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
May 27-29: Premier Animal Science Event (PASE), Animal Science Complex, Lincoln, NE
May 31: DUE: Nebraska Youth Range Camp Registration, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Curtis, NE
June 1: DUE:Holt County Shooting Sports 4-H Invitational Shoot Registration
June 1: DUE: State 4-H Horse Expo Online Entries and Horse Identification Certificate in your County Extension Office
June 2: LAST Face-to-Face YQCA Training, 7pm, Holt County Courthouse Annex, O’Neill, NE
June 3: Animal Science Discovery Day, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Curtis, NE
June 4-5: 2026 Tractor & Equipment Safety Training, AKRS Equipment Solutions, O’Neill, NE, Tractor and Equipment Safety Training Registration
June 6-7: Holt County Shooting Sports 4-H Invitational Shoot, Holt County Fairgrounds, Chambers, NE
June 8-11: Nebraska Youth Range Camp, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, Curtis, NE
June 11: Cedar Workshop, 1:00-3:30pm, Holt County Annex Building, O’Neill, NE
June 11: Management Options in Drought Webinar, 7:30pm CT
June 12: 4-H Rabbit Tattooing, 9:00am-4:30pm, Holt County Annex, O’Neill, NE - Rabbit tattooing by appointment in Boyd County.
June 15: DUE: All Clover Kid, 4-H and FFA Animal ID Sheets in your local Extension Office - Holt County Extension Office, O’Neill, NE OR Boyd County Extension Office, Butte, NE
Summer Fun
During the summer months, children tend to have more unstructured time, and parents or grandparents may have the chance to spend more quality time with them. Adults can enhance children’s development while building great memories by planning fun and stimulating summer activities. Here are some ideas that don’t cost much money; the only requirement is an adult who is willing to spend time with children.
- Turn off the TV, video games, and computers! The average child spends more than 21 hours each week watching TV. Children need interactions with other people to develop social skills. Summer is a great time to hang out in local public parks where children can climb, slide, swim, and swing. All of these physical activities promote coordination and enhanced self-esteem. All the adult has to do is watch and talk about what the child is doing.
- Churn up a freezer of ice cream. Any food preparation activity is an opportunity for a science lesson. What ingredients go into ice cream? How do salt and ice make it freeze? With or without the science lesson, most children just enjoy helping to prepare snacks and meals. The end result is a cool treat for a hot day.
- Go further than food preparation - go to production. Get children into the garden so they can see where food really comes from. It is surprising how tasty vegetables become when you grow your own.
- Visit the library often. Reading is a lifelong pleasure. Libraries generally have special summer programs. This is a great way to improve skills vital to school and life success.
- Use summer events as a way to teach responsibility. Have children plan and lead the games at a family picnic. If you want to teach money skills, give them a budget for entertainment.
- Have your older children plan dinner one night. Give them a budget and the responsibility of planning, shopping for, preparing and cleaning up after the meal.
- Have your children teach you something. This is a great way for parents or grandparents to learn about new technologies or any subject matter that the children are really interested in. It is a great self-esteem builder when children are allowed to be the experts!
- Teach children something you want to pass on such as recipes or a craft like knitting or woodworking.
- Remember what you liked to do as a child and do some of those same activities with your own child. This is a great way to build family traditions that are passed down across generations.
- Call your local parks and recreation center and see what activities they have available.
- Take a swimming break. Go to a local pool or creek. Don’t forget the sunscreen!
- Try “water painting” - all it takes is a bucket of water, an old paint brush and a sidewalk or porch and you have the beginnings of a masterpiece. You can even pass the time watching your creations evaporate. Drawing with sidewalk chalk on the wet pavement is also fun.
- Take a tour around your house or the neighborhood. Look for things you may not have noticed before or play “I spy.”
- Go for a nature walk. Besides being good exercise, you can investigate rocks, plants, bugs, etc. Just remember to be careful around the critters - some of them view humans as a threat and will try to protect themselves!
- Make homemade bubbles: 1/4 cup of liquid dish detergent, 1 teaspoon of corn syrup and 1/2 cup of water. You can make bubble wands out of bent wire wrapped with yarn, a cup with the end cut out, a slotted spoon or a slotted berry basket.
- Camp out in the backyard. Pitch a tent, have some snacks, tell stories, play games, read books, gaze at the stars. Enjoy all types of camping activities without the hassle and expense of traveling.
- Have a cookie baking day. This is the perfect activity for a rainy summer day. Put some in the freezer to enjoy later or take some around to share with the neighbors.
- Look through and/or organize photos. Share stories and reflect on the past with your kids. Organize the photos into an album or scrapbook.
