Kansas State University

search

Kansas Profile

Author: Jason Hackett

Eve Albert, Schoen’s Bridal World

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

The wedding gown is gorgeous, white and flowing. Brides will go a long way to find a dress like this one. In this case, the wedding dress came a long way too. This wedding dress is from halfway around the globe, and it is only available in one place in the United States: A bridal shop in the middle of rural Kansas.

Schoen’s Bridal World
Schoen’s Bridal World

Last week we learned about a flower business in Downs. Today we’ll learn of another remarkable business in this community.

Eve Albert is the owner of Schoen’s Bridal World in Downs. Eve is short for Evgeniya.  She is originally from Russia. Eve grew up with an interest in clothing and fashion. She studied clothing design at two colleges in Russia. There she learned about sewing, custom work, and business management. Then she met a Kansan and in 2000, came to America. He was originally from Beloit and was living in Lucas at the time.

In 2009, Eve learned that Schoen’s Bridal World in nearby Downs was up for sale. This business had been founded in 1972. It had been serving brides for more than 30 years. Continue reading “Eve Albert, Schoen’s Bridal World” →

Glennys Doane, Prairie Field Flowers

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Let’s sign up for a subscription – not just for your local newspaper, or for Netflix, or for groceries, but for flowers. Today we’ll meet an entrepreneurial Kansan who is growing beautiful flowers and then distributing them by subscription.

Glennys Doane
Glennys Doane

Glennys Doane is the founder of this innovative business known as Prairie Field Flowers. Glennys and her husband Gary live west of Downs. Gary farms and Glennys is a longtime volunteer in local schools.

Glennys’ mother came from the rural community of Alden, population 148 people. Now, that’s rural. Glennys attended Sterling College and then got a master’s at Kansas State University, where she met Gary.

“My mom always had flowers,” Glennys said. “Gary’s mom always had flowers.” For years, the Doanes sold their own sweet corn direct to consumers from the farmstead west of Downs, so they were used to retail customers. “We enjoy working with the public,” Glennys said. Continue reading “Glennys Doane, Prairie Field Flowers” →

Sandy Kruse, Gypsum Pie Festival and Car Show

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Tasty pies and classic cars. That sounds like a recipe for a fun weekend. Today, we’ll learn about a rural community which combines those things for a big community festival every year.

Sandy Kruse is the mayor of Gypsum, Kansas. She is also a key volunteer with the annual event now known as the Gypsum Pie Festival and Car Show.

Gypsum car show
Gypsum car show

Sandy was born in Salina. In 1961, she and her husband moved to Gypsum where she’s lived ever since. Sandy is now semi-retired from her position as a registered nurse at Tammy Walker Cancer Center in Salina. She was also elected Mayor of Gypsum in 2017.

Several years ago, Sandy and her family had a big Memorial Day picnic. They invited friends to bring their classic cars. It was so much fun that this has become an annual event, put on by a committee of volunteers from the community. Continue reading “Sandy Kruse, Gypsum Pie Festival and Car Show” →

Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations – Part 2

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Lights, camera, action! The cameras roll as the actors say their lines, and the commercial is recorded. That’s a frequent occurrence in a Hollywood studio, but this filming took place in a rural Kansas barn.

Barn in TV commercial
The barn pictured in this photo was selected to be the site for filming of a Coca-Cola commercial

Last week we met Kevin and Julie Kirkwood of Kirkwood Kreations Photography. Kevin and Julie are farmers and award-winning photographers who specialize in farm and ranch landscape scenes.

One day in 2013, Kevin learned of an unusual request. Marci Penner’s Kansas Sampler Foundation and the Kansas Barn Alliance sent the word that a New York film director was looking for a picturesque barn in which to film a Coca-Cola commercial. People were encouraged to submit photos of suitable barns.

Kevin realized that he and Julie had a photo of a barn which would be ideal. The photo had been taken when Kevin was out for a ride in Dickinson County with Julie and her father and stepmother, Larry and Donna Schlappi. “We were drivin’ down some road and as we drove by this barn, Larry said, ‘Hey Julie, your grandfather and your great-grandfather and I used to farm that land and we used that barn,’” Kevin said. Continue reading “Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations – Part 2” →

Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Picture this: Imagine a series of gorgeous images depicting beautiful views of natural landscapes. Today we’ll meet a rural Kansas couple who specialize in producing photographs of beautiful landscapes in Kansas and beyond.

Kevin and Julie Kirkwood
Kevin and Julie Kirkwood

Kevin Kirkwood is the founder of Kirkwood Kreations Photography. Kevin grew up in eastern Kansas and studied farm and ranch management at Colby Community College. In 1996, his daughter was playing club volleyball. As a proud dad, Kevin took photos of her playing. The pictures were so excellent that other parents wanted them.

When it was time for his daughter’s senior pictures, Kevin took those too. They turned out so well that when she showed them to friends at school, her friends wanted Kevin to take their senior pictures as well. This became a side business for Kevin, as he did commercial and sports photography while working in agriculture.

