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
November 30: DUE: The Martha and Don Romeo Scholarship, Holt-Boyd County Extension Office, O’Neill, NE, https://go.unl.edu/romeo_scholarship
December 1: Cow Clinics, 10:00am-2:00pm, Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell, NE, Contact Bethany Johnston at 402-336-2760, bjohnston3@unl.edu
December 2: ServSafe Manager Training, 8:30am-6:00pm, Hall County Extension, Grand Island, NE
December 3: 11th Annual Nebraska Prescribed Fire Conference, 9:00am-4:00pm, Holiday Inn and Conference Center, Kearney, NE Flyer - 2025 Nebraska Prescribed Fire Conference.pdf, Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/11th-annual-nebraska-prescribed-fire-conference-tickets-1909114485819?aff=oddtdtcreator
December 7: Holt County 4-H Shooting Sports Club Kick Off Meeting, 4:00pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, O’Neill, NE
December 10: Cedar Workshop, 1:00pm-4:00pm, Location TBA, Boyd County. To register: Holt County Extension Office at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany at bjohnston3@unl.edu
December 11: Confronting Cropping Challenges, 1:00pm-5:00pm, City Community Center, Bloomfield, NE
December 15: Landlord/Tenant Cash Rent Workshop, 1:00pm-4:00pm, Holt County Courthouse Annex Meeting Room, O’Neill, NE, Register: 402-336-2760 by December 12
December 16: Northeast Ag Conference, 8:00am-5:00pm, Northeast Community College, Norfolk, NE, Register at: bit.ly/NNAC-2025
January 14: Beef Production & Private Pesticide Applicator Update, 10:00am-2:00pm, Mid-Plains Community College, Valentine, NE
January 19: Beef Production & Private Pesticide Applicator Update, 10:00am-2:00pm, Southeast Meeting Room Auditorium, Stuart, NE
Building Family Traditions Around the Holidays
Family traditions play an important role in strengthening family bonds, creating lasting memories, and fostering a sense of belonging. During the holidays, these traditions can offer stability, joy, and connections, especially in seasons that often feel busy or stressful. According to the Journal of Family Psychology, family routines and rituals support children’s emotional well-being, strengthen parent–child relationships, and contribute to a sense of identity.
Holiday traditions do not need to be expensive to be meaningful. In fact, many traditions cost little or nothing and center on shared time rather than a financial price tag. For example, families might choose to take a walk together to admire neighborhood lights, read a favorite holiday story each year, or bake a simple treat using ingredients they already have at home. These activities not only create enjoyable memories but also give children a sense of stability and belonging.
Another meaningful, no-cost tradition is creating a “gratitude jar,” where family members take turns sharing something they are thankful for and adding it to the gratitude jar. This simple practice helps children develop emotional awareness and builds a positive family climate. These snippets of gratitude can be pulled out of the jar as a reminder of things to be thankful for as well. Families might also choose to start a tradition of giving back, such as writing kind notes to neighbors, donating gently used items, or volunteering together. Service-oriented traditions help children understand empathy, generosity, and community values.
LaDonna Werth
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: lwerth2@unl.edu
Families can also create traditions that celebrate their own unique stories and cultures. This might include cooking a heritage dish together, teaching children a passed-down song or game, or looking through old photos to share family history. These activities help children develop a deeper understanding of who they are and where they come from.
Whether simple or elaborate, holiday traditions give families an opportunity to pause, connect, and build memories that last long after the season ends. The most meaningful traditions focus not on money but on time spent together, love shared, and the joy of creating something special as a family.
Sources: Rhonda Herrick – Extension Educator (UNL For Families – November 17, 2025); Journal of Family Psychology, Nebraska Extension, “Connecting During the Holidays”
How to Overwinter Strawberries
While winter is not a growing season for strawberries, taking care of strawberry plants remains vitally important. Before winter arrives, mulch strawberries to protect them, so they’re ready to grow in the spring.
Strawberries should be mulched in the fall to prevent winter injury. Low temperatures and repeated freezing and thawing of the soil through the winter months are the main threats to strawberry plants. Temperatures below 20°F may kill flower buds and damage the roots and crowns of unmulched plants. Repeated freezing and thawing of the soil can heave plants out of the ground, severely damaging or destroying the plants.
