Former Clay County Extension educator concludes 22-year career

Jenny (Rees) Brhel began her Nebraska Extension career in Clay County in 2004. Twenty-two and a half years later, she is preparing to leave a job she once thought she would never give up.

Brhel’s last day with Extension is today, Sept. 30. She served Clay and surrounding counties for about 12 years before moving to a position based in York in 2016. Most recently, she has served York, Seward and Fillmore counties as a water and cropping systems educator.

Throughout her career, Brhel has worked with growers to investigate crop problems and conduct research on their farms. Her work has helped farmers test ideas under the conditions they face in their own fields and use the results to make decisions about their operations.

She also helped make agricultural research easier to find. In 2009, Brhel joined a team that expanded the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s CropWatch website into a central source of crop production and pest management information. She coordinated with specialists and researchers to bring their work together on the site.

Brhel’s contributions have received recognition this year. In February, the Nebraska Soil Health Coalition presented her with its inaugural Alan Moeller Pillar Award for her work advancing soil health education and partnerships. She was also inducted into the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement in March.

In a Sept. 5 announcement on her JenREESources blog, Brhel said deciding to leave Extension had been difficult, in part because of the people who have relied on her work over the years. “I never imagined leaving Extension,” she wrote.

Brhel plans to spend more time farming with her husband, Brian, and helping others improve their soil. As she leaves, she hopes growers will continue to use Extension research and seek its educators’ opinions when they face problems. She also hopes the university and Extension will remain committed to serving farmers’ needs and providing objective information, even when research findings are difficult or disputed.

An open house for Brhel will be held today, Sept. 30, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Cornerstone Events Center at the York County Fairgrounds. Memories and photographs may be sent to [email protected].