“Rural agriculture has been part of my life for the last 30 years,” Kevin said. He is now plant manager for McGraw Fertilizer in Tonganoxie. His wife Julie grew up in Lawrence, raised her family in Manhattan, and now works at an insurance agency in Lawrence. They live outside Tonganoxie, a rural community of 5,583 people. Now, that’s rural. Continue reading “Kevin and Julie Kirkwood, Kirkwood Kreations” →

Marilyn Jones, Sunflower Theatre

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

This year, 2021, is the national year of the sunflower. That’s nice recognition, especially because the pretty, golden sunflower is the state flower of Kansas. In one rural community, this has served as inspiration for a beautification initiative. Coincidentally, this is also a year when that community is working to save its historic theater downtown. The building is named – what else? – the Sunflower Theatre.

Sunflower Theatre
Sunflower Theatre

Last week, we met Dr. Susan Mayo, who is part of the effort to save the historic Sunflower Theatre in downtown Peabody. Among the others joining in that effort is Marilyn Jones, who has also taken on a project of community beautification.

Marilyn is originally from the rural community of Dexter, population 278 people. Now, that’s rural. After attending Oklahoma State University, she and her husband, Gary, came to Peabody in 1961. That’s where Gary began a long-time career as an ag teacher. Their son, Mike, and daughter, Lynn, earned degrees from Kansas State University. Marilyn operated a greenhouse business in the area for some 55 years before retiring. Continue reading “Marilyn Jones, Sunflower Theatre” →

Susan Mayo, Flint Hills Counterpoint

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Point, counterpoint. That sounds like a debate, but in this case, it uses a term that describes a project which is bringing multiple perspectives together to honor the Flint Hills of Kansas.

Renowned musician Dr. Susan Mayo and multiple county partners have launched a project called Flint Hills Counterpoint.

Dr. Susan Mayo
Dr. Susan Mayo

Susan is originally from Arizona. After studying music in college in California and while performing professionally, she went to Wichita State University to participate in the special music-education program. She later earned a doctorate in cello performance at the University of Kansas and plays cello in the Wichita Symphony.

“We were looking for a place in the country,” Susan said. She and her husband bought 14 acres north of Peabody which serve as home base for her music and composing career. In addition to classical music, she is part of alternative music ensembles that have performed around the world – in places such as Scotland, France and Croatia. Continue reading “Susan Mayo, Flint Hills Counterpoint” →

Laurie Bruce, Bruce’s Bullseye Farms

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Bullseye! That’s what we say when we hit the target right in the center. Today we’ll meet a couple of first-generation farmers who are using the name Bullseye and hitting their target of producing and marketing value-added agricultural products.

Laurie Bruce
Laurie Bruce

Laurie and Joel Bruce are the owners of Bruce’s Bullseye Farms near Augusta. Laurie grew up at Potwin. She met Joel while working in El Dorado, and they married, moving to follow his job in the pipeline industry.

“We came back to Kansas,” Laurie said. “This is where we wanted to put down our roots.”

Joel got a job with Kansas Gas Service. After being a stay-at-home mom, Laurie earned an education degree at Wichita State and became a teacher.

They knew they wanted to live in the country. In 2000, they bought a house and one acre in Butler County. In 2013, they bought an 80-acre tract and expanded that a few years later. Continue reading “Laurie Bruce, Bruce’s Bullseye Farms” →

Collen and Mike McGee, Rowantree Farm

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

Would you like to hear a yarn? Today we’ll meet a Kansas family that has established a farm of specialty animals producing fiber which can be woven into yarn and other products.

Collen and Mike McGee (and Iona the goat)
From left, Collen and Mike McGee (and Iona the goat)

Collen and Mike McGee are the owners of Rowantree Farm near Abilene. Collen grew up in Washington state, served in the military, and joined the civil service after military retirement. Then she met and married Mike, who also served in the Army.

“In 2014, Fort Riley called,” Collen said. She had the opportunity to join the public affairs office, and Mike had the opportunity to be a counselor at Fort Riley, so they drove to Kansas. “Our first stop was at Milford Lake,” Collen recalled. “We said, ‘Yes, we could live here.’”

Collen and Mike decided they wanted a more rural lifestyle, so they found a place to live outside of Abilene. It had a building and livestock pens where they began their farm. The McGees named their farm Rowantree Farm, which is a play on Collen’s maiden name of Roundtree. Continue reading “Collen and Mike McGee, Rowantree Farm” →

Ann White, Vermillion Valley Equine Center

Posted on by Jason Hackett

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.

All-American. That designation is for the highest level of collegiate sports performance.  Today we’ll learn about a rural Kansas woman who founded a business that is helping create All-Americans in the sport of equestrian riding.

Ann White, daughter Alice White
Ann White, daughter Alice White

Ann White is the founder and owner of Vermillion Valley Equine Center near Belvue. Ann grew up in Manhattan and loved horses as a girl. “My parents were not into horses, but they allowed me to have riding lessons,” Ann said. Horses became her passion. She started traveling and training horses and riders, particularly in the English style of riding.

Ann went to Kansas State University and met Mike White. They married, and she moved onto his family farm, named Vermillion Valley Farms. “I had been traveling around to train horses, but when I started having children, I did the training here (at the farm),” she said. “I didn’t really think people would come clear out here but they did, and now I think our rural setting is one of the biggest draws.” Continue reading “Ann White, Vermillion Valley Equine Center” →