Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt/Boyd Counties - LaDonna Werth
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt/Boyd Counties - Amy Timmerman
Nebraska Extension Educator - Brown/Rock/Keya Paha Counties - Brittany Spieker
Nebraska Extension Educator - Holt/Boyd/Garfield/Loup/Wheeler Counties - Bethany Johnston
Nebraska 4-H Assistant - Holt/Boyd Counties - Debra Walnofer
May 5: Holt County 4-H Shooting Sports Practice; BB Gun, Air Pistol, Air Rifle, Small Bore Pistol, and .22 Rifle; Holt County Fairgrounds, Chambers, NE
May 17: Holt County 4-H Shooting Sports Practice; BB Gun, Air Pistol, Air Rifle, Small Bore Pistol, and .22 Rifle; Holt County Fairgrounds, Chambers, NE
May 28: DUE: Register for ServSafe Food Handlers Training, https://web.cvent.com/event/b20778cb-248b-410b-8421-a0bf92761e23/summary
June 1: DUE: State 4-H Horse Expo Online Entries and Horse I.D.s submitted to extension office https://4h.unl.edu/statewide-events-opportunities/horse-program/horse-expo/show-entry/
June 4: ServSafe Food Handlers Training, 8:30am-12:30pm, Holt County Annex Meeting Room
Using, Not Abusing, Timeouts for Kids
Many parents and grandparents use timeouts to remove a misbehaving child to a quiet setting before a no-win situation escalates out of hand. Although a timeout may seem trivial to an adult, it’s remarkably powerful for a child - if managed properly, said a University of Missouri Extension human development specialist.
“The child is learning that there are consequences of his misbehavior, without giving him the negative attention that comes with being yelled at or spanked,” said Saralee Jamieson.
Here are some guidelines:
- Use timeouts sparingly, not for everything a child does wrong.
- The rule of thumb for length of the timeout is one minute per year of the child’s age. For example, a 4-year-old would have a four-minute timeout, extending to five minutes when the child turns 5.
- Because a young child’s attention span is so short, the timeout should begin as soon as the behavior occurs. Be willing to follow through on your warnings, even if you’re inconvenienced.
- Be kind but firm. Tell the child briefly what he or she did wrong and what the preferred behavior is, but save further discussion until after the timeout. Have the child sit in a quiet place away from the center of activity.
LaDonna Werth
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: lwerth2@unl.edu
- Consider using a timer, so when a child asks “How much longer?” you can say that the buzzer will go off in whatever time is left.
- When the timeout is finished, give your child a hug to show you’re not angry anymore.
Source: Saralee Jamieson, Human Development Specialist, St. Clair County, University of Missouri Extension
Using Emergency Tillage to Control Wind Erosion
High winds lasting for multiple days combined with long-term dry conditions have created the “perfect storm” for soil erosion to develop across Nebraska. The erosion is visible in moving and drifted soil and should be controlled before more topsoil and crops are lost. Weak stands of wheat were significantly sandblasted and damaged by the windblown soil.
Emergency Control Options
Although soil erosion is best handled with a long-range plan that includes maintaining vegetative ground cover, reducing tillage, reducing field widths, and planting wind breaks, when soil starts moving unexpectedly - or conditions suggest this may occur - emergency control strategies are needed.
The following emergency control methods are available to reduce damage from wind-induced soil erosion that already has started or is anticipated:
- Tillage to produce ridges and clods.
- Addition of crop residue.
- Application of livestock manure.
Amy Timmerman
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: atimmerman2@unl.edu
- Irrigation to increase soil moisture.
- Temporary, artificial wind barriers.
- Soil additives or spray-on adhesives.
The choice of method, or combination of methods, depends on severity of erosion, soil type, soil moisture, type of crop, stage of crop growth, and equipment or materials available.
Emergency Tillage
Tillage is commonly used for emergency wind erosion control, but it should be viewed as a last resort. It can be effective if done properly. The purpose of emergency tillage is to provide a rough, ridged, cloddy surface more resistant to wind erosion. Surface roughness reduces wind velocity at the soil surface and helps trap windblown soil particles. Emergency tillage is only a temporary measure because clods readily disintegrate.
When using emergency tillage in growing wheat, use an implement with narrow chisel or shovel point shanks placed four to five feet apart and drive perpendicular to the direction of the prevalent winds.
Where possible, use emergency tillage before soil blowing starts. Soil erodes more rapidly from abrasion by windblown soil particles than from wind that contains no soil particles. If erosion is anticipated because high winds are forecast, start emergency tillage on areas of the field most vulnerable to erosion before the wind reaches a critical speed.
If soil blowing already has started, begin emergency tillage on the upwind edge of the eroding area. Tillage in a direction perpendicular to the expected wind direction is most effective. An implement used for emergency wind erosion control should gently lift the soil, creating as many and as large of clods as possible. Disks and harrow-type implements with several ranks of closely spaced tines generally will not be effective and should not be used.
Adjust Equipment Settings to Soil Type
In fine- or medium-textured soils, most types of chisel, lister, or broad shovel points create a ridge and bring clods to the surface. Narrow points, two to four inches wide, require a shank spacing of about 24 inches for best results. Wider shovels or lister bottoms that create a larger ridge can be spaced 36 to 48 inches apart. Tillage depth to produce maximum roughness generally varies between four and 12 inches, depending on soil conditions.
Moist or heavy soils often provide good ridges and clods with tillage depths of four to eight inches. Dry or sandy soils generally require deeper tillage.
With sandy soils, it's often difficult to obtain effective clods and roughness, and the roughness is often short-lived. Wide shovels or lister bottoms spaced 40 to 50 inches apart usually provide the best combination of clods and ridges in sandy soil. In general, slow speeds produce more clods while faster speeds provide more ridging effect. Speeds of three to four mph usually result in the most effective surface.
