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
June 22-26: 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, 3:00-6:00pm, Heartland Public Shooting Park, Grand Island, NE
July 1: DUE: Boyd County 4-H Insurance, Boyd County Extension Office, Butte, NE
July 6: DUE: 4-H Pre-Fair Day Entries, Holt County Fairwire or Boyd County Fairwire
July 6: DUE: Boyd County Fair Entries, Boyd County Fairwire
July 6: DUE: Boyd County Fair YQCA Certificates and Horse Levels; Email, Fax, Mail, or bring to Boyd County Extension Office, Butte, NE
July 6: DUE: Boyd County Fair Stalls/Pen/Cages Requests
July 13: Boyd County Pre-Fair Day, 3:00pm, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Hall, Spencer, NE
July 15: Holt County Pre-Fair Day, 9:00am, Faith Community Solid Rock Building, O’Neill, NE
July 16: Boyd County Fair Set Up Night, 7:00pm, Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
July 21-25: Boyd County Fair, Spencer, NE
August 1-8: Holt County Fair, Chambers, NE
July 13: Boyd County Pre-Fair Day, 3:00pm, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Hall, Spencer, NE
July 15: Holt County Pre-Fair Day, 9:00am, Faith Community Solid Rock Building, O’Neill, NE
July 16: Boyd County Fair Set Up Night, 7:00pm, Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
July 21-25: Boyd County Fair, Spencer, NE
August 1-8: Holt County Fair, Chambers, NE Boyd County Fair Set Up Night, 7:00pm, Boyd County Fairgrounds, Spencer, NE
Staying Home Alone: Is Your Child Ready for Self-Care?
Deciding when a child is capable of staying home alone is a difficult one for any parent. At some point in time, most children will need to stay alone before or after school, during the summer break or while a parent runs an errand. Communicating and working with a child can help him prepare for being alone and thrive while parents are away.
How do I determine if my child is able to stay at home alone?
Several factors should be considered before a child stays home alone:
- Does your child express a desire to stay alone?
- Can your child make good decisions, show responsibility over tasks you have given in the past, and communicate well with you?
- Is the area you live in safe?
- Are there other adults in the area that would be available to assist your child if needed?
- Are there younger children in the house the child would be responsible for?
There is not a magical age at which children are ready to be home alone. Every child is different. Not every child is able to handle the responsibility of staying alone the same.
Your child could be 13, yet she may not make decisions well. She may not feel comfortable staying home alone all summer watching her younger sister. Finding alternative child care arrangements while working with your child to develop her decision-making skills will eventually help her succeed at staying home alone. On the other hand, a 10 year old who is comfortable being alone, lives in a safe area, and has proven herself to be responsible, may be ready to stay at home by herself while her parents run some errands.
Check with your local Family Support Division for their recommended minimum age guidelines for children staying home alone in your community. Then work with your child to determine if she is ready to stay home without parental supervision.
What skills should my child have before staying home alone?
Answer the following questions to see if your child can succeed while home alone. You may have others to add to the list.
- Does your child know what to do if someone knocks at the door? Children should know what to do if a stranger is at the door as well as what to do should someone come to the house looking for help or trying to deliver a package or attempting to repair something on your home (checking gas lines, etc.).
- Does your child know how to answer the phone without giving away personal information or mentioning that no adults are home? Does your child know what to do if he receives a prank phone call?
- Does your child know who to call if there is an emergency or fire?
- Is your child able to make a snack or entertain himself when bored?
Don’t simply ask your child if she is able to do something – have her show you. For example, practice calling your child to see what her phone skills are like or have her show you where she would go in case of severe weather.
Role playing with your children can teach valuable skills and can help you evaluate where your child needs some improvement. Some example role plays are:
- A man knocks at the door and says he has a delivery for you. He says he needs a signature and that it must be delivered today.
- A woman parked in front of your house says she has locked her keys in the car. She wants to know if she can use the phone in your house.
- You arrive home and a window is cracked open. Normally all windows are kept closed.
- You slip down the steps and twist your ankle. You can still walk, but it hurts.
- While walking home with a friend, an older child pushes you down and then walks off.
As you work with your child on these and other role plays, remember that it is beneficial to review/replay them every several months. Reviewing these difficult situations will help keep decision-making skills fresh in your child’s mind. Role playing, instead of just discussing these situations, will help your child know what to do in case one of these circumstances arise.
What can I do to make my child’s time at home easier?
Begin with setting clear rules for your child. Work with him to develop these rules. If your children are involved in this process and understand the reasoning behind the rules, they are more likely to follow them. Keep in mind what your child is able to do at his age and what is safe for him to do on his own. For example, it may not be safe to require a ten year old to mow the entire yard before his parents return home. A more reasonable alternative would be for him to feed the dog and water the plants.
Remember to post the rules in clear view so your child can remember what is expected of her. Clear and consistent consequences will also help direct your child’s behavior.
There are many other things you can do to improve the quality of your child’s time at home. Post important telephone numbers near the phone. Always make sure the child can contact a designated adult in case you are not available. Discuss activities your child should accomplish (chores, homework, etc.) and help her think of new, fun things that she could do until you return. Leave notes of encouragement to let your child know she is doing a good job.
