Local Interest

Tammie Ostdiek, Extension Educator - Food, Nutrition and Health

The great outdoors offers an abundance of adventures for the entire family, and health benefits both physical and mental – less stress, exercise, sunshine, improved moods, fresh air are just a few of the rewards of spending time camping and getting away from external distractions.

Preparing and packing
Preparation is important to ensure a positive experience. Make a list of essential items such as a tent, flashlights, sleeping bags – and remember fun items that will add joy to the experience.

By Britni Schmaltz, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

Be aware when fertilizing your perennials.

Perennial flowers, ground covers and grasses don’t need a lot of fertilization and in fact some may react negatively. Overfertilized perennials may bolt, producing excessive soft growth instead of more flowers. To be safe, a soil test will help you determine the needs of your plants and the amount of fertilizer, if any, is warranted. Fertilizers with a 10-10-10 formula are generally sufficient.

Do you have floppy plants?  Stake ‘em!

By Katie Markheim, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

Labels are the Law

Both FIFRA and the Nebraska Pesticide Act state that the label must be followed when making a pesticide application. Each product label has specific information regarding use to reduce risk to the applicator, other people, nontargets and the environment. Some products may require additional data collection or training before applications. Others may require site investigation using FieldWatch, DriftWatch or BeeCheck. Read and follow the label every time you use a pesticide. It’s the law.  

Right Plant, Right Place, Right Time

By Kathy Tando, Nebraska Extension Master Gardener

The Label is the Law

You might not be handcuffed but you could face a hefty fine! When using any chemical the label is the law. Using a chemical in a manner that does not comply with the label is illegal. Products can change so even if it’s a chemical you have used in the past review the contents. Take note of what the label states regarding transportation, storage, application, and disposal of the chemical for safe practices.

Know the Chemical Product Terms

The 2022 Western Nebraska Panhandle Open Apiaries are being hosted by Journeymen Beeks Chrissy Land and Jay Zitterkopf in cooperation with the Great Plains Master Beekeepers Association. The goal is to bring hands-on educational opportunities to the panhandle and create opportunities for networking.

By Laurie Stepanek, NFS Forest Health Specialist

When freeze warnings are posted, gardeners carefully cover susceptible garden vegetables and flowers with blankets, sheets, buckets, and garbage cans. But larger shrubs and trees must fend for themselves. The freeze this past weekend left many woody plants across the panhandle with brown, drooping leaves and shoots.

“The first few weeks of May were unusually warm, which pushed a lot of new growth on our trees,” said Chrissy Land, Western Community Forester with the Nebraska Forest Service. “This new growth is very susceptible to freeze. I noticed damage on a wide range of trees: oak, ginkgo, Kentucky coffeetree, honeylocust, catalpa, redbud, and ash.”

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Unveiling of Historic Knorr-Holden Plot Signboard

September 25, 2023
Started in 1912, the Knorr-Holden Plot near Scottsbluff is perhaps the world’s oldest irrigated continuous corn research plot. It was recently commemorated with a sign to mark its significance to both Nebraska history and agricultural research history in Nebraska.

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Nebraska Equine Extension to host a second “Race Nebraska” Seminar

September 22, 2023
The passing of the Racetrack Gaming Act through a Nebraska 2020 ballot referendum has caused an expansion in horse racing. A series of educational seminars by Nebraska Extension’s equine program have been developed to help those interested in becoming more involved in the industry.

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Poll: Rural Nebraskans are increasingly pessimistic about present, future

September 18, 2023

Twenty-seven percent of respondents to the 2023 Nebraska Rural Poll indicated they are worse off than they were five years ago, up from 21% last year and 11% in 2021.

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Jansen discusses farmland valuations with RFD-TV

September 18, 2023

In Nebraska, ag land values are up about 14 percent over last year, mirroring a nationwide rise in ag real estate prices. Click through to watch Jim Jansen, an agricultural systems economist with Nebraska Extension, talk with RFD-TV about the impact of valuations.

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