs with Scott Evans & Mary Jane Frogge
Register
Be Fire Smart
protect your home with defensible landscaping
Wildfires are an increasing concern across Nebraska and beyond. Homeowners can reduce risk by creating a Fire Smart landscape that limits potential fuels. Establish three defensible zones around your home: the Ember Resistant Zone (0–5 feet) with non-combustible materials and low plants; the Lean, Clean, and Green Zone (5–30 feet) with well-spaced, irrigated plants; and the Reduce Fuel Zone (30–100 feet) with thinned vegetation. Select plants with low flammability, maintain proper spacing, and remove dead or dry material regularly. Thoughtful landscape design and consistent management can significantly reduce wildfire spread and protect homes from fire damage.
Weather Ready Landscaping
How Can Buffalo County Extension Help You?
Identify plants and problems
Not sure what kind of tree is in your yard? Having problems with your turf, garden or houseplants? Bring in a sample of the plant and our expert can identify the plant and also diagnose problems or disease.
Identify insects in the home and outdoors
Bring a specimen into the office in a sealed plastic bag or container and our expert will identify what it is and best methods to control or eliminate it.
Test pressure cookers and food safety advice
Not sure if your pressure cooker gauge is correct? No need to bring the entire unit - just bring the lid with the gauge, and we will test it for you. Our expert can provide you with canning resources that will help you through the process.
Advice on cow-calf operations
Our beef systems expert can connect you with valuable resources on topics such as winterizing your herd, rations, pasture rental and more.
Help youth find their spark in 4-H
Want to learn more about 4-H and how the program empowers youth? Reach out to us and we'll be happy to assist you.
And Much More!
We are always here to help, and we welcome you to stop by or give us a call. We take pride in providing Buffalo County communities with resources to live fulfilled, prosperous and healthy lives.
