Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt & Boyd Counties - LaDonna Werth
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt & Boyd Counties - Amy Timmerman
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt, Boyd, Garfield, Loup, & Wheeler Counties - Bethany Johnston
Nebraska Extension Educator - Brown, Rock, & Keya Paha Counties - Brittany Spieker
Nebraska 4-H Assistant - Holt & Boyd Counties - Debra Walnofer
August 2-9: Holt County Fair, Holt County Fairgrounds, Chambers, NE
August 18: DUE: Non-Perishable State Fair 4-H Exhibits, at your County Extension Office, either Butte or O’Neill, NE
August 19: DUE: Perishable State Fair 4-H Exhibits, at your County Extension Office, Butte or O’Neill, NE
August 22 – September 1: Nebraska State Fair, Grand Island, NE
Making Back to School COOL!
The short summer months are winding down and the new school year is fast approaching. The return to school is often a time of change for many families. New teacher, new classroom, new classmates, maybe even a new school - these are only a few of the many changes children and families encounter at the beginning of a new school year.
Making a smooth transition between the summer break and the beginning of school can help children feel good about all of the changes, and it helps everyone in the family create and maintain a positive outlook about the coming school year. Parents play an important role in helping the family adjust to the new routine. Here are some tips to help make this transition more relaxed and enjoyable for everyone.
Establish a routine
Bed times, wake-up times, places for backpacks and important notes, setting a homework schedule - whatever the routine and schedule will be, begin following it at least a week or so before school actually begins. This will help you and your child adjust and make any necessary changes.
Take a school tour
This is especially important if your child is new to the school system or building. Knowing where to go on the first day can relieve a lot of stress.
LaDonna Werth
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: lwerth2@unl.edu
Meet with your child’s teacher(s)
Introduce yourselves. Discuss what will be happening in the classroom, as well as any special needs or situations your child may have. Find out if there are ways you can help out in the classroom.
Update the school records
Make sure the school has any new phone numbers, changes of address, immunization updates, etc. Having these in an emergency can save precious minutes. If you moved recently, be sure your child knows the new address and phone number as well.
Get all required examinations
Try to schedule appointments for sports physicals, immunizations, dental exams, etc. before school starts. This will help avoid absences from school.
Arrange after-school care
Make necessary arrangements ahead of time and be sure your child knows where he/she will be going and what he/she will be doing after school. It is also a good idea, especially for elementary school students, to inform the teacher of these plans.
Purchase school supplies
Check with your child’s teacher or school for a list of needed supplies and have those ready for the first day so that your child feels prepared.
Create a homework center
Choose a quiet area away from the television or other distractions. Stock it with the supplies needed to complete homework.
Stress the importance of good nutrition
Healthy, well-balanced breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners can unleash the brainiac in your child! Studies have shown that good nutrition helps children maintain focus and energy and keeps their moods balanced, all of which are necessary for proper learning.
Source: Angie Fletcher, Human Development Specialist, Douglas County, University of Missouri Extension
Navigating Farm Succession Without a Family Heir: 7 Common Concerns
In my work with agricultural families, I’m seeing a growing and difficult reality: many farms and ranches today don’t have a successor within the family. While this absence can simplify parts of estate planning, it often creates deeper, more emotional challenges, especially when legacy and identity are tied to the land.
This article is the fifth in a series supporting farm and ranch owners facing this transition. If you're just joining, I recommend reading the earlier pieces for a valuable background. You can find them at cap.unl.edu.
In an earlier article, I posed a tough but essential question: What do I want to happen to my farm or ranch when I die? The related, and often revealing, question is: What outcomes are unacceptable to you? The answers often revolve around seven common concerns that strongly influence your succession planning.
Retirement Planning - Many producers plan to work for life, but health issues often force retirement. Yet, according to USDA, only 40% of eligible operations contribute to retirement accounts. Having a livable income when you are no longer able to work may depend on selling or leasing farm and ranch assets or working an off-farm job.
Long-Term Care – Because of the high costs, planning for long-term care is critical. Long-term care averages $10,000 per month for 2–3 years.
Amy Timmerman
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: atimmerman2@unl.edu
Funding options include insurance, self-pay, or qualifying for Medicaid. But Medicaid eligibility has strict rules, and rural facility options can be limited. Medicaid has a five-year lookback period. In other words, assets gifted or sold within five years of needing care may count against Medicaid eligibility.
Capital Gains Tax - Selling appreciated assets, like land, during your lifetime can trigger significant capital gains taxes. One way to avoid this is by passing assets at death, which allows for a step-up in basis and may reduce tax liability. Learn more at go.unl.edu/amcu.
Depreciation Recapture – An often overlooked issue when selling depreciated assets like equipment, is depreciation recapture. This tax that is incurred when the sale price of an asset exceeds it’s tax basis. Sale proceeds are taxed as ordinary income.
Probate – Probate is the legal process of re-titling assets that pass through your will. It can be costly, slow, and public. Ways to avoid probate include using tools like life-estate deeds, trusts, payable on death and transfer on death designations. While some seek to avoid probate, in Nebraska, estate details still become public due to the state’s inheritance tax.
Federal Estate Tax – In 2025, estates over $13.99 million are taxed at 40%. While many estates are currently estimated to fall below this threshold, the threshold may change in the future. This tax also has a lookback period, assets gifted within three years of death may still be taxed. Strategies to reduce estate size include unlimited gifts to a spouse who is a US citizen, annual exclusion gifts ($19,000 per recipient in 2025), and paying qualified medical or educational expenses directly to an institution.
