Better Kansas - Ideas for Living, Growing and Succeeding

Better Kansas – May 13, 2021

Posted on May 13, 2021May 12, 2021 by Mary Lou Peter

To our readers: It’s with mixed feelings that I share that this is my last Better Kansas blog post. After 22 years (two years writing the blog), I’m retiring from Kansas State University. I’ve had wonderful experiences and met so many terrific people on this journey and for that, I’m forever grateful. It’s been a privilege and great fun to share with you some of the resources K-State Research and Extension offers. I’ll say it one more time, if you’re not familiar with your local extension office’s programs and services, check them out. I’m told that my KSU email will remain active, so I’d be honored to hear from you.

— Thank you all, Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

This week in Better Kansas, we touch on communicating with children, including teenagers, using available technology to prepare for emergencies, butterfly gardens and other plant topics, generic drugs in livestock, and a full slate of wheat variety plot tours. This is just a small glimpse of what K-State Research and Extension has to offer. Check with your local office to find out what programs and services are available in your area.

Better Living, Better Communities

EVER NEED SUGGESTIONS ABOUT TALKING WITH TEENAGERS? OR REALLY, CHILDREN OF ANY AGE? Maybe it’s just me but parenting isn’t always sweetness and light. It’s downright difficult at times. K-State’s Wildcat Extension District has assembled wonderful resources to help parents at all stages. Some originated with specialists at other land grant universities, such as the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and Purdue, but as mentioned before, that’s the beauty of the Cooperative Extension System – we all share! Take a look.

I’M PRETTY SURE IT WAS THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE my children and I experienced in 1989. Remember that? During the Bay Bridge World Series? Ever since, I’ve been interested in emergency preparedness education. And does life ever bring us our share of emergencies, from power outages to flooded basements to storms that affect whole communities. One of my colleagues recently shared tips that can help mitigate the difficulties after disasters. Take a look at Simple steps now can make recovering from emergencies easier to learn more. And check out the Prepare Kansas blog for even more information to help keep you and yours (plus your data) safe.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

EVERY YEAR I INTEND TO DO MORE TO SUPPORT BUTTERFLIES, those fragile gorgeous creatures that flit from one plant to another in my dab of a backyard. For simple suggestions to get started, watch the video on Butterfly Gardens, one of the many resources shared in the weekly Horticulture Newsletter. If you enjoy your garden and the creatures that come visit, consider subscribing. It’s free and full of great information shared by really smart people who study these topics for a living.

AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER, FOR US OR OUR ANIMALS, we’re faced with choosing between a brand name drug or a generic. Not a topic I see written about or discussed often, so I found this article about creating generic drugs for use in food animals interesting. It was produced as part of Cattle Chat, a weekly podcast and news article featuring veterinarians at K-State’s Beef Cattle Institute.

WHETHER A VETERAN WHEAT GROWER OR EARLY CAREER FARMER, you’ll no doubt find something to like (and maybe learn) at one of the many wheat variety plot tours planned in locations all over the state from now into June. And we’re more than a bit excited that we can see you in person! Don’t get me wrong, Zoom and other virtual ways to learn are terrific, but we’re happy to see you and converse in a safe way. Take a look at the schedule and don’t delay: They’ve already started.

Again, many thanks for sharing a few moments with me every week.

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 – May 6, 2021

Posted on May 6, 2021May 5, 2021 by Mary Lou Peter

This week in Better Kansas I touch on food safety guidance for food stands and bake sales, wheat gluten, Garden Hour webinars, crop scout training and drought as it relates to ranch management. 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

WE’RE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL … SORT OF. At least we’re now able to hold (and attend) some events, and where there are events, there is food, right? The Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention all recently reaffirmed there is no evidence of COVID-19 transmission via food or food packaging. But for those of us who organize or work food stands and bake sales, K-State Research and Extension has developed recommendations for COVID safety to help mitigate the virus’s transmission from one person to another. If your church, school or community is planning an event, take a look at Safety guidance for food stands and bake sales in 2021. For other food topics, see the food safety web page. And please, stay safe out there.