If more than one emergency tillage operation is anticipated, use a shallow depth (four to six inches) the first time. Follow with a deeper tillage the second time, with new furrows spaced between the original furrows.
In sandy soils, it usually is best to anticipate emergency tillage will be required, and time the operation to obtain the best roughness. Clods readily form in sandy soil when the soil surface is moist and has been lightly compacted. Other operators prefer a soil ripper to bring up large, dry clods when subsurface soil is dry.
For sandy soils or other soils that don’t easily produce durable clods, spreading manure with a manure spreader in the same pattern as tillage is an option. There are a lot of feedlots across Nebraska and manure can be useful.
In planted wheat, emergency tillage can be used in a field planted to winter wheat. If wind erosion occurs, it is better to control the damage early using emergency tillage, rather than risk losing the entire crop. Use narrow chisel points spaced four to six feet apart, four to six inches deep. Tillage direction should be perpendicular or at an angle to the wheat row to minimize plant injury.
Before beginning emergency tillage operations, producers should check with their crop insurance agent. Emergency tillage may also be necessary in other crops such as sugarbeets, corn and dry edible beans.
Effects of Emergency Tillage
Data from studies in Kansas suggests this type of emergency tillage has minimal effect on potential yield but can reduce the damage to growing wheat and can reduce soil loss in moderate erosion situations. This study found emergency tillage caused the most damage to wheat yields when the wheat had just emerged. The least yield reduction was found when the tillage was done in fields with wheat plants already tillered. Emergency tillage is not effective if clods cannot be brought to the surface.
For more detailed information, see the NebGuide G2006, "Emergency Wind Erosion Control".
Source: John Thomas - Crops Extension Educator, Karen DeBoer - Former Extension Educator, John Smith - Retired Machinery Systems Engineer, PREC (CropWatch - April 21, 2025)
What Drives the Spread of Cedar Trees-The Most Important Predictor
The Great Plains are facing increasing cover by woody species. While Nebraska’s challenge is eastern red cedar trees, other species like junipers in North Dakota and mesquite in Texas are also spreading. This encroachment is more than just a change in scenery: woody plants outcompete grass, displace wildlife, reduce forage production for grazing, increase wildfire risks, and impact water quality/quantity.
The Key Factor in Cedar Encroachment
While cedar trees do have natural limitations on where they grow, what is the most important predictor of where encroachment occurs in Nebraska?
Precipitation levels, soil type, and range management can all contribute to the encroachment of woody plants. However, research has shown that proximity to seed sources is the most important predictor of where cedar encroachment occurs.
How Far Do Cedar Seeds Travel?
Research from Drs. Dillon Fogarty and Dirac Twidwell at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln has shown that the cedar seeds are transferred from local seed sources into grasslands (see links to resources below). Birds play a critical role in this seed dispersal. They consume the seeds from female cedar trees, and spread the seeds as they fly, depositing seeds into pastures. Seed sources include tree rows, naturally occurring trees in river breaks, and mature female cedar trees.
Bethany Johnston
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: bjohnston3@unl.edu
What is the distance between most new seedlings in grasslands and the seed source? 95% of seedlings are found within 200 yards of a mature female tree - the seed source.
Take for example, a mature cedar windbreak at a ranch headquarters, surrounded by treeless pastures. Initially, the “cedar creep” begins slowly, with new seedlings appearing within 200 yards. That 200-yard radius around a mature female tree is equal to 26 acres of infected grassland.
Occasionally, a new seedling is established beyond 200 yards, but this is less than 5% of cases in uninvaded landscapes. These outliers eventually mature, producing their own seeds, which continue the seed spreading cycle.
The Cycle of Cedar Encroachment
During the first 1 to 2 years of growth, cedar seedlings are nearly invisible, blending into the grass. Each year, cedar seedlings grow about 1 foot per year, so eventually the trees become obvious above the prairie grasses. After several years, once the female trees reach 5 feet tall (6 to 7 years), they begin producing seeds. At this stage, each new mature tree creates its own 200-yard seed dispersal zone, thus accelerating the spread. Over time, the scattered smaller trees appear farther and farther from the original seed source.
When Should a Land Manager Take Action?
Knowing that proximity to seed sources is the biggest predictor of encroachment, when should a land manager start controlling cedars?
Act early- before a cedar problem is visible. For two to three years, seedlings often remain hidden below grass height.
Remove unplanted cedar seedlings immediately to prevent further spread. Once you see a cedar seedling that wasn’t planted, that cedar tree should be terminated.
Begin monitoring areas around mature cedars, particularly pastures near windbreaks.
Regularly check around mature windbreaks. Most new seedlings should be within 200 yards of the seed-producing trees. Trees as short as 5 feet tall can begin producing seeds.
Eliminate rogue cedar trees beyond 200 yards before they mature and produce seeds.
By staying vigilant and taking early action, land managers can gain back grass by curbing the spread of woody encroachment.
Looking Ahead
Next time, we will discuss management strategies that you can implement in your pastures, based on the three stages of woody encroachment.
Key Research Findings on Cedar Trees:
A mature female cedar tree can produce up to 1.5 million seeds every year.
- Cedars have a high germination rate - up to 70%.
- Luckily, the seeds are short lived in the soil. Only 5% are viable at 14 months, and just 3% viable after 28 months.
- Cedars are not rhizomatous - cutting below the lowest branch prevents resprouting.
- Cedar seedlings grow about 1 foot per year.
- Female trees begin producing seeds at 6-7 years old (or about 5 feet tall). However, female trees may not produce seeds every year.
Source: Bethany Johnston – Nebraska Extension Educator (BeefWatch – April 1, 2025)