Nebraska Soil and Water Conservation Society will hold its 2024 annual meeting at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center from Tuesday, June 11 to Thursday, June 13 in Scottsbluff.

The meeting is held in a different area of the state each year, and with the Panhandle chosen as the 2024 location, society members in western Nebraska were selected to help host the 2024 event and prepare the agenda.

This year’s theme is “Tech Talks — Tech Walks,” focusing on various technologies, in and outside.

“We reach out to members each year for subjects they would be interested in,” said Robin Foulk, NSWCS member and past president. “Some of the key talks will include Palmer amaranth control, soil health — a major conservation topic — and we’ll have the Natural Resources Conservation Service trailer that will give demonstrations on soil health.”

Greenhouses and their various designs will be looked at, with talks on high tunnels, geodesic greenhouses and a tour of the North Platte Natural Resources District’s geothermal greenhouse.

The Tech Talk — Tech Walk will also visit Meadowlark Hearth Farms on Wednesday, June 12. The farm is an organic heritage seed farm that promotes seed production.

More information and registration is available online.

Meeting Agenda

June 11

• Noon - 1 p.m. — Registration at North Platte NRD Board Room
• 1:15 p.m. — Welcome
• 1:15 - 2:15 p.m. — High tunnels and geodesic dome greenhouses – Jeff Edwards
• 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. — NPNRD geothermal greenhouse – Kristee Moore, NPNRD. Tour of greenhouse follows.
• 5 - 6 p.m. — Social hour

June 12

Events at Panhandle Research, Extension and Education Center (PHREEC)

• 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. — Registration Bluestem Room
• 8:30 - 8:40 a.m. — Welcome by John Westra, director of PHREEC, and SWCS President Claudia Stevenson
• 8:40 - 9 a.m. — Travel and tour of Meadowlark Hearth Farms, 120024 Everett Dr., Scottsbluff
• 10:40 - 11 a.m. — Return to PHREEC
• 11 a.m. - Noon — Palmer amaranth control – Dr. Nevin Lawrence
• Noon - 1 p.m. — Lunch (Bluestem Room)
• 1 - 2 p.m. — Tour Palmer amaranth control test plots – PHREEC
• 2 - 2:30 p.m. — Break
• 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. — Cheatgrass control studies – Mitch Stevenson’s grad assistants
• 3:30 - 3:45 p.m. — Travel to cheatgrass control test plots (estimated 13.5 miles north of Scottsbluff)
• 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. — Tour cheatgrass control test plots
• 4:45 - 5 p.m. — Return to PHREEC

June 13

• 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. — Breakfast and SWCS Foundation Board Meeting at Bluestem Room at PHREEC
• 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. — SWCS chapter meeting
• 9:30 - 10 a.m. — Break 
• 10 - 11 a.m. — Soil carbon amendments – S. Corey Brubaker, NRCS
• 11 a.m. - Noon — Introduction to Soil Health – NRCS Soil Health Team Elizabeth Gray, assistant state soil scientist, Riley Hackbart, Tyler Durr
• Noon - 12:30 p.m. — Box lunch
• 12:30 - 2:30 p.m. — In-field soil health assessment and soil health trailer demo

Register