Douglas-Sarpy@unl.edu

(402) 444-7804

May 2025

Mark Your Calendars for Summer Classes

Canning Class

Preserve with confidence! Join Nancy Urbanec as she shares expert canning techniques and essential food safety tips to ensure your home-preserved goodies stay fresh and delicious.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn the safest and most effective methods for canning.

When: July 12, 2025

Time: 9-10 am

Where: 8015 West Center Road, Omaha

Cost: 15 pre-registration, $20 at the door

Sign up at go.unl.edu/gbr

Please note, Nancy will be demonstrating canning, this will not be a hands-on class.

Buzzing Into Action - The Power of Nebraska's Insect Pollinators

Join Dr. Jody Green as she shines a spotlight on pollinators. Learn how to attract, identify, appreciate, and conserve these vital creatures, and take steps to protect the essential role they play in our ecosystems.

When: June 10, 2025

Time: 6-7:30 pm

Where: UNL Douglas-Sarpy Extension Office, 8015 West Center Road, Omaha

Limited seating, be sure to reserve your spot today here.

Cottage Food Producer Live Virtual Class

Nebraska’s cottage food law empowers individuals to produce and sell homemade foods directly to consumers, supporting local entrepreneurship.

Nebraska Extension is offering a live Zoom training for individuals who would like to become a registered cottage food producer. This course meets the training requirements in LB 262, part of the Nebraska Pure Food Act.

When: June 4, 2025

Time: 6- 7:30 pm

Cost: $25

Register here.

Questions? Contact Cindy Brison at cbrison1@unl.edu.

Engineering Camp for Middle Schoolers

Youth entering grades 6-8 are invited to take part in our Energy & Sustainability Engineering Summer Camp and Competition "Build a Hut"

This award-winning STEM summer camp and competition is designed for youth entering 6th–8th grade, offering an unforgettable hands-on experience in construction, energy, and civil engineering.

Over the course of the camp, participants will explore real-world engineering challenges while developing teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Then, the real adventure begins...

After the camp, selected participants will form competition teams to survive and thrive in the fictional African village of New Maiwut. Teams will collaborate with local engineering sponsors to design and build a functioning hut using off-grid energy technology to power and transport water in their community.

📍 Douglas-Sarpy Extension Office Site Info:

• Camp Sessions: Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 9 AM – 12 PM
• Dates: June 17 – July 9, 2025 (No camp June 30 – July 4)
• Location: Nebraska Extension Office – Douglas-Sarpy
• 8015 W. Center Rd., Omaha, NE 68124
• (Note: June 17 & June 24 are field trip days – alternate locations)
• Competition Prep Day: Monday, July 14, 2025*
• Competition Day: Thursday, July 17, 2025*
• Sack lunches are encouraged (except on field trip days — lunch will be provided)

💥 Cost: FREE with 4-H Membership!

Not yet a 4-H member? Enroll here: http://v2.4honline.com

(A $10 annual fee applies)

👉 Register now for Build a Hut Camp!

https://forms.gle/1urcCmMdiGgqV5C36

Yard & Garden Tips: How to Keep Rabbits Out!

Remove any brush piles, which may attract small mammals like rabbits or rodents.

Use wildlife-friendly fencing to protect early-growing perennials and vegetables. See our tips for excluding rabbits in the video from Backyard Farmer.

Horticulture Resources for May

Refresh Your Houseplants This May

Early May is an ideal time to repot houseplants. As outdoor temperatures rise, plants begin to grow more actively—both above and below the soil.

To repot, gently remove the plant from its current container and loosen any tangled or circling roots. Transfer it to a slightly larger pot, adding fresh potting soil around the loosened roots. Water thoroughly, then place the plant in a shady spot for about a week to help it adjust to its new home.

Time to Breathe: May is Ideal for Lawn Aeration

May is a great time to aerate your lawn, especially in areas with poor drainage after rain or heavy foot traffic. Aeration helps improve soil structure, enhance root growth, and reduce compaction.

After aerating, allow the soil plugs to dry for a few days. Then, simply run your lawn mower over them. This helps break up the cores and allows the soil to blend back into the lawn, working its way into the thatch layer and improving overall turf health.

Overwintering Pests Are Waking Up! 



As temperatures rise, you may start to notice more unwelcome visitors such as boxelder bugs, multicolored Asian lady beetles, cluster flies, and others.

These pests moved indoors last fall, and now, with warmer, sunnier days, they become active again.

The good news is that these insects don’t feed, reproduce, or cause damage indoors—and they aren’t a health risk.

The best solution is to simply sweep them up or dispose of them properly.

Learn more here.

Grow Your Skills: This Month’s Horticulture Classes

Customized Early Childhood Training for Childcare Professionals

Featured Food Resources for May

Fiber Filled Snack - Homemade hummus

2 cans chickpeas, drained

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 lemon juiced or 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

Add chickpeas to a food processor with salt, pepper, and garlic. Add lemon juice (or vinegar). Pulse 5 times. Turn on processor to high and slowly pour in olive oil until it reaches a desired consistency.

This helpful tip comes from Nebraska Extension’s Food in the Field program—a nutrition education initiative designed to support Nebraska families in making healthier food choices.

Let’s Talk Tomatoes

Storage Tips:

• Keep tomatoes at room temperature (above 55°F) until fully ripe to develop the best flavor and aroma.
• Ripe tomatoes are red or reddish-orange (depending on the variety) and give slightly to pressure.
• Store with the stem end up to prevent bruising.
• Keep them out of direct sunlight to avoid uneven ripening.
• Serve at room temperature for the juiciest taste!

Too many tomatoes? See our methods for freezing tomatoes here.

Nebraska Extension also offers step by step instructions for canning tomatoes here.

Grilling Tips

Grilling outdoors is often one of the most anticipated activities of the summer. Grilling can be a healthy and low-fat way to cook your favorite meals. To avoid foodborne illness and accidents, follow these tips to stay safe and prepare healthy meals. 

A Keep these safety tips in mind:

• Propane and charcoal grills should be used outdoors only. Grilling inside can cause a fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.
• The grill should be placed at least 10 feet away from the house.
• Check the propane grill tank hose for leaks before using the grill.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill until the grill has cooled.
• Never leave a grill unattended.

Get more tips from our experts here.

Co-Parenting Podcast



Co-parenting comes with challenges, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. In S2E12: You Got This – Keeping Your Kids at the Center of Co-Parenting, we tackle real questions from parents with expert guests Dr. Cody Hollist and Dr. Holly Hatton from UNL.

Tune in as they share insights on:

Adapting to life after divorce

Communicating with your co-parent

Keeping your kids at the heart of co-parenting



Learn more about horticulture and the 4-H program by signing up for our Newsletters:

• Monthly Horticulture Newsletter by emailing Rachel here.
• Weekly 4-H Newsletter by emailing 4-H here.

Nebraska Extension in Douglas-Sarpy Counties

8015 West Center Road, Omaha

402-444-7804

go.unl.edu/douglassarpyext 

Email us at douglas-sarpy@unl.edu

See our annual report here.

Our south office is located at 1102 E. 1st St., Papillion, NE 68046.

Call 402-444-7804 to schedule an appointment at our Papillion Office.

Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made to Douglas-Sarpy County Extension at 402-444-7804 or douglas-sarpy@unl.edu