Better Kansas - Ideas for Living, Growing and Succeeding

Better Kansas – August 15, 2019

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Mary Lou Peter

Welcome to Better Kansas. Where every Thursday we shed light on events, resources and other information designed to make your life, businesses, communities and state better. Don’t forget to hit subscribe! – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

IT SEEMS WAY TOO EARLY TO SAY IT, BUT THOSE KIDDOS ARE STARTING BACK TO SCHOOL and the fall routine has begun. Now it’s time to think about football practice, band concerts and SNACKS! Keeping a supply of healthy and easy after-school treats helps children get needed nutrients, maintain a healthy weight and curbs a growling tummy. Snacks shouldn’t replace a meal, so using snack-sized bags can help with portion control. Tips to help be mindful of sugar, fiber, protein and calories can be found in After School Snacks .. Part of Good Nutrition. For a fun, colorful item you may want to print out and put on your refrigerator, check out Nature’s Fast Food: Fruits and Vegetables for tips on making “Ants on a Log” (celery with peanut butter and raisins) and more.

I realized long ago that if I cut the grapes into smaller clumps before putting them in the fridge, we were more apt to eat them. It seems so simple but it makes taking a few that much easier.

CHOICES IN LIFE ARE GOOD but some can be baffling in the most unlikely of places. Like a simple trip to the store to pick up light bulbs. Easy, right? Then turn the corner and there’s a mile-long aisle devoted to LEDs, CFLs and incandescents. Dimmable or no? Soft light or harsh? Ok, maybe they don’t call it harsh, but my front porch looks like an interrogation room because I bought a brighter bulb than I needed. I’m not dragging that pesky ladder out again anytime soon. It’s all worth paying attention to. The U.S. Department of Energy says if everyone in the nation converted to new technologies, the electricity used to produce light could be cut by up to 70%. Take a look at Home Light Bulb Use to learn more about the difference in bulbs, including comparisons about energy savings, how long they typically last, the average cost per bulb and more.

FOR MANY OF US, OUR HOMES ARE OUR BIGGEST INVESTMENT and can be a significant asset – especially if we’ve owned them for a long time. But is it possible to turn your home’s equity into cash without moving out? Home equity is the dollar amount calculated as the difference between the current market value of your home and the remaining balance on any mortgage loan. There are ways to access home equity for cash: Sell it and move to a different home; borrow against it with a home equity loan that must be repaid; or borrow against it using a reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgages can be complex and are only available to homeowners aged 62+ but in some situations, they might be a good option. Take a look at Understanding Reverse Mortgages: Do They Make Sense For You? for information on the differences between the three ways to tap your home’s equity and a closer look at reverse mortgages.

I found another way for my house to help pay for itself by renting a room to a grad student, but that’s a different story for a different time!

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

RECENT REPORTS OF DOGS DYING in North Carolina and Texas prompt me to remind pet owners, livestock owners and those of us who like to slip into a pond or lake ourselves on these hot, summer days to beware of toxic blue-green algae. Also known as cyanobacteria, blue-green algae or harmful algal blooms (HABs) are the rapid growth of algae that can harm animals, people, and the local ecology. It may look like foam, scum, or mats on the surface of water and can be different colors. It can occur in warm fresh or stagnant water that is rich in nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and iron. Read more about this in Heat, runoff heighten risk of blue-green algae in Kansas ponds and lakes. In addition, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment maintains a Watch, Warning, or Closure list on some of the state’s lakes. As I write this, numerous lakes in various parts of the state are at “Warning” level with others listed as “Watch.” About those dogs, check CBS News and other national news reports.

DROP BY PRECIOUS DROP: IN OTHER WATER-RELATED NEWS, K-State is teaming with western Kansas farmers and the Kansas Water Office to present Water Technology Field Days on several privately owned Kansas farms and other locations in August and September. The events are each a bit different and feature different technology, but all give agricultural producers and others in western Kansas the opportunity to see first-hand, in real-life settings, the most current research and equipment available to save water as they grow crops. Farmers who are using the technology, along with university researchers, extension specialists and agents, Kansas Water Office representatives and equipment manufacturers will be on hand to answer questions.

MEANWHILE, THERE IS PLENTY HAPPENING ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE STATE with crop field days planned. This is your opportunity to see what worked (and maybe just as telling, what didn’t), find out about current research and this year learn more about how the Mesonet can aid herbicide application. A complimentary meal will be served at both sites.

The North Central Fall Field Day is Aug. 20 near Scandia.

The East Central Experiment Field Fall Field Day is Aug. 21 near Ottawa.

Credits for certified crop advisors or commercial pesticide applicators are available.