- Check out your Extension Office for program schedules and resources for youth and families.
Source: Jinny Hopp, former Human Development Specialist, and Angela Fletcher, Human Development Specialist, Douglas County, University of Missouri Extension (2018)
Spring Weed Control: Leafy Spurge and Thistles
As pastures begin to green up, now is the time to scout pastures for two persistent problems- leafy spurge and non-native thistles like musk, plumeless and Canada thistle. Both are Nebraska noxious weeds, and early spring is the best opportunity for control.
Leafy spurge is a deep-rooted perennial with a yellow-green flower that shows up early in the season. Its root system can reach 15 feet deep, making it extremely difficult to control. Spring herbicide applications at the at the bud stage, include 2,4-D ester, Graslan L, Tordon 22K, or picloram 22K. At flowering, options broaden to products like Curtail, Cody, Stinger, Streamline, Overdrive plus Tordon 22K, or Sharpen plus Plateau can reduce spurge growth and seed production. Just remember - one treatment won’t be enough. A follow-up fall application is often needed to catch regrowth and keep infestations from spreading.
Thistles, especially nonnative species like musk and plumeless, should also be targeted in early spring. Look for plants in the rosette to bolting stage - that’s when herbicides work best. Top-rated products include Chaparral, Milestone, Transline and Opensight, with several other options depending on the specific species. As a perennial, Canada thistle responds best to fall herbicide applications, but you can reduce spread now by mowing in June and July, and applying 2,4-D or a dicamba mix as a stopgap until fall. Just make sure to control before flowers occur.
Whichever weed you’re battling, control efforts need to start early and be followed up throughout the season. Our Nebraska Extension NebGuide EC-130, “Guide for Weed, Disease, and Insect Management in Nebraska” provides a list of recommended herbicide options and cost comparison of spurge, thistle, and other noxious weed control products. Read and follow label directions, and don’t wait to control these weeds until they are flowering - by then, your options are limited, control is less effective, and next year’s seed is being spread.
Source: Ben Beckman – Extension Educator (CropWatch – May 18, 2026)
Drought Increases Risk of Prussic Acid and Nitrate Poisoning
Drought conditions increase the risk of both nitrate and prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) toxicity in annual forages. All annual plants can accumulate nitrates under stress, while species such as sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass, sudangrass, shattercane, and johnsongrass can also produce compounds that lead to prussic acid poisoning.
Producers concerned about prussic acid risk may consider planting pearl millet as it does not produce prussic acid. However, it can still accumulate nitrates. Both nitrates and prussic acid can be fatal to cattle. Risk is often greatest during drought or immediately following drought-breaking rains.
Young plants typically contain higher concentrations of prussic acid than more mature plants, but both growth stages can pose a risk under drought stress. Nitrates tend to accumulate in the lower portion of the plant, particularly the stem. In contrast, prussic acid is most concentrated in the leaves. This increases risk during grazing, as cattle preferentially select young, leafy material where prussic acid concentrations are highest.
Nitrogen fertilization can further increase the risk of both nitrate and prussic acid accumulation, particularly when combined with drought stress. Harvest method also impacts risk. Drying forage for hay does not reliably reduce nitrate concentrations, and while it has often been assumed that prussic acid dissipates during curing, recent research indicates that prussic acid can persist at levels that pose a risk to cattle. As a result, drought-stressed forages may remain toxic even after baling and should be managed with the same caution as standing forage.
Ensiling, however, can reduce both nitrate and prussic acid levels by approximately 50%, making it a useful risk management strategy. Even so, silage made from plants with risk of being high in prussic acid or nitrates should always be tested before feeding. Poor ensiling conditions such as incorrect moisture or inadequate packing can limit this reduction.
Before grazing or harvesting drought-stressed forages, testing is strongly recommended. In addition to submitting samples to a laboratory, producers can use simple in-field quick tests to screen for prussic acid risk. This test does not provide exact concentrations but can indicate whether cyanide is present and if risk may be elevated. Learn more here. If testing indicates elevated risk and ensiling is not an option, delaying grazing or hay harvest is often the best approach. Concentrations of both nitrates and prussic acid typically decline within 5 to 7 days after adequate rainfall. Re-testing after this recovery period can help guide safe management decisions.
Source: Mary Drewnoski, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems Specialist (Beef Watch – May 1, 2026)
News Release
Workshop to Address the Spread of Cedar Trees and Control Options
O’Neill, NE- Cedar trees are rapidly spreading across Nebraska’s grasslands, threatening valuable forage for grazing animals and habitat for wildlife. In some areas, grass production has dropped by as much as 75% over the past three decades due to cedar tree encroachment. The best time to control your cedar trees is now!
