Gage County Extension
December 2024
Announcements
Nebraska Cash Rental Rates & Land Values
Are you interested in learning more about current Nebraska cash rental rates and land values, best practices for agricultural leases, and other contract considerations? This workshop will also include financial considerations for farm succession and transition and offer an opportunity for those in attendance to have their leasing questions answered.
The workshop will be Thursday, December 12th from 1:00p.m.-4:00p.m. at the Saline County Extension Office. Register for the workshop by calling Nebraska Extension in Saline County at 402-821-2151
Agricultural economists Anastasia Meyer and Jim Jansen will lead the presentation. Both of them are with the Center for Agricultural Profitability. If you would like more information about the workshop reach out to Anastasia at 402-230-7975.
Nebraska Extension succession planning series for women in agriculture
A multi-state extension workshop series for women in agriculture will offer strategies to evaluate and improve farm estate and transition plans.
Leaving a Lasting Legacy for Midwestern Farm Women: A Succession Planning Series, will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Central time on Jan. 21, Jan. 28, Feb. 4 and Feb. 11, 2025. The series is being produced through a collaborative effort by extension programs at Kansas State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and Purdue University. Locally, the Lancaster County Extension Office at 444 Cherrycreek Road in Lincoln will be a workshop site.
The registration fee for in-person attendance is $60 before Jan. 13 and increases to $75 on or after Jan. 13. A virtual option is available for $75. Participants are encouraged to attend all four sessions. More information and registration are available on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website, https://wia.unl.edu/succession25 or you may contact, Karen Wedding at the Lancaster County Extension office to register, kwedding2@unl.edu or call 402.441.7180.
Winter's Food & Fitness
It’s starting to feel like winter outside! Nebraska Extension has tips to make the most of cold winter days. Check out Nebraska Extension’s “Winter Food and Fitness” webpage to find tips on:
- Winter Food Fun
- Keeping Active
- Winter Family Fun
For additional information check out https://food.unl.edu/article/winter-food-fitness
Houseplant Care Program at Tall Tree Tastings - December 12 at 6pm
Dormant Seeding
This long-term drought we have been dealing with over the past few years has been hard on our turf. You may just be noticing the dead areas in your lawn or didn’t get around to seeding in late summer, but you can still rejuvenate your lawn for next year. Dormant seeding is a good alternative to spring seeding. Continue Reading...
Insects in Firewood
When piling up your firewood this fall to keep you warm and toasty all winter long, be careful of where you pile it to avoid insects coming into your homes. Insects tunnel into trees and then pupate or lay dormant through the winter. If you pile wood in a basement or in your home where it warms up, those insects may think it is spring and they can emerge in your home. These insects will not cause any damage in your home, other than be a nuisance to you. To avoid problems with insects in your home from your firewood, pile your firewood outside and only bring in logs as you need them. You also need to make sure that your firewood is not piled directly on the ground to avoid termites coming into the firewood and then into your house that the wood is piled next to.
Winter Watering
Winter watering is always important, especially in light of the long-term drought we have faced. Recent rains have helped alleviate the problem, however, if an absence of snow cover and warm, sunny or windy weather conditions are common this winter, watering can be beneficial. The priority for watering is young plants first - those planted in the last year and especially those planted this past fall; then evergreens, particularly those growing in exposed locations and near the south sides of buildings. When watering, the soil should not be frozen and air temperatures need to be above 40 degrees F. Irrigation should take place early enough in the day for moisture to soak into soil to avoid ice forming over or around plants overnight. Water just enough to moisten the soil six to eight inches deep. One or two irrigations during winter should suffice.
Anti-Transpirants
Antidesiccants, also known as anti-transpirants, help plants endure stressful periods by reducing transpirational water loss from foliage. The most common types of antidesiccants are an emulsion of wax, latex, or plastic that forms a thin film on foliage to minimize water loss from plants. We recommend their use on evergreen conifers or broadleaf evergreens in winter, particularly on plants with a history of winter desiccation injury or plants susceptible to winter drying like arborvitae, holly and mahonia. Select the right product for the plant species as there are toxicity issues. Read and follow label directions. Apply the product once every six weeks, beginning after plants have completely hardened off in late November. Continue through mid to late February. Avoid covering plants so heavily they become sticky with needles glued together. Have warm, soapy water nearby and clean out the sprayer immediately or equipment may be ruined by the product.
Houseplants
Houseplants can be a great way for a gardening fanatic to get through the winter season. I recently have gotten a nice collection of houseplants started. As we move into the holiday season, we may be receiving houseplants as gifts. Care for these houseplants can be difficult and longevity of the plant depends on proper light, irrigation, and humidity. Continue Reading...
4-H Enrollment Now OPEN
Enrollment is open for the 2022-2023 Gage County 4-H year. The enrollment website is v2.4honline.com. All 4-H youth (ages 8-18), Clover Kids (ages 5-7), and leaders/volunteers are required to enroll online every year. Enrollment deadline is June 15. We encourage all members to enroll using a computer and not your mobile device. Call or email Jacie or Rachel at 402-223-1384 with any enrollment questions.
Please make sure to include or update your child's t-shirt size! This is the sizing guide we use to order the Exmark t-shirts for county fair! It is not a required field so can often be missed.
Updated help guides can be found on our website.
Enrollment fee is $12 for each 4-H youth to be paid online or in the office. There is no fee for Clover Kids or adults. We will not be approving enrollments until we have received payment.
Gage County Extension
How to contact us
For Horticulture & Entomology questions:
- E-mail Nicole Stoner at nstoner2@unl.edu
For Food & Nutrition questions:
- Email Carly Applegarth at chillburn2@unl.edu
For 4-H & Youth Development questions:
- Email Jacie Milius at jacie.milius@unl.edu
For Water & Cropping Systems questions:
- Email Ritika Lamichhane at rlamichhane3@unl.edu
For Agriculture Profitability questions:
- Email Anastasia Meyer at ameyer71@unl.edu
For Early Childhood questions:
- Email Ingrid Lindal at ingridchavarria@unl.edu
For Livestock Systems questions:
- Call our office at 402-223-1384
Email: gage-county@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/gage/
Location: 1115 West Scott Street, Beatrice, NE, USA
Phone: 402-223-1384