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June 8, 2014 Leave a comment
I took this photo Friday evening of a storm that was moving north of Oakland. There was lots of lightning, but only a tenth of an inch of rain was in my rain gauge. Photo Credit/Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.
June 7, 2014 Leave a comment
John Wilson
Over the years, I’ve observed an informal competition between gardeners to see who can produce the first ripe tomato. I’ve actually had people stop me in the post office or grocery store to tell me how close they were to having that first tomato… or first BLT sandwich! Their “green thumb” efforts are being challenged again this year by Mother Nature.
We’ve had a lot of rain and driving winds, perfect conditions for early blight to develop. Early blight usually starts on the lowest leaves and gradually moves up the plant. Once a leaf is infected, you cannot cure it, but you can prevent it from spreading to other parts of the plant with a fungicide labeled for use in the garden. You will need to repeat these applications every 10 to 14 days… or more frequently if it rains… to protect the new growth. Always observe the waiting period between a fungicide application and when you can safely harvest and eat your tomatoes.
Other things you can do to help prevent the disease this summer is to mulch your tomatoes if you haven’t done so already. In addition to helping keep a more constant moisture level in the soil and preventing the soil from getting too hot around the roots which injures them, mulching also reduces the likelihood of soil particles containing this disease from splashing onto the leaves.
That leads to the second thing you can do to help prevent this disease… always water tomatoes at the base of the plant, not with a sprinkler. A sprinkler, or rain, splashes soil on the plant… and they also keep the foliage wet. The disease needs moisture on the leaf surface for the spore to germinate and infect the leaf. You can’t control the rain, but don’t add to the problem with overhead irrigation.
Staking or caging tomatoes will help reduce the severity of this disease because it keeps the plants upright and promotes better air circulation which causes the foliage to dry faster which reduces the possibility of infection occurring. It also prevents the fruit from coming in contact with the soil which may lead to blemishes or decay… and it makes harvest much easier.
To prevent this disease in future years, clean up all plant debris from tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant this fall and remove it… because the same disease can infect all four of these plants. Don’t put this plant material in your compost pile or till it into the soil. The disease overwinters on plant debris and could infect these plants next year. Also rotate where you plant these in your garden so you don’t plant any of them in an area next year where any were planted this year.
One other thing that occasionally foils competitors in the great tomato challenge is when they fertilize their plants, particularly with a nitrogen fertilizer. It’s almost amusing (to me, not to them) when someone calls in and asks why their dark green, healthy looking, six foot tall tomato plants are not putting on any tomatoes. These calls usually come with a statement like, “These are the best looking tomato plants I’ve ever grown… and they aren’t setting any tomatoes!”
Tomatoes like nitrogen fertilizer and applying it early will promote these monster plants… BUT… nitrogen fertilizer also keeps plants in a vegetative state (growing leaves and stems) rather than letting them transition to a reproductive state (setting on fruit). Delay fertilizing your tomatoes until they have already set on a couple tomatoes that are the size of a marble. Then fertilize in moderation because overfertilizing is one of several factors that contributes to blossom end rot. We’ll talk more about blossom end rot another day as tomato harvest draws nearer.
For more information on disease control in tomatoes, or other vegetables in your garden, contact your local UNL Extension office.
June 7, 2014 Leave a comment
Laura Mildred Johnston, 79, of Rosalie, NE passed away Thursday, June 5, 2014 at the Pender Community Hospital in Pender, NE. Memorial services will be Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rosalie, NE; with Pastor Randall Herman officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery in Walthill, NE. Memorials may be directed to the family. Arrangements are under the direction of Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Bancroft, NE.
Laura was born December 28, 1934 to Cecil and Viola (Boggs) Hunter in Walthill, NE. She graduated from Walthill High School.
In her free time, Laura enjoyed watching western movies, crocheting, quilting and playing the guitar. She loved spending time with her family.
Laura is survived by her sons; Pat Johnston of Lincoln, NE, Jack (Kathy) Johnston of Lincoln, NE, and Shayne (Marsha) Johnston of Rosalie, NE.
