Ag-Life

Drayden Bellamy and Brad Eifert struggle to pull a net full of fish into the boat for evaluation during the fish survey at Pioneer Trails Recreation Area.

Drayden Bellamy and Brad Eifert struggle to pull a net full of fish into the boat for evaluation during the fish survey at Pioneer Trails Recreation Area.

Gone Fishin’: local lake assessed for fishery health

Chrystal Houston Upper Big Blue Nrd
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
by Chrystal Houston, Upper Big Blue NRD It is overcast and cool on the lake at Pioneer Trails Recreation Area on the morning of June 1, as a team from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) readies their equipment: boats, buckets, long handled nets and measuring boards.
This corn field three miles north of Hampton sustained heavy damage in the June 7 storm which swept through the area. Many area farmers are now contemplating whether to replant or try to get as much out of the damaged crop as possible.

This corn field three miles north of Hampton sustained heavy damage in the June 7 storm which swept through the area. Many area farmers are now contemplating whether to replant or try to get as much out of the damaged crop as possible.

Hail damage leaves farmers with decision

News Staff
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Severe weather struck Hamilton County with back-to-back storms three days apart last week, with the bulk of the damage reported in area fields hit hard by hail stones as big as golf balls.
Crew members monitor a control burn conducted in May near the entrance to the Prairie Plains Resource Institute warehouse and education center northwest of Marquette.

Crew members monitor a control burn conducted in May near the entrance to the Prairie Plains Resource Institute warehouse and education center northwest of Marquette.

Control burns a useful management tool for PPRI

Jacob Courtney
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
To some, controlled fire might seem like an oxymoron. Fire seems always a dangerous, destructive force for most of our life.
This large and in-charge piece is a steam engine, used in place of a tractor, to pull a thresher machine through a field.

This large and in-charge piece is a steam engine, used in place of a tractor, to pull a thresher machine through a field.

Wesley Huenefeld Agricultural Museum set to reopen

Cheyenne Rowe
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Agriculture is a keystone in Hamilton County and so too is the history behind it.  There is no better place to showcase said history than the Wesley Huenefeld Agricultural Museum, a part of Aurora’s Plainsman Museum.
Nebraska beef, and beef in general, hold a lot of nutritional value to the human body, according to industry experts.

Nebraska beef, and beef in general, hold a lot of nutritional value to the human body, according to industry experts.

Nutritional benefits a plenty in Nebraska beef

Cheyenne Rowe
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Beef and Nebraska go hand-in-hand. As May pushes forward, so too do the celebrations for National Beef Month. Though beef is oftentimes brought up in Hamilton County and beyond as a commodity product, what do some of the experts have to say about just why Nebraska beef is the best?
Like many fields in Hamilton County, this one, located just of Highway 14 north of Aurora, still had standing water in the corners thanks to rain. With up to 4.9 inches falling over the last week, the effect could be beneficial for farmers.

Like many fields in Hamilton County, this one, located just of Highway 14 north of Aurora, still had standing water in the corners thanks to rain. With up to 4.9 inches falling over the last week, the effect could be beneficial for farmers.

Increased rainfall brings potential bigger profits

Jacob Courtney
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Areas in Hamilton County have received anywhere from 3.1 to 4.9 inches of rain from April 23 to May 6, according to the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources website, bringing moisture to farms that have been parched since the start of a dry spell in December of last year.
With the war in Ukraine taking a large supply of commodities off the market, producers around the world have opportunities and pitfalls to navigate in order to fill the void of demand.

With the war in Ukraine taking a large supply of commodities off the market, producers around the world have opportunities and pitfalls to navigate in order to fill the void of demand.

How volatile markets, world events affect local growers

Jacob Courtney
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
With the war in Ukraine taking a large supply of commodities off the market, producers around the world have opportunities and pitfalls to navigate in order to fill the void of demand.
It’s no secret that it’s dry and windy across much of Nebraska at the present time.

It’s no secret that it’s dry and windy across much of Nebraska at the present time.

Windy, dry weather cause for concern in beef industry

Cheyenne Rowe
Tuesday, April 26, 2022
It’s no secret that it’s dry and windy across much of Nebraska at the present time. While many farmers are struggling with the beginning of planting season, local beef producers are finding this season equally as full of challenge and concern.
Cale Carlson, like many area farmers, was out in the field last week, preparing for the planting season ahead on his farm near Marquette.

Cale Carlson, like many area farmers, was out in the field last week, preparing for the planting season ahead on his farm near Marquette.

Farmers plan for best despite dry, cold

Jacob Courtney
Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Spring has sprung except for the weather. In the current weather pattern, farmers across the county have to consider when, what and how they will plant this year’s crop.