University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Prairie Restoration Workshop and Organic Farm Tours will be Aug. 20 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
The tours will start with an 11 a.m. tour two miles north and a one-half mile east of Abie, Neb. Participants will join Bill Whitney, executive director of the Prairie Plains Resource Institute, on a prairie walk to identify native plants, learn how to control invasive species and restore and manage native prairie.
A free lunch will be offered followed by an afternoon session on grass-finished organic beef. Liz Sarno, UNL extension educator, will discuss her certified organic grass-finished Devon cattle operation, management and marketing.
The next stop on the tour will be with Larry Stanislav, an organic farmer, who will discuss cultural practices using a flamer for weed control. He also will discuss his cover crop experiments with Sam Wortman, a UNL doctoral student in agronomy, using buckwheat, field peas, rape seed, mustards, turnips, radishes and cowpeas. David Glett, UNL graduate student, will summarize the UNL nutrient management project.
Starting at 3:30 p.m. participants will tour Wagon Wheel Farm, which is a half-mile northeast of Bruno, Neb., on Spur 12B. Mike Ostry will discuss the various crops he raises for poultry feed, experimentation with the UNL flamer for controlling weeds in corn and a direct marketing operation of chickens, turkeys, geese, hogs and beef and an on-farm poultry processing facility.
Family is welcome at all events. Following the Ostry tour a free dinner will be provided by the family at 5 p.m. Participants also can enjoy bluegrass music provided by the Ostry Family Singers.
Meals are free, but a reservation is needed. Please call Pat at 402-584-3837 to RSVP or for more information about directions. For more information about the tour go to organic.unl.edu and click on "More Information – Events" in August or call Sarno at (402) 309-0944.