Better Kansas - Ideas for Living, Growing and Succeeding

Better Kansas – Nov. 5, 2020

Posted on November 5, 2020November 4, 2020 by Mary Lou Peter

In today’s Better Kansas, we touch on some pretty disparate topics — food preservation for those with dietary restrictions, coping with depression, Kansas weather extremes, beef production tips and the passing of Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, a one-of-a-kind if ever there was one. 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

THERE’S BEEN A RESURGENCE IN INTEREST IN HOME FOOD PRESERVATION since the pandemic started, but those who have special dietary needs for health reasons can’t use just any recipe. In such cases, it’s helpful to know that there are several guides for preserving foods at home without sugar or salt. We bring them to you compliments of the University of Georgia and Colorado State University – two other land grant universities that have extension services and like K-State Research and Extension, happily share the knowledge with our states’ residents. More information about home food preservation is available at your county or district extension office.

SWITCHING GEARS HERE but I wanted to take a moment to broach a very tough subject. It happened again last week … a close family friend died by suicide. Many of us, within family, social or professional circles have been affected by depression or worse. This horrible coronavirus pandemic, plus economic, political and social turmoil have exacerbated the problem. And it’s a problem on America’s farms and in rural communities, as well as in suburbs and cities. Early this year – before we were feeling the full effects of COVID-19, an NPR/KMUW article told how suicide rates were rising in rural America. A resource, Understanding Suicide and Depression, is aimed at those in rural communities, but the messages are helpful to anyone who’s dealing with depression, no matter where you live. Additionally, a CDC report issued in August this year addresses mental health since the pandemic began. Please take note: The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

YOU KNOW THE SAYING, “IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE WEATHER IN KANSAS, WAIT A MINUTE” which describes how changeable our weather can be? I’ve come across a summary of Kansas weather records set over 120 years, from 1895 to 2015. It’s full of interesting facts. Did you know that the temperature in July 1936 in Fredonia and Alton, Kansas hit 121 degrees F? Or that the frequency of extreme precipitation events in the state has increased from 1891 to 2015? Or that the temperature in Lebanon, Kansas fell to -40 F in February 1905?! This will speak to weather watchers everywhere. Count me among them! In researching this I learned that Samuel Clemens a.k.a. Mark Twain was credited with the saying, “If you don’t like the weather …” and it turns out he was talking about New England. Apparently, what he actually said was, “I reverently believe that the Maker who made us all makes everything in New England but the weather.” Hey, I went to Mark Twain Elementary School so I’m pretty sure he’d approve of my adapting the saying a bit!

THE LATEST EDITION OF BEEF TIPS INCLUDES AN UPDATE ON THE CORONAVIRUS FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2 (CFAP2) with a link to a webinar about the program available to assist agricultural producers who face challenges linked to COVID-19. The newsletter also provides an update on current Kansas forage conditions, tips for figuring out why cow pregnancy rates may be lower than expected, and the most recent Focus on Feedlots, updating average numbers of days on feed for cattle in Kansas, final weights and more. Take a look.

THIS WEEK WE MOURN THE UNEXPECTED PASSING OF DR. BARRY FLINCHBAUGH. Known for his charismatic, entertaining and sometimes-tough-to-hear presentations to politicians, farmers and college students alike, on agricultural economics and specifically, farm policy, Barry was an adviser to senators and congressmen in both parties, plus secretaries of agriculture, governors and other officials. But no matter who you were, he had that rare ability to make you feel like you were the most important person in the room. He was there to console if you were having a tough time, he delighted in sparring (with humor and respect :), especially about politics, and seemed to always have a perspective that others hadn’t thought of. He had an impact on pretty much everyone he encountered. Such a loss. We will miss him way more than words can express. Read more and listen to an Agriculture Today radio tribute.

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. 29, 2020

Posted on October 29, 2020 by Mary Lou Peter

In today’s Better Kansas, we feature nutrition information in the Season of Eating, protecting from elder abuse, unintended visitors on firewood, the new Ag Report, Rural Health Day photo contest and pesticide applicator training. 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

HALLOWEEN MARKS WHAT SOME CONSIDER THE HOLIDAY SEASON, but I think of it as The Season of Eating. We’ll start with the trick-or-treat candy and move our way into pumpkin bread, cookies, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, pecan pie …. you know. Comfort food never sounded so good as during a relentless pandemic. To help keep us on a healthy track, take a look at Kansas SNAP-Ed and Nutrition Topics. I heartily agree with one tip that says if you wish you were a better cook, make something delicious and you’ll be inspired to cook again, soon. The search is always on for that recipe that’s delicious but also nutritious and reasonably low in calories and fat. And just fyi, Kansas SNAP-Ed has a Facebook page that has a constant flow of resources and tips for healthy living.

