Backyard Farmer is a television program dedicated to helping you to find solutions to your lawn and garden questions.  It’s been on the air for over 50 seasons and has grown into an institution on Nebraska Educational Television.  Every year from the first of April to mid September, the Backyard Farmer panel of gardening experts has provided help with gardening questions from insect and disease pests, turf, fruits and vegetables, landscape design and general horticulture topics.  The panel consists of University of Nebraska Extension Specialists and Educators and other professionals who specialize in horticulture, plant pathology, turfgrass, landscape design and entomology.  Many of the panelists have been on the program for numerous seasons. 

You can view the live program on NET1 Thursdays at 7:00 pm central time.  The Backyard Farmer Extra program, which generally answers e-mailed questions, airs every Saturday morning during the season at 8:30 am.  There are other opportunities to view the replayed programs on NET2 and NET3.  Check your local listings for replay times.

The website you’re visiting today contains a wealth of information and tips to help answer your gardening questions as well.  You can watch the regular Thursday night program live or search our database of the past three seasons to find solutions as well.  You’ll need to download a Real Media Player in order to view these clips.  A free version is available at the Real Media Website (www.real.com)  If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can send an e-mail to us at byf@unl.edu, and your question might be answered on air.  Try to provide as much information as you can about your specific gardening question like plant species, location, soil conditions or perhaps what you’ve already tried to correct the problem.  Digital pictures of your plants can also help us help you answer your question.   Backyard Farmer is also podcasted for those of you with a video iPod or similar viewing device.

The educational video segments can also be viewed on Google Video.

Backyard Farmer began in 1953 on what was then known as KFOR-TV.  The next season they moved to the new University of Nebraska Television station which evolved into NET.   George Round who was the director of Agricultural Communications at that time, came up with the idea of the program and was the show’s first host for many years.

We welcome your comments, questions and suggestions.  If you can’t find what you’re looking for here, remember your local Extension Educator or Garden Center Professional can assist you with any questions you might have.