HARLAN COUNTY EXTENSION

Calendar of Events

Save the Dates

2024/2025 4-H Enrollment

Harlan County News & Events

• Brown Bag Activity Kits
• Hiring: 4-H Assistant Position Opening
  
• Extension Board Openings
• 4-H 2025 Fair Dates
• Cow Clinic @ Alma Livestock Auction - December 4

State Wide Opportunities

• Cow Clinics
• Partners in Progress –Beef Seminar (Cow/Calf College)
• Lasting Legacy Estate Planning Series in Arapahoe
• Drone Education Takes Off in December 2024

• 2025 Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort!

4-H Leader Resources

December

• December 4: Cow Clinic at Alma Livestock Auction @ 10am - 2pm
• December 12: Office Closed for Extension Zone 4 training
• December 12: December Brown Bag Order Deadline
• December 24: Office closed @ Noon
• December 25: Office closed in observance of Christmas
• December 31: Office closed @ Noon
• January 1: Office closed in observance of News Year

Upcoming Office Closures:

• January 20: Office closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 17: Office closed in observance of President's Day

We are excited to have you join Harlan County 4-H!
Enrollment opens OCTOBER 16, 2024 and closes JUNE 15, 2025.

Enroll Today!!

Enroll or Re-enroll for the upcoming 2024/2025 4-H year

at https://v2.4honline.com

By successfully completing the 4-H member enrollment, youth will be eligible to participate and exhibit in any project area, contest, county and state fairs. While project selection is optional, it is encouraged for youth to select projects they are interested in exploring.

Please note:

o Youth are only eligible to exhibit in a project area or contest in a single county.

o Horse and shooting sports projects will continue to require project enrollment due to the parental consent required to participate in these projects.

We are hiring a 4-H Extension Assistant. Are you passionate about youth development and making a positive impact in your community? 4-H is seeking dedicated individuals to join our team! If you love empowering young people and fostering leadership skills, we want to hear from you!

Don’t miss this rewarding opportunity—apply by December 12, 2024.

Ready to inspire the next generation? Apply today and help us create a brighter future at https://go.unl.edu/4hassistantharlan

You can use the registration link to request a kit.
Registration Link: https://go.unl.edu/harlan-furnas-brownbag
or scan the QR code or contact us at 308-928-2119. Deadline to order is December 12 with kits available for pickup by December 20.
Limit 1 project per child.

Harlan County Extension Office is currently looking to fill the seat in District 7 on the Harlan County Extension Board. If you or someone you know is passionate about advocacy and being a voice for your community and Nebraska Extension, please contact our office for more info.

Link: https://go.unl.edu/harlan-extboard

A successful calving season does not begin at calving, rather it begins much earlier, with the management of the cow herd months prior.

This clinic will have hands-on demonstrations presented by a team of Extension Educators and Specialists. The Cow Clinic will begin at 10:00 a.m. with registration and conclude at 2:00 p.m. local time. The clinic 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.

The first 20 producers who register at each location will receive instructions on how to receive a free forage test. The cost to attend is $20, which includes a meal and Nebraska Extension resources. To register for a Cow Clinic, please contact the local UNL Extension office at least a week prior to the event: Contact erin.laborie@unl.edu or (308) 928-2119

Registration is now open for the 2024 Nebraska Cattlemen Annual Convention and Trade Show! Learn more and register: https://necattle.memberclicks.net/convention-trade-show

Prepare your herd early for a 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 in December to review some of the basic management factors that can lead to a successful calving and breeding season.

The Cow Clinics will begin at 10:00 a.m. with registration and conclude at 2:00 p.m. local time. 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 Specialists will lead the discussion with hands-on demonstrations.

The first 20 producers who register at each location will receive instructions on how to receive a free forage test. The cost to attend is $20, which includes a meal and Nebraska Extension resources. To register for a Cow Clinic, please contact the local UNL Extension office at least a week prior to the event:

· December 3 – Frenzen Angus & Polled Herefords Sale Facility, Fullerton, NE

Contact jcrouch5@unl.edu or (308) 536-2691

· December 4 – Alma Livestock Auction, Alma, NE

Contact erin.laborie@unl.edu or (308) 928-2119

· December 18 – Broken Bow Livestock, Broken Bow, NE

Contact troy.walz@unl.edu or (308) 872-6831

· December 20 – Ogallala Livestock Auction Market, Ogallala, NE

Contact randy.saner@unl.edu or 308-532-2683

Nebraska Extension to host the 2nd Annual Drones in Ag Workshop at the Stumpf International Wheat Center at Grant, Nebraska on December 17th followed by a one-day Remote Pilot Exam Prep Course on December 18th.

Check out the CropWatch article for more details. https://cropwatch.unl.edu/.../drone-education-takes...

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 at sites across Kansas, Nebraska and Indiana. The series is being produced through a collaborative effort by extension programs at Kansas State University, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Purdue University.

Topics covered will include motivation for succession planning, communicating with family, the financial aspects of estate and transition plans, and the legal aspects of putting a plan in place. A keynote speaker will be simulcast to every workshop location during each meeting, with time for questions and a hands-on activity for participants. A meal will be provided on each date.

“Planning for what happens to your things when you’re gone can be daunting, but it’s so important, especially in agriculture, so that the transition to the next generation goes smoothly,” said Jessica Groskopf, director of the Nebraska Women in Agriculture program. “This series will help women learn best practices and new strategies to help the transition and estate planning processes so they can take that back to their farm or ranch and help lead the way in creating or reevaluating their plans.”

Groskopf said the program’s structure is intended to strengthen networks of women in rural areas, which can provide opportunities for building trust and sharing information. “Connections are so important to rural women,” she said. “We have seen the benefits that come from knowing your peers, having a place to share difficulties, and mitigate the isolation that so many of us in agriculture often feel.”

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 is available on the Nebraska Women in Agriculture website, https://wia.unl.edu/succession25.

This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number2023-70027-40444.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Center for Agricultural Profitability and Nebraska Extension will host a risk management workshop in Clay Center to update livestock producers on the latest insurance options and risk management planning strategies. It will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Jan. 21, at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, 844 Road 313.
Attendees will learn strategies designed to reduce risk exposure to achieve a profitable outcome in uncertain times. Current issues facing the cattle industry will be discussed to help producers to make more informed decisions. The goal of this program is to provide producers with the tools and resources needed to navigate the volatile livestock market and better manage risk through the creation of a risk management plan.

Registration is now open!
Please note the added opportunities for youth who exhibit swine at the county level. **NEW for 2025**: Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at any Nebraska county fair. Exhibiting at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair is optional. All cohort members will participate in an interview at the 2025 Nebraska State Fair. Join the first session in February for more details! Refer to the cohort webpage at: https://4h.unl.edu/farrowed-owned.

Nebraska 4-H offers a variety of resources for 4-H Clubs and leaders. A 4-H Club is an organized group of five or more youth who meet regularly with adult volunteers or 4-H staff for a long-term, progressive series of educational experiences. The purpose of a 4-H club is to provide positive youth development and foster educational opportunities to meet the needs of young people.

For 4-H Club Leader Resources follow this link https://4h.unl.edu/resources/club-leaders

EXTENSION PERSONNEL DIRECTORY
Find local and regional experts at this link:
https://epd.unl.edu/county/harlan

Email: Harlan-County@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/harlan/
Location: Alma, NE, USA
Phone: 308-928-2119
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harlancountyext

Nebraska 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. The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the nondiscrimination policies of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.