To help landowners and producers tackle this issue, a hands-on workshop will be held on Thursday, June 11, from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. CT at the Holt County Annex Building, located at 128 N 6th Street, O’Neill.
Gain insight from real-life examples of various cedar control projects, including before/after photos, cost of the projects, cost-share options, and how producers are maintaining cedar-free pastures to maximize grass. Understanding how cedar trees spread and grow will help producers decide the best control options to use. Learn how to keep your prescribed burn contained to the unit- as slope, tree height, piles, weather, crew/equipment can be mitigated to ensure a safe and controlled burn.
Walk-ins are welcome, but registrations are appreciated. Call the Holt County Extension Office at 402-336-2760, email Bethany at bjohnston3@unl.edu, or sign up online at https://go.unl.edu/cedar_signup.
Thanks to these partners: Nebraska Extension, Pheasant Forever, the Nature Conservancy, Sandhills Task Force, Nebraska Game & Parks, US Fish and Wildlife, and NRCS.
News Release
Nebraska Extension to Host June 11 Webinar on Drought management for Beef Producers
As drought conditions continue to affect much of Nebraska, beef producers are being forced to make difficult herd and forage management decisions. To support producers navigating these challenges, Nebraska Extension will host a free webinar on Thursday, June 11, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mountain Time / 7:30 to 9 p.m. Central Time.
The webinar, “Management Options in Drought” will feature University of Nebraska–Lincoln specialists covering key management practices and decision-making strategies to help mitigate the effects of drought.
Topics include drought outlook, range/pasture conditions and production, confinement feeding cows and early weaning calves, planting summer annuals for forage, and new drought planning tools. Eric Hunt, agricultural meteorologist; Karla Wilke, cow-calf management specialist; Mitch Stephenson, range and forage specialist; Jerry Volesky, range and forage specialist; and Tonya Haigh, National Drought Mitigation Center will provide practical guidance for those in drought conditions.
“This webinar is designed to provide actionable information to help producers make sound, timely decisions during drought,” said Aaron Berger, Nebraska Extension beef educator.
Lower production on rangeland, due to lack of precipitation or wildfires, will result in ranchers and cattlemen looking for alternatives.
To attend remotely via Zoom, register online at https://go.unl.edu/drought2026. No cost to attend.
A recording of the webinar will be made available following the event for those unable to attend live.
For more information, contact Berger at 308-235-3122.
News Release
Pedaling the Whooper Highway: Ecologist and Photographer to Bike 2,500 miles to Raise Awareness for America’s Most Endangered Bird
Platte Basin Timelapse co-founder Michael Forsberg and the International Crane Foundation’s Director of Central Flyway Programs Dr. Andy Caven will embark on a 50-day, 2,500-mile bike ride through the Great Plains to raise awareness for Whooping Cranes, North America’s most endangered bird. Tentatively, they will be in Nebraska in early June.
Beginning on May 11 on the Texas Gulf Coast and ending in late June in the prairies of central Saskatchewan, Forsberg and Caven will travel the migration route of the Whooping Crane. The route follows the Central Flyway, winding north through central Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and into Canada. The Central Flyway is a migration pathway followed year after year by thousands of migratory species of birds, insects, and other animals.
“We’re hoping to not just see this landscape, but feel it,” said Dr. Andy Caven. “We want to feel the miles between these patches of vital habitat, just like the Monarch Butterfly or a Whooping Crane would while on their spectacular, long migration.”
Whooping Cranes are the rarest crane species in the world, standing five feet tall and covered in white feathers. These magnificent birds embark on a harrowing 2,500-mile journey, twice a year, between their nesting grounds in northern Canada to their wintering grounds on the Texas Gulf Coast.
“The muse is the whooping crane, this lovely bird that was nearly lost to extinction–but there’s a lot more to it than that,” said Forsberg. “Most folks don’t understand how migration is not just birds or butterflies flying from place to place, it's this process that takes place over this huge landscape.”
Mike has dedicated the last seven years to telling the story of Whooping Cranes. His efforts have been made into a book, a podcast, and soon, a feature-length film. Andy is a habitat
ecologist whose work focuses on conservation policy, delivery, and research regarding whooping cranes, sandhill cranes, and their habitats.
“I want everybody to feel a part of a community,” said Forsberg. “These birds have a great story to tell. But it’s not just their story, it’s our story. This trip helps us to tell other people's stories that we come in contact with along the way and lift them up.”
Mike and Andy invite you to be part of the journey -bike with them, meet them along the route, or support the effort through a donation or other meaningful ways. For more information, and to follow along, please visit: www.WhoopingCraneChronicles.com/bike