Laura is preceded in death by her parents, daughter; Katie Phillips, an infant daughter, and two brothers.
June 7, 2014 Leave a comment
Larry W. Kramer, 73, of Thurston, Nebraska formerly of Wayne, Nebraska died on Thursday, June 5, 2014 at the Pender Community Hospital in Pender, Nebraska. Funeral services for Larry will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Pender with Pastor Miles Ruch officiating. The visitation will be held on Monday from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Munderloh – Smith Funeral Home in Pender. Burial will be in the Rosehill Cemetery of Pender. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation.
Larry Kramer
June 6, 2014 Leave a comment
“We are offering free admission for the pool season,” stated Lyons Mayor Andy Fuston. This will begin once the new pool opens, which should be around the middle of June.
“With the pool not being ready for a Memorial Day opening and the date now a moving target, we were talking about how best to handle season passes, etc.” said Fuston. “I just said maybe we should open the pool for free and everyone there thought that would be a great idea.” By everyone, the mayor is referring to the members of the city council. The decision was made at Tuesday’s city council meeting.
“I’m excited that we will be offering free admission to the pool this season; not only to say thank you to the community for their patience while the pool gets finished up but to also showcase what a great destination our pool can be for our local patrons as well as to those living in surrounding communities,” stated Fuston.
Yes, it will be a shorter season this year, “but a really fun and exciting one,” said Fuston.
New pool is getting closer to opening day! All Photos Credit of Denise Gilliland, Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.
June 6, 2014 Leave a comment
Norma Farrens needs a few more contestants for Decatur’s Got Talent. You don’t have to be from Decatur to sign up. The date is Friday, June 13, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Contestants should notify her ahead of time and be there by 6:30 p.m. that night. 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies and cash prizes will be awarded.
June 6, 2014 Leave a comment
June 6, 2014 Leave a comment
Yes, we have come a long way since we first began working in the field of diabetes education. We now know that the complications associated with diabetes can be prevented or delayed. Our growing knowledge of various foods and their effect on blood sugar levels enables people with diabetes to eat food they like, choose when and how much to eat, and still control blood-sugar levels.
It is the best time in history to have diabetes, especially in light of the difficulties our parents and grandparents would encounter had they been diagnosed decades ago. Today people with diabetes can choose from a wide variety of non-nutritive sweeteners and can even figure out how to fit sugar-containing foods into their meal plan. With carbohydrate information now readily available for most foods, diabetics can easily learn to count carbohydrates at each meal. This allows diabetics to fit virtually any food into their meal plan.
Stacie Petersen, B.S.N. and Certified Diabetes Educator will review the latest information of medications available to assist in holding blood sugar levels in tighter control. Included in her review will be the different types of medications and the way they work in a person’s body.
Fitting diabetes into your lifestyle is the key message. Diabetes does not have to dictate how you live. University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension and Franciscan Care Services of West Point invite you and your family members to participate in a new and exciting diabetes educational program. The series of programs is being offered via the two-way interactive distance education facilities. Participants will learn about current issues related to diabetes from educators with over 20 years of team-teaching experience.
Monday, June 9, is the second of three programs in the “2014 Control Diabetes for Life” series. Topics that will be addressed during the two-hour program are: “Medications: What They Are and How They Work”, “Sleep Well Tonight”, and “Update on Sugar Substitutes and Sugar in Beverages” along with other helpful hints. Participants will sample a new recipe for a diabetic appropriate food. Team teaching the program will be Deborah Willcox, R.D. and L.M.N.T., and Stacie Petersen, B.S.N. and Certified Diabetes Educator both of Franciscan Care Services in West Point and Debra Schroeder, UNL Extension Educator in Cuming County.
Participants have the opportunity to attend the program from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Wisner-Pilger, Pierce, Howells-Dodge Consolidated Schools and Ainsworth Public High Schools. The same program will be repeated from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at West Point-Beemer, Laurel/Concord, Arlington and Tekamah-Herman High Schools.
