K-State Extension, Youth

Prevent Summer Brain Drain

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Cassidy Lutz
K-State Research and Extension 
Family and Consumer Science Agent 
Southwind District 
211 W. Butler 
Yates Center, KS 66783
620-625-8620

 

School is out for the summer for a majority of the schools in the area. I have noticed much more activity in my town as kids are out riding bikes, walking around the town square, and visiting the local park.

With all the beautiful summer days ahead, kids have all sorts of opportunities to take advantage of their summer vacation. But should fighting “summer brain drain” be part of their plans?

The last thing children want to think about during the off-season is all the knowledge and skills they gained during the past school year. Summer brain drain is explained by experts as a lapse in what children remember during summer. This could include forgetting strategies or skills that will have to be retaught at the beginning of the next school year. Evidence shows more challenging subjects such as math and science are the first topics that students experience the most impact in.

 

As parents, there are ways you can help prevent the backward slide of knowledge during the upcoming summer months.

Reading for as little as 10-15 minutes each day can enhance vocabulary, extend comprehension, and generate curiosity. This is true for all ages, so encourage your kiddos to pick up a book each day or even enroll in a summer reading program through local libraries. Reading can also be incorporated into everyday activities such as reading instructions on how to build a new toy or preparing a new recipe. Negative impacts are also shown in reading skills, so consider having your child start a simple summer journal or diary.

Parents should help to maintain structure during the summer. Structure and routines provide kids with a sense of security and comfort year-round, not just during the school year. Daily routines encourage healthy choices and teach healthy behaviors while teaching responsibility and self-control. Try to add daily exercise, set a time for reading and writing, and plan family meals together. Hold them accountable for their routines by creating a list or writing it on a family calendar. By having the ability to check off a to-do item, they will feel a sense of accomplishment from even the smallest tasks.

Consider using these simple tips to help your child thrive this summer. Remember, summer brain drain is not a complete loss of information but more of a lapse and should not be the source of stress or anxiety. Focus on encouraging natural experiences for learning at any opportunity. For more information, contact Cassidy Lutz at [email protected] or by calling 620-625-8620.

Fort Scott, Youth

Summer Reading Kick Off Party

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The Library Invites You to the Family Summer Reading Kickoff Party

 

This year, the Fort Scott Public Library’s summer reading program will begin on May 31 at 10 a.m. with a family kickoff party in Buck Run Community Center’s front gym.

The party will run from 10 – 11:30. Partygoers will play games, create crafts, eat delicious treats provided by donors, drink cold water provided by G & W Cash Saver, earn prizes, and enjoy fairy tale activities inspired by the classic tales and The Land of Stories book series by Chris Colfer.

This summer’s theme is All Together Now, and the program will explore friendship, cooperation, and unity through stories, crafts, games, and other activities from June 1 to August 2, with a wrap-up party on August 8 or 9.

 

The library will be collecting summer care items for families in need, with a donation box

available at the party. Please bring unused swim diapers, sunscreen, feminine sanitary products,

etc. to donate. Clothing donations will not be accepted. Donated items will be available for anyone to take as needed in the library’s downstairs computer room throughout the summer

(while supplies last). Donors may also bring children’s books in good condition to the library to donate for summer reading prizes.

 

Families may register for summer reading at the party or skip the long registration line for each child and teen by pre-registering by May 29 at this link: Online SR Registration Form. They may also register via a paper form available at the library. Patrons may turn in completed registration forms at any library desk or by placing them in the after-hours book return, located on the north side of the library.

This party is made possible in part by Buck Run Community Center. All library programs are free and open to the public.

K-State Extension

Newly Hatched Bagworms Are Gearing Up to Cause Damage

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Krista Harding
District Extension Agent, Horticulture
Southwind Extension District
111 S. Butler
Erie, KS 66733
Office: 620-244-3826
Cell: 620-496-8786

 

A couple of days ago, I did a little scouting of trees to see if I could find newly hatched bagworms. Sure enough, they are out! You have to look close in order to see them because they are still small – about a ¼ inch in size.

Submitted photo.

Bagworms are a yearly pest in our area and can cause considerable damage. Most homeowners typically don’t get too concerned about bagworm control until they see large bags present on plants. By then it is too late and the damage is already done! The window of opportunity for optimum control is approaching.

 

Bagworms overwinter as eggs deposited in the female bags. From mid-May through mid-June, larvae hatch from the eggs and exit from the bottom opening of the old bag. Larvae begin constructing their miniature silk-lined bags immediately. Only after the bags have been completed do the larvae begin actual feeding activities. And as the larvae grow, so do their bags. By mid-to late August when feeding activities are complete, larvae firmly anchor their bags to the twigs and branches on which they were feeding.

