1. Lightning Kills - Know the Danger and How To Avoid It
By Joy Rouse, Extension Education Director, Warren County, Iowa
On the average lightning has killed 67 people per year in the United States in the past 30 years. This is more than the average number of deaths from tornadoes and hurricanes.
Injuries can occur from a main lightning strike or as the current moves in and along the ground. People may take action to protect themselves during a storm, but are still vulnerable to being struck as thunderstorms approach, depart, or remain nearby.
Lightning can strike as far away as 10 miles from a thunderstorm. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance. If the time between the lightning flash and when you hear thunder is 30 seconds or less, the storm is six miles away. Find shelter and wait at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder before leaving.
If caught outdoors, avoid water, high ground, and open spaces. Unsafe places are underneath canopies, park shelters, and nearby trees. Look for shelter in a substantial building or fully enclosed metal vehicle with the windows completely closed.
If you are outside and there is a strike nearby, crouch down with your feet together and cover your ears with your hands to reduce the potential for hearing damage. Be a minimum of 15 feet from others.
For more information
National Weather Service- Lightening Safety, http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov
National Lightening Safety Institute, http://www.lightningsafety.com
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2. Tornadoes Strike Fear
By Joy Rouse, Extension Education Director, Warren County, Iowa
You’re watching your favorite program and a weather map pops into the corner of the screen. Your county is in a “tornado watch.” Do you know what to do?
A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for a tornado to develop. You need to listen for changes, particularly an upgrade to “tornado warning” status. A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. If you are in the path of the storm, you should take immediate action.
Before spring and summer storms hit, designate an area in your home where family members should take shelter during a tornado warning. A basement is a good place, but stay away from windows and sturdy furniture or a stairwell. Protect yourself from flying debris with blankets, quilts, or an unused mattress stored in the shelter area.
If you don’t have a basement or if you live in a multifamily dwelling, go to the lowest and most central part of the building. Avoid exterior walls and windows. Look for a small room, closet, or hallway. Ask if there is a designated area for the multifamily building.
If you live in a mobile home, evacuation is a must. Find shelter in a nearby permanent structure. Mobile home parks often have a designated area for residents.
Protect yourself outdoors If you are caught outside, lie flat in a nearby ditch or low-lying area where wind and debris can blow above you. Cover your head and neck with your arms and hands. Rain can accompany a tornado, so be aware of potential flooding.
Develop a tornado plan for your family and prepare for weather situations now. Practice what to do frequently so it becomes second nature to your family members. Have a weather radio and a map to take with you in the shelter so you can track the storm.
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3. Simple Rules to Ensure Safe Drinking Water
Adapted from an article by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Every homeowner with a private well should know these simple rules to ensure safe drinking water. Wells should be checked and tested annually for mechanical problems, cleanliness and the presence of certain contaminants, such as coliform bacteria, nitrate, and any other contaminants of local concern.
- Well water should be tested more than once a year if there are recurrent incidents of gastrointestinal illness among household members and/or a change in taste, odor or appearance of the well water.
- All hazardous materials such as paint, fertilizer, pesticides, and motor oil, should be kept far away from your well.
- When mixing chemicals, do not put the hose inside the mixing container, as this can siphon chemicals into a household's water system.
- Consult a professional contractor to verify that there is proper separation between your well, home, waste systems, and chemical storage facilities.
- Always check the well cover or well cap to ensure it is intact. The top of the well should be at least one foot above the ground.
- Once a well has exceeded its serviceable life, have a licensed/certified professional decommission the existing well.
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4. Drugs in Drinking Water
by Sharon Skipton, UNL Extension Educator and Jan Hygnstrom, Project Manager, Biological Systems Engineering
The Associated Press conducted an investigation looking at the presence of pharmaceuticals in public drinking water supplies. They reviewed scientific reports and databases and interviewed officials and scientists. They also surveyed over 100 large and small community water providers in all 50 states. They released their story recently, which you may have heard or read about in the news.
