University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is offering workshops Nov. 17 – 20 in Gardnerville, Yerington, Fallon and Lovelock for Nevada agricultural producers to help them plan for the possibilities of a fourth year of drought. “Agriculture in Times of Drought,” will give farmers and ranchers information on how to be resilient to variable weather in Nevada.
“Farmers and ranchers in Nevada face great uncertainty about water availability for irrigation given weather patterns like recurring droughts,” said Water Resource Specialist John Cobourn with Cooperative Extension. “These classes will address methods they can employ to stay in business in times of water shortages.”
Presentations include Decision Making Given Weather Variability, taught by Cobourn; Weather Extremes and the Uncertainty of Future Growing Conditions, taught by Chris Smallcomb with the National Weather Service; Crop Management Under Drought Conditions, taught by Cooperative Extension Alternative Crops and Forage Specialist Jay Davison; Practical Considerations for Improving Irrigation, taught by Cooperative Extension Agronomist Seth Urbanowitz; and Grazing Management in Low- and High-Water Years, taught by Cooperative Extension Range/Riparian Specialist Sherm Swanson.
The workshop will be offered in four locations:
- 5:30 p.m., Nov. 17, in Gardnerville, at 1325 Waterloo Lane. Register at https://agricultureintimesofdroughtgardnerville.eventbrite.com.
- 5:30 p.m., Nov. 18, in Yerington, at 504 S. Main St. Register at https://agricultureintimesofdroughtyerington.eventbrite.com.
- 5:30 p.m., Nov. 19, in Fallon, at the Churchill County Extension Office, 111 Sheckler Road. Register at https://agricultureintimesofdroughtfallon.eventbrite.com.
- 5:30 p.m. Nov. 20, in Lovelock, at 810 Sixth St. Register at https://agricultureintimesofdroughtlovelock.eventbrite.com.
Cost is $15 and includes all materials and a light dinner at every location. For more information, contact Leah Miller at the Lyon County Cooperative Extension office at 775-436-6541, ext. 12, or Cobourn at the Washoe County Cooperative Extension office at 775-336-0244. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should call at least three days prior to the scheduled event.
For more information on responding to various drought-related challenges, go to Cooperative Extension’s Living With Drought website, http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/drought/, containing information for homeowners, gardeners, farmers, ranchers, natural resource managers and others.
