Category Archives: Bourbon County

Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

HBCAT Awards Local Grants

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The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team to Award $42,000 in Grants

 

 

Fort Scott, KS:  Health is economic stability.  The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc. (HBCAT) aims to increase access to wealth building opportunities to Bourbon County residents through our local and regional partnerships at the Action Team’s Centers for Economic Growth.  Providing local businesses expertise and guidance, particularly in these very turbulent times, has shown to be a critical resource to increase the number of business start-ups and number of available quality jobs.   

 

HBCAT will be awarding six grants totaling $42,000 on March 7th in their office at 104 N Nation Fort Scott, KS 66701 at 12 pm. The event will be broadcast live on Facebook and is also open for the public to attend in person and celebrate the grant awardees. With the support of the Patterson Family Foundation, the HBCAT will award a total of $145,000 to low-income, minority owned, women owned or food-based businesses over the next two years. Each grantee is a client of the Pittsburg State Small Business Development Center (PSU SBDC) at the Action Team’s Center for Economic Growth. There will be a total of four grant cycles in the next two years.  

Please join us in congratulating following businesses: 

Two farmer/rancher recipients ($10,000 each): 

Freedom Farms 

The Palmers are taking an innovative approach to sustainability by developing a farm co-op business model. They are able to help Bourbon County residents increase access to healthier food by allowing them to buy directly from the producer. It is important for them to educate their customers on where their food is coming from, they have opened their farm for visitors through agritourism. HBCAT is excited to share their vision of seeing a healthier Bourbon County.  

1553 Plants and Produce 

The Wunderlys are removing the barriers for their community to access healthier food by establishing a weekly delivery system. Through this process they create relationships with their customers and understand their target market. They now have a wholesale relationship with a local restaurant to incorporate their produce in their menu.   

Restaurant/Food Retail Recipient ($7000): 

Dry Wood Creek 

Martin Elton is former president of the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association. With this experience he is able to bring a unique perspective to his business model and the relationships with other restaurants. He is increasing access to healthy food by having a wholesale relationship with a local farmer and incorporating it in his menu.   

3 Low-Income, Minority, or Women Owned Startup Businesses Recipients ($5,000 each): 

Eighteen65 

Bailey Lyons, along with her husband Nate, purchased the historic McDonald Hall building downtown with a plan to restore the building and create commercial and residential spaces that will be available for rent. There is a strong need in the community for quality rental spaces, and a high demand for these in the historic downtown area. Bailey is wanting to help meet this need. More businesses operating downtown, coupled with more people living or staying downtown, will generate increased spending in the area, more foot traffic, and overall increased vitality.  

Made With Love: By Genna 

Genna Gilbert is turning her creative hobby into a business. She sells tumblers, earrings, pens, signs, and she even does custom orders. She is wanting to work with other artists to hold craft workshops geared towards children. She is excited to create her own wealth and provide for her family. 

Writers Edge 

Kim Carpenter decided to take a step of faith and use her experience and education to create a proofreading business. Marketing and getting the message across clearly is essential to nearly every business. Kim is wanting to help businesses by providing her professional skills of copy editing and proofreading to help support the local economy. 

The HBCAT Grant program is funded by the Patterson Family Foundation with the intention of increasing access to resources that will provide opportunity for economic stability, reduce poverty, and instill hope for upward mobility in employment.  Each applicant is required to enroll with the PSU SBDC at the Center for Economic Growth and work with a local team to develop a sustainable business plan with financial projections.  

Food retail/restaurant and farmer/rancher grants have an additional eligibility requirement to build and document wholesale relationships. 

Some of the most common reasons for advancing programs that support local foods are that local food production:  

  • Provides incentives for entrepreneurship and innovation;  
  • Expands consumer choice and fresh food access;  
  • Improves negotiating power to local producers;  
  • Supports rural economic revitalization; and  
  • Protects the food system against severe shocks through decentralization of production. 

 

According to Smart Growth America, in today’s world business growth is driven by collaboration among many types of entities, private, companies, universities, and others, that must interact frequently and work together creatively. HBCAT’s Center for Economic Growth is the epitome of this new model.  The HBCAT’s Center for Economic Growth is a multi-partner collaboration of the HBCAT, Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, PSU Small Business Development Center (PSU SBDC), Southeast KANSASWORKS, Fort Scott Community College, and multiple local business owners.  

PSU SBDC is available to businesses to provide the technical assistance needed for economic planning of rural businesses to obtain capital, develop marketing strategy, and more.  Southeast KANSASWORKS is the Local Workforce Development Board (LWDB) that serves 17 counties in Southeast Kansas, including Bourbon County. Southeast KANSASWORKS contributes to economic growth and business expansion by ensuring the workforce system is job-driven, matching employers with skilled individuals.  