Their study did find that pharmaceuticals have been found in some public drinking water supplies. Concentrations of the pharmaceuticals detected was usually in parts per billion or parts per trillion. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for regulating the quality of public drinking water supplies. The EPA does not regulate the pharmaceuticals cited in the study, and testing for their presence in public water supplies is not required. Research on possible human health risks associated with pharmaceuticals at low concentrations over a period of time is extremely limited. Therefore, any possible effects of pharmaceuticals in drinking water at low concentrations are not known.
How can you protect your private drinking water supply? Don't flush excess pharmaceuticals down the toilet. Dispose of pharmaceuticals at a household hazardous waste collection site if one is available to you. If that is not an option, get rid of unused medications by mixing with used kitty litter or coffee grounds, or another similar waste product. Crush any medications that are in a pill or tablet form before mixing . This process will make the medicine undesirable to individuals who may come in contact with the mixture. Seal the mixture in plastic and dispose of it with your solid trash.
While excess medication is one possible source of pharmaceuticals in groundwater, medications consumed in accordance with prescription directions might be another. When people take medications, their bodies absorb some while the rest passes through in bodily wastes. A septic system may not treat or remove all drugs in wastewater. Having a properly designed and maintained septic system, and maintaining adequate separation distances between a drinking water well and septic system offers some defense. Dilution of pharmaceuticals entering the groundwater offers another line of defense.
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5. Protect Your Acreage From Erosion
By Kapil Arora, ISU Extension Agricultural Engineering Specialist
Spring rains can contribute to soil erosion, especially in areas with minimum or no ground cover or where water flow concentrates. Rain can cause unprotected soil to dislodge; once detached, soil particles are carried away with excess water.
This excess water combines and forms concentrated flow. On slopes, the water’s energy can lead to gullies, visible flow paths that can vary from a few inches to several feet deep.
What can an acreage owner do? There are several ways to limit erosion. Make sure that every part of the acreage is protected by grass, plants, shrubs, trees, etc. Use mulch to cover newly seeded or unprotected areas. It will help to absorb the impact of rain, reducing soil detachment.
Make your acreage more absorbent so water runs less freely on the surface. Pave only where necessary; vegetated ground encourages water to soak in and recharge soil moisture. Properly installed vegetated swales - trough-like depressions that stop or slow erosion – also help.
Do not allow concentrated water to run freely over long slopes. If these slopes are steep, erosion can be severe. Vegetated depressions with barriers or terraces may help. If the slopes are extremely severe, properly constructed erosion control structures that safely drop water to a lower elevation may be needed.
Finally, look closely at your land during and after spring rains to see where erosion is occurring and how preventive measures are performing. This will help you better understand the conditions when making future decisions. Also contact your local Extension office for helpful resources.
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6. Use Phosphorus Responsibly On Lawns
By Eldon Everhart, ISU Extension Horticulture Specialist
Independent research shows that phosphorus from properly applied lawn fertilizers is rapidly immobilized and will not runoff the lawn or leach into groundwater. Healthy, dense grass actually reduces the phosphorus in storm-water runoff by binding the soil and preventing erosion.
How does phosphorus get into storm sewers? Natural sources such as leaf litter, soil particles, flowers, seeds, and pollen fall onto hard surfaces and rainwater washes them into lakes and streams through urban storm water systems.
Improperly applied fertilizer can cause problems. Apply fertilizer according to label directions and use only the kind and amount your lawn needs. Avoid spreading fertilizer on hard surfaces; sweep up immediately any fertilizer that lands there.
The best way to determine the fertilizer needs of your lawn is to take a soil test. Sample boxes and instructions are available from your local Extension office. You will receive a report by mail indicating what mineral elements your lawn needs. There is a nominal fee for this service.
Some lawns may need extra phosphorus. However, many have enough and adding more is unnecessary. Soil testing can identify the existing levels of phosphorus in your soil. Don’t add phosphorus unless the soil test indicates there is a need to do so.