WHEN STROLLING GROCERY STORE AISLES it doesn’t take long to find a food product labeled “gluten free.” But what is gluten, really? And why should we care? Is it really something to avoid? After all, it gives breads and other baked products their elastic, chewy properties. That makes me think of yummy bagels! Take a look at Gluten and Your Gut’s Good Health for more information about wheat gluten itself, plus facts about celiac disease and other conditions.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

I’M WONDERING HOW MANY OF YOU MOSTLY IGNORED YOUR INDOOR CHORES THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKENDS, and instead took advantage of gorgeous weather to plant flowers and vegetables? I certainly did! For you like-minded spirits, the popular K-State Garden Hour webinars will continue through the summer and into fall. New topics are featured the first and third Wednesday each month from 12-1 p.m. Take a little break, have a bite to eat and learn about such topics as:

May 19 – Xeriscaping – Beautiful Landscapes with Less Water

June 2 – Effective Irrigation

June 16 – Native Plants to Support Native Bees

Aug. 4 – Organic Gardening

Aug. 18 – Gardening with Beneficial Insects

Sept. 1 – Basics of Growing Berries in Kansas

One-step registration allows your participation in any of the 2021 K-State Garden Hour series and provides access to previously recorded webinars, plus resources you may have missed. Check it out.

FARMERS KNOW THE VALUE OF KEEPING A CLOSE, WELL-TRAINED EYE ON THEIR FIELDS, watching for signs of pests, diseases and other problems that can eat into their crops and profits. To help keep those eyes well trained, a team of crop protection specialists at 11 Midwest universities including K-State, have now come together to produce the 2021 Virtual Crop Scout School free to the public. Read about it in a recent edition of the Agronomy eUpdate, which also touches on cotton stand establishment, stripe rust update in wheat, soybean seeding rates, effect of row spacing on soy yield, and facts about lightning (and staying safe).

I’M A NATIVE KANSAN BUT NEVER KNEW THAT OUR STATE IS LIKELY TO HAVE A DROUGHT THREE OUT OF 10 YEARS. Now that I think of it, that sounds right. When 2021 began, more than 81% of Kansas was experiencing some level of drought. Conditions have improved, however, with the April 29, 2021 U.S. Drought Monitor showing only western Kansas, or about 36% of the state in abnormally dry to severe drought conditions. Read about drought monitoring and ranch management in the May Beef Tips newsletter. Other topics this month cover cleaning winter feeding sites to reduce stable flies and nutrient runoff, the spring breeding season, and mineral supplements. In terms of drought, keep an eye on the western U.S. and the Corn Belt.

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

https://enewsletters.k-state.edu/beeftips/category/may-2021/

Better Kansas – April 29, 2021

Posted on April 29, 2021April 28, 2021 by Mary Lou Peter

In this week’s Better Kansas, we take a look at how trails can lead to economic development, foods that fight inflammation, sweet potato bread, the surprising benefits of a healthy lawn, soybean planting considerations and a handy way to track precipitation across the state. 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

ONE THING THIS PANDEMIC SPARKED IS THAT MORE PEOPLE SEEM TO BE OUT WALKING, jogging, and bicycling than ever before. My neighborhood is pleasant but walking the same streets for so many years gets a little repetitious, so it’s nice to explore different trails in the area. Communities across the country are using peoples’ interest in exploring trails to help fuel economic activity as well as community pride and mental and physical health. An example of how that’s working in Ottawa, Kansas was featured in a recent First Friday e-Call on the role of trails in community development and in an article posted online. Exploring a new trail followed by a little shopping and pleasant dinner in a new community sounds good to me!

INFLAMMATION HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR BODIES as it often signals that we’re fighting the effects of arthritis, an injury or infection. But when inflammation becomes chronic, it’s literally a pain and can take such a toll on our daily lives. What we eat can help mitigate inflammation, however. Take a look at Top 10 foods that fight inflammation. I KNEW there was a reason I like almonds and dark chocolate … especially together! That whole portion control thing is another topic.

SWEET POTATOES IN BREAD? MAYBE A WIN-WIN! Mostly in Better Kansas, I feature the work of K-State researchers and educators. Occasionally, however, the work of other universities catches my eye and that’s what happened when I read about work done at South Dakota State University, another land grant school doing great work, this time incorporating sweet potato puree into bread. It adds Vitamin A and changes the starch composition by increasing the fiber content. Read about how that might be beneficial for those dealing with diabetes. I’ve become a big fan of sweet potatoes in pretty much every form, so this just reinforces my interest.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

WHAT HELPS KEEP US COOLER IN SUMMER, FILTERS CONTAMINANTS AND REDUCES NOISE? The answer is surprisingly simple: a healthy lawn. Plus, it looks beautiful, feels great and smells good, especially right after mowing. Take a look at Benefits of Healthy Turfgrass to learn more surprising positives about something that many of us take for granted. I once lived in northern California, where water is often scarce. Some of my neighbors had resorted to a front yard full of rocks and a back yard of concrete or artificial turfgrass. It was understandable but for this native Midwesterner, it reinforced a feeling of being a stranger in a strange land. More information about planting and maintaining healthy lawns is also available on the Turfgrass and landscape blog.

