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White geese call to one another continually as they move into the local corn fields to feed and back to Lovewell Lake to rest and roost. For local residents, they announce spring is close. Planting season is almost here. But as the white goose population explodes and the area's water basin areas shrink, the migration potentially exposes the area poultry flocks to avian influenza. Rob Unruh, Kansas wildlife specialist, askes area residents to not touch dead geese. "We have had people wading the...
Although not as severely dry as the previous year, 2023 was another overall-drier-than-normal year for most of the 30 counties served by the National Weather Service office at Hastings. The weather service has reported about 75 perecent of the area received at least slightly below normal precipitation, with counties east of Highway 281 the overall-driest. Of the approximately one-fourth of the 30-county area that received slightly above normal precipitation, it was almost entirely concentrated within counties west of Highway 281. The majority...
Prairie Shooters compete in 4-H quiz bowl in Mankato. Pictured (back row, from left) are Isabelle Wilburn, Haylee Bledsoe, Jayce Cady, Lily Walker, Jillyan Cady, Nelson Underwood, Abbey Schleifer, front row: Wyatt Walker, Lucy Wilburn, Claire Walker, Bradley Bledsoe and Katie Thronson....
The Nebraska Pork Producers Association (NPPA) has selected the 2024 Pork Ambassadors. Five college-age students, under the direction of Sophia Lentfer, education director for the association, will participate in the year long program. Olivia Vanderford is a freshman studying agricultural communications at UNL. Daughter of Jon and Taryn Vanderford of Lincoln, Nebraska. Danielle Burge is a junior at UNL majoring in animal science and is a member of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship...
Cold temperatures, high winds and wet conditions are commonplace on the farm in winter. While working outside is often inescapable, understanding how these conditions affect our bodies and our health are key to working safely. Begin by dressing appropriately for weather conditions. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), dressing properly is essential to preventing cold stress. These guidelines can help ensure clothing helps protect from cold temperatures: • Wear at least three layers of loose-fitting clothing a...
Kansas Farm Bureau is continuing in 2024 its recognition for “Sesquicentennial Farms” in conjunction with its annual “Century Farm” program. The Century Farm program honors Farm Bureau members who own farms of at least 80 acres within the same family for 100 years or more. The Sesquicentennial Farm recognition goes to farms in the same family for at least 150 years. “Kansas farmers and ranchers have a lot to be proud of,” Joe Newland, Kansas Farm Bureau president, said. “One thing we take pride in is our value in the traditions and strong famil...
There has been an unusual find this week in a northern Jewell County field. Two dead buck deer were observed but there was no evidence of blood or signs the animals had been dragged to the disposal site. On closer examination, it was determined the deer had apparently been fighting and gotten their antlers tangled in the bottom wire that had been pulled from the landowners’ fence. Locked together, they eventually died....
Nuckolls and Thayer County Extension hosted their first annual Inventure Day at the Nuckolls County fairgrounds on Friday, Nov. 17. Inventure Day is a single-day entrepreneurial adventure for middle school youth developed by the Nebraska Extension Entrepreneurship Focus Team. Using innovation and creative problem-solving, teams of youth develop unique business concepts around a given widget which is used as inspiration for a product or service. Teams move through the Inventure Factory,...
It has been a long dryspell but we finally have widespread precipitation to report. Rain started after midnight Saturday and continued until about sundown Monday. At times it was heavy and at other times it was a light drizzle. A CoCoRHs gauge maintained in the heart of Superior recorded 0.64 before 7 a.m. Sunday, 0.37 in the following 24 hours and 0.l5 by 7 a.m. Tuesday for a total of 1.16. The official National Weather Service gauge near the northwest corner of the community measured 1.20 in the same time period. A gauge 1.5 miles north of...
The program at next month’s Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) Convention will address future trade opportunities for the beef and dairy sectors, prospects for cattle prices in 2024 and what consumers consider before purchasing beef. KLA members and guests will gather to hear these presentations and others Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 in Wichita. Also during the organization’s annual meeting, ranchers, feeders and dairymen will have opportunities to provide input on KLA policy, exchange management ideas with other livestock producers and see the lat...
Everett L Benoit, Esbon, ranked as fourth largest in registering the most Angus beef cattle in Kansas with the American Angus Association during fiscal year 2023, which ended Sept. 30, according to Mark McCully, association chief executive officer. Angus breeders across the nation in 2023 registered 300,761 head of Angus cattle....
It’s been a fairly full month of harvest! I’ve heard much disappointment in yields thus far. Perspective for me comes from helping serve eight counties this past year and seeing such a range of conditions. I have struggled to find ways to encourage as I talk with growers. I’m just so grateful harvest is here as, to me, every field finished is one field closer to being done with 2023! I also realize that’s not a great way to look at a year, but it’s honestly where I’m at. Thus far, non-irrigated soybeans have averaged 20 to 25 bushels per...
