Nebraska Extension will be conducting a two-day No-till, Cover Crops, and Grazing Bus Tour on Thursday and Friday, June 18 and 19.  The tour will depart from and return to Beatrice, Nebraska and visit several producers in southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas.  The bus tour is part of our Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund grant project for No-till and Soil Health Education and our Nebraska Extension No-till Educational Program.  We appreciate the support of the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

Brief details are below and the attached file contains a short summary about each of the featured producers.  Please register by filling out the attached registration form and mailing it to Paul Jasa with your check (payable to the “University of Nebraska—Lincoln”) by Wednesday, June 10.  Registration is limited to the first 50 people, with preference given to Nebraskans as we near the deadline.  No e-mail or phone registrations will be accepted and sorry, no credit cards.  No refund if cancelling after June 10.

Since we are using our Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund No-till and Soil Health Education grant and some Nebraska Extension funds to help keep the cost low, the registration fee is slightly higher for attendees from outside of Nebraska and slightly higher for those wanting a single room.  Thank you for your understanding.  The fee is $50 for Nebraska residents/producers and $200 for attendees from outside of Nebraska, based on double occupancy.  There is an extra charge of $50 for those requesting a single room.  If you have a roommate preference, please indicate that on your registration form.  The fee includes motorcoach travel, lodging, and all meals.  You are responsible for snacks, other motel charges, and any “adult” drinks.

 

Itinerary (times may be adjusted):

Thursday, June 18

7:30 a.m.  Leave Gage County Fairgrounds, Beatrice, NE  (Parking on the Fairgrounds is available at no charge.)

8:30-10:30 a.m.  Steve Wiese, near Crete, NE  (pivot irrigated forage crops with no-till corn double cropped for silage, beef drylot on-site)

11:30 a.m.  Lunch in Fairbury, NE

2:00-4:30 p.m.  Josh Lloyd, Oakhill, KS  (continuous dryland no-tiller with several crops, double crops, cover crops, cattle, and grazing)

About 5:15 p.m.  Break near Junction City, KS

7:00 p.m.  Supper and motel in Emporia, KS

 

Friday, June 19

7:45 a.m.  Leave motel

8:00-10:30 a.m.  Gail Fuller, Emporia, KS  (no-tiller with numerous crops, cover crops and grazing forages, several livestock species, and intensive grazing)

11:30 a.m.  Lunch in Osage City, KS

1:00-3:30 p.m.  Keith & Ben Thompson, Osage City, KS  (no-tillers with several crops, cover crops and grazing forages, cattle, and intensive grazing)

About 5:00 p.m.  Break near Wamego, KS

7:00 p.m.  Arrive Beatrice, NE

 

This will be a nice tour of established no-till, diverse crop rotations, cover crops, and livestock grazing systems.  Join us for an educational and informational tour where some of the best learning comes from the networking with other attendees on the bus (or over a beer in the evenings).  A full information packet will be e-mailed to those who register.  For more information see the documents below or contact Paul Jasa. 

 

Paul J. Jasa, Extension Engineer

202 L.W. Chase Hall, East Campus

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, NE  68583-0726

Phone:  402-472-6715