When to Mulch Strawberries
Strawberries should be mulched in the fall before temperatures drop below 20°F. However, allow the strawberry plants to harden or acclimate to cool fall temperatures before mulching the planting. In northern Iowa, strawberries are normally mulched in early November. Gardeners in central and southern Iowa should mulch their strawberry plantings in mid-November and mid- to late November, respectively.
Don't Apply the Mulch Too Early
Plants that are mulched prematurely are more susceptible to winter injury than those that are mulched after they have been
Amy Timmerman
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: atimmerman2@unl.edu
properly hardened.
While November is typically the time, it's more about the weather conditions than the date on the calendar. Look for these indicators to determine when it is time to apply mulch.
- Indicators that the plants are dormant
- Cover: You can cover a small section of your strawberry bed with a board or mulch for several days. If the leaves have not etiolated (turned a yellow color) due to a lack of light, they are approaching dormancy.
- Color: leaves on dormant strawberry plants will not have the vibrant green they have during the growing season but instead will have a grayish or sometimes reddish cast to them that indicates that they are dormant.
- Several consecutive nights of around 20°F.
- Soil temperatures consistently below 40°F for several consecutive days.
Straw is the Best Mulching Material
Excellent mulching materials include clean, weed-free oat, wheat, or soybean straw. Chopped cornstalks are another option, although they are often difficult to source. The depth of the mulch should be 3 to 5 inches at the time of application. The material should eventually settle to a depth of 2 to 4 inches.
In windy, exposed areas, straw mulch can be kept in place by placing wire or plastic fencing over the area to prevent it from blowing away. The fencing can be held in place with bricks or other heavy objects.
Leaves are not a good winter mulch for strawberries. Leaves can mat together in layers, trapping air and creating space for ice to form. The leaf, air and ice layers do not provide adequate protection. Leaf mulch may actually damage plants due to the excess moisture trapped under the material.
Remove Mulch Carefully in the Spring
To reduce the chances of crop damage from a late frost or freeze, leave the mulch on as long as possible. Removing the mulch in March may encourage the plants to bloom before the danger of frost is past. A temperature of 32°F or lower may severely damage or destroy open flowers. Since the first flowers produce the largest berries, a late spring frost or freeze can drastically reduce yields.
To determine when to remove the mulch, periodically examine the strawberry plants in spring. Remove the mulch from the strawberry plants when approximately 25% of the plants have started producing new growth. New growth will be white or yellow in color. (If possible, the winter mulch should remain on strawberries until mid-April in central Iowa. The average date of the last 32°F temperature in spring occurs in late April in central Iowa.) When removing the mulch, rake the material to the aisles between rows or an area next to the planting. If there is a threat of a frost or freeze later in the season during bloom, lightly rake the mulch over the strawberry plants.
Winter Protection for Strawberries Growing in Pyramids or Strawberry Jars
A strawberry pyramid is a type of raised bed. In winter, temperatures in raised beds can be several degrees colder than those in ground-level plantings. Due to colder temperatures, strawberry plants growing in raised beds require more protection than those at ground level. Place 6 to 8 inches of straw or chopped cornstalks on strawberry pyramids or other raised beds in fall.
Strawberry plants growing in a strawberry jar or other container likely will be seriously damaged or destroyed if left outdoors in winter. One option is to place the container in an attached, unheated garage in November. A second option would be to discard the strawberry plants in the fall, dump out the potting soil, store the container indoors in winter, and replant in spring. Day-neutral and everbearing strawberry varieties perform better in containers than June-bearing strawberries.
Source: Richard Jauron - Retired Iowa State Extension Educator (Iowa State University Extension Yard and Garden - Reviewed November 2025)
Successfully Weaned Calves - A Hot Commodity
Whether calves are being retained after weaning, or they are arriving by the truckloads, the weaned calf is at a critical juncture in development and currently is an expensive commodity whose health and growth should not be taken lightly.
The Connection between the Nursing Calf and the Weaned Calf
Although there is much to focus on during weaning, a successful weaning is impacted by the nursing phase. In an ideal situation, the calf was born to a healthy cow on a good nutrition and vaccination program who provided high quality colostrum to the calf at birth.
