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Better Kansas – Ideas for Living, Growing and Succeeding

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Better Kansas – Feb. 4, 2021

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Header image for the Better Kansas Blog

This week in Better Kansas: The return of the Insect Art Contest, Check Your Credit program, wildfire season updated outlook, the answer people, farm resources and a corn marketing workshop. 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

THIS TIME OF YEAR CAN SEEM DISMAL with its cold, wintry weather and way-too-short days. And then there’s the pandemic, and don’t get me started about basketball. To lighten things up, the Insect Art Contest is back! This year’s theme is “Exploring Pollinators” with categories from kindergartners to high schoolers. Entries can be submitted until April 16, 2021. Pictured are Dragonfly, last year’s overall contest winner and Praying Mantis, a category winner. This year’s winning insect masterpieces will help promote pollinator week in June. Take a look to access the entry form and contest rules. Maybe one day they’ll have a category for us adults. In the meantime, get your kiddos started.

 

REMINDER: Sign up for CHECK YOUR CREDIT, a free extension program that reminds you to check your credit report with one of the main credit reporting agencies every four months. It also sends an occasional educational message to help sharpen financial literacy. It’s all part of the Family Finances program that supports financial wellbeing through educational programs and resources. Wish I’d learned some of these things much earlier in life, but there’s no time like the present. It’s not just credit card companies, car dealers or mortgage lenders who are interested in our credit history. Even landlords check prospective renters’ credit history, so it’s important to make sure the information on our credit reports is accurate.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

JUST WHEN WE HAD SOME NICE PRECIPITATION, it looks like things could turn drier in coming months and that could mean a greater chance of wildfires across Kansas this year. According to people who track these things (the Kansas Weather Data Library and Kansas Mesonet among others), we have a slightly increased chance of wildfires than average during the typical Kansas fire season, February through April. Take a look at the Updated 2021spring wildfire outlook for Kansas in the latest Agronomy eUpdate.

 

HAVE A QUESTION? CHECK WITH THE ANSWER PEOPLE. In saying that I mean your local K-State Research and Extension agent or specialist on a wide array of topics. They may not have an immediate answer, but if they don’t, they are good about tapping fellow extension professionals and colleagues in other states who are part of the land-grant system. Why is my lawn turning yellow? How can I talk to my children about COVID? Where can I learn about managing diabetes? What are the latest corn varieties for my area? In the past few weeks, I’ve seen agents tap fellow agents for information about everything from managing Longhorn cattle to fenceposts to dealing with difficult neighbors and webinars about Alzheimer’s. In every case, a flurry of colleagues responded with potential resources and solutions. Check with your local answer people for more information.

 

I CAME ACROSS A FARM TALK NEWSPAPER COLUMN RECENTLY, written by a former longtime K-State Research and Extension colleague of mine who’s now farming and raising cattle full time. It was written some time ago, but it really resonated with me. With his permission, I share “Surviving Together.” Keep in mind, this was written before the terms “pandemic” and “coronavirus” were even part of our everyday conversation. If you’re struggling, reach out to someone – a friend, a pastor, a family member. If you know someone who may be struggling, check in with him or her. For help with farm legal, financial and mediation services, make a confidential call to the Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services (KAMS) at 800-321-3276. K-State’s Farm Analyst Program is another resource available for agricultural producers facing challenging times.

 

HEADS UP TO CORN PRODUCERS IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS: Check out “Winning the Game” Corn Marketing Workshop Feb. 23 in Erie at the Neosho County Fairgrounds. Attendance and lunch are free to those who pre-register. The fee at the door is $5 per person. Topics include an array of potential marketing strategies, as well as a corn market outlook for 2020/21. If you can’t make it to this workshop, check your local extension office to see what meetings and workshops are planned on this or other topics for your area.

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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 – Jan. 28, 2021

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Header image for the Better Kansas Blog

Better Kansas this week touches on food allergies, radon, a new soybean production resource, sunflower production challenges and upcoming mini-Risk & Profit Conferences. 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

AS MANY AS 32 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE FOOD ALLERGIES, INCLUDING 5.6 MILLION CHILDREN. That’s one in every 13 children, or roughly two in every classroom, according to Food Allergy Research & Education. It lists the most common food allergies as cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts, shellfish, finned fish and sesame. But researchers are making strides in learning how to prevent allergic reactions. Take a look at Researchers continue to make progress on reducing food allergy reactions for more information. I miss those honey roasted peanuts a particular airline used to serve, but I understand. Hey, they do sell them at airport kiosks!

