Category Archives: Bourbon County

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Small Business Saturday: Buy Local

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Small Business Saturday
Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce encourages the community to support SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY on November 30th.

For every $100 spent locally, $68 stays in our community. When the same $100 is spent with a national franchise, only $43 is retained locally. Shoppers across the nation are encouraged to “SHOP SMALL” and support local businesses this season.

The Chamber encourages all to take part in a Passport Event as part of Small Business Saturday. This Saturday when shopping at participating retailers, customers may collect stamps by spending $5 or more at a minimum of four stores, then turn in the passport to one of the businesses by 5 pm to be entered in a drawing for Chamber Bucks.

Small businesses promoting the passport event include Bartlesmeyer Jewelry, Bids & Dibs, Books & Grannies, Country Cupboard, Courtland Spa, Fort Scott Munitions, Fort Scott Gun & Pawn, Front Door Christmas Store, Hedgehog.INK, Here We Go Again Upholstery, Hole in the Wall, Iron Star Antiques, J & W Sports Shop, The Lavender Patch, Lowell Milken Center, Main Street Gallery & Gifts, Mayco Ace Hardware, Papa Don’s Pizza, Redbud Farm & Nurseries, Ruddick’s Furniture, Sekan’s Occasion Shop, Sunshine Boutique, The Electronics Store, Trader Dave’s, and Treasure Hunt Flea Market.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce for more information at 620-223-3566.


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Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Ranchers/Farmers: Think Outside the Box

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The Range Beef Cow Symposium was held in Scottsbluff, Nebraska during the week of November eighteenth.
You may be wondering what this has to do with ranching in Southeast, Kansas, but the answer is more than you would think.
Western ranchers face many of the same production problems we have in this area. Cattle prices have been depressed, the weather has been uncooperative, and good labor is in short supply.
If anything, the environment is even harsher out west. Ranches are measured in 640-acre sections, rather than in acres because carrying capacities are so low.  Water can be in short supply, and mother nature deals out long, cold, and snowy winters.  These factors make it imperative that western ranchers think outside the box for strategies that work well for them.
With a little brainstorming, we can do the same on your farm or ranch. What labor and natural resources do you have? What are you willing to learn how do differently? Have you considered multi-species grazing, or crossbreeding your cows? What about leasing cows out to a younger producer to help them get started in the business?  What consideration have you given to alternative forage crops like teff grass or cover crop mixes? Have you thought about growing stocker calves during the spring and early summer, when there may be excess grass growth on your farm?  When was the last time you purchased extra fertilizer, or seeded legumes like clover into your pastures?
One of the best things about farming and ranching is that your options are nearly limitless.
Once you determine what your long term goals are, I can help you with strategies to achieve them.
Call me, Christopher Petty, Southwind District Extension Agent for Livestock Production and Forage Management at 620-223-3720 or e-mail me at [email protected]. I’d be happy to visit with you about your options for success.
Christopher Petty, M.S.
Extension Agent
Livestock Production and Forage Management
K-State Research and Extension
Southwind Extension District
210 S. National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
(620) 223-3720 Work
(620)224-6031 Cell
[email protected]
Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda Nov. 26

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Agenda

Bourbon County Commission Room

1st Floor, County Courthouse

210 S. National Avenue

Fort Scott, KS 66701

Note new time.

Date: November 26, 2019

1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________

2nd District-Jeff Fischer Corrected: _______________

3rd District-Nick Ruhl Adjourned at: _______________

County Clerk-Kendell Mason

1:30-2:15 – Jim Harris

2:15-2:30 – Robert Uhler – Smart Growth America

3:00-3:30 – Justin Meek – Executive Session

4:30-6:00 – Lunch

6:00-7:30 – Jody & Jeff – Economic Development Incentive Guidelines

Bourbon County, Business, Entertainment

Rosie’s Cabin Hosts Vendors Dec. 7: Buy Local

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Rosie’s Cabin and Event Center, 563 Maple Rd., Uniontown
Rosie’s Cabin Event Center Manager Kelsey Blythe was approached by a local entrepreneur to host a vendor show.
“Kelly Perry from Perry’s Pork Rinds is a very motivated entrepreneur with great ideas,” Blythe said.  “She came to me with an idea to have a local vendor show. Since we have space, we were delighted to host.”
The Backwoods Holiday Mart is scheduled for December 7 at Rosie’s Cabin – 563 Maple Road Uniontown, just 20 minutes from downtown Fort Scott.
“Everyone is invited,” Blythe said.  “The more support our local vendors get, the better for all of the community in Bourbon County.”
The event is from 9 am – 4 pm on Saturday, Dec. 7.
There will be giveaways, prizes, and samples.
Santa Claus will be available for family photos by Erica George Photography.
“Loads of people will be setting up a booth to sell and advertise their products,” Blythe said.  “There are so many different kinds of vendors coming, it’s going to be so fun to look around.”
  “There will be hand made jewelry, wines, nuts, knives, Perry’s Pork Rinds, homemade baked goods, homemade dog treats, leather goods,  woodworking, Tupperware, homemade Christmas wreaths and many many more. Come support your local business people!! Most of these vendors travel to vendor shows and put their heart into their products.”