 

Bagworms are most commonly found on eastern red cedar and junipers. However, bagworms can attack arborvitae, spruce and pine. Broadleaf trees, shrubs and ornamentals can also serve as a host to bagworms. After bagworms have defoliated a host plant, they are capable of migrating in search of additional food sources. They may attack the same species from which they came or a completely different species.

 

The damage caused by bagworm feeding can be minimal to severe. As larvae enter their later development stages, they require greater amounts of food. Sometimes in what seems to be just overnight, bagworms can completely defoliate a tree. Several successive years of heavy foliar feeding can result in the death a tree, especially with conifers.

 

There are two ways to control bagworms – cultural and chemical. Cultural practice is used by those who do not want to utilize insecticidal sprays to control bagworms.  Instead, bagworms are eliminated by handpicking individual bags from plants. This is best done in the winter months when bags stand out against a trees background color.  Keep in mind that a single missed bag could result in a thousand new bagworm larvae. Of course, handpicking becomes impractical when a host is literally covered with bags or it is too tall to make handpicking possible.

 

Chemical control is most effective when larvae are in their early developmental stages. Generally, bagworm larvae will begin emerging from the overwintering bag by mid-to late May. Hatching does not happen overnight. Instead, hatching can continue for 4 to 5 weeks. Controls applied in late summer are often a waste of time and expense because the larvae are large, tough and may have stopped feeding. About the third week of June is the ideal time to make insecticidal control.

 

Insecticides commonly used to control bagworms include spinosad, acephate, cyfluthrin, or permethrin. These are sold under a variety of trade names. Check the product label for active ingredients.

 

For more information on bagworm control, please contact me at one of our Southwind Extension District office locations.

 

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Horticulture agent assigned to Southwind District.  She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

 

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

Fort Scott, Youth

Get your game on at the Middle & High School Summer Reading Kickoff Party

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The Fort Scott Public Library’s 6th -12th grades summer reading program will begin on May 31 at 4 p.m. with a kickoff party at the Keyhole, across from the high school. The party will run from 4 – 6 p.m.

 

Partygoers will play board, card, video, and billiard games, eat delicious treats, drink cold water

provided by G & W Cash Saver and soda, and earn library loot, which may be used to “buy” prizes throughout the summer. Throughout the summer, teens will meet at 4 pm on Wednesdays to play games, do art projects, participate in volunteer efforts, and

celebrate through special parties from May 31 to August 9.

 

Teens may register for summer reading at the party, or skip the line and preregister at this link: Online SR Registration Form. They may also register via a paper form available at the library. Patrons may turn in completed registration forms at any library desk or by placing them in the after-hours book return, located on the north side of the library.

This party is made possible by a partnership with the Keyhole. All library programs are free and open to the public.

Bourbon County

Starlite FCE May, 2023

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The Starlite FCE held it’s May meeting at the Presbyterian Village meeting room.  Vice President Joyce Allen called the meeting to order and led the club in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and the club collect.  Nine members and one guest were in attendance.  The club reported that they have volunteered for thirteen hours and had recycled fifty pounds.

 

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.  Doris Ericson presented the Treasurer’s report, she announced that she had sent in the Best Choice labels and had received sixty dollars.  Karen Peery reported that the Spring Tea was held in Humboldt with a lesson on Day Lilies.

 

New business consisted of discussing the June meeting which we are opening to the public.  The lesson will be presented by Jack Jackson on Men’s Health, and will be held at the Presbyterian Village meeting room at 2:00 on June 15th.  Refreshments of cobblers and ice cream will be served.

 

Doris Ericson moved that the meeting be adjourned, Betty Johnson seconded the motion, meeting adjourned.

 

After the meeting Taylor Bailey presented the lesson on “What’s on your Device.”  Taylor informed the club about the pros and cons of apps for your devices.

 

Refreshments of cookies, strawberry frozen dessert, nuts and water were provided by Letha Johnson and Taylor Bailey and enjoyed by all.

 

Prepared by

Terri Williams

Government

USDA Extends Application Deadline for Revenue Loss Programs to July 14  

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Nine Partner Organizations to Provide Assistance with ERP Phase Two Applications

 

WASHINGTON, May 26, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) Phase Two and Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP) to July 14, 2023, to give producers more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was June 2.