 

WE’RE JUST WRAPPING UP JANUARY, BUT IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO BRING ATTENTION to Kansas Radon Action Month or to check your home for radon. That can be done any time. The naturally occurring odorless and tasteless radioactive gas is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths in non-smokers. Check the Kansas Radon Program for all kinds of information, including Kansas-specific facts, maps, FAQs and important radon-related contact information.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

AS PROMISED LAST WEEK, I’M PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE NEWLY AVAILABLE KANSAS SOYBEAN MANAGEMENT 2021 publication, which includes the latest research-based information on tillage and rotations, variety selection, planting practices and seed quality and protein in a clear, concise way. Other sections include weed management, fertilizer requirements, diseases, insects, irrigation and more in just eight pages. More information on growing soybeans in your area (we’re a big state, after all) is available from your local K-State Research and Extension office.

 

KANSAS RANKS NO. 4 IN SUNFLOWER PRODUCTION, but the crop does have its foes. Among them are diseases such as red rust, Rhizopus head rot (oh, that even sounds gross) and charcoal rot. Read Sunflower disease management in Kansas for management tips and great photos. It’s part of the Jan. 21 Agronomy eUpdate which also contains articles on 2021 wheat variety yield comparisons, emergency measures to control wind erosion, World of Weeds: Marestail and information on fast approaching Kansas Corn Schools.

 

DON’T MISS ONLINE MINI-RISK & PROFIT CONFERENCES coming up in February, presented by K-State Research and Extension agricultural economists. Grab a sandwich and make them a lunch and learn:

Feb. 3

12:00-12:45 – Ag Technology Across Generations of Farm Operators and Farmland Value Interactive Dashboard

12:45-1:30 – Farm Profitability

Feb. 17

12:00-12:45 – Agricultural Finance

12:45-1:30 – International Grain Markets and Outlook for 2021

A one-time $20 fee provides access to all mini conferences in the series, including recordings and materials from previous sessions. Register online. And check www.agmanager.info for updates in coming months on the full-fledged annual Risk & Profit Conference that typically occurs in August.

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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 – Oct. 8, 2020

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Header image for the Better Kansas Blog

In today’s Better Kansas, we shine a light 😊on our need for Vitamin D, community activities and resources, making a spending plan for the holidays, peonies, a crop insurance workshop and a cool video of a family farm’s wheat harvest. 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

DO YOU HAVE A “D” PROBLEM? As in Vitamin D? Apparently, many of us do. We get Vitamin D primarily from exposure to the sun. It’s important for bone health and plays a role in our immune systems and our resistance to diabetes. Unlike many other vitamins, there are few ways to get it through foods, unless they’ve been fortified with it. Foods that offer it naturally are certain yeasts and plants, plus oily fish such as mackerel, tuna and salmon. Foods that are sometimes fortified with it are milk, butter, cereals, bread, yogurt and orange juice. Take a look at Vitamin D: From Sunshine to Supplements to learn more. With daylight growing shorter and shorter, this may be the most important time of year to think about how to ensure we’re getting enough of this vital nutrient.

 

A RECENT KANSAS PRIDE NEWSLETTER reminds us of the many things volunteers all over the state are doing to make their communities better places to live, work and play. Blue Rapids is enhancing a park, Hugoton is working to bring its theater back to life and Osawatomie had 30 volunteers come out for a park cleanup. Check out the PRIDE newsletter for information about an Oct. 15 webinar by the Kansas League of Municipalities, upcoming grant writing workshops, funding sources and more.

By the way, though it’s not small or rural, my own hometown is capitalizing on our national love of tacos with the Kansas City, Kansas Taco Trail. What a great way to draw people to businesses in the community! Somehow I missed that Oct. 4 was National Taco Day, according to whomever deems such things so. But then, isn’t every day, taco day?

 

COVID OR NO, ONE THING’S CERTAIN, the holidays will still come. And with those holidays often come expectations. Not that we haven’t already scaled back our ideas of gatherings and gift giving. But with so many experiencing job losses, business disruptions, reduced income and other challenges linked to the pandemic, we may be tested this winter like rarely before. Now’s the time to start planning and communicating with family and friends about expectations and traditions. Maybe this is the year for a changeup. An article and radio interview K-State expert urges families to make spending plan for the holidays can get you started. I’m already trying to figure out how to replace an annual trip with family to view decorated homes in a quaint community near Kansas City. We’ll figure out something and I’ll bet you can, too.

 Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

IT’S NOT TOO LATE to plant peonies for gorgeous blooms next year and years to come. Take a look at Fall is the Best Time to Add Peonies to the Garden for a short primer on planting new peonies, dividing mature plants, bloom time and different varieties. I found it interesting to learn that peonies sometimes prompt memories of others because they always make me think of a brother-in-law who passed away not long ago. We were different in so many ways but enjoyed talking about growing things and feeding the birds. It was our way of finding common ground – something that’s good for all of us to work on.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE INS AND OUTS and seemingly endless changes to crop insurance is part of managing risk in modern farming. To help keep farmers up on the latest developments, including weather and climate issues, a farm bill update, grain and livestock outlooks, government programs and other topics, consider attending the Kansas Crop Insurance Workshop Oct. 21 in Salina. The event is at the Tony’s Pizza Event Center, where precautions are planned to keep conference speakers and attendees safe from COVID-19.

