Nebraska Soil Health School: A Success Story of Collaboration and Learning

Aaron Hird demonstrates impact of rainfall on different systems using a rainfall simulator
During its inaugural year, the Nebraska Soil Health School educated more than 200 producers and ag industry stakeholders on the latest research and practices for healthy soils to increase crop productivity.

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Efficient and Effective Tree Watering

mulching a young tree

Drought conditions have led to stress in established trees and difficulty starting young trees. With the need for supplemental watering, correct irrigation practices are important to tree health and efficient water use.

Fall is tree planting time and an important time to water established trees in the absence of adequate precipitation. Whether a new tree or an established tree, correct watering is important. Too little as well as too much water can lead to tree stress, a decline in growth, and water waste.

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Trading manure and crop residues, considerations for a fair trade

graphic showing 2 people shaking hands surrounded by a circle of arrows pointing to manure on one side and bales on the other.
With harvest around the corner, you might be considering trading manure for cornstalks or vice versa. In many ways, it’s easier to pay cash for either product, but there are advantages to trading. This article will focus on what kinds of things to consider to be sure any deal made is a fair trade.

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Cover Crops a Focus at Annual WREEC Water and Crops Field Day

Cover crop field at WCREEC
Producers at the field day swapped ideas and observations about cover crop production, and heard from extension educators and agronomists about best practices for their agricultural regions.

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Soil and Water Conservation Society Honors 2023 Award Winners

Four leaders in Nebraska resource conservation and the Nebraska Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society (SWCS) were honored by the International SWCS this year.

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Manure Stockpiles: Mind Your Manners

manure stockpile with markup showing where to place a dike
As responsible land stewards, farmers, who follow “good neighbor practices,” may save on commercial fertilizer costs while at the same time protecting groundwater from contamination due to nutrient leaching. Properly stockpiled manure stored on field edges can be a “win-win” for farmers and their rural neighbors through addressing two common concerns: runoff and odors.

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Irrigation Season to End in September

Center pivot in field
A review of this year's irrigation season in the Panhandle and crop water use expectations for Aug. 28-Sept. 3.

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Manure Spreader Calibration is Not Just for Research Plots

photo of manure on tarp during manure spreader calibration
Just like a spreader used for commercial fertilizer, a manure spreader must also be calibrated. If you don’t know the rate you’re applying, how can you possibly calculate the nutrients you’ve applied? And if you’re not factoring in the nutrients in the manure, you’re wasting money. And who wants to do that?

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Optimize Those Last Few Irrigations

Scheduling the last few irrigations of the season deserves extra attention because the goal is not only to focus on keeping the crop wet enough to produce optimal yields, but also on using up stored soil water. Leaving the field a little drier at the end of the season will save irrigation costs, decrease leaching losses, improve soil conditions for harvest traffic, and save water for future years. Growers also don't want to miss out on capturing off-season precipitation.

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Know Your Well program empowers students to understand local water quality

Access to quality water is critical. Testing can indicate whether water is safe for people to consume. Know Your Well is a program used to test well water across Nebraska at no cost to the community, while teaching local high school students valuable skills.

In the past seven years, Know Your Well has been implemented in more than 28 school districts throughout the state. The program has received funding to grow to 50 or more schools over the next few years and expand its curriculm.

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