Blythe is considering this an annual event and possibly bi-annual
“to give hard-working people a good chance to sell LOCALLY! What would be better than to have one of your best shows be here in Bourbon County,” Blythe said.

 

Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott

Area Youth Chorale Christmas Caroling Schedule

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Pittsburg Youth Chorale Christmas Caroling

Pittsburg Youth Chorale, under the direction of MJ Harper, will perform Christmas Carols at many venues this
holiday season:

Sunday, December 1st , Pittsburg Youth Chorale will provide music for the service at First United Methodist
Church (415 N. Pine), 8:30 AM.

Monday, December 2nd , 6 PM, Root Coffeehouse (402 N. Broadway) will host a Pre-Parade Prelude featuring
Pittsburg Youth Chorale.

Saturday, December 7th , performers will serenade Via Christi Villages (1502 E. Centennial) at 10 AM and
during the Kiwanis Pancake Feed at Memorial Auditorium (503 N. Pine) at 11 AM.

Monday, December 9th , 6 PM, Pittsburg Youth Chorale will sing for the “Remember Me Tree” celebration at Meadowbrook Mall (202 E. Centennial).

Tuesday, December 10th at 5:15 PM, Pittsburg Youth Chorale will host the public at First United Methodist Church (415 N. Pine) for a Holiday Finale Concert, free of charge.

Thursday, December 12th wraps up PYC’s holiday caroling with a performance at 1st Christian Church (705
Centennial Drive), 6 PM.

Area youth in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade meet Tuesdays 5-6 PM at First United Methodist Church (415 N. Pine) and
are available for future bookings.

If you are interested in booking this ensemble or enrolling for Spring 2020, contact MJ Harper at 620-719-6633 or email [email protected] .

Art, Bourbon County, Business, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Schools

Time for the Fall Extravaganza, Buy Local Nov. 25

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Georgia Brown of Sunshine Boutique visits with customers during Fall Extravaganza in a prior year.

FREE childcare and an evening of shopping are offered Nov. 25.

The 10th Annual Fall Extravaganza is next Monday from 5-8 p.m. in the Fort Scott Middle School gym and commons areas. The school is located at 1105 E. 12th Street. The childcare is provided by Fort Scott High School PRIDE.

Don’t miss this opportunity to check out local crafters and businesses.

Homemade articles of cloth and wood, jewelry, locally made food items and other local small business offerings can be found at the event.

 

With over 60 vendors, there should be something for everyone on the holiday gift list.

There will be a full meal for sale from the 8th-grade Washington Workshop students,  and chances to win raffle prizes.

There will also be six $25 cash prize giveaways:

1) Every adult who comes to our event will be allowed to add a middle school child’s name into a drawing. At the end of the night, two student names will be drawn and those students will win $25 cash!

2) Every USD 234 employee who attends will have a chance to be entered into a drawing. At the end of the night, four names will be drawn and those employees will win $25 cash!

The event is sponsored by the FSMS VIPs, which is the parent group at the middle school.
  “This is one of about five fundraisers we do every year to raise money for our school,” Stephanie George, coordinator for the event and a middle school teacher. “Teachers and students benefit.  Every year we look at the needs of them both and decide what to do with the money.”
”  In past years, we have purchased laptops and iPads for student and teacher use, we have given money to the science teachers for lab supplies and to the music teachers for sheet music and instruments, and we give money each year to the teachers to purchase school supplies at the start of the year.  We also pay for software that the district wasn’t able to afford when budgets were cut years ago:  we have paid for Accelerated Reader (a reading supplement) for over five years now and we pay for video subscriptions that teachers want like Flocabulary and BrainPop.”
“The first year of our event was 2009,” George said. “We had 29 vendors and we held it all in our commons.  By year 3, we had so many vendors we had to expand into our gym.  This year we have 69 spots sold, plus a few booths manned by middle school student groups (Washington Workshop and the 8th Grade Technology Class), which is bigger than last year by one vendor.”
Approximately 400 people from the community come to shop during the event each year, she said.
. Fall Extravaganza 2017.

 

Bourbon County, Schools

Uniontown FFA Places 5th at Nationals

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 Left to Right: Haydon Schaaf, Clay Brillhart, Makenzee Franklin, Nich Hathaway, Scott Sutton.

 

The Uniontown FFA Livestock Judging team placed 5th at the National FFA Livestock Evaluation contest held on October 30th and 31st in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Uniontown represented  Kansas at the national event after earning the opportunity with their state championship win this past May at the Kansas FFA contest.

 

Haydon Schaaf, Clay Brillhart and Nick Hathaway led the team with their gold division finishes.

Makenzee Franklin was also on the team and landed in the silver division.

On day one of the contest members had to place three keep/cull classes of livestock and complete a written exam on their own.

They were then paired up and had to complete a team breeding and marketing activity.

On day two each member had to place eight livestock classes and talk four sets of reasons.

The team is coached by Uniontown FFA Advisor Scott Sutton.