 

Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is partnering with nine organizations to provide educational and technical assistance to agricultural producers and provide assistance in completing an ERP Phase Two application. The extended deadline will give producers more time to work with these partner organizations and apply for assistance.
“Farm Service Agency recognizes that there is a learning curve for producers applying for our new revenue-based programs and we want to make sure producers have the time they need to apply for assistance,” said FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux. “Partnering with these organizations through cooperative agreements provides additional educational and technical assistance to producers who may need help with the Emergency Relief Program Phase Two application process. The deadline extension gives producers more time to locate and work with these organizations to complete their program application.”

 

Cooperative Agreements for ERP Phase Two Application Assistance
 

Through cooperative agreements with FSA, the following organizations are providing free assistance to producers across the United States and territories.

 

 

Depending on a producer’s location, these nine partners can provide assistance either by phone or through online meeting software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

 

There is never a charge for technical assistance provided by FSA employees or cooperative agreement recipients. These organizations will assist producers with completing the application and any follow-up future insurance coverage requirements. Producers who receive ERP payments are statutorily required to purchase crop insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage for the next two available crop years. These organizations will not collect producer records, complete or sign the application form, or act on the producer’s behalf in any way throughout this process.

 

Find more information on FSA cooperative agreements and contact information for the nine organizations please visit fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/cooperative-agreements/index.

 

PARP Application Assistance

 

USDA will host a webinar that focus on completing the PARP application form on June 8, 2023 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. eastern with members of the National Farm Income Tax Extension Committee. Register here.

 

Eligibility 

 

To be eligible for ERP Phase Two, producers must have suffered a decrease in allowable gross revenue in 2020 or 2021 due to necessary expenses related to losses of eligible crops from a qualifying natural disaster event. Assistance will be primarily to producers of crops that were not covered by Federal Crop Insurance or NAP, since crops covered by Federal Crop Insurance and NAP were included in the assistance under ERP Phase One.

 

To be eligible for PARP, an agricultural producer must have been in the business of farming during at least part of the 2020 calendar year and had a 15% or greater decrease in allowable gross revenue for the 2020 calendar year, as compared to a baseline year.

 

FSA offers an online ERP tool and PARP tool that can help producers determine what is considered allowable gross revenue for each respective program.

 

Producers should contact their local FSA office to make an appointment to apply for ERP Phase Two and PARP assistance. Producers should also keep in mind that July 15 is a major deadline to complete acreage reports for most crops. FSA encourages producers to complete the ERP Phase Two application, PARP application and acreage reporting during the same office visit.

 

More Information

 

For more information, view the ERP Phase Two Fact Sheet, PARP Fact Sheet, the ERP Phase Two-PARP Comparison Fact Sheet, ERP Phase Two application video tutorial, PARP application video tutorial, myth-buster blog or contact your local USDA Service Center.

 

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America and committing to equity across the department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit usda.gov.

 

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Area News, Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott

GET YOUR DISCOUNT TICKETS FOR WAHZHAZHE: AN OSAGE BALLET SOON

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FORT SCOTT, Kan. – Time is running out to get discount tickets for Wahzhazhe: An Osage Ballet.  This moving story of the Osage people is coming to Fort Scott, Kansas for three performances July 21-22, 2023.  Discounted early bird prices are only available until May 31.  Tickets can be purchased online at www.osageballet.com/events or by clicking on the get tickets button on the Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site Facebook page.  Persons needing assistance with online purchases can do so, in person, at the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.

The heart-pounding drumbeats, rhythmic dancing, and compelling stories of Wahzhazhe are sure to delight dancing enthusiasts and history fans of all ages. The Fort Scott performances will be held Friday, July 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 22 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.

The Friends of Fort Scott National Historic Site in partnership with the National Park Service are hosting Wahzhazhe as part of Fort Scott National Historic Site’s educational programming.  Contact [email protected] for more information.

 

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Obituary

Obituary John Kirby

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John Dewey Kirby, age 61, resident of Fort Scott, KS died Wednesday, May 24, 2023.  He was born November 23, 1961, in Wichita, KS, the son of William and Mary Elizabeth Long.

John was a bull rider for over 20 years on the rodeo circuit.

More recently he worked maintenance for Lake Chaparral in Mound City, KS.

He enjoyed anything outdoors, camping, woodworking, and listening to rock music.

John always had his trusty dog “Bo” by his side.

He loved spending time with family, especially his grandchildren.

John married Chastity Mackley on November 12, 2022, in Fort Scott.

 

Survivors include his wife Chastity of the home; a son Dustin Erikson; a daughter, Cherokee Erikson (Clint Szuwalski); and 3 grandsons, Hunter, Gunner, and Kaiser.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

 

There was cremation.  A memorial service will be announced at a later date.  Memorials are suggested to the John Kirby Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Area News, Business

Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas to Host Forum for Professional Advisors

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The Community Foundation of Southeast Kansas (CFSEK) will host the 2023 Estate Planning Forum in the large conference room of The Foundry at Block22 in downtown Pittsburg on Tuesday, June 13.