Nebraska Inheritance Tax - Nebraska is one of six states with an inheritance tax. Rates depend on the size of the inheritance and the heir's relationship to the deceased. It is extremely difficult to avoid Nebraska Inheritance Tax. Learn more at go.unl.edu/v2tf.
When creating your succession plan, it’s also important to consider personal concerns, such as a spouse remarrying, heirs with disabilities, addiction issues, divorce risk, or financial instability. These factors are often overlooked in standard plans, yet they can significantly impact the tools chosen to achieve your estate and transition planning goals.
There is no single estate or transition plan that will fully eliminate these concerns. Each situation is unique, and the strategies you choose will require careful consideration of both the financial implications and personal impact. When you meet with your team of advisors, identify the possible concerns, and explicitly discuss strategies to mitigate these risks. As you explore your options, weigh the costs and benefits of each approach in the context of your specific goals. The best plan is the one that fits your goals and circumstances, even if it requires tough trade-offs.
Source: Jessica Groskopf – Agricultural Economics Cropping Systems Extension Educator (CropWatch - July 2, 2025)
Common Mullein Control
Common mullein is an invasive biennial weed that can spread rapidly into pastures. First year seeds prefer to germinate and form rosette plants in disturbed or tilled soils. Then, second year mullein plants become competitive with pasture and roadside grasses developing yellow flowering seed head spikes. Due to recent mild winters, mullein winter survival has been high.
For outdoor enthusiasts, bolting mullein provides colorful edible yellow blooms; and dried seedhead spikes can be used as short-term torches for alternative night lights. Further, smooth, woolly mullein leaves are also known as “hunters toilet paper.”
Hand-pulling or digging can be effective for controlling small infestations, especially prior to plants producing seeds. Remove the entire rosette or sever the root below the soil surface. Repeated mowing when plants are in the bolting to early flowering stage can reduce seed production; but mowing low-growing rosettes is generally not effective. Remember that spring seed germination can be problematic for years after weed seed is produced.
Herbicide control can be a challenge due to the dense, hairy mullein leaves hindering absorption; and single herbicide(s) mode of action usage has led to some herbicide-resistant weeds. Where herbicide resistance is not an issue, effective control usually requires that chemicals be applied either during the rosette stage (first year development) OR prior to seed development during the second year bolting stage. Note that non-ionic surfactant or crop oil concentrates must be included with most herbicide applications
Bethany Johnston
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: bjohnston3@unl.edu
to overcome the woolly mullein leaves reducing coverage.
The most effective labelled control products in UNL studies, which must be applied to rosettes prior to spring bolting, include: Remedy®, Tordon®, Milestone®; Graslan®; MezaVue™; and Chaparral™. Other labelled herbicides include: Method®; Grazon P+D®; GrazonNext®HL; DuraCor™; Telar®; Escort®; Cimarron Plus®; Pastora®; Overdrive®; and Metsulfuron. A fall application can control common mullein before it overwinters, but the herbicide will not persist and control new spring seedlings.
More information regarding common mullein herbicide choices and application timing is available at: https://cropswatch.unl.edu or https://beef.unl.edu
Source: Todd Whitney - Extension Educator (BeefWatch – July 30, 2025)
Fresh Food, Strong Communities: National Farmer’s Market Week
August 3-9 marks National Farmer’s Market Week, and there’s no better time to celebrate the people behind the fresh food. Whether it’s bakers, canners, ranchers, or produce growers, your local farmer’s market is more than just a shopping destination - it’s a hub for connection, learning, and community building.
You’ll find everything from sweet corn and vine-ripened tomatoes to farm-raised beef and homemade baked goods. Farmer’s markets offer some of the freshest food around. Buying local means supporting local producers; therefore, helping our towns and communities thrive. One of the best ways to show support is by eating with the seasons.
Right now, Nebraska’s summer produce is at its peak. You’ll find cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, melons, and berries - all bursting with flavor and nutrition. Seasonal eating isn’t just trendy; it’s practical. In-season food often tastes better, costs less, and travels fewer miles to your plate. In many cases, the produce you find at the market has been picked just hours before you buy it. That’s true farm-to-fork freshness.
Here are a few ways to make the most of this seasonal bounty:
- Grill it up: Toss zucchini, bell peppers, or sweet corn on the grill for easy, healthy side dishes.
- Preserve the bounty: Try freezing green beans or canning your own salsa to enjoy summer flavors all year long.
Brittany Spieker
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-387-2213
E-mail: bspieker2@unl.edu
- Get the kids involved: Let children choose a new fruit or vegetable at the market and help prepare it at home. It’s a fun way to teach healthy habits early on.
- Think beyond dinner: Add berries to yogurt for a snack, stir herbs into scrambled eggs for breakfast, or infuse water with cucumber slices for extra flavor and refreshment.
If you're unsure how to prepare something new, Nebraska Extension is here to help. We offer free, research-based resources on cooking, meal planning, food preservation, and general nutrition.
Have questions or need help getting started? I’m happy to talk with you! Reach out to me, Brittany Spieker, at the Nebraska Extension office in Brown County by calling (402) 387-2213.
Or visit food.unl.edu for helpful tips and recipes.
So, this week, take a moment to visit your local farmers’ market. Shake hands with the folks growing your food, try something new, and enjoy the best of what north central Nebraska has to offer.