Obviously, the safety of your child is extremely important. Consider having a family password for other adults that may have interactions with your child while he is alone. Hide a spare key somewhere for your child or leave a copy with a trusted neighbor. Reassure children that it is okay not to answer the phone, not to open the door and not to provide help to a stranger. Teach your child to ask for help if he feels uncomfortable at any time.
Remember to periodically reevaluate your child’s situation and keep communication lines open to relieve any fears she may have about being alone. Working closely with your child can bring her relief and confidence, and can make your child’s experience at home satisfying and beneficial to her development.
Source: Suzi McGarvey, Extension Associate, University of Missouri Extension
Reviewed by Kim Leon, Ph.D., Former Human Development and Family Studies, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia (2018)
Making Fungicide Decisions for Corn and Soybean in 2026
Key Takeaways for Corn Disease
- Tar spot confirmed this week.
- Treatment is not recommended at this time.
- Monitor tar spot progression regularly as crop matures.
- Reevaluate the need for treatment during early to mid-reproductive stages.
- Southern rust not currently reported in the U.S.
Crop diseases have been especially important in parts of Nebraska during the last two years. Before you make a fungicide decision on corn or soybean, there are several factors to consider.
Corn Disease
Tar Spot
Tar spot was confirmed in several counties in Nebraska this week. This disease is caused by a fungus (Phyllachora maydis) that overwinters very effectively in Nebraska. The likelihood of your corn developing tar spot is greater if there was substantial tar spot disease in the past (because of the presence of more overwintering fungus to cause disease again).
The tar spot fungus is also favored by wet conditions but prefers cooler temperatures averaging 60–70°F. That’s why we often observe tar spot development early in the season (now), as well as a surge of disease often again late season when conditions are more favorable.
Overhead irrigation, such as through center pivots, can also increase the chances of tar spot development as it reduces the temperature by several degrees and increases relative humidity and leaf wetness for several hours. Pivot-irrigated fields should be scouted regularly, as they are at a higher risk for the disease, as well as areas where frequent rainfall occurs with a history of substantial tar spot pressure.
Tar spot has been confirmed in several Nebraska counties as of this week (most at V6–V8 leaf stages) at very low incidence and severity - usually only one to two spots in a few plants per field. This is approximately the same timing as development in previous years in eastern Nebraska (and other states) and is not cause for alarm at this time. Recent rainfall events (and the frequent irrigation of fields in the drier areas of Nebraska) supported disease development.
We do not recommend fungicide treatment at these early stages. Results from multi-state fungicide trials summarized on the Crop Protection Network show that treatment during the vegetative stages - V6 through V11 - was not economical even though disease had already begun.
Fungicide applications made between VT–R1 through R3 (milk) or occasionally early R4 (dough) stages were the most effective at controlling tar spot and had the best chance of generating a favorable net return. In those experiments, fungicide applications made to corn before tar spot severity exceeded 5% on the ear leaf by early R4 were still economical. Applications made after disease on the ear leaf exceeded 6% at application were not economical. Additionally, products with a mixture of active ingredients from two or more fungicide classes were most effective.
Fungicides can effectively manage tar spot, but only if applied at optimal times, and treatment may not always be economical depending on disease pressure.
Southern Rust
Arguably, the most important disease in corn during the past two years in eastern Nebraska was southern rust. Fortunately, having a history of southern rust does not impact disease development again this year because the fungus causing that disease does not overwinter (see the October 2025 CropWatch article “MythBusters – Southern Rust Edition” for more information). Rust spores must blow into our area from southern locations.
A couple of the factors that played a significant role in southern rust development in Nebraska in 2025 were likely related to the dramatic increase in corn acreage between 2024 and 2025 in some southern states. This allowed for more southern rust development there and larger volumes of spores to be blown northward into Nebraska and the Midwestern states.
Unfortunately, when rust spores arrived, they encountered unusually favorable weather conditions, specifically long periods of sustained high relative humidity, frequent rainfall, long periods of cloud cover reducing solar radiation, and warm temperatures averaging about 80°F (optimal for the southern rust fungus). Southern rust flourished as a result of these conditions and most of our corn hybrids are sensitive to the disease.
At this time, no southern rust has been reported in Nebraska or in the United States on the Crop Protection Clinics’ Southern Rust Distribution map.
You can review the most recent reports of tar spot or southern rust on the maps at the Crop Protection Network’s website. You can also view other diseases that have been reported or submit your own local reports on the Crop Lookout Tool.
More information on tar spot and the aforementioned multi-state fungicide management trial results can be found online at the Crop Protection Network or by reaching out to one of your Nebraska Extension professionals. Also, follow along with #ScoutNebraska on X and YouTube to monitor disease development in real-time across the state.
Soybean Disease
There are several key disease issues for soybean, including Sclerotinia stem rot (a.k.a. white mold) and frogeye leaf spot. While both cause yield loss in Nebraska, they range in severity from field to field. The downside risk of white mold is greater, so focus management there if you have a history of the disease.