Kansas has canceled its fall turkey hunting season, state officials announced Friday, Sept. 15, amid a decline in turkey populations across the Midwest and Southeast. Kansas has documented “consistent declines” in turkey populations over the last 15 years, the state’s Department of Wildlife and Parks said in a statement. That’s because fewer turkeys are reaching adulthood in Kansas and other states, said Kent Fricke, the department’s small game biologist. Possible reasons include turkey habitat destruction from urbanization and habitat l...
For the week ending Sept. 24, 2023, there were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 21 percent very short, 29 percent short, 48 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 29 percent very short, 35 percent short, 34 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 12 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 38 percent good and 11 percent excellent. Corn mature was 70 percent, n...
Lawrence-Nelson High School received a $2,000 grant to purchase supplies to remodel the greenhouse into a poultry lab for FFA students. The grant was provided through FCSAmerica’s Working Here Fund. The Working Here Fund Grant will help the development center create outdoor programs to teach youth about basic planting and gardening concepts. “Our students learn well through hands-on learning,” said Kylie Kinley, advisor. “The poultry lab provides various learning opportunities as well as the responsibility for caring for live animals...
The USDA Nelson Service Center will be opening part-time on Sept. 19. The office will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The new location of the office is 150 West 8th St. Suite A, located in the west portion of the former nursing home building. "We are excited to be able to reopen a part-time office in Nelson," said Janet Valasek, NRCS district conservationist. "We know this is important to the producers in the area, and we are committed to providing them with the...
The weather was perfect for the Jewell County Soil Health – Conservation Tour last Wednesday.. Nearly 40 interested producers boarded a charter bus to learn about honeybees, site preparation for a rangeland burn, soil health principles, rotational grazing and cover crops. Gee Bee Honey hosted the tour for the first stop. Robin Griffeth discussed their start with honeybees. Jorge Garibay, North American Pollinator Alliance founder, explained the history of honeybees in North America – "the cre...
CPI has constructed a huge new grain storage building on the south side of Ruskin. Photo by Ava Petersen. Ava and Arlo Petersen live 3 miles south of Ruskin and can see the building from their house....
Many producers are busy swathing and baling alfalfa and forage sorghum or sudan, but it soon will be time to be in the fields with wheat drilling. There is still time to control or kill the volunteer wheat before you attempt to plant your 2024 wheat crop. Producers really don’t like the mention of volunteer wheat, but you can always count on it rearing its ugly head even in dryer conditions. Volunteer wheat is a fact of life in wheat production and no combine is perfect, so there is usually plenty of grain left in the field to produce v...
A revised statute allowing some Nebraska landowners to kill damage-causing wildlife predators became effective Sept. 2. Predators included in this statute are badger, bobcat, coyote, gray fox, long-tailed weasel, mink, opossum, raccoon, red fox and skunk. The statute allows a private landowner or tenant to kill a predator preying on livestock or poultry or suspected of causing other damage on land they owned or control. No permit from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is required. Also, a landowner or tenant, or agent of either, may kill...
Agriculture producers are encouraged to reserve their spot on the charter bus that will tour Jewell County on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 6. The Soil Health – Conservation Tour will leave 218 Delaware Street (Jewell Community Center) at 1 p.m. First stop will be at the Robin and Deb Griffeth homestead; 1848 J Road, north of Jewell. There will be information about bee keeping and honey production. Then on to view brush management and the progress made by using a late summer burn! This is located near the intersection of 10 and U Road along...
The Jewell County Farm Bureau board started the program "Beef for Knowledge" as they wanted the students to have more personal knowledge and awareness of where the donated beef or pork they are provided comes from. They wanted to provide the school district with a higher quality meat and felt if it was donated there would be no limitations on serving quality meat in their menu. Kensington Locker has been a great partnership as they are willing to move the animal up to the top of the list for the...
Jenna Gilbert, Southern Plains Extension Educator, served as the mistress of ceremonies Sunday for the 4-H Awards Night. Nathan Elledge and Chase Ostdiek, 4-H Ambassadors, led with Pledge of Allegiance and 4-H pledge. Nuckolls County 4-H clubs and independent groups were recognized: Alban, Dry Creek, Farm Friends, Lucky Buckaroos, Oxbow, Rough Riders, Shooting Sports and 4-H Friends. This year's Nuckolls County Ag Society officers are Dustin Cassell, president; Garrett Schroer, vice president;...
Much of our circulation area reports a shortage of precipitation but there has been no shortage of interesting thunderstorm clouds. This picture was taken Saturday night by Steve Houtwed. He was looking west from his farm in the Ruskin area. Fortunately we have not had to report on substantial storm damage....
The Central Kansas, Phillips-Rooks, Post Rock and River Valley extension districts will be hosting conferences this August aimed to help farmers and ranchers plan the transition of their farm. According to the 2016 Family Business Survey by the National Bureau of Economic Research Family Business Alliance, 43 percent of family-owned businesses don’t have a succession plan, yet 75 percent want the business to continue through family. Planning is key to help keep the farm legacy alive for another generation. These conferences hope to ease the p...
