Nebraska is the Cornhusker State for good reason. To show off your cornhusking skills, you might want to head to Holdrege in September. The 2021 Nebraska State Hand Cornhusking Competition will take place Sept. 25 at the Nebraska Prairie Museum in Holdrege.

Participants and spectators are invited to come and enjoy the contest and see history in action as the two horse teams pull the bangboard corn wagons through the corn rows as contestants hand husk the corn.

In conjunction with the hand cornhusking event, the museum is planning to host its Fall Festival featuring food vendors and all kinds of living history exhibits. Demonstrators invited to participate include wood-carvers, rope makers, weavers, quilters, two-man saw, a variety of live farm animals and much more. More information will be coming out as the event date gets closer.

Those interested in participating in the cornhusing event can get more information by calling the Nebraska Prairie Museum at 308-995-5015 or by visiting nebraskaprairiemuseum.com.

Antique tractor and horse-plowing bee

Rae Valley Heritage Association Inc. presents plans for the 39th annual Nebraska State Antique Tractor and Horse Plowing Bee on Aug. 27-29 on the grounds near Petersburg. This year’s feature brand is Allis Chalmers, but the show will include tractors, engines and equipment of all makes and models.

Daily attractions will include a working blacksmith, steam and gas engines, shingle mill, sawmill, horse-powered machinery and antique tractors galore. The show also features a huge flea market, the daily Parade of Power, an open music jam and a barn dance on Saturday night. Learn more online at raevalley.org.

Weather Ready Farms program

The Weather Ready Farms designation program is working to expand its social media presence to reach more farms and ranches in Nebraska, as well as agricultural professionals. The Weather Ready Farms program is designed to improve and increase resilience toward the impacts of extreme weather on Nebraska’s farms. 

The social media platforms will be used to bring awareness about farm resiliency and agriculture education events and resources offered by Nebraska Extension, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and other partnered agriculture education programs.

The platforms will also highlight the research of Nebraska Extension educators and offer updates about Weather Ready Farms progress, developing pilots and interviews with their participants. Follow the Weather Ready Farms social media pages on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to stay in the loop.

Nebraska Corn Growers announce scholarships

The Nebraska Corn Growers Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Future Leaders in Agriculture Scholarship Program. The NeCGA grower services committee chose five applicants to each receive a $2,000 scholarship.

The awardees are Blaine Bonifas, Aurora, UNL, agronomy; Jason Kettelhake, Tecumseh, Concordia University, agribusiness; Ellen Wanek, Aurora, UNL, pre-vet; Gage Groeteke, Primrose, UNL, political science; Cassandra Pieper, Howells, Wayne State College, pre-medicine.

To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be a member of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association or be the son or daughter of a NeCGA member. They must be a senior in high school or college freshman who is continuing their education in Nebraska. Three of the five scholarships are set aside for students who are pursuing a degree in an agriculture-related field. Two scholarships are open to students pursuing a degree outside of agriculture.

For more information about the Future Leaders in Agriculture Scholarship program, call 402-438-6459.