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 – August 8, 2019

Posted on August 8, 2019August 9, 2019 by Mary Lou Peter

Welcome to Better Kansas, where every Thursday we shed light on events, resources and other information designed to make your life, businesses, communities and state better. Don’t forget to hit subscribe! – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

IT’S SO GOOD TO DRIVE THROUGH A COMMUNITY and see thriving businesses, whether a store that’s taken an innovative approach or a restaurant that serves great food AND has figured out a way to market it. Running your own business, however, leaves little time to communicate with your peers in other communities who have similar challenges or successes, or ways to learn about technology or legislation that may affect your business. To support small businesses in communities across Kansas, First Friday e-Calls are available the first Friday of the month. It’s professional development information without leaving your business and the only cost is the time it takes to participate. Previous First Friday e-Calls are archived, and topics run the gamut from “Funding Options for Small Businesses” to “Effective Use of Social Media for Rural Organizations”; “Cyber Security Threat to Small Business”; “Innovative Rural Business Models”; “Business Valuation and Business Transition Planning” and many more. Take a look at the website or send an email to nkdaniels@ksu.edu to learn more or to be added to the notification list about upcoming e-Calls.

THINK OF ALL OF THE WAYS OUR LIVES HAVE BECOME CONVENIENT, the drive-throughs, the remote controls, and now the grocery delivery! But is that convenience always a good thing? A decline in physical activity is especially a problem for older adults, less than 20% of whom engage in adequate physical activity. That loss of muscle mass can sneak up on us and post-menopausal women can lose 1%-2% of their bone mass annually. To help get us back to where we should be, many K-State Research and Extension offices offer the Stay Strong, Stay Healthy program. Participants meet for one-hour sessions, twice a week for eight weeks. Activities include warm-up exercises, strengthening exercises with or without weights, and cool-down stretches. Class members are encouraged to do the exercises on their own once more per week. Benefits? A potential to restore bone density and reduce the risk of fractures, plus a decrease in arthritis pain, weight maintenance, and a reduction in the risk of diabetes, heart disease and depression.

DO YOU DREAD GETTING THOSE LATE SUMMER ELECTRIC BILLS as much as I do? Thank goodness for electricity and air conditioners, but some days they can barely keep up with our heat and humidity. Air conditioners use about 5% of all electricity produced in the United States, costing homeowners more than $29 billion a year. Save on cooling costs by installing a programmable thermostat and replacing your home’s air filter. Take a look at more tips to beat the heat or listen in.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO THIS TIME OF YEAR is to spend time on my patio with my flowers, something good to read and yes, the bees, flitting from flower to flower as though they’re trying to decide which classmate to ask to the prom. As a child I was afraid of bees, but that was when I was ignorant about the crucial role they play in our lives. Nearly 75% of the world’s food crops depend on honey bees and other pollinators. But bee populations have been declining and there is evidence to suggest that humans’ inappropriate use of pesticides may be part of the problem. For a closer look, including great photos, check out Pesticides and Bees. So yes, I’m happy to share my space with the bees. Certain other crawly creatures not so much, but I’m really trying to stick with the idea, can’t we all just get along?

SORGHUM (AKA MILO) IS ONE OF KANSAS’ MOST IMPORTANT CROPS, partly for its drought-resistant ways. It’s a key ingredient in livestock rations and increasingly food products, not to mention other uses. But some insects, such as chinch bugs and sugarcane aphids among others, also love sorghum and can take more than their share from a farmer’s yield (and the bottom line). For a whole lot of practical, research-based information on how to control the pesky bugs, take a look at Sorghum Insect Management. And for a radio interview on sugarcane aphids in sorghum, plus other ag related topics listen to Agriculture Today .

IF YOU EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES of farming in southwest Kansas, there’s a spot (or many spots) for you at the K-State Southwest Research-Extension Center Fall Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 22 in Garden City. It’s a place to come learn what scientists have found, including what’s working well and what isn’t in this part of the state, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions of researchers and your fellow producers. And this is one of those days where you tour the fields and see for yourself what the researchers are working on. Topics range from weed control, summer annual forages, irrigation efficiency, Bt corn refuges, beneficial insects, and several on control of the weed, kochia, that can cut crop yields by more than half. Industry exhibitors will be on site and did I mention, there’s lunch?!

