Nebraska Extension in the Central Sandhills

Local Interest/Resources                                     

The Central Sandhills Area Nebraska Extension Office serves Blaine, Grant, Hooker, and Thomas Counties. These four counties cover a 114-mile stretch of Highway 2 and 2,900 square miles (1,856,000 acres) in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills. Beef cattle outnumber the people and are the main economic driver of the area. While the population of the Central Sandhills Area is less than 2,500 people, it includes four county governments, four county 4-H councils and fairs, four school districts, three state legislative districts, three health departments, two time zones, two educational service units, and one Nebraska Extension office.

Along with our local Livestock Systems Educator, 4-H/Youth Development Assistant, and Office Manager; regional Extension faculty work to serve the mission of Nebraska Extension in the Central Sandhills Area: engaging with Nebraskans wherever they are, connecting them with the resources, research and innovation of the University of Nebraska.

Local Items of Note

•   4-H Online Enrollment Website
•  @beefeducator Resources/Links
•  Join 4-H

• Hay Testing Probes Available for Checkout

  Accurately sampling and testing hay is the only way to get an accurate nutritive value to make sure cows are meeting requirements and to minimize hay waste. Central Sandhills Area Extension loans out hay probes for ranchers to collect hay samples. Call 645-2267 if you would like to borrow one.

• Our office and staff are funded by the four counties we serve and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Links to each county government webpage are below
  • Blaine County, Nebraska
  • Grant County, Nebraska
  • Hooker County, Nebraska
  • Thomas County, Nebraska