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Better Kansas – Ideas for Living, Growing and Succeeding

Month: December 2020

Better Kansas – Dec. 17, 2020

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

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Better Kansas – Dec. 17, 2020

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL OF US AT K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION! I’ve enjoyed providing glimpses of what our folks across the state have to offer over this past, rather challenging year. Check out your local office for a lot more. I’m taking a break for a couple of weeks but look forward to being back with you on Jan. 7 in what we all hope is a better year.

In today’s Better Kansas, I address the benefits of sitting down for family meals, ageism, what to do with that fresh Christmas tree after the holidays, staying connected with all things crops and calving schools. This is a small glimpse of what K-State Research and Extension across the state has to offer. Share on social media and subscribe and as always, I appreciate your feedback. – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME FOR FAMILIES TO SIT DOWN FOR MEALS TOGETHER, it’s during this pandemic. I know that watching your toddler put peas up his nose and listening to your tween complain about online classes does not necessarily spell fun on a daily basis, but there truly are benefits to this ritual. The opportunity to help kids develop healthier eating habits and give young children a chance to build conversational skills and to be heard are just some. And studies show benefits beyond that – better mental health for your kiddos, fewer depressive symptoms for teens, and better grades. Check out The Science of Family Mealtime to learn more. I was aware of “mindfulness” before, but “scaffolding” as a way to learn was a new one for me. Family mealtimes were important when I was raising my kids (and yes, occasionally it was McDonald’s or pizza), but I didn’t know the science behind it. Now, I do.

I’VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT AGEISM IN RECENT YEARS, WHICH PROBABLY says something about where I am in life. Just like sexism, racism, and other forms of bias or discrimination, ageism can be so veiled and such a part of our everyday culture that it’s often not even recognized – unless you or someone you know is negatively impacted. From my perspective, everyone is negatively impacted. Listen in to a recent Sound Living radio interview with specialists on aging and gerontology from three universities as they discuss the consequences of ageism, implicit bias and how extension systems are working to better serve older adults.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

I’VE HEARD THAT SALES OF FRESH CHRISTMAS TREES have been unusually brisk this year. Maybe it’s because we’ve wanted to get outside and do SOMETHING and even picking out a fresh tree from a lot – or better yet, a farm – is a lot more of an experience than dragging the artificial ….. excuse me, faux Christmas tree …. out of the basement. But what to do with that fresh tree after the holiday season? Some municipalities will collect them curbside, but they can also become part of the circle of life, so to speak, meaning they can be sunk in a pond or lake to provide fish habitat, or moved outdoors to provide winter cover for birds. Take a look at the recent extension Horticulture Newsletter for more tips plus information on caring for fruit baskets, storing pecans and other nuts and a link to a video about the dilemma of low light for indoor plants and what to do about it. You might also enjoy this article from the New York Times.

 

WITH IN-PERSON EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES SEVERELY CURTAILED as COVID-19 settled over the U.S. this year, it became clear that the tech savvy folks had an advantage over the rest of us. The K-State extension agronomy team was already using social media and other digital platforms to reach agricultural audiences and were able to pivot and build on that expertise, and offer a broad array of research-based information to crop producers, grain processors, agricultural lenders, equipment manufacturers and other related industries through the weekly eUpdate newsletter, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more. Take a look at a recent Agronomy eUpdate article to learn more. Pretty impressive, especially for someone who doesn’t know her platforms from her filters from her domains!

ONE THING’S FOR SURE DESPITE THIS PANDEMIC, COWS WILL BE CALVING SOON! And it won’t be long before our Kansas landscape will be dotted with cows and their babies. Love that sight. That means it’s time for 2021 Calving Schools which start in early January:

Wed., Jan. 6 – Emporia – Contact Brian Rees brees@k-state.edu

Mon., Jan. 11 – Winfield – Contact Kelsey Nordyke klnordyke@ksu.edu

Wed., Jan. 13 – Blue Rapids – Contact Anastasia Johnson Meyer anastasia@ksu.edu

Thurs., Jan. 21 – Dodge City – Contact Andrea Burns aburns@ksu.edu

Speakers include K-State Research and Extension veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff, who will outline overall calving management including stages of normal calving and tips to handle difficult situations. Presenters will demonstrate proper use of calving equipment and other topics, depending on site. Check out the possibilities.

