Nebraska Extension in the Central Sandhills | Nebraska Extension

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

News of Interest

Free Farm and Ranch Finance Clinic

These clinics are for farmers and ranchers and their families. They are confidential, one-on-one sessions with an experienced Ag Law attorney and Ag finance counselor. These clinics have been offered in Nebraska since 1989. In a roughly hour-long session, you are welcome to bring up whatever issues might be affecting your farm or ranch. In general, clinic discussions often involve estate and succession planning, financial and operational issues, beginning farmer programs, real estate and lease matters, fence law, property rights, farm loans and loan programs, and debtor/creditor law. Here is an opportunity to obtain an experienced outside opinion on issues that may be affecting your farm or ranch. Bring your questions!

The FREE farm and ranch clinics will be on these dates in these locations:

Valentine – Thursday, July 9th

Chadron – Tuesday, July 21st

Norfolk – Tuesday, July 28th

To sign up for a clinic or for more information, call Nebraska Rural Response Hotline: 1-800-464-0258.

The June 4-H Newsletter is Here!

Check out the new 4-H Newsletter Here!

Rural Poll Reports

Current Reports

By collaborating with the University of Missouri Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES), the Rural Poll team has created an interactive data report showing the results of the longest-running poll of rural life in the United States. The NEBRASKA RURAL POLL INTERACTIVE REPORT helps you explore what rural Nebraskans think about certain issues, such as well-being, civil discourse, artificial intelligence, housing, economy and trade, and their communities. This report can also be used to help local and state leaders better understand the needs, priorities, and viewpoints of Nebraska’s rural citizens.

For the most recent report on rural Nebraskans' views, see here: https://ruralpoll.unl.edu/current-reports/

Center for Ag Profitability (CAP) Free Webinars

The Center for Ag Profitability's webinar series focuses on topics related to farm and ranch management, profitability, economics and farm survival for producers and ag industry professionals in Nebraska and beyond. The live webcasts are typically presented at noon Central time on Thursdays. Registration is always free. View upcoming webinars and watch past recordings at CAP Webinars