 

Franklin and Hathaway are freshmen at Fort Scott Community College. Franklin is on the livestock judging team at FSCC and Hathaway is on the meat judging team there.

Schaaf is a freshman at Redlands Community College in Oklahoma and is on their livestock judging team.

Brillhart is a junior at Uniontown High School.

 

Art, Bourbon County, Entertainment, Fort Scott

FS Library Family Party Dec. 16

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Come to Fort Scott Public Library for the 5th Annual Holiday Family  Party on Monday, December 16, at 4 p.m.
Miss Val will read and sing with everyone, and then families will experience the party in smaller groups.
Activities for teens will be held upstairs while games, snacks, and crafts for children and adults will be downstairs.
Children first grade and below must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
The party will run from 4 – 5:30 p.m. Registration will open at 3:45. 
All kids and teens will receive a gift and book.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
Volunteers are needed to help supervise the activities.
Please contact youth librarian Valetta Cannon at [email protected], fill out a donation form at the library, or call 620-223-2882 if you would like to help. Happy Holidays from Fort Scott Public Library!
Bourbon County, Fort Scott

December Events at Fort Scott Public Library

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Submitted by Valetta Cannon, Fort Scott Public Library, Youth Librarian & Assistant Director
December Events at the Fort Scott Public Library
Tuesday, December 3

Royalty Storytime, 10 a.m. at Fort Scott Public Library

Wednesday, December 4
Royalty Storytime, 10 a.m. at Fort Scott Public Library

Wednesday, December 4
Adult Coloring, 2 – 4 p.m. at Fort Scott Public Library

Wednesday, December 4
FIGHTERS Teen & Tween GroupCommunity Service, 4:15 p.m. at Fort Scott Public Library

 
Monday, December 9
Maker Monday: Winter Crafts, 4 – 5 p.m. at Fort Scott Public Library

Tuesday, December 10
Dragons & Fantasy Creatures Storytime, 10 a.m. at Fort Scott Public Library

 
Wednesday, December 11
Dragons & Fantasy Creatures Storytime, 10 a.m. at Fort Scott Public Library 
 
Wednesday, December 11
Adult Coloring, 2 – 4 p.m. at Fort Scott Public Library

Wednesday, December 11
FIGHTERS Teen & Tween Holiday Craft Night, 4:15 at Fort Scott Public Library


Monday, December 16

5th Annual Holiday Family Party, 4 – 5:30 p.m. at Fort Scott Public Library
 
Tuesday, December 17
Holidays Storytime, 10 a.m. at Fort Scott Public Library
 
Wednesday, December 18
Holidays Storytime, 10 a.m. at Fort Scott Public Library 
 
Wednesday, December 18
Adult Coloring, 2 – 4 p.m. at Fort Scott Public Library
 
Wednesday, December 18
FIGHTERS Teen & Tween Holiday Games Party, 4 – 6 p.m. at Fort Scott Public Library
 
December 23 – January 1 – No Library Programs due to Holidays.
Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Succession planning important in rural communities

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Carla Nemecek is Southwind District Director and agent.

 

Submitted by Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director

Kansas rural business owners, farm and ranch families continuously look at best options for feasibility and profitability– they attend educational meetings, try out new practices, assess any risks involved and talk with their neighbor or consultant. They make numerous decisions from day to day that will affect the operation both now and in the future. The holiday season is a good time to initiate those conversations with family and close friends.

Future sustainability of our local communities also depends on whether the family owned business has planned for succession. The average age of U.S. producers continues to rise and families will need to explore options for the transitional feasibility of current and future operators. Succession planning is a step-by-step process where families work together to develop a plan to incorporate the next owner and pass on knowledge and resources that will sustain the operation.

It can be challenging and difficult to begin developing a succession plan and find guidance moving forward. This is where a succession planning facilitator plays a key role.

The facilitator can help the family identify strengths, barriers and opportunities as they pass the farm business on to the next generation. They guide family members to resources and individuals who can help them find the information they need to develop an effective succession plan with help from facilitators and mediators from Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services, a program administered by K-State Research and Extension.

A facilitated meeting is described as guiding participants through shared discussions about important issues. Facilitators help families set an agenda and guide the process for planning their succession. The facilitator works to enable all voices to be heard within a respectful environment. While the facilitator remains neutral with the content of the discussion, they help everyone keep track of the substantive issues and options raised by the family as they chart their path forward.

Trained facilitators have experience working with Kansas farm and ranch families. They offer guidance and support as families cultivate options for creating a succession plan. Facilitation services can be requested by calling Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services at 800-321-3276.

Families may also visit the succession planning website and navigate through a variety of resources, such as “Transition Planning: 12 Steps to Keep the Family Farming” and more topic-focused areas such as estate planning or “FamilyTALK.” The website is available at Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services.

Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services is administered by K-State Research and Extension. The program supports Kansas producers in resolving a variety of agricultural-related concerns and maintains confidentiality during the process. Information and guidance on any ag-related issue will be provided at no cost through our toll-free hotline, 1-800-321-3276 FREE or visit our website at Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services.


Carla Nemecek
Southwind Extension District
Director & Agent
[email protected]
620-365-2242
1 North Washington, Iola, KS 66749

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