LUCKILY FOR SOYBEAN GROWERS, THOSE BEANS CAN BE PLANTED OVER A WIDE RANGE OF DATES, but they’re a little finicky about soil temperatures. Kansas growers are tending to plant slightly earlier than they used to. A recent Agronomy eUpdate article covers K-State recommendations for soybean planting dates and maturity groups and offers visually descriptive maps. As of the week ending April 25, Kansas producers had planted 2% of the soybean crop which was equal to last year and near the 1% average, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Soil moisture, another critical component of a successful crop, was generally rated adequate to surplus. Topsoil was rated 5% surplus, 76% adequate, 13% short and 6% very short. Subsoil moisture was rated 5% surplus, 73% adequate, 14% short and 8% very short.

KANSAS MESONET NOW HAS A NEW TOOL THAT TRACKS THE NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE DAYS we’ve had across the state without precipitation. That’s helpful for farmers, gardeners, homeowners and other weather watchers. The Consecutive Days without Precip page takes the guesswork out of trying to remember if that quarter inch shower was two weeks ago Friday … or was it the previous Tuesday? A recent Kansas Farmer magazine article highlighted the new feature.

Better Kansas – April 22, 2021

Posted on April 22, 2021April 20, 2021 by Mary Lou Peter

Today, in Better Kansas we touch on personal financial information, cooking with kids, red mulch and tomatoes, Kansas farmland values and stripe rust in wheat. This is a small glimpse of what K-State Research and Extension across the state has to offer. Please share on social media and subscribe! – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

WE’RE STILL DEALING WITH A PANDEMIC and it’s still wreaking havoc on many Kansans’ financial situations. Some have lost jobs or closed businesses. Even if they have found other work, they may have had to cobble two part-time positions together to come close to what they were making before. Others are still looking. For good times and bad, the Financially Speaking web page has resources focused on supporting the financial health and wellness of Kansans and their communities. Topics of written articles and videos include credit reports, the pandemic and student loans, coronavirus scams, shopping on a budget and much more. Take a look.

WHETHER IT’S PLAYING WITH THE MEASURING CUPS OR MIXING UP COOKIE DOUGH, KIDS LOVE TO BE IN THE KITCHEN. It seems like many children who learn to cook with a parent or grandparent go on to enjoy cooking and baking through adulthood. If you’re looking for ways to engage children in the kitchen, including simple recipes to make together plus nutrition and food safety information, take a look at the Kids a Cookin’ website. It includes videos, plus recipe cards, cooking terminology, money saving tips, how to use appliances safely and more. I mentioned a few weeks ago that children who help grow their own food are more likely to at least try tasting those foods. I think the same principle applies here.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

ONE OF THE MORE FASCINATING THINGS I’VE LEARNED about gardening in recent years, is that using red plastic mulch around tomato plants increases production of marketable fruit, compared with rolling out the black plastic mulch. That increase can average 12%! For a detailed look at how home gardeners can install it, see the April 20 Horticulture Newsletter. It includes brief entries on other topics also such as sharpening mower blades, pesky orchardgrass in tall fescue lawns, fertilizing strawberries, and more. It even explains and shows the difference between an ant and a termite.

DO YOU WONDER WHAT FARMLAND IN YOUR AREA IS SELLING FOR? OR WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR COUSIN’S IRRIGATED LAND IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS? There’s plenty of variability in land values, based on region, productivity level, and local demand, so it’s hard to interpret an average for the value of farmland across our state. But we know that the price of non-irrigated farmland (most of Kansas) was $2,032 per acre in 2020, up slightly from 2019 but down 3.9% from the five-year average. The average price for irrigated cropland was $3,247 per acre, up from 2019 and 1.5% above the five-year average. Take a look at Kansas Agriculture and Land Values for 2020 for a summary of agriculture last year and a detailed look at farmland values right down to the regional and county level.

STRIPE RUST, A COMMON FOE OF WHEAT is beginning to show up in southeast Kansas wheat fields. Though observance of the disease is low right now, stripe rust, which can easily cut yields by 40% and even destroy an entire crop, is expected to expand. That’s according to a recent Agronomy eUpdate article. Take a look for great pictures of what to look for, and even where to look, depending on your crop’s stage of development. If you find it in your crop, send an email to extension plant pathologist Kelsey Andersen Onofre at andersenk@ksu.edu, who’s tracking the disease.

K-State Research and Extension