PROTECTING OURSELVES, PROTECTING OUR LOVED ONES is the sentiment behind a fact sheet about elder abuse. When we think of this we might think of physical abuse, but emotional and financial abuse – including telephone and mail scams – also occur and may not be as obvious. The top form of elder abuse in Kansas is financial, which is often perpetrated through scams, including Medicare and IRS scams, but also sweepstakes, investment and home repair scams. Speaking of sweepstakes scams, one of my close family members who had a long, respected, successful career, became increasingly vulnerable to this kind of scam as he grew older. This can happen to anyone, in any family. Read more.

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE A ROARING FIRE WHEN IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, but something to consider before you bring firewood indoors is who might be hitching a ride on it. Termites, carpenter ants and woodborers are just some of the pests that can make their way into our homes on firewood, so the experts say to store it outside, bringing in only what we’ll use within a few hours. Take a look at Pests associated with firewood to learn more. And while we’re on the topic, read about how not all firewood is created equal. Some types … think Osage Orange and Post Oak … burn hotter than others!

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

THIS WEEK I’M HAPPY TO SHARE A GLIMPSE OF PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH IN K-STATE’S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE via the latest Ag Report. This issue (be sure to scroll down) highlights some of the faculty and infrastructure critical for supporting student learning plus research that benefits farmers, ranchers and ultimately consumers. Featured facilities include the new Agronomy Education Center, the John C. Pair Horticulture Center, Purebred Beef Unit, Beef Stocker Unit and the Sheep and Meat Goat Center. Plus, read about how internationally renowned researcher and University Distinguished Professor Barbara Valent has been named to the National Academy of Sciences. Her primary work is in wheat blast disease, which can decimate wheat fields in countries where it’s present. Thankfully, to date it’s not made its way to the United States. Valent and her team are working to keep it that way.

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS: NATIONAL RURAL HEALTH DAY IS NOV. 19 this year. To mark the occasion and to honor the community-minded spirit prevalent in our rural communities, the Kansas Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, part of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, is hosting the “Power of Rural” Photo Contest. Submissions will be accepted until NaNov. 13, so take a look at the website, scroll down to the photo contest section for details, then get out there and start snapping away. You can submit your three best photos, just be sure to follow the rules. The contest is open to all ages.

K-STATE IS SUPPORTING INDUSTRY AND COMMUNITIES IN GENERAL by offering Pesticide Applicator Recertification Training on Zoom, Tuesday-Wednesday, Nov. 17-18 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day. All lawn, landscape and pest control companies who commercially apply pesticides are required by the Kansas Department of Agriculture to be certified. By educating, training and testing people who apply pesticides, consumers can be assured that the person applying pesticides to their lawn, home and workplace is knowledgeable and can safely do so. That would be unlike me, who freaked out and sprayed half a can of wasp killer on the nest over my front door – a big waste of pesticide and not environmentally friendly! Read about the training and register online.

Better Kansas – Oct. 22, 2020

Posted on October 22, 2020 by Mary Lou Peter

In today’s Better Kansas, we touch on the climbing obesity rate in Kansas, drug take back day, making a difference, fall foliage, a resource for feedlots and a competition that has nothing to do with sports. 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

OH, NO! RECENT CDC DATA PUT KANSAS NEAR THE TOP OF THE OBESITY LIST. Not a place we want to be. And the trend is going in the wrong direction. An annual CDC report lists Kansas among 12 states that have topped 35% in the prevalence of obesity in its population. We were just below 35% a year ago. Read the article, Kansas obesity rates top 35% for more information and listen to a Sound Living audio interview with an extension nutrition specialist on the problem and ways to tackle it. The pandemic hasn’t helped. I’ve got to think that when store shelves emptied last spring and we were evaluating what we had in our pantries and freezers, it encouraged some of us to focus on food like we may not have before. Not to mention that again, those of us working from home are 10 paces from our refrigerators. And though many gyms have reopened, there’s an understandable reluctance to go right now.

IT’S SHORT NOTICE, BUT SATURDAY, OCT. 24 IS DRUG TAKE BACK DAY. Remember those potent pain pills from surgery five years ago? Or the anti-inflammatory from that bad muscle sprain? Check your medicine cabinet, bathroom drawers and maybe even kitchen cabinets for expired prescription medications that you didn’t finish and safely dispose of them at one of many “takeback” locations across the state. Check the Pollution Prevention Institute’s Prescription Drug Take Back Day page for information on why and where you can safely dispose of those medications, no questions asked. Last year I rounded up several bottles that had migrated to the back of a drawer. One of them was prescribed 10 years ago! Last year, Americans turned in 883,000 pounds of prescription drugs at nearly 6,300 sites operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and almost 5,000 of its state and local law enforcement partners.