Soil testing is an essential tool for managing your lawn and protecting the environment. A sample taken once every three years is ideal. This periodic sampling is necessary because of changing soil conditions.
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7. Fertilizer Is Not Food
By Kelly Feehan, UNL Extension Educator
When it comes to fertilization of plants, a pet peeve of horticulturists are the terms “plant food” and “feeding plants”. These terms are used often in advertisements and even garden magazines.
Fertilizer is not plant food and does not work like plant food. While the term has been found as one way to promote products, this terminology can lead to overfertilization or fertilizing plants for the wrong reasons.
Fertilizer can provide the elements plants use during photosynthesis to produce their own food in the form of carbohydrates and sugars. Plants are the only living things on earth that produce their own food. Using the term “feeding a plant” is about the same as saying we are eating food when we take a vitamin.
Problems With Overfertilization
Plants, especially trees, can be harmed by too much fertilizer. Overfertilization can be harmful to a soil ecosystem. For example, beneficial microorganisms important to plants may be reduced by excess nitrogen. One example is the reduction of soil mycorrhizae which are important to many trees ability to effectively absorb elements and moisture.
Overfertilization can lead to lush, succulent growth that requires more water. This growth can be at the expense of plant roots. Healthy roots are important to healthy plants, not extra fertilizer. Rapid growth also requires more mowing and pruning which increases plant wounds and yard waste.
Lush growth caused by overfertilization is known to be more susceptible to diseases and insects which can lead to increased pesticide use. If plants are fertilized too late in the summer, winter injury may occur.
Applying more fertilizer than plants can use increases the chance of nutrients running off during rainfall and reaching water resources. Nitrogen can lead to high nitrates in water and phosphorous leads to excess algal growth in water.
Elements such as nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are critical for photosynthesis, plant growth and many other plant processes. An excess of elements may harm plants. Before beginning a fertilization program, have a soil test taken and understand the needs of your plants. Here are some general rules of thumb.
Fertilizing Nebraska Landscapes
In Nebraska, horticulturists and foresters rarely recommend fertilizing trees and shrubs growing in or near a fertilized lawn. Trees and shrubs in well maintained landscapes receive adequate, if not excessive, amounts of fertilizer from lawn fertilizers. In some cases, elements such as iron may be needed.
Lawns are in a mow and grow pattern all summer and require more fertilizer than most landscape plants. The maximum amount of fertilizer a cool season turfgrass, like Kentucky bluegrass, requires is 4 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet per year.
Lawns usually receive this rate through four applications made in early May, late June, early September and late October. If you leave your grass clippings while mowing, the amount of nitrogen returned to your lawn is equivalent to one-fourth of the lawns needs and fertilization with synthetic products can be reduced by one-fourth.
One or two fertilizations per year should suffice for most herbaceous perennials, but it depends on the type of perennial and your soil. Native perennials grown on too rich of soil or fertilized too often can produce weak growth that flops and have reduced blooming. Know your soil and know your plants
In contrast, hybrid tea and floribunda roses are high nitrogen users and benefit from monthly fertilization. With any perennial, especially roses, stop fertilizing by mid-August or the plant’s winter dormancy can be delayed and the chance of winter injury increased.
When and how much to fertilize fruits and vegetables depends on the individual needs of the species. Some are higher nitrogen users and others are low nitrogen users. There are also times in a vegetables growth cycle when fertilization is more important, depending on if it produces a root, leaf, or fruit crop.
On fairly fertile soils, a general rule to follow with vegetables is to fertilize by side-dressing when plants are about six inches tall and again when they are one to one and a half feet tall. Pre-plant fertilization and a third side-dressing may be needed on low fertility soils. Again, know your soil and know your plants.
For asparagus, rhubarb, June-bearing strawberries and raspberries, the most important time to fertilize is immediately following harvest. The plants strored food reserves have been lowered by the harvest of stems and though fruit production; and plants are needing to replace these food reserves through photosynthesis.
