As wheat planting wraps up, it is time to start assessing your plant population or stand that has emerged. As a reminder, please certify your winter wheat planted acres by November 15 at your local USDA-FSA office. Just like corn and soybeans, assessing your initial early season plant population is critical to ensure you have […] Continue reading → 
The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 provided federal support for land-grant universities to establish Cooperative Extension Services. Cooperative Extension was originally designed to bring vocational, agricultural, and home economics learning opportunities to all residents. Today Nebraska Extension, formerly called Cooperative Extension, provides University of Nebraska expertise in 8 major program areas that impact Nebraskans from all […] Continue reading → 
Preparation for planting alfalfa in a field starts about 18 months to 2 cropping seasons prior because of herbicide rotation restrictions and need to adequately manage soil pH in some fields. Alfalfa is the 3rd most grown crop in Gage, Jefferson, and Saline counties after corn and soybeans. There was approximately 16,000 acres of alfalfa […] Continue reading → 
Winter wheat is the 4th most grown crop in Gage, Jefferson, and Saline counties after corn, soybean, and alfalfa. There was approximately 12,000 acres of wheat grown in 2022 with 4,271 acres in Gage, 5,620 acres in Jefferson, and 2,560 acres in Saline. I discussed winter wheat variety recommendations in my August 30th article that […] Continue reading → 
Winter wheat variety selection is one of the first key management decisions that you make each year as a wheat farmer in southeast Nebraska. The three-year average yield difference in currently planted varieties evaluated at the University of Nebraska Jefferson County trial is 12 bushels per acre (link). I consider southeast Nebraska to include the […] Continue reading → 
What risks are there for cutting alfalfa in the fall? When and how long is the alfalfa fall resting period or winterizing period? What impact will cutting alfalfa during this ongoing drought have this fall? The answers to these questions can help you make an informed decision on whether to take another cutting of alfalfa […] Continue reading → 
INCORPORATING SUMMER ANNUAL FORAGES INTO A CATTLE GRAZING SYSTEM Join Nebraska Extension at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center near Ithaca, NE on August 23rd at 9 am for a pasture walk to talk about how cattle can use summer annuals. During the pasture walk participants will get to see and hear about the summer […] Continue reading →