 

WE OFTEN BRING YOU INFORMATION ABOUT WHEAT RESEARCH, MANAGEMENT AND OTHER TOPICS, but today take a look at this video of the 2020 wheat harvest on the LaRosh Family Farm in Osborne County, Kansas (the ads ahead of it are pretty short). It’s a really nice portrayal of the several late June days of harvest on one family’s farm. If you grew up on a farm, it will be nostalgic. If you didn’t, it will make you wish you had. I wonder where all of that wheat will go? In loaves of bread baked in Florida? Or Sweden? Or Taiwan? Fun to think about.

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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 – July 30, 2020

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Header image for the Better Kansas Blog

In today’s Better Kansas, we get into changes in food labels, supporting rural communities, pesky squirrels, estimating corn yields and how and why calibrating sprayers is better for a farmer’s bottom line and the environment. 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

IF YOU’RE A LABEL READER YOU MAY HAVE ALREADY NOTICED that improvements have been made to food labels to help us know better what’s in the food we eat. The enhancements start with larger print so we can actually SEE how many calories or fat are in one serving. Heck, we can now SEE how much one serving really is! To read up on some of the other improvements, take a look at this story: Nutrition expert says new food label is a ‘win’ for consumers. Talk about reading labels, I was a little surprised to learn the bag of chopped “salad kit” in my refrigerator was 3-1/2 servings. Wasn’t I supposed to eat it all in one sitting? And who eats 1/2 a serving of salad? At least now I know.

 

HELPING KEEP RURAL KANSAS COMMUNITIES VIBRANT is a goal of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, so it highlights success stories in rural communities. By producing the weekly Kansas Profile blog and the weekly Kansas Profile radio feature (about four minutes), we learn about individuals, businesses and organizations that are making their communities better places to live and work. These reports out of rural communities such as Ottawa, Pomona, Ellinwood and Courtland are a great way to learn about people and groups that are contributing to their regions and making the entire state that much better. They’re an inspiration every week.

Better Farming, Ranching and Gardening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEW NEIGHBORS MOVED IN BEHIND MY HOUSE and they are SO nervy. They lounge on my patio furniture, help themselves to my food and generally don’t respect my space! OK, the food is for the birds, but still! This pair of squirrels pushed me to look for information on … let’s just say … a relocation. Not great photos, I know, but when I asked these two to come back when the light was better, they scampered off like a couple of excited teenagers to meet up with friends. Notice the leg hanging off the chair. Now that is true relaxation! If you have such critters sharing your space, take a look at Tree Squirrels, which has information about the species of squirrels we have in Kansas, plus links to mini-videos about relocating them. Have to admire their athleticism, if nothing else.

 

AFTER THE PLANTING, GERMINATING AND NO SMALL AMOUNT OF STRESSING about precipitation (or lack of), corn growers can get an idea how their crops will yield and it’s not just guesswork. Once the plants tassel, silk and pollinate, there’s a way farmers can calculate how much corn they’ll be able to harvest. Check out Learn how to estimate corn yield potential in the latest Agronomy eUpdate. I remember using a method much like this years ago on a crop tour. It was all going smoothly until a grain buyer lost our rental car keys … in a corn field…. in the middle of Iowa. Amazingly, after 30 minutes or so, he found them! Those of you who have ever lost ANYTHING that small in a corn field know that it felt like a mini-miracle.

 

WITH PESTICIDE COSTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS BEING WHAT THEY ARE, using the correct amount of pesticide on a farm field to manage those yield-robbing weeds and insects is critical. For detailed information about sprayer calibration, including simple equations that can help with the calibrating process, see the fact sheet Calibrating Boom Sprayers. More information about programs, processes and educational opportunities in biological and agricultural engineering is available on the website.

 

 

SEVERAL READERS SENT MESSAGES THAT THE LINK TO THE MORNING GLORY ITEM in last week’s post was problematic, so I’m reposting with a link to the Agronomy eUpdate newsletter it came from in hopes this works better. Fingers crossed!

SURELY NOT! HOW CAN SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL BE SO DESTRUCTIVE? I’m talking about morning glories, known to scientists as Ipomoea spp. Their pretty purple, blue, pink or white flowers can be a gardener’s dream, right? But the vining, invasive plants spell trouble for farmers. Once they wind their way through corn, soybean or other farm fields, they can cut the amount of grain farmers harvest and can choke harvest equipment. Take a look at World of Weed: Morning glory for details, including management options.

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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/