In summary, fertilization provides the elements plants require for photosynthesis. It is only through photosynthesis that plants produce the food they need to grow and function. We can assist the photosynthesis process through proper fertilization practices.
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8. Inspect For Bagworms
By Kelly Feehan, UNL Extension Educator
Bagworms can defoliate and kill evergreen trees and shrubs. From now through May, inspect evergreen trees and shrubs for bagworms. This insect is not new to Nebraska, but they are becoming an increasing problem.
At this time of year, bagworms are small, two inch long, brown bags covered with dead brown needles and tightly attached to twigs. They hang down and are cocoon-like. Unless you look closely for bagworms, you may think your evergreen just has brown needles in it.
Bagworms are most often found on spruce, Juniper, Arborvitae, and pine trees and shrubs. The overwintering bags contain as many as 300 to 1000 eggs each. Removing them now can help reduce their summer populations.
Once the eggs hatch in early June, large bagworm populations can completely defoliate and kill evergreens during summer. Light infestations slow the growth of evergreens and lower their windbreak value and aesthetic appearance.
If you find bagworms, remove and destroy them from now to June. Crushing is one method that can be used to destroy the eggs. If bags containing larvae are discarded on the ground, the larvae may return to host plants after hatching.
Insect Lifecycle
Bagworm eggs hatch in late May and early June. At this time, inspect trees again for bagworms. Young bagworms are as small as one-eighth inch long and can be difficult to see. However, mid to late June is the best time to apply insecticides for bagworm control.
After hatching, the larvae emerge from a hole at the base of the bag and spin down a strand of silk. The tiny insect is often ballooned by the wind to nearby branches or plants.
Once a host is found, larvae begin to form a new bag around their body. The larva is a brown or tan caterpillar with black markings. Larvae remain in their protective bag, sticking their head out to feed.
Bagworm larvae feed up until late August. The mature larvae then attach their bag to a branch with a strong band of silk and begin to pupate. Adult males emerge in September. They are small, furry gray moths with clear wings. The adult female does not have wings and never leaves the bag.
Chemical Control
Feeding by mature caterpillars slows in August before pupation into adults, so chemical control in late summer and fall is often not effective. Insecticide control needs to be aimed at young larvae in mid to late June to be effective and to reduce damage.
Bacillus thuringiensis is available at nurseries and garden centers as Dipel or Thuricide. Other insecticides currently labeled for bagworm control include acephate, carbaryl, cyfluthrin, malathion and permethrin. Affected plants must be thoroughly covered with the insecticide in June so the insects ingest it as they are feeding. Be sure to read and follow all label directions.
Do not apply insecticides to evergreens at this time of year to control bagworms. The overwintering bags only contain eggs and insecticides will not have any affect on the eggs. Hand-picking the bags and destroying the eggs is the only control method to use now.
Bagworms may also feed on shade and ornamental trees, fruit trees, ornamental shrubs and perennial flowers, however, severe attacks are unusual. Since deciduous plants grow new leaves each year, the defoliation caused by bagworm feeding on otherwise healthy plants is usually not serious. The growth of small or newly planted trees, however, could be slowed by leaf feeding.
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9. Select and Plant Perennials & Annuals That Enhance Your Landscape
By Cynthia Haynes, ISU Extension Horticulturist
Gardening season is almost here. Selecting healthy plants suitable for your site and planting them carefully are the first steps in establishing a successful landscape. When you wander the endless rows at your local garden center, consider the following before making any purchases.
Recognize healthy plants
Healthy plants have full leaves, stocky stems, and an extensive root system. Look for new growth at the stem tips and ends of the branches.
Pick the right plants
Before visiting the garden center, tour your landscape. Look at the sites that need additional plants and answer these questions:
- Is the soil typically moist, average, or dry?
- How much direct sun does the site receive each day?
- How much room (height and width) is available?