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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/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better Kansas – Dec. 10, 2020

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Header image for the Better Kansas Blog

In today’s Better Kansas, we shine a light on new virtual sessions aimed at helping those in our pandemic pods make the most of being together, reaching out to elderly friends and relatives, the new Seek research magazine, birdwatching and feeding, the outlook for the spring wildfire season, facial recognition technology for cattle and the 2021 Swine Profitability Conference. 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 ALL DOING OUR BEST TO STAY POSITIVE DURING THIS PANDEMIC, RIGHT? Sometimes out of bad things come good things. For some, it’s a lot of together time with family and others in our pods. But even for the closest friends and family, it’s a lot of togetherness. To help make this time … or any time … better, a new program, Living Well Together is launching this week and will continue at least into March. The one-hour online sessions (45 minutes with 15 minutes for Q&A) will cover topics ranging from the benefits of playing board games, the Mediterranean eating style, exercise as medicine, diabetes prevention, checking your credit, family mealtime fun and more. The sessions are free and will be recorded, but do require registration. Check it out.

 

ON THE OTHER HAND, MANY OF US HAVE ELDERLY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES who we’ve not been able to visit in months because of COVID-19. It’s especially difficult during this holiday season. If I feel that it’s hard to differentiate one day from another because I’m working from home, I can’t imagine what it must be like to be confined to my room or apartment, day in and day out with little social interaction for months on end. For ideas on how to reach out to loved ones during this most challenging of times, take a look or listen in to Apart but connected: Stay in Touch with older adults. My sister has come up with a way for our extended family to add a little cheer to a relative who’s in assisted living. Different parts of our family will soon gather outside her building and though separated as families, will sing Christmas carols to our much-loved relative. We’re hoping to add a little cheer to her neighbors as well.

 

A NEW EDITION OF THE AWARD-WINNING SEEK RESEARCH MAGAZINE IS OUT with well written features and great photography of K-State’s work in affordable, sustainable housing, industrial hemp, and COVID-19. Another feature takes a look at the university’s notable research milestones over the past 10 years and short entries shine a brief spotlight on other activities. For a glimpse of what your land grant university is doing, take a look.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

I’VE WRITTEN BEFORE ABOUT THE SIMPLE JOY OF BIRDWATCHING, and of course it helps to feed the particular birds you’d like to watch. It’s fun to watch the pecking order of birds landing at the feeder. It’s not just chickens that have a hierarchy! BUT I haven’t filled my birdfeeders in weeks because every time I do, lately, the squirrels seem to invite their siblings, friends and distant relatives to my back yard for dinner. Apparently, they didn’t get the word about social distancing. A friend loaned a (humane) trap so I could catch and relocate but they’ve been too smart to enter, no matter what treats I’ve tempted them with. I may buy squirrel baffles – you know those big plastic domes – but in the meantime, I’m going to try sprinkling a particular spice in with the bird seed. Take a look at Problems at the Bird Feeder, one of several Backyard Birding Guides.

 

MENTION WILDFIRE SEASON and the average person may think of California and Oregon … maybe Colorado. But Kansas is developing a wildfire reputation of its own. Two of the state’s largest wildfires in recorded history occurred in the past five years. Many of us remember the Anderson Creek fire that burned nearly 400,000 acres in Oklahoma and Kansas, and the Starbuck fire that burned 660,000 acres – both of which cost millions in property damage, the huge loss of livestock and the death of a truck driver. That means many a property owner is keeping an even closer eye on conditions that would be conducive to these destructive fires. Take a look at the 2021 Spring Wildfire Outlook for Kansas to get an idea how things are shaping up for the coming year. Lest we think that no one pays attention to Kansas, I found that The New Yorker Magazine and CNN, plus numerous newspapers, radio and television stations across the state did an incredible job of bringing information to the attention of many of us who don’t live in the affected areas.

ALL CATTLE LOOK THE SAME, RIGHT? NOT EXACTLY. Just ask their mamas! Take a look at a video about new facial recognition technology research for cattle that could aid the industry in various ways. That includes biosecurity such as protection against the spread of a foreign animal disease and could be beneficial to a national animal disease traceability system. For a written article and radio interview on this smartphone app, take a look at K-State team eyes facial recognition technology for cattle.