The full–day Forum, hosted annually in partnership with Foulston Siefkin LLP of Wichita, is open to Southeast Kansas attorneys, CPAs, insurance professionals, and financial advisors. Doors open at 9:30 a.m., and the first session will begin at 10:00 a.m.


Attendees will learn about new developments in the field of estate planning, earn up to six hours of continuing–education credit, and enjoy a free lunch from Chatters courtesy of CFSEK.


This year’s Forum includes sessions on legal ethics; a comparison of probate–avoidance devices;
drafting advice to minimize family disharmony; drafting support and discretionary trusts; and recent developments in estate planning, including the effects of recent changes on charitable
giving. Sessions will be taught by Foulston Siefkin’s Tim O’Sullivan, JD, LLM, and Corey Moomaw, JD, LLM.


The Forum has been approved for 6 hours of CLE credit (including one hour of ethics credit) and 5 hours of insurance CE credit. It also offers a recommended 5 hours of CPE credit for accountants and 5 hours of PACE credit for qualifying financial advisors.


Registration is required for this event. Professional advisors who want to attend the 2023 Estate Planning Forum can register by completing the online form at
SoutheastKansas.org/forum2023/, emailing j[email protected], or calling
(620) 231–8897.
***

Church news, Fort Scott

Fort Scott’s Labyrinth To Be Dedicated May 28

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Pictured are people painting the initial labyrinth lines in fall 2022 at the vacant lot across from First Presbyterian Church at 308 S. Crawford. Submitted photo.

In nearly every culture, walking labyrinths are a single path to a center used for prayer and meditation, or just a brief walk, according to Pastor Christopher Eshelman of Fort Scott First United Methodist.

“We find examples all over the world, from petroglyphs to indigenous basket weavings, stamped coins and labyrinths themselves,” he said. “In this sense, a labyrinth is not a maze or a puzzle – there are no dead ends (and no Minataur!).”

Building a labyrinth in Fort Scott, was Eshelman’s idea.

“Walking labyrinths is one of my favorite spiritual disciplines and I’ve been building them for several years – everything from temporary chalk on concrete or painters tape on a gym floor to mowing them into fields or, in this case, arranging stone to form the path boundaries,” he said.

The Fort Scott Labyrinth was completed last month, and will be dedicated on May 28 at 11:45 a.m., right after the Methodist church service is over.

Pictured is the completed labyrinth with benches. Submitted photo.

“It just really got finished in the last month or so and we are formally dedicating it on Sunday, May 28th with a brief ceremony, he said. “We added the benches and sign a few months ago using funds from a grant given by the Healthy Congregations program of the UMC’s Great Plains Conference. Anyone can use the space.”

 

The labyrinth is a place to meditate.

“It’s a personal favorite practice and it is a way of transforming the space from an abandoned lot into something beautiful,” Eshelman said. “This site, where people once bought food to nourish their bodies now serves as a space to nourish mind and spirit. It is a great way to engage people in walking, exercise, and spirituality as well as deepening the connection and cooperation between our two congregations.”

The labyrinth is sponsored by First Presbyterian Church and First United Methodist Church.

The Presbyterian Church logos, left and the Methodist Church Logo, right. Submitted graphics.

“The Presbyterians now own the land, which was the former site of Whiteside’s Grocery at 3rd and Crawford,” he said. “The Whiteside’s are longtime members of First United Methodist, where I now serve as pastor. With permission of their Sessions board, I and a few volunteers initially laid it out with marking paint and then gradually added stone – some is debris from the site and some is stone gathered and donated from nearby fields and projects by one of our members. What was once scattered now contributes to a place of wholeness.”

Memorabilia from Whiteside’s Grocery Store, now the site of the labyrinth. Submitted photo.

“It is a space where you can, quite literally, center yourself,” he said. “It really is what you make of it and what you bring to it. There is no wrong way to walk a labyrinth so long as you are respectful of the space and others who use it. One of my favorite experiences was a time I was trying to very seriously instruct a group of Cub Scouts in the ancient practice… and they did not care. They just wanted to play. When I finally got out of the way and let them runs and skip, they immediately started playing follow the leader and exploring the space. It was wonderful. Our design copies one that was laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France between 1200 and 1220AD and used as a pilgrimage spot.”

Chartres Labyrinth design. Submitted photo.

 

 

 

Bourbon County Local News