SATURDAY IS ALSO “MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY.” I almost didn’t include this because, again, short notice but decided that really, every day can be “Make a Difference Day.” Doing good things for others and our communities doesn’t have a time limit. Take a look at this Make a Difference article for ideas to consider. I’ll bet you can come up with a lot more. And don’t feel constrained by a date. Any day we help or support others is a good day.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

ONE OF THE SIMPLE JOYS THIS TIME OF YEAR IS TO GO FOR A WALK OR DRIVE AND TAKE IN THE BEAUTIFUL FALL FOLIAGE. It’s like free therapy. But why does fall color in our trees vary from year to year? And why even in our prettiest years, do our colors seem less vibrant than those in New England? A short item in the recent Horticulture Newsletter covers those whys and more. Hint: Weather is just one of several factors. Take a walk. Take it in. I hope it’s as therapeutic for you as it is for me. Truthfully, I’ve never been to New England in the fall peak leaf season. I’m only going from the pictures I’ve seen in magazines and brochures. Surely they haven’t photoshopped those colors?! Also included in the newsletter is planting spring flowering bulbs (hurry), fall garden cleanup, preserving garden tools, and winter care of house plants.

CATTLE PRODUCTION AND CATTLE FEEDING ARE BIG BUSINESS IN KANSAS. In fact, recent data from the Kansas Department of Agriculture show the output from beef cattle ranching and farming, including feedlots and dual-purpose ranching was worth $8.7 billion and employed nearly 39,000 people. Cattle feeders and others can keep tabs on such values as the average number of days on feed, average daily gain, harvest weight, dry matter feed conversion, average cost of gain, plus corn and alfalfa hay prices with the Focus on Feedlots newsletter.

WE KANSANS CAN BE A BIT COMPETITIVE. Just ask a Wildcat or a Jayhawk … or a Shocker, Gorilla, Hornet, Tiger or Ichabod. But we’re not just talking sports. Farmers can be competitive, too. The annual Kansas Corn Yield Management Contest recognizes farmers who have high corn yields, and improve crop management practices and efficiency for greater sustainability and profitability, plus share helpful data with other farmers. So like sports, this contest encourages participants to constantly improve. But in this case, those of us who rely on corn for feed, food, fuel and manufactured products benefit.

Better Kansas – Oct. 15, 2020

Posted on October 15, 2020October 14, 2020 by Mary Lou Peter

In today’s Better Kansas, we touch on Medicare counseling, a fire safety activity you can do with children, pumpkins, risk management in agriculture and the 2020 Virtual Swine Day. It’s just a glimpse of what K-State Research and Extension across the state has to offer. Take a look, share on social media and subscribe. – Mary Lou Peter mlpeter@ksu.edu

Better Living, Better Communities

MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT HAS BEGUN. If you’d like help sorting through your options from a trained, unbiased counselor who has no ties to an insurance company, check with your local K-State Research and Extension office. Some extension agents are trained SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas) counselors and offer one-on-one help for you or a family member or friend to confidentially sort through your best options with Medicare, Medicare Supplemental Insurance, Long Term Care Insurance and more. Medicare Open Enrollment for 2021 runs Oct. 15-Dec. 7, 2020. If your county or district extension office doesn’t have a SHICK counselor, there may still be a counselor in your area. Check with the SHICK program, a part of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services’ Commission on Aging, or call 1-800-856-5260.

OH, I REALLY LIKE THIS! Take a look at this proactive activity you can do with children to develop a fire escape plan for your house. It’s included in the Suddenly in Charge resources aimed at anyone, including teens and tweens who are helping take care of younger children during the pandemic … or any time. Other resources center on reading, physical activity, community and civic engagement. And if you’re interested in more preparedness topics, check out the Prepare Kansas blog.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

WANT LONG-LASTING PUMPKINS ON YOUR FRONT PORCH? Just like the freshness with all fruits and vegetables, it makes a difference when they were harvested. Take a look at the most recent Horticulture Newsletter for tips on choosing a pumpkin that will last awhile, plus carving and roasting pumpkin seeds. This edition also has information on storing summer flower bulbs over the winter (plus a link to a video), native plants in northeast Kansas, cool season vegetable hardiness, tucking your lawnmower in for the winter, why some late season lawn seedings fail, and controlling broadleaf weeds in the lawn in fall.

UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER, FLUCTUATING MARKETS AND INTERNATIONAL OCCURENCES beyond our control make farming and ranching a risky, albeit rewarding, business. And this year with COVID-19, we’ve seen that forces we could never imagine can influence commodity markets and livelihoods. If you’re managing risk in agriculture, check out the Risk Management Strategies newsletter for in-depth information. Yes, there’s a lot of alphabet soup to digest, but the USDA kindly has an online helpful glossary of acronyms. You might want to bookmark it on your computer. It’s REALLY long to print!

IT’S ALMOST HERE! NOW’S THE TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE 2020 K-STATE VIRTUAL SWINE DAY NOV. 18-19 for updates on the latest K-State nutrition, feed safety and feed processing research. So much good information, including feeding sows before farrowing; preparing for a world without zinc oxide; the future of feed safety research; feed mill biosecurity; and other topics. It’s disappointing to not be able to meet in person, but the virtual format will keep people safe PLUS allows you to participate from wherever you are.

K-State Research and Extension