In today’s Better Kansas, we touch on the Quarantine 15, Older Americans Month, free garden-focused webinars, first-ever virtual wheat field day and farmland leases. 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
SOME ARE CALLING IT THE ‘QUARANTINE 15’ … you know, that extra weight some of us have added since stay-at-home orders were announced. I’m not sure what about this pandemic has us obsessing about food, but it’s real. I thought maybe it was just me, but lately I’ve even seen TV celebrities talking about it. Could it be our constant proximity to the refrigerator? We couldn’t find our favorite mac and cheese at the grocery store? The canned food aisles were still pretty bare the last time I checked. Really, do that many other people love butter beans? Here’s a reminder to Move More, Sit Less.
CELEBRATE! I’VE JUST LEARNED THAT MAY IS A MONTH TO CELEBRATE OLDER AMERICANS and their contributions to communities in ways large and small. Such a good idea! We all know people who worked for years, only to retire, turn around and work some more – often in volunteer capacities. Take a look at Make Your Mark with Older Americans Month and the website Older Americans Month. Now, I’m not sure what’s considered “older” but I can say that threshold gets higher and higher with every birthday I have.
Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening
NORMALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR, THOSE OF US WITH A GREEN (OR NOT SO GREEN) THUMB would be heading out to garden tours and other educational sessions, looking for the latest plant varieties and tips to help them thrive in the sometimes harsh Kansas climate. Oh, to find a vibrant new lily or a satisfyingly sweet cantaloupe! The current pandemic has us doing things differently, but that doesn’t mean the learning ends. Check out the K-State Garden Hour Webinar Series that offers a variety of topics, delivered online. Tomatoes, pollinators, house plants and bugs, we’ve got it covered. Plus, it looks like more to come.
K-STATE IS HOSTING ITS FIRST VIRTUAL WHEAT FIELD DAY, LIVE ON YOUTUBE THE EVENINGS OF MAY 27-28. It’s not exactly like hanging out with your fellow wheat growers, but we’re in unusual times and there are benefits to this approach. The two-part event offers different speakers and presentations each evening and you can participate for free from the comfort of your own home. No driving! Check out this news article for a lineup of speakers and topics. Or, at 7 p.m. on May 27, simply go to May 27 Wheat Field Day and at 7 p.m. on May 28 go to May 28 Wheat Field Day. And yes, there will be time for questions and answers.
WITH SO MUCH OF FARMLAND LEASED, A COMMON QUESTION IS HOW TO TERMINATE AN ORAL LEASE AGREEMENT IN FAVOR OF A MORE FORMAL WRITTEN ONE. Take a look at Ag Lease Law for the answer and other legal tips on agricultural leases. And check Land & Leasing for information on cropland and pasture rental rates, including the Pasture Rental Rate Decision Tool, which help cattle producers and landowners determine a fair rate.
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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/