“Control Diabetes for Life” is a joint project of University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension, Franciscan Care Services of West Point and the schools hosting the presentation. The program is offered free-of-charge. “Control Diabetes for Life” will help participants learn to control diabetes and prolong the onset of complications from the disease. These sessions are designed to supplement the education that you receive from your local diabetes education team and are not a substitute for diabetes classes through your local health care providers.
Participants are asked to pre-register for “Control Your Diabetes for Life” by calling the Burt County Extension Office at402/374-2929 Please register by Friday, June 6, so the proper number of handouts may be prepared. Nebraska School Food Service Association has approved this session for two hours of continuing education credits for food service staff for attending.
Control your diabetes for life! Start by attending the June 9 distance education program. Call today to register!
Mary Loftis,
Extension Assistant
UNL Extension – Burt County
111 North 13th Street, Suite 6
Tekamah, NE 68061
Phone: (402) 374-2929
Fax: (402) 374-2930
Internet: mloftis2@unl.edu
June 6, 2014 Leave a comment
Mary Loftis
Several area 4-Hers competed and received awards at the Northeast Regional
4-H Public Speaking Contest held on May 22, 2014 at the Lifelong Learning Center in Norfolk, Nebraska.
Fifty-eight youth from 17 counties throughout the state competed in their respective age division in the 2014 Regional 4-H Speech competition. Additionally, twenty-eight contestants from nine counties in the northeast district competed in their respective age division in the 2014 Regional 4-H Public Service Announcement (PSA) competition.
4-H members earn the opportunity to participate in regional competition by winning their age division at the county level. Contestants may compete in one or both categories and are awarded purple, blue, or red awards in recognition of their accomplishments in speech or PSA. In addition, the top four individuals in each division received medals. The four winners of the senior division speech and PSA competition are given the opportunity to compete for awards at the State 4-H Public Speaking Contest to be held in Grand Island during the Nebraska State Fair. All youth competing in state competition and staying for awards will receive special awards. The top two speech and PSA winners in State 4-H Public Speaking Contest receive scholarships.
A 4-H Interview Skills Contest was also held which had contestants choose one of three potential jobs, fill out an application for the job, create a resume and then take part in an interview for the position. Cody Bachtell of Tekamah took part in this contest and received a purple ribbon and 4th place medal in the Intermediate Division.
Public Speaking Contest
Junior Division:
Elise Anderson, Lyons, Blue
Arianne Brokaw, Lyons, Blue
Caleb Schlichting, Lyons, Red
Intermediate Division:
Top Four Winner: Rayna Hladky, Tekamah, Purple
Ribbon Placings:
Brayden Anderson, Lyons, Purple
Layne Miller, Lyons, Purple
Public Service Announcement Contest
Junior PSA: Ribbon Placings:
Andrew Schlichting, Lyons, Blue
Caleb Schlichting, Lyons, Blue
Intermediate PSA: Ribbon Placing
Cody Bachtell, Tekamah, Blue
Senior PSA: Ribbon Placing
Amelia Schlichting, Lyons, Blue
Public speaking is a communication with many career possibilities. Present 4-H members and 4-H alumni have identified communication skills as some of the most important life skills gained through their 4-H experience. The Nebraska State 4-H communication program is sponsored by the Nebraska Rural Radio Network, which includes KRVN, KNEB, and KTIC. The Northeast Regional contest is conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension with support from Northeast Community College.
Mary Loftis,
Extension Assistant
UNL Extension – Burt County
111 North 13th Street, Suite 6
Tekamah, NE 68061
Phone: (402) 374-2929
Fax: (402) 374-2930
Internet: mloftis2@unl.edu
June 6, 2014 Leave a comment
Notice is hereby given that a regular meeting of the Oakland Public
Library Board will be held at the Oakland Public Library, 110 East 3rd
Street, Monday June 9 @ 5:10 p.m. An agenda of the subjects to be
considered, kept continually current, is available for public inspection
at the Oakland Public Library. Said meeting is open to the public.
Kat Country Hub 
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