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

Better Kansas – August 1, 2019

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Mary Lou Peter

Better Living, Better Communities

SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE THE WORLD IS DIVIDED! I DON’T MEAN politically, although there is that, but this time I mean between pet lovers and non-pet lovers. And those of us in the first camp – almost 85 million households in the U.S. alone – know that food, vet bills, grooming and that ever-important flea protection can take a bite (yes, I said that!) into our finances. But how often do we really sit down to figure out just how much we spend on our dogs, cats, parakeets and fish? Dogs, Cats, and Birds, Oh My! Factoring Pet Costs into a Family Budget takes a look at pet-related expenses, how to keep track of them and suggestions to keep them in check. Plus there are sections on travel, end-of-life considerations, disaster preparedness for pet lovers and the benefits to sharing our lives with pets. Apparently even the CDC has statistics on this. And then there are those things that REALLY divide us – cats versus dogs! (FYI … that’s Lizzie in the photo … 14 years old and going strong. I also love dogs. Really, I do.)

HAVE YOU EVER DRIVEN INTO A COMMUNITY FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HAD AN INITIAL IMPRESSION? Maybe a nice park gave a welcoming feel. Or maybe you were running late to your daughter’s softball game and frustrated there were no signs to the high school. Or maybe you wondered why anyone would leave that abandoned building with broken out windows right on Main Street. The First Impressions program is a way to help provide Kansas communities with a glimpse into how others view their towns. It matters. Think of the first-year teacher who’s considering taking a job at the local school or the company assessing whether your community is right for their new venture. What do they see that maybe you don’t? First Impressions sheds light on a community’s strengths and weaknesses through the eyes of a first-time visitor, so community members can come together to put their best foot forward.

IT’S PRETTY HARD TO BE IN A BAD MOOD WHEN YOU HEAR A BABY LAUGHING AND PLAYING! What’s not always obvious is how important that play is to a baby’s development. Through play, they explore their environment, learn new skills, test how things work, and if you think about it, they’re making decisions constantly. What can adults do to help facilitate play and its role in a child’s development? Check out Building Baby’s Brain: The Importance of Play.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

NUTRITION IN PORK PRODUCTION REPRESENTS 60%-75% OF TOTAL COSTS, so it’s important to get it right to maintain swine health and ensure productivity and profitability. The K-State Swine Nutrition Team recently updated the Swine Nutrition Guide – go-to reading for anyone in the business. Categories (on left side of page) include general nutrition principles, with sub-categories such as nutritional value of ingredients, economics in nutrition, feed safety and more. There’s also a wealth of information about pork production in general at KSUSwine.org, including information about our swine research team.

MY FRIEND LEIGH MENTIONED LAST WEEK THAT SHE’S BEEN PICKING BAGWORMS off her trees, which got me looking for more information on those fascinating woody-looking bags that you find on trees and shrubs this time of year. Turns out they were named the Pest of the Week for several weeks by K-State’s Horticulture and Natural Resources Department this summer. They can be a problem for deciduous as well as coniferous trees (learning all kinds of new things here). Deciduous trees (those that drop their leaves in the fall) can better withstand the damage bagworms cause by feeding because they can rapidly replenish foliage. Coniferous trees are more susceptible to damage because of their slower growth. Leaving bagworms unchecked can kill large, established conifers such as those that make up most windbreaks – kind of a problem in Kansas where we can have ferocious winds. Take a look at a short fact sheet or the publication Home and Horticultural Pests – Bagworms for information about when and how to manage these interesting but pesky larvae that turn into moths.

IF YOU ARE IN THE BEEF CATTLE STOCKER BUSINESS, GET SEPT. 19 ON YOUR CALENDAR. That’s the date of the 20^th Annual Beef Stocker Field Day at the KSU Beef Stocker Unit, 4330 Marlatt Ave., in Manhattan. It’s a day full of practical information from industry professionals, including veterinarians, finance experts, marketing professionals and more. Lunch is a highlight of the day, featuring Niman Ranch Certified Angus Beef Natural Prime Ribeye. Topics include a beef cattle market outlook, cattle health, business relationships with feedyards and more. As usual, the day ends with “The Cutting Bull’s Lament” when Prairie Oysters (you know what those are, right?) and Call Hall ice cream will be served. Registration is requested by Sept. 10.

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

Better Kansas – July 25, 2019

Posted on July 25, 2019August 1, 2019 by Mary Lou Peter

**ALERT: If you’ve signed up to subscribe to Better Kansas by email, make sure ksrenews@ksu.edu is added to your safe sender list.

Welcome to Better Kansas. Every week we shed light on events, resources and other information designed to make your life, your businesses, your communities and state better. For many more resources and activities, check with the K-State Research and Extension office in your area. Watch for Better Kansas on Thursdays. In the meantime, check blogs.k-state.edu/ksrenews to sign up for a weekly email and for archived entries. – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

NOT LONG AGO WE WERE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THREE MONTHS’ WORTH of living expenses in a savings account, in case something big happens — job loss, major car repairs, the furnace finally giving out or other emergency. Somewhere along the way that guideline went to six to 12 months, partially reflecting changes in the average length of unemployment between jobs. In 1985, the average time someone was between jobs was 15 weeks, or about four months. In 2015, the average was about 29 weeks, or seven months. We all have plenty of places for that paycheck to go once it lands in our bank account – rent or mortgage payments, groceries, utility bills, car payments – and surely we can go to a movie or have a weekend getaway, right? The factsheet Spend Some, Save Some, Share Some: Family Budgeting covers patterns of major household expenditures, housing, saving and giving, plus guidelines for developing a spending plan. Many local extension offices around the state offer programs and resources on personal financial planning. Check with yours about what’s offered and when.