In addition to receiving good nutrition as a nursing calf, the calf also received two rounds of vaccinations in a protocol developed by a local veterinarian. Much like in humans, a series of vaccinations while the calf is young can prevent viral outbreaks throughout its life. Viral diseases are hard to treat and if a calf survives them, that calf is seldom a thrifty calf with a great rate of gain. Antibiotics are effective on bacterial infections, not viruses. Therefore, the idea of a vaccination program is to minimize the impact of viruses in the herd so that when an illness does occur, the likelihood it is a treatable bacterial infection is high.
Establishing a working relationship with a local veterinarian before weaning helps determine any booster vaccines that need to be given after weaning as well as developing an antibiotic use protocol before signs of an illness occur.
Bethany Johnston
Extension Educator
Phone: 402-336-2760
E-mail: bjohnston3@unl.edu
The Transition Away from Mom
By the time a nursing calf is five months old, that calf is eating over 1% of its body weight in forage on a dry matter basis. Once the calf is weaned, depending on the quality of the diet offered and the size of the calf, that calf will eat between 2.3% and 3.0% of its body weight in forage. So, the goal is to get that calf’s consumption from 1% up to 2.3% of its body weight in feed as quickly as possible.
The more familiar things can be, the smoother the transition. A similar diet to what they were eating with the cow is familiar to the calf and can encourage intake. A calf out grazing with the cow is going to prefer a grass hay or grazing situation and may not be willing to eat a silage-based diet immediately after weaning. However, a calf who consumed a silage-based diet with the cow, will eat that very well at weaning.
Rumen Development, Nutrition, and Water
Good nutrition is the key to good health for the weaned calf. By the time a calf is 150 days old, the rumen is fully developed but is small compared to a yearling calf or a cow. Therefore, the diet must be highly palatable and highly digestible. A diet of poor quality roughage will not have a high passage rate out of the rumen, making it unlikely the calf can eat enough to meet its nutrient requirements.
In addition to energy, the weaned calf needs metabolizable protein to meet both the needs of the microbes in the rumen and the needs for tissue growth such as muscle and skeleton. Feeds such as distillers grains will contribute more to skeletal and muscle growth than feeds like alfalfa hay or soybean meal due to the type of protein they supply.
The importance of a good vitamin and mineral package should not be overlooked as several vitamins and trace minerals such as Vitamin A, copper, and zinc play a crucial role in the functioning of the immune system.
Water is the most critical nutrient for life but is often overlooked for its importance in the weaning calf. Not only is water important in the prevention of dehydration and general metabolic function, but it is also important for digestion in the rumen. Therefore, a calf who cannot reach the water, cannot figure out the waterer, or will not drink the water due to contaminants, will also not eat.
Predator vs. Prey
One of the most frustrating things about caring for weaned calves is not realizing a calf has a need for medical attention. Because calves see humans as predators, they will often try to appear healthy when they sense they are being scrutinized. Sick calves will often hide in the middle of a group of calves to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Moving the calves around to see who exhibits depressed posture or labored breathing, who moves back to the bunk and continues to eat, and observing a calf from a moderate distance when the calf is unaware of being watched, can help determine which calves need to be pulled in for treatment.
Summary
Managing weaned calves, especially at today’s value, can be a little stressful. However, proper nutrition, vaccination schedules, treatment protocols, and vigilance can increase the success rate tremendously.
Those wanting assistance with ration balancing for weaned calves can reach out to the University of Nebraska beef focused educators and specialists.
Source: Karla Wilke - Nebraska Extension Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management Specialist
How to Enjoy the Holidays Guilt-Free
The holiday season arrives with sparkling lights, cherished traditions, and, for many people, a surprising dose of guilt. Between abundant buffets, busy schedules, and the pressure to “keep up,” it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But enjoying the holidays doesn’t have to mean letting go of your healthy habits - or feeling weighed down by shame or strict rules. With a balanced mindset and a few practical tips, you can savor the season and still support your wellbeing.