- What type or color of foliage, flowers, habitat, etc., would you like in the landscape?
There are thousands of perennials and annuals. A few are suited for almost any site or situation. Read the labels carefully. Make sure they match your site requirements.
For more information on possible plants checkout these publications:
Perennials in Water-Wise Landscapes, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1214.pdf
Annual Flowers for Nebraska, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g739.pdf
Plant with care
Most annuals and perennials are ready to plant in mid to late May after the last threat of frost has passed. Be sure to plant them carefully, usually at the same level they were planted in the container. After planting, water them well and add mulch to prevent weed competition.
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10. Choose The Right Grasses And Legumes For Horse Pastures
by Bruce Anderson, Ph.D., UNL Forage Specialist
Horses are popular throughout Nebraska. To give horses something better to eat, a new horse pasture may be a good idea.
Horses graze differently than other livestock. They heavily graze specific spots and are more picky about what they will eat.
Two grasses popular for horses are timothy and bluegrass. Unfortunately, these cool-season grasses produce low yields and lack persistence in Nebraska. A better choice for much of Nebraska is a mixture of orchardgrass and smooth bromegrass. Add a little red clover, some white clover and alfalfa to this mixture for an excellent feed resource.
In western Nebraska, intermediate or crested or western wheatgrass might be a better choice of grass because they are more adapted to dry climates.
Native warm-season grasses also can provide good summer pastures for horses. Warm-season grasses that horses graze well include blue grama, big bluestem and sand bluestem, sideoats grama, sand lovegrass and indiangrass. Plant a mixture of three to five of these grasses for good summer grazing.
Avoid switchgrass and little bluestem for horse pasture. Horses do not graze these grasses well. However, both switchgrass and little bluestem are consumed well as hay if they are planted in mixtures with other grasses and harvested before seedheads emerge. They can be used for horse hay even if they make poor horse pasture.
When planting new pastures, select grasses that horses prefer. Contented animals and easier management will be the reward.
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11. Creating Habitat for Acreage Wildlife
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
Habitat is a combination of food, water, shelter, and space arranged to meet the needs of wildlife. Trees, shrubs, and other plants provide shelter and food for wildlife. The plants you use for food and cover will help determine the wildlife species attracted to your backyard.
Trees and shrubs are the backbone of any landscaping design and are important for wildlife shelter. Many tree and shrub species are excellent sources of food for wildlife. Proper selection of plant material can meet both the aesthetic needs of the homeowner and the food and shelter needs of wildlife. Remember that you are part of the habitat!
Additional information:
Backyard Wildlife: Planting for Habitat, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1571.pdf
Landscape Plants for Wildlife, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1572.pdf
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12. Controlling Deer Damage
By Don Janssen, UNL Extension Educator
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are found in a variety of habitats throughout Nebraska. They are beautiful and fascinating animals that provide many aesthetic and recreational benefits.
Unfortunately, deer can have a negative impact as well. The cost of damage resulting from deer-automobile collisions is one example. Deer also have the potential to cause damage to field crops, forages, vegetable gardens, landscape plantings, Christmas trees, fruit trees and forest regeneration. The level of damage is often associated with the size of the local deer population and in certain instances with the severity of the winter weather.
To learn more about the white-tailed deer and how to protect your property from their damage, check out this website:
Managing Deer Damage in Nebraska, http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/sendIt/g1822.pdf
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13. Backyard Wildlife:To Feed A Hummingbird
By Ron Johnson, UNL Extension Wildlife Specialist
Four species of hummingbirds are found in Nebraska, one in the east and three in the west.
- Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate through eastern Nebraska in spring and fall, and some nest here, mostly along the Missouri river valley. Typically, ruby-throat migration in Nebraska peaks about May 5-17 and September 2-18, but northward migration may occur from April to June and southward flights from August to early October.
- Broad-tailed and rufous hummingbirds are seen in the Nebraska panhandle during fall migration from late July to early September with most sightings in early to mid-August.
