Better Kansas – Ideas for Living, Growing and Succeeding

Tag: Kansas PRIDE

Better Kansas – Nov. 19, 2020

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In today’s Better Kansas, we touch on holiday food preparation, Kansas PRIDE happenings, produce contributions feeding the hungry, dry to drought conditions across the state, sorghum product advances (more about feeding the hungry) and a change in pest management schools. This is a small glimpse of what K-State Research and Extension across the state has to offer.

I am taking a break next week to try out some of these holiday tips I’ve been sharing and to give thanks – for my family, friends, colleagues, readers and while we’re at it, food, shelter, health, a nice fall day …. I could go on and on! HAPPY THANKSGIVING and as always, feel free to share on social media and subscribe! – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

TURKEYS, STUFFING AND TURDUCKENS, OH MY! In looking for info for the other part of my job (writing and editing news articles), I happened upon a full page dedicated to preparing holiday foods. Us being a university and all, it’s mostly links to good information about research-based food safety, but there are also a few basic recipes. Many of the resources are available in both English and Spanish. And YES, under “Seasonal Food Safety” there really is a fact sheet about how to safely prepare turducken. I didn’t realize until now that we have Louisianans to thank for those layered turkey-duck-chicken creations. Also, don’t miss the USDA Hotline Answers. Isn’t accidentally cooking the bag of giblets in the turkey a rite of passage for novice cooks?!

 

AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE KANSAS PRIDE PROGRAM as it celebrates its 50th anniversary of helping make communities across the state better. In the November PRIDE newsletter we can read about (or listen to) a Kansas Profile column on the restoration of the high school in Lecompton, Kansas (pictured), which now serves as the community center, library, physical activity and meeting venue. Plus, learn about ways volunteers in Potwin, Riverton, Galena, Wichita, Ellis and Conway Springs are working to make their communities better. Don’t miss “If It Is To Be, It Is Up To Me.” And for those of you on social media, Kansas PRIDE is also on Facebook.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

K-STATE’S OLATHE HORTICULTURE CENTER is at it again – teaming up with non-profit After the Harvest to help feed hungry families in the Kansas City metro area. And this time, we’re on television! After the Harvest has volunteer “gleaners” who travel to the university’s horticulture center and other farms in the area to harvest fresh produce that was missed or – in the university’s case – not needed for research. That fresh, nutritious food – thousands of pounds of it – is then distributed to families in need through Harvester’s, a regional food bank serving 26 counties in northeastern Kansas and northwestern Missouri. Read about this effort plus current research in fruits and vegetables, turfgrass, work with Growing Growers and more in the Olathe Horticulture Center Fall 2020 Newsletter. And watch upcoming issues of this blog for updates on Kansas Extension Master Gardeners’ (aka EMGs) generous efforts across the state.

 

SPEAKING OF HUNGRY PEOPLE, researchers here in Kansas are working to better utilize Kansas crops – corn, soybeans, wheat and sorghum – to feed hungry populations around the world AND give Kansas agriculture an economic boost. Take a look at Sorghum grain provides answers for food shortages to learn how fortified food products can alleviate hunger and add high caloric value to support early development in young children. Given that Kansas grows by far more sorghum than any other state, this effort and work like this is beneficial for the world’s growing population and for the agricultural economy right here at home.

KANSAS, LIKE MANY STATES, IS DRY, with 12% in severe or worse drought as of Nov. 10. The rest of the state, save some southern counties, was in the abnormally dry to moderate drought category, according to a K-State e-Update article and the U.S. Drought Monitor. For an update on how dry conditions and fall temperatures have affected our important winter wheat crop, take a look at Factors to Consider in Winter Survival of Wheat. For the record, USDA/NASS reported that the state’s newly planted winter wheat was rated 32% good to excellent, 45% fair, and 23% poor to very poor as of Nov. 15. A total of 88% of the new crop had emerged. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 23% very short, 41% short, 35% adequate and 1% surplus, while subsoil moisture – you know, down where those plant roots are looking for it – was rated 22% very short, 43% short, 34% adequate and 1% surplus.

CHANGE IN PLANS! LAST WEEK I BROUGHT YOU INFORMATION ABOUT PEST MANAGEMENT SCHOOLS PLANNED FOR DECEMBER. They will still be held but because of the surge in coronavirus cases in Kansas and elsewhere, they will be in a virtual format rather than in-person as previously planned. Take a look to sign up for this valuable training.