What the heck is a Traditional IRA? How’s it different from a Roth IRA? We hear these terms tossed about but really, what do they mean? It’s easy to get caught in the throes of early career activities or starting a family, but that’s the time to get educated about funding your retirement. Easier said than done, I know, but it’s never too late to learn. The Individual Retirement Accounts factsheet provides the basics, complete with easy-to-understand examples. Contributions to Traditional IRAs can be either tax deductible or nondeductible. Contributions to Roth IRAs are not tax deductible but the earnings from a Roth IRA are tax-free. Contributions we make to custodial accounts at financial institutions, insurance companies or investment brokerage firms may be moved from one custodian or trustee to another and because there is no distribution (to you), the transfer is tax free. However, the custodian may assess a fee or penalty for the transfer. Once you’ve checked out the basics of the first factsheet, take a look at Shopping for an Individual Retirement Account. All good to know … wish I’d had these resources a long time ago.

RECENT FLOODING, TORNADOES AND OTHER DISASTERS are traumatic, especially for children, who very possibly will experience them in a different way than you or I would. They don’t see events in the same context that adults do. Symptoms such as sleeplessness, sadness, a decline in school performance and even depression can take hold after children go through a traumatic event. I’m reminded of something a friend said years ago, just after 9-11 when many of us were glued to our televisions. Her young son had seen repeated video footage of a plane flying into the World Trade Center in New York City. He knew his mom often traveled for work, and expressed fear for her to fly again. Behaviors to watch for and suggestions on how to talk to children about disasters are included in Disasters: Children’s Responses and Helping Them Recover.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

ARC, PLC, SCO, CBV, CAT …. it’s not always easy to sort through USDA acronyms. And just as new legislation always does, the passage of the most recent Farm Bill is bringing changes to agricultural producers across the land linked to programs associated with some of those acronyms. With those changes come new decisions farmers will need to make. What are the economic impacts to consider when making decisions this year and in coming years? To help shed light on some of the most important implications, K-State Research and Extension is hosting 10 Farm Bill Meetings in locations across Kansas, starting Monday, Aug. 26. Speakers include agricultural economists, USDA Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service officials providing a broad perspective and extension agents taking a more local view in each location. Topics will include commodity programs, changes in crop insurance, the economics of the Agriculture Risk Coverage/Price Loss Coverage (ARC/PLC) programs and a look at a decision tool developed by Oklahoma State and K-State that producers can use.

Just don’t get me started on the acronyms. Fortunately, there’s a USDA Glossary to help people like me.

AS I WRITE THIS, MUCH OF THE STATE IS HAVING A REPRIEVE from a string of really hot days. They’ll be back. It’s Kansas, after all. Extreme heat or for that matter, extreme temperatures either way affect not only us, but also our animals. Cattle can’t dissipate heat as well as some animals and high temperatures and humidity can limit appetite and reduce average rates of gain. In worse case scenarios, animals die. Heat stress is especially hard on heavy and dark-hided cattle and those with a poor immune system. To help monitor animals’ needs during normal and extreme weather, Kansas Mesonet developed the Cattle Comfort Index. In addition, listen to a recent Agriculture Today radio segment or read more about reducing heat stress in cattle.

WATERMELON, CANTALOUPE AND HONEYDEW, OH MY! If you’re growing any or all, it can be a challenge to know when they’re ripe enough to harvest, or for that matter, if they’re ripe enough to buy for your family gathering tonight. According to the July 16, 2019 Horticulture Newsletter, muskmelons especially, tell you when they’re ready for harvest. As a melon ripens, a layer of cells around the stem softens so the melon detaches easily from the vine – a process called “slipping” — and leaves a dish-shaped scar at the point of stem attachment. Watermelons are more challenging, but look for the tendril that attaches at the same point as the melon to dry and turn brown. Ripe watermelons also normally develop a yellow color on the “ground spot” – the area where the melon was in contact with the ground – when they’re ripe. For more information check out all of the weekly Horticulture Newsletters or contact your local extension office. I can say from personal experience, if you leave whole Halloween pumpkins behind your house and forget about them, they sometimes turn into volunteer pumpkins for next year. More on that another time.

K-State Research and Extension