Fundraising trail ride in Nebraska National Forest at Halsey celebrates 20th anniversary. Head, Heart, Hands and Health – since 1958, the Nebraska 4-H Foundation has been supporting youth through hands-on projects that encourage them to stay active and engaged in their communities, and prepare them for the future. With programs ranging from animal science to business to the arts to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), the foundation’s mission is to help provide the financial backing and manpower needed to …

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook blogger Hank Shaw will visit Nebraska on this latest book tour. By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley Award-winning Hunter Angler Gardener Cook blogger Hank Shaw will visit the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln to talk about wild game on Oct. 4, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The seminar will show hunters how to get more out of their wild game and fish through new cooking tips and techniques, with a focus on upland birds. Shaw will …

Dakota County’s Budding State Recreation Area Tucked away among the rolling hills of Dakota County, Danish Alps State Recreation Area (SRA) derives its name from the early Danish pioneers who first settled in the area. Its creation was part of a two-fold plan by the Papio-Missouri Natural Resource District (NRD): to stabilize the Pigeon/Jones Creek Watershed and to build the most thoughtfully planned recreation area possible. Plans for the SRA were drawn up in the fall of 2009, and the …

A French technique called “en papillote,” this walleye dish is cooked “in parchment” paper. Fish gently cooks in these parchment packets, creating their own steam and staying moist. Allow each guest to open up their own packet at the table. The aromas that fill the room will be a fun surprise. If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, then heavy-duty foil would work just as well. The vegetables listed below are only suggestions. Use whatever greens and herbs you …

An Interview with Jeff Kurrus, author of Can You Dance Like John? Article by Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley What was the inspiration behind the “crane books?” How did these stories develop? The first time I saw the sandhill cranes, there were a couple of things that stuck out. One was that there are 500,000 to 1 million of them on the Platte River each spring. Two, they all look alike. After doing a bit of research and finding out that they mate …

An English/Irish favorite made with wild game. ho doesn’t love a good meat pie? This one is as easy as it gets. There’s no rolling out dough to speak of – no pastry to make. There’s meat, potatoes, and gravy, and it doesn’t have to look perfect. The more “rustic,” the better. Servings: 4-6    Prep Time: 10 minutes    Cooking Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Ingredients: Recipe: Cut peeled potatoes into large chunks and place into a pot. Cover …

A chili with south-of-the border influence. Lower in fat and every bit as tasty as traditional chili, there are as many versions of venison chili as there are beef.  My take on this classic, cold-season dish is stew-like. This venison chili is slow cooked with both ground and stew meat and also three different kinds of beans for a hearty, satisfying texture. Not-so-secret ingredients include a dash of brown sugar and molasses to create depth and balance out heat. Instead …

Editor’s Note: With summer not-so-far behind us, Jessica Franke Carr’s essay, “The Magician,” is a reminder of the bonds that can be forged anytime a family encounters nature together, regardless of how small the scale. By Jessica Franke Carr Henry always wears lime green Crocs, but he can get away with it because he’s only three years old. A grown man or woman would attract disapproving stares or outright censure if caught frolicking in such fluorescent hues. The shoes’ garishness …

Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners and staff are in the midst of the Rooster Roundup — a quest to hunt pheasants on public land throughout Nebraska. The fourth stop on their journey is described below. Commissioners Lynn Berggren and Bob Allen completed two days of upland hunting this afternoon in Antelope, Knox and Dixon counties. This was their fourth hunt during the Rooster Roundup, after leaving off at Davis Creek Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in late November.  On Monday, Dec. 14, …

Nebraska Game and Parks Commissioners and staff are in the midst of the Rooster Roundup — a quest to hunt pheasants on public land throughout Nebraska. The second stop on their journey is described below. Continuing the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Rooster Roundup, which left off at Sherman Reservoir Wildlife Management Area on Monday, Commissioners Lynn Berggren, Bob Allen, Dick Bell and friend Sam Sampson headed out to the rainwater basin wetlands south of Aurora Thursday morning. An Aurora resident …