For more resources and activities, contact the K-State Research and Extension office in your area. Check out our other blogs and subscribe to our weekly emails here: https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/blogs/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better Kansas – Oct. 8, 2020

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In today’s Better Kansas, we shine a light 😊on our need for Vitamin D, community activities and resources, making a spending plan for the holidays, peonies, a crop insurance workshop and a cool video of a family farm’s wheat harvest. This is a small glimpse of what K-State Research and Extension across the state has to offer. Share on social media and subscribe! – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

DO YOU HAVE A “D” PROBLEM? As in Vitamin D? Apparently, many of us do. We get Vitamin D primarily from exposure to the sun. It’s important for bone health and plays a role in our immune systems and our resistance to diabetes. Unlike many other vitamins, there are few ways to get it through foods, unless they’ve been fortified with it. Foods that offer it naturally are certain yeasts and plants, plus oily fish such as mackerel, tuna and salmon. Foods that are sometimes fortified with it are milk, butter, cereals, bread, yogurt and orange juice. Take a look at Vitamin D: From Sunshine to Supplements to learn more. With daylight growing shorter and shorter, this may be the most important time of year to think about how to ensure we’re getting enough of this vital nutrient.

 

A RECENT KANSAS PRIDE NEWSLETTER reminds us of the many things volunteers all over the state are doing to make their communities better places to live, work and play. Blue Rapids is enhancing a park, Hugoton is working to bring its theater back to life and Osawatomie had 30 volunteers come out for a park cleanup. Check out the PRIDE newsletter for information about an Oct. 15 webinar by the Kansas League of Municipalities, upcoming grant writing workshops, funding sources and more.

By the way, though it’s not small or rural, my own hometown is capitalizing on our national love of tacos with the Kansas City, Kansas Taco Trail. What a great way to draw people to businesses in the community! Somehow I missed that Oct. 4 was National Taco Day, according to whomever deems such things so. But then, isn’t every day, taco day?

 

COVID OR NO, ONE THING’S CERTAIN, the holidays will still come. And with those holidays often come expectations. Not that we haven’t already scaled back our ideas of gatherings and gift giving. But with so many experiencing job losses, business disruptions, reduced income and other challenges linked to the pandemic, we may be tested this winter like rarely before. Now’s the time to start planning and communicating with family and friends about expectations and traditions. Maybe this is the year for a changeup. An article and radio interview K-State expert urges families to make spending plan for the holidays can get you started. I’m already trying to figure out how to replace an annual trip with family to view decorated homes in a quaint community near Kansas City. We’ll figure out something and I’ll bet you can, too.

 Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

IT’S NOT TOO LATE to plant peonies for gorgeous blooms next year and years to come. Take a look at Fall is the Best Time to Add Peonies to the Garden for a short primer on planting new peonies, dividing mature plants, bloom time and different varieties. I found it interesting to learn that peonies sometimes prompt memories of others because they always make me think of a brother-in-law who passed away not long ago. We were different in so many ways but enjoyed talking about growing things and feeding the birds. It was our way of finding common ground – something that’s good for all of us to work on.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE INS AND OUTS and seemingly endless changes to crop insurance is part of managing risk in modern farming. To help keep farmers up on the latest developments, including weather and climate issues, a farm bill update, grain and livestock outlooks, government programs and other topics, consider attending the Kansas Crop Insurance Workshop Oct. 21 in Salina. The event is at the Tony’s Pizza Event Center, where precautions are planned to keep conference speakers and attendees safe from COVID-19.

 

WE OFTEN BRING YOU INFORMATION ABOUT WHEAT RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT AND OTHER TOPICS, but today take a look at this video of the 2020 wheat harvest on the LaRosh Family Farm in Osborne County, Kansas (the ads ahead of it are pretty short). It’s a really nice portrayal of the several late June days of harvest on one family’s farm. If you grew up on a farm, it will be nostalgic. If you didn’t, it will make you wish you had. I wonder where all of that wheat will go? In loaves of bread baked in Florida? Or Sweden? Or Taiwan? Fun to think about.

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For more resources and activities, contact the K-State Research and Extension office in your area. Check out our other blogs and subscribe to our weekly emails here: https://www.ksre.k-state.edu/news/blogs/