- Calliope hummingbirds are seen rarely in the panhandle area. These four hummingbird species spend winter in Mexico and Central America.
The natural diet of hummers is flower nectar, tree sap, and small insects and spiders that are often captured in or near flowers. This natural diet can be supplemented by hummingbird feeders, which dispense a sugar water solution. Flowers blooming through the season, however, are needed when hummingbirds are present to attract them and to provide the natural foods required for a complete diet.
Planting for Hummingbirds
Flowers add beauty and a place where hummingbirds can find both flower nectar and insects to eat. Herbaceous plants can provide a variety of flowers for hummingbirds when they are present in your rural or urban community. These landscape plants provide beauty as well as a natural foraging area where hummingbirds can find both flower nectar and small insects to eat. Select plants that provide flowers throughout the season, especially at times when you expect hummingbirds. Include red varieties of the plants listed because red tubular flowers appear to be especially attractive to hummingbirds.
Trees and shrubs form the framework of your landscape and these also can benefit hummingbirds. Common flowering shrubs favored by hummingbirds include Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus and other species), Weigela (Weigela florida), and Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus). Other shrubs used include Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.), Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia amabilis), Currant (Ribes odoratum), and Gooseberry (Ribes speciosum). Trees used by hummingbirds include Flowering Crab (Malus spp.), Hawthorne (Crataegus spp.), Horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), Tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipifera), and Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). In maintaining flowering plants, it's best to avoid insecticide use around the flowers, because hummingbirds depend on small insects as part of their diet.
Using Hummingbird Feeders
Commercial "nectar" solutions for hummingbirds can be purchased or easily made by mixing one part granulated white sugar (common table variety) with four parts water. For example, mix 1/4 cup sugar with one cup water. Boil the water, dissolve the sugar, then allow to cool before filling the feeder. Keep leftover portions refrigerated until needed. Change the mix every few days, more often in hot weather, and clean the feeder each time before refilling to prevent molds that can harm the birds.
Feeders can be cleaned by either rinsing with hot water, filling with vinegar and uncooked rice and shaking vigorously, or soaking the feeder in a solution of two ounces household bleach mixed with one gallon of water. A stiff bottle brush may help but avoid soaps because residues may interfere with the capillary action of the feeder.
When selecting a hummingbird feeder, look for one that's easy to fill and clean and without too many nooks and crannies. Some red on the feeder is desirable because it seems to attract hummingbirds, and bee guards (grids or screens) over the feeding ports help discourage bees. Hang the feeder from a tree branch or on a deck or porch, preferably in partial shade, near flowers, and out of the wind. Consider using more than one feeder to prevent an aggressive male hummingbird from dominating and to add viewing opportunities. For example, place a feeder near your hummingbird flowers and another closer to your home or viewing windows. Place feeders out in time for expected arrivals and continue until hummingbirds migrate on.
Avoid honey mixtures for feeding because there is increased potential for spoilage and harmful molds. Also, avoid red food coloring; the red tip or plastic flower on the feeding spout is sufficient and there is some concern that the food coloring might be harmful. If your feeder doesn't have red, you can add a red plastic flower, red ribbon, red tape, or even red nail polish on the surface of feeding ports. To prevent ants from coming to the feeder, keep the outside clean and, if needed, coat the feeder hanger or the spout with salad oil or petroleum jelly. To deter bees, some feeders have bee guards, and another possible approach is to repel bees by rubbing Avon Skin-so-soft® or Off Skintastic® onto the feeder surface by the feeder ports.
To help attract small insects eaten by hummingbirds, hang an overripe banana peal or cantaloupe near the feeder; a mesh produce sack makes a convenient holder. Finally, to benefit hummingbirds, use all pesticides wisely and only when needed. And minimize insecticide use, especially around flowers, because hummingbirds depend on small insects as part of their diet.