Tip #1: Let Go of the “All or Nothing” Thinking
One of the biggest barriers to holiday peace is the belief that you have to be “perfect” or you’ve failed. In reality, health is lived in the imperfect gray area - a perfectionist’s worst nightmare, but a practical truth. What shapes wellbeing are the patterns you return to over time, the routines that support you day after day. A few festive meals don’t undo that solid foundation.
Letting yourself enjoy holiday favorites without judgment strengthens your relationship with food. Mindful eating strategies - such as noticing flavors, paying attention to fullness cues, setting your fork down between bites, or pausing before going back for seconds - can help you stay present and satisfied in a way that rigid rules rarely do.
Tip #2: Honor Traditions Without Overwhelm
Food is woven into many of our most cherished holiday memories - baking with family, celebrating cultural dishes, or gathering
Brittany Spieker
Extension Educator
Phone: 42-387-2213
E-mail: bspieker2@unl.edu
around a shared table. Instead of trying to “healthify” every recipe or juggle every tradition, choose the moments that matter most to you. Savor the foods that carry meaning and let everyday meals outside the festivities be where you focus on nutrition. When you let your traditions stand on their own, enjoyment becomes easier and far more satisfying.
Tip #3: Plan Ahead and Stay Flexible
A little preparation can make the holidays feel more manageable and enjoyable. Eat regular meals and snacks throughout the day so that when you arrive at an event, you’re just starting to feel hungry - not starving - and avoid skipping meals or over-restricting in anticipation of holiday treats. Having balanced snacks or a nourishing meal before a long event can help you feel grounded and in charge, even when things get hectic.
Plans will inevitably shift, and that’s part of the season. Flexibility allows you to adjust without stress, embrace unexpected opportunities, and fully engage with the moments that matter. Thoughtful preparation combined with an open mindset helps you enjoy the holidays with confidence and ease.
Tip #4: Support Your Mental Wellbeing
The holidays can amplify pressures around food, body image, and comparison. Protecting your mental wellbeing starts with setting boundaries - gently steering conversations away from weight or talking about eating “good” or “bad” foods and giving yourself permission to step back from situations that feel judgmental or draining.
Remember: your worth is not defined by what’s on your plate or how your body looks. Practicing self-compassion and surrounding yourself with people who respect your choices creates a more supportive, joyful environment.
A Season for Joy - Without Guilt
As a dietitian and extension educator, I remind people that health is a lifelong journey, not a holiday project. This season, give yourself the gift of grace. Celebrate traditions, enjoy meaningful foods, and lean into choices that support your energy and joy. When you approach the holidays with compassion and balance, guilt has no place at the table.
NEWS RELEASE
Workshops to Address the Spread of Cedar Trees and Control Options
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 from 1:00 to 4:00pm CT on Dec. 10 in Spencer, NE at the Fire Hall Meeting Room.
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 or email Bethany at bjohnston3@unl.edu to register.
Thanks to these partners: Nebraska Extension, Pheasants Forever, the Nature Conservancy, Sandhills Task Force, Nebraska Game & Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and NRCS.
NEWS RELEASE
Unit Cost of Production Workshops
The Nebraska Extension will host Unit Cost of Production workshops in central Nebraska in December and January to provide hands-on learning experiences for producers in calculating the unit cost of production for a cow-calf operation.
Workshops will be held at two locations. Both days will run from 9am-4:00pm CT.
- The first workshop will be held on Dec. 8 and 9 at Community Center (small room) in Atkinson.
- The second workshop will be on Jan. 27 and 28 at the Legion Hall in Burwell.
Pre-register one week in advance. Call the Nebraska Extension office in Holt County at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany Johnston at bjohnston3@unl.edu.
Each location is limited to 25 people. The cost is $50 per participant and includes meals and materials for both days. Contact Aaron Berger at 308-235-3122 with questions about the workshops.
“Having information to make effective business decisions is important for ranch success. Enterprise analysis and unit cost of production (UCOP) are tools that can help ranchers identify where value is being created on the ranch, where costs are occurring, and what changes could be made to improve profit,” Berger said.
While it takes time to set up and calculate a UCOP, the benefits are:
- Knowing what present costs are.
- Projecting what unit cost of production will be in 2026.