 

THE 2021 K-STATE SWINE PROFITABILITY CONFERENCE, which annually showcases the status of the U.S. and global swine industry and updates producers on developments affecting their profitability, has been postponed to Feb. 1, 2022 because of … you know … COVID-19. For a look at the last conference held earlier this year and to get a flavor of the types of presentations attendees hear, take a look at the Swine Profitability Conference page. The last conference drew more than 150 participants.

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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/

Better Kansas – Dec. 3, 2020

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Header image for the Better Kansas Blog

In today’s Better Kansas, we share another K-State-KU collaboration – this time to prevent Type 2 diabetes, recycling know-how, things to know about common household chemicals, houseplants, herbicide-resistant grain sorghum hybrids and the Dec. 10 Winter Forage Conference. 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

THE WILDCATS AND JAYHAWKS ARE AT IT AGAIN!

K-State Research and Extension and the University of Kansas Medical Center are teaming up to determine the best ways to educate Kansans about how to prevent Type 2 diabetes. The effort is starting with a pilot project in Lyon County and the Central Kansas Extension District (Saline and Ottawa counties). Diabetes can lead to heart and blood vessel disease, nerve damage, eye diseases and other physical complications. But people who make certain lifestyle changes can cut their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58% — and by 71% for people over 60, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This pairing, KUMC and K-State, makes so much sense. An amazing medical research and teaching facility and an outstanding university research and outreach organization with local offices in every Kansas county whose mission is to provide research-based information. Seems like a natural to me.

 

IT’S BEEN AWHILE SINCE I’VE SEEN ANYTHING IN THE NEWS ABOUT RECYCLING, save some pretty compelling CBS news reports. We’ve had some other news dominating the headlines lately, but it’s hard to unthink that image of acres of floating plastic in the ocean. It’s difficult to imagine our lives without plastic. From milk containers to toothbrushes to bubble wrap and plastic peanuts surrounding holiday gifts – even car components and that Christmas wreath on my front door (yes, it’s fake), plastic is everywhere. Don’t know your #3s from your #7s? The short article It’s Easy to be Green sheds light on the differences and although written a few years back, is a good reminder to be conscious of what we’re buying and how we’re disposing of it. Now, if only I could remember to take those reusable cloth bags into the grocery store. But then, with COVID-19, not all grocery stores are allowing that. Such a dilemma!

 

SOMETIMES WE MAY BE A LITTLE COMPLACENT ABOUT THE CHEMICALS UNDER THE KITCHEN OR BATHROOM SINK, but listening to this short radio snippet Insight With Extension reminded me how dangerous some of those chemicals can be. That’s especially true if they get mixed together. For instance, mixing chlorine bleach and vinegar, two items commonly found in households, should never be done as it creates potentially lethal chlorine gas. And mixing bleach and ammonia? Forget about it! Listen in for more.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

I’VE READ THAT HOUSEPLANTS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK which is great news, from my perspective. My daughter even asked for one for Christmas. Maybe it’s something to do with the pandemic but for whatever reason, it’s nice to have greenery in our homes year ‘round. And there are so many to choose from! Whether you’re a veteran at nurturing houseplants or considering your very first one, check out this video with print transcript on providing TLC to the leafy green companions that share your home. This reminds me of Swedish ivy trailing from macramé hangers but again, I digress. It turns out some plants are a little picky about temperatures and light. Take a look at a recent Horticulture newsletter to learn more about that and other topics.

CRABGRASS, KOCHIA AND SHATTERCANE BEWARE. These and other weeds are threats to grain sorghum (aka milo) yields. But a recent update on herbicide-resistant grain sorghum hybrids sorts through new hybrids sporting the traits iGrowth, Inzen and Double Play and provides information on what companies developed them. The article also addresses the stages of approval and availability. That’s important for Kansas, the No. 1 sorghum growing state. Did you know one bushel of grain sorghum equals 56 pounds? Or that grain sorghum is one of the oldest known grains, originating in Africa and India?

 

LANDOWNERS AND CATTLE PRODUCERS TAKE NOTE: THE WINTER FORAGE CONFERENCE ON DEC. 10 in Great Bend has both online and in-person options available. An impressive lineup of K-State specialists, USDA, and industry speakers will address the latest research, plus pasture management, weed control, alfalfa information and hay prices and statistics. The conference is offered by K-State and the Kansas Forage and Grassland Council. Registration is free to KSFGC members whose membership extends into 2021 and includes a noon meal. For details, take a look.

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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/