It’s important to note that soybean flowering is the period of peak susceptibility, but that only present flowers will be protected by a foliar application. Consider waiting until R2 for your primary application. Additional problems causing foliar symptoms in soybean - such as sudden death syndrome, brown stem rot, or red crown rot - may arise, but keep in mind that none of these are manageable with a foliar fungicide application. Management is expensive, so starting with a proper diagnosis will ensure your management response is effective.
If you need help identifying these or other disease or insect issues, learn how to submit a sample to the UNL Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic.
Source: Tamra Jackson-Ziems - Extension Plant Pathologist, Dylan Mangel - Extension Plant Pathologist, Talon Mues - Extension Educator (June 19, 2026)
Strategic Cowherd Destocking to Promote Future Rebuilding
For many cow-calf operations in central and western Nebraska, significant culling may be required to match cow numbers to the forage available, not only for 2026, but also for the next few years. For operations that have spent generations building the type of cow they want, there is a strong commitment to retain a core of foundation females from which to rebuild the herd when it rains again.
This article covers considerations and possible strategies to retain a core of females to rebuild a cowherd.
Conduct a comprehensive herd assessment
Before proceeding with retention and culling decisions, consider conducting a comprehensive assessment of current cowherd suitability for operational goals:
- What is the type and kind of cow that is in the operation now?
- Is that same type and kind of cow going to be a fit for the expected resources and environment going forward?
- Are environmental conditions likely to get easier or harder?
- Is a cow with greater resilience going to be needed?
- Is labor, equipment, and infrastructure going to be less or more expensive?
- Is there currently a core of the cowherd that fits the identified type and kind that it is desired for the future?
While subjective, these questions can establish a foundation for future decision-making. If a shift in breeding objectives is desired, now may be an opportune time to do it.
Identify primary culling candidates
For most operations, the easy cows to cull from the herd have probably already been identified. These are cows that have one or more obvious strikes against them. Flawed/blemished cows continue to garner historically high prices relative to previous years, allowing more discriminating culling decisions.
- Cows without a calf, or those that have been poor producers, are the first to go.
- The second group is poor temperament, eyes, udders, feet, structure, as well as gimps, lumps, bumps, and significant dental deterioration. Most operations have already sold these cows.
Assuming cows in the herd meet your goals, what strategies allow for numbers to be reduced while best positioning for rebuilding rapidly when the opportunity is right?
Understand class of female and income tax rate implications
After primary culling candidates have been selected, the next question to ask is what class of female will provide both the greatest flexibility and profit potential should precipitation allow herd rebuilding? Yearling heifers being bred this year and unweaned heifer calves will likely appreciate relative to their current market value. Additionally, young females are easier to manage than cows in a dry lot scenario. They can also be sold as feeders should conditions dictate and are candidates for price risk protection. Yearling heifers also lend themselves well to artificial insemination and the use of female-sorted sexed semen. This option could help to accelerate herd rebuilding.
Home-raised heifers, when held to two years of age and sold as breeding stock, move from being classified as ordinary income to capital gains income. This is a significant tax advantage. For more information on this topic, see the article “Do Heifers Have More Potential Value than Steers?” Both weaned heifer calves and yearling heifers tend to be less expensive and easier to ship than older cows, eat less total feed, and can exhibit acceptable growth performance when receiving diets containing grain, co-products, and forage in dry lot situations.
Accounting for price relationships among available feedstuffs
This drought is somewhat unique in that grain prices and co-products are currently priced relatively inexpensively compared to what they have been at times historically. These energy and protein-dense products can be purchased and fed with low-quality forage, or cattle can be shipped to areas where these resources are readily available. Prices for cattle are historically high compared to where they have been over the last decade. In contrast to scenarios with expensive commodities and inexpensive cattle, confinement feeding the core herd and/or replacement heifers may be justifiable.
Leverage reproductive management tools
The next step in considering which cows to keep is to take stock of where the cow herd is in the production cycle.
- Are cows pregnant, currently being bred, or calving now?
- Is it possible to partially delay selling decisions until females have an opportunity to be bred?
Ultrasonography pregnancy diagnosis can be a simple and cost-effective aid for cow retention decisions. Ultrasound can detect pregnancy as soon as 30 days post-breeding and can be used to sex fetuses when cows are 55-100 days post-conception. Consider contacting your veterinarian well in advance of bull removal to arrange a pregnancy determination date to expedite culling decisions and prolong forage supply. If future herd rebuilding is desired, early calving yearling heifers or cows carrying heifer calves should be considered for retention.
Conclusion
Being forced to destock and deciding which cows to sell and which ones to keep is a difficult process. Today’s market conditions and current commodity prices for grains and co-products provide a set of circumstances that are different than sometimes has happened with past droughts. For producers wanting to retain a core of genetics and rebuild the herd from within, the flexibility of keeping weaned heifer calves and yearling heifers, using ultrasound technology to early identify pregnancy and females carrying heifer calves, as well as leveraging sexed semen, are strategies to consider.
Source: Aaron Berger - Nebraska Extension Educator; Updated By: Brock Ortner - Nebraska Extension Livestock System Educator (BeefWatch – June 15, 2026)