Backyard Farmer is dedicated to helping you find solutions to your lawn and garden questions. Every year, our panel of experts answer gardener's questions related to insects, turf and weeds, rots and spots, landscapes, vegetables, and critters, as well as landscape design and general horticulture topics.
Aside from viewing the program live on NET, Backyard Farmer program recordings can also be viewed on YouTube or iTunes. You can also follow the team on Facebook for all the latest happenings. Check out the Backyard Farmer website.
Send us a question to our experts - it may be featured on the TV show!
Live Program
Watch a new episode every week, April through September, on the following TV channels.
On your local Nebraska Public Media TV station (CDT)
- 7 pm Thursdays
- 10 am Saturdays
On CREATE TV (CDT)
- 4 pm Sundays
- 5 pm Mondays
Send Us a Question
When submitting a question, give as much information about the problem as possible, including the plant species, your location and the following.
- plant site, microclimate and soil conditions
- a short history of how the plant is managed, including year of planting, water and fertilization
- digital photos - good focused close-ups and wide shots for an overall view of the plant
Backyard Farmer on YouTube
Program recordings are also available on YouTube, including the full show and featured videos as separate clips. Search for the information you need on insects, turf, weeds, plant diseases, wildlife and horticulture topics.
BYF on YouTube
Meet the Team
Host - Kim Todd. Back row (l-r) Elizabeth Exstrom, Loren Giesler, Kait Chapman, Sarah Browning, Dennis Ferraro, Scott Evans, Wayne Ohnesorg, Jody Green, Roch Gaussion. Front row (l-r) Kyle Broderick, Matt Sousek, Jeff Culbertson, Kelly Feehan, Kyle Koch, Amy Timmerman, Teri James.
Growing Gardeners Since 1953
Backyard Farmer is a science-based, fun- and fact-filled resource, teaching gardeners how to manage their lawns, landscapes and gardens effectively while being good stewards of the environment. Viewers learn to identify good insects like pollinators, how to protect them, and create habitat for them. They learn integrated disease, pest and weed management techniques, are encouraged to use cultural practices whenever possible. Good lawn management techniques are provided to viewers. Gardeners are encouraged to create diversity in their landscapes using plants that are well-adapted to the climate extremes of the Great Plains. Understanding the do’s and don’ts of attracting or discouraging wildlife in the garden is also a popular topic on the show.
Backyard Farmer is the longest running, locally produced, educational television program in broadcast history.
George Round, former University of Nebraska Director of Communications, and Jack McBride, former Nebraska Educational Television (NET) General Manager, were the creators of Backyard Farmer, which first aired in June 1953. The first panel of UNL experts consisted of host George Round, with Hal Ball, entomologist, John Weihing, plant pathologist, and Wayne Whitney, horticulturist. John Furrer, weed specialist, joined the program later as a regular panelist. Hal Ball was soon followed by Bob Roselle, UNL entomologist, establishing the rotation of retiring staff with new panelists, which continues today.
Backyard Farmer aired locally in Lincoln for about the first twenty years. In 1973, construction of NET’s statewide transmitter was completed, allowing the show to be broadcast statewide. The show celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1973, and was the first NET program aired in color.
Many past panelists were interviewed in 2013 about their experiences on the show for a 60th anniversary documentary - 60 Years and Still Growing.
Now the Backyard Farmer panel is comprised of UNL Extension Specialists, UNL Extension Educators, and UNL Landscape Services professionals. Kim Todd, University of Nebraska - Lincoln Landscape Horticulture Specialist and Extension Specialist, has been the show's host since 2004.
The show is produced by Nebraska Extension and Nebraska Public Media.
Backyard Farmer is THE place to find non-biased, research based garden, lawn and landscape information.