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14. Growing Cole Crops
By John Fech, UNL Extension Educator
Cole Crops? What's a cole? I'm not too sure, but the word cole helps me remember the basic growing conditions of this group of veggies. Cole crops perform the best if they develop in cool weather (cold, cool, cole - get it?) Anyway, it's best to plant seeds or transplants in early April, so that they can develop and be ready for harvest before the heat of summer starts acting on them.
The cole crops include broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, and kale. As they are growing, they all look similar and have a similar scent. The thick waxy leaves and thick stems are characteristic of this group of veggies.
Help out your cole crops, by keeping the soil as cool as possible. This will discourage bolting or early maturation of the edible portions of plant. Apply mulch once the soil begins warming up. In most cases, applying mulch in late April or early May would be harmful to veggie plants. While this is true for squash and tomatoes, it is helpful for the cole crops. The idea is to keep the cole crops cool and heat up the warm season veggies.
Brussel Sprouts, http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/veggies/brusselssprouts1.html
Growing Broccoli and Cauliflower in the Home Garden, http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1605.html
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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14. Rabbit Seminar, April 5
Do you have a rabbit? Thinking about getting a rabbit? Learn how a rabbit can be more than just a 4-H project. Come to the University of Nebraska Rabbit Seminars and meet other rabbit owners, share ideas & have FUN! Youth and adults welcome.
Each interactive session gives you practical take home information. Session topics include 1. Choosing a rabbit, 2. Health care & nutrition, 3. Housing & behavior, 4. Grooming & showing.
UNL Extension Companion Animal Specialist, Dr. Lisa Karr-Lilienthal is providing the leadership of this awesome program. In addition, Oxbow Pet Products is co-sponsoring the event and will be providing expert advice in the areas of health care and nutrition.
Pre-registration is requested. Register by mail, phone, or email.
April 5, 1:30-3:00 p.m.
York County Fairgrounds, Cornerstone Ag and Event Center, York, NE
Contact: Gerald Peterson, York County Extension, (402) 362-5508
Email: gpeterson2@unl.edu
Registration deadline: 4/2/2008, brochure
It is suggested that you leave your rabbits home. However, if you have any questions or concerns about your rabbit(s) or need suggestions on how to purchase a rabbit, this is the perfect opportunity! There will be plenty of expert advice!
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15. My Horse University Presents "Weaning A Foal", April 23
My Horse University, a national online program based at Michigan State University, is proud to sponsor FREE live web presentations given by experts in the fields of equine science and veterinary medicine. These events cover topics that are important to you and can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. Please join us!
April 23, Weaning A Foal- Weaning the foal is an important milestone for the young growing horse.
Preparing the foal prior to weaning and then ensuring that the weaning process poses as little stress as possible, will provide the young horse a definite advantage from both a health and psychological standpoint. This presentation will discuss creep feeding the foal, compare weaning systems and conclude with nutritional management of the weanling. Presenter: Dr. Chris Skelly, PhD, Michigan State University
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Register online
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16. From Recipe to Reality Seminar, May 31
The Food Processing Center is offering a one-day seminar for all individuals interested in exploring the idea of starting a food manufacturing business. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
Program dates for 2008:
May 31 - Lincoln, NE (Presented in Spanish)
June 2 - Lincoln, NE
August 8 - Lincoln, NE
October 27 - Lincoln, NE
Contact Jill Gifford at (402) 472-2819 or jgifford1@unl.edu for an information packet. For more information, visit the UNL Food Processing's Food Entrepreneur web site.
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17. Master Beekeeping Workshop, June 26-28
A Master Beekeeping Workshop will be offered in Mead, NE at the Agricultural Research and Development Center Headquarters Building on June 26-28. This workshop will provide detailed instruction in the biology and management of honey bees. Training will include both classroom and hands-on sessions.
Beekeepers should have at least one year of experience managing honey bees before registering for this workshop. A team of experts has been assembled to make this an outstanding educational opportunity. Registration for the workshop is $100 and includes five meals, refreshments, a cap and a workbook.
Brochure
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