- Identifying opportunities to improve profitability.
- Using information to make management and marketing decisions.
Participants in this workshop will work through a sample ranch to determine the economic profitability of four common ranch enterprises: cow-calf, stockers/breeding heifers, hay, and land. They will go through the steps of analyzing costs and calculating what it costs to produce a unit of product for each enterprise. Participants will also learn how to identify how changes could improve ranch profitability.
Again, pre-register one week in advance for both locations. Call the Nebraska Extension office in Holt County at 402-336-2760 or email Bethany Johnston at bjohnston3@unl.edu.
NEWS RELEASE
Nebraska Extension to Host “Cow Clinics”
Prepare herd early for successful calving and breeding season
A successful calving season does not begin at calving, rather it begins much earlier, with the management of the cow herd months prior. University of Nebraska Extension will be hosting “Cow Clinics” during December to review some of the basic management factors that can lead to a successful calving and breeding season.
The cost to register is $20 per person. To register for the “Cow Clinics,” please contact the local Nebraska Extension office:
- December 1, 2025 - Burwell Livestock Market, Burwell, NE
Contact Bethany Johnston, at 402-336-2760 or bjohnston3@unl.edu
Starts at 10:00am - Concludes at 2:00pm
Registration Appreciated by November 24, 2025 for meal count - December 2, 2025 - Gordon Livestock Market, Gordon, NE
Contact Brock Ortner, at 308-327-2312 or bortner2@unl.edu
Starts at 2:00pm - Concludes at 5:00pm
Registration Appreciated by November 25, 2025 for meal count - December 9, 2025 - Beatrice 77 Livestock Sales, Beatrice, NE
Contact Barry Weber, at 402-335-3669 or s-bweber12@unl.edu
Starts at 10:00am – Concludes at 2:00pm
Registration Appreciated by December 3, 2025 for meal count
The clinics will cover the how, when, and why of body condition scoring, teat and udder scoring, and forage sampling. Understanding a forage analysis and developing diets for the last trimester will also be a part of the program. A team of Extension Educators and Specialist will lead the discussion and hands-on demonstrations.
A meal count is appreciated one week prior to each event by calling or emailing the local Extension Office. The first ten to pre-register will receive a free NIR forage analysis complements of Ward Lab.
Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension educational programs abide with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.
NEWS RELEASE
Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference
The second annual Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference (NNAC) will be held Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at Northeast Community College in Norfolk. The all-day conference will begin with registration at 8:00 a.m. and closing comments and door prizes wrapping up the event around 4:00 p.m. The NNAC is co-hosted by the Bazile Groundwater Management Area Project (BGMA) and Bow Creek Watershed Project.
All producers are invited to join in this dynamic event which was created for the purpose of exchanging practical farm and ranch ideas that will not only help protect water quality but also improve the bottom line. Learn from others who are increasing their operations financial stability and environmental stewardship.
This conference has something for everyone whether you are interested in new management practices or an innovative farmer who has already been implementing them. Concurrent breakout sessions allow each attendee to choose the sessions that best meet their needs. Industry leading speakers, paired with experienced producers, will discuss hot ag topics from theory to practical application and technology integration. Don’t miss out on this exciting event!
Hear from Keynote Speaker John Kempf - Founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture and host of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast - about advancements in managing nitrates, exciting new discoveries on how plants get nutrition, and what that means for producers. The ‘Making it Work Here’ producer panel features local producers sharing how they are implementing these ideas on the farm.
Registration for the event is now open! Early Bird Registration tickets can be purchased until December 9th for $20. Late registrations and walk-ins will be $50. A hot lunch will be provided. Nitrogen Certification and CEUs are also available for attendees. Register now at: go.unl.edu/nnac-2025
Gold Level Sponsors for the 2025 Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference include: Papio-Missouri River NRD, Green Cover, Advancing Eco Ag, Ward Lab Inc., J-Tech Construction and Solar, and Corteva.
The Northeast Nebraska Ag Conference is produced by the Lewis & Clark NRD, Lower Elkhorn NRD, Lower Niobrara NRD, Upper Elkhorn NRD, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, and Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment (DWEE).