Results of the 2017 variety trials for dry edible beans conducted by the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center have been posted on the Nebraska Extension CropWatch website.
The direct link for variety trial results for both peas and beans is http://cropwatch.unl.edu/varietytest/othercrops. Or, navigate to the Other Crops Variety Trials page from the main Cropwatch page (http://cropwatch.unl.edu ) by clicking on these links: management > variety testing > other crops.
Same building, but different door – and parking lot.
The Scotts Bluff County Extension office has moved from one side of the building to the other in the UNL Panhandle Research and Extension Center at 4502 Avenue I on the northwest side of Scottsbluff.
The Extension office had been on the east side of the building, just inside the main entrance, for the past 20 years or so. The office is now on the west side, where it will have additional space to accommodate the growth in programs that serve Scotts Bluff county residents.
The peppers were harvested weeks ago from a small research plot at the Panhandle Center where a type of fabric mulch is being tested for potential use in USDA certified organic produce fields.
During the off season, researchers are checking to see what becomes of the biodegradable mulch, an experimental product from 3M that is being tested to see if it is suitable for USDA-certified organic vegetable production.
Last spring, six rows of peppers were planted through 3-foot-wide strips of mulch. Two different types of mulch, one black and the other white, are being tested. Recently, workers were busy in the plot setting up six different treatment regimens for the harvested plots, to see if the fabric mulch will disintegrate differently under different conditions.
Ranchers who want to reduce calf loss at calving and to learn how to properly assist cows at calving should plan to attend “Assisting the Beef Cow at Calving” programs at six locations in December, with Dr. Robert Mortimer, a nationally known veterinarian from Colorado State University.
Dr. Mortimer will discuss handling calving difficulty, with emphasis on decision making and the hows and whys of techniques for providing assistance.
Dr. Mortimer developed a program strongly emphasizing hands-on experience in calving management and produced a video with Elanco and Beef Today on “How to Save More Calves at Calving.”
Jim Schild and Gary Stone, Extension Educators, Scotts Bluff County
The single biggest use of water in the average western Nebraska household is irrigating the Kentucky bluegrass lawn.
But there are two alternative turfs that allow homeowners to manage water more efficiently: tall fescue, a cool-season grass, and buffalograss, a warm-season grass. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Tall fescue can use more water than bluegrass, but its advantage is a deep, extensive root system, which can extend as deep as 2 ½ to 3 feet in western Nebraska soils. The effective rooting depth for Kentucky bluegrass is 6 to 8 inches.