 

if you want to know how to become eligible, please contact Rachel Carpenter by emailing [email protected] 

Find us on social media!  On Facebook, Instagram and Twitter #healthybbco 

Background of The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team: 

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is a Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas Community. Its mission is to increase access to healthy food and physical activity, promote commercial tobacco cessation, enhance quality of life and encourage economic growth. The problems of health inequity and social injustice are complex in nature and inextricably linked to key economic indicators. A healthy workforce is a prerequisite for economic success in any industry and in all cities. 

 

 

Contact information: 

 

Jody Hoener, President and CEO  

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc 

620-215-5725 

[email protected] 

 

Rachel Carpenter, Program Coordinator 

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Inc 

620-215-2562 

[email protected] 

 

Mary Hunt, Interim Operations Director 

Southeast KANSASWorks 

Desk: 620-232-1222 

Cell: 620-670-0006
Website:  www.sekworks.org 

 

Dacia Clark, Assistant Director, PSU SBDC 

[email protected] 

785-445-2537 

 

Lindsay Madison, President and CEO 

The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce 

[email protected] 

(620) 223-3566   

 

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: 

(1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW 

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; 

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or 

(3) email: [email protected]. 

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

  1. Exceptions to Including the Full USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

 

Bourbon County, Government

Bourbon County Commission Agenda For March 1

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County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: March 1, 2022
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Ashley Shelton
MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM
Call to Order
• Flag Salute
• Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
• Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
• County Counselor Comment
• Susan Bancroft, Finance Director Comment
▫ Grants
▫ 2022 Calendar of Events
▫ Executive Session – KSA 75-4319(b)(2) for consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship
▫ Executive Session – KSA 75-4319(b)(6) for the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property
• Public Comment
• Elected Officials Comment
• Commission Comment
Justifications for Executive Session: KSA 75-4319(b)(1) To discuss personnel matters of individual nonelected personnel to protect their privacy KSA 75-4319(b)(2) For consultation with an attorney for the public body or agency which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship KSA 75-4319(b)(3) To discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative(s) of the body or agency KSA 75-4319(b)(4) To discuss data relating to financial affairs or trade secrets of corporations, partnerships, trust, and individual proprietorships KSA 75-4319(b)(6) For the preliminary discussion of the acquisition of real property KSA 75-4319(b)(12) To discuss matters relating to security measures, if the discussion of such matters at an open meeting would jeopardize such security measures.

To view the county’s calendar:

2022 Calendar

Bourbon County, Business, Entertainment, Fort Scott, Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce

What’s Happening in Fort Scott Feb. 25 Newletter

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What’s Happening in Fort Scott!
February 25th Weekly Newsletter
So much fun coming up in Fort Scott,
share with your friends & family!
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
________________
2/25 ~ Rooster Art Party by Happy Snappy Art, Dry Wood Creek Cafe, 6pm, click here for info.
2/25-26 ~ Prairie Troubadour 6th Annual Symposium, click here for info.
2/26 ~ Lake Fort Scott Advisory Board Meeting, open to the public, 8am,
City Hall or City’s YouTube
2/26 ~ Stronger Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods 9-11am FS Fire Station #2
Join us for a FREE breakfast catered by Aunt Toadie’s and come prepared with ideas to build up our neighborhoods! You can also win prizes by just showing up! 23 S Franklin St.,
click here for the Facebook event.
2/26 ~ Kansas Rocks – 26th AnnualFrostbite This is a great way to open up your season’s wheeling. Great food, great fun, and great friends make this event warm all over.
Click here for more details.
Kansas Rocks – 2051 130th St. Mapleton, KS
2/28 ~ Fort Scott FFA Blood Drive, 8:30am to 2pm, FSHS Auxiliary Gym, click here for info.
3/1 ~ Annual Pancake Feed hosted by the Fort Scott Kiwanis Club. Two times 11am-1:30pm and 4-6:30pm at First United Methodist Church. DRIVE-THRU ONLY! Click here for info.
3/3 ~ Angie Dawn’s Ribbon Cutting
Thursday, March 3rd at 8am Celebrating the launch of their new website and physical store remodel with a Chamber Coffee. They will have Hot Cocoa & Coffee along with a variety of breakfast items. Register to win gift certificates and prizes. The public is welcome to attend.
Click here for Facebook event.
3/4-3/5 ~ Hop Into Spring Shopping Event,
Spring Open House kick-off is Friday 4-7pm.
Fri-Sat 10% off Spring Items. $50 Chamber Bucks drawing. See graphic for list of participants.
3/4 ~ Timken Hiring Event, onsite at their location in the Industrial Park, 2-6pm, learn more at www.timken.com/careers.
3/5 ~ Brigg’s Auto Career Day starting at 8:30am, come learn about careers available in the auto industry, click here for more info.
3/5 ~ 1st Annual Marsha Fest featuring Disco Dick & the Mirror Balls at Liberty Theatre,
8-11pm, $35/ticket, purchase here!
Click here for the FB event.
3/7 ~ Future Now Finance at FSHS Session 1 8:30am-9:30am; Session 2 9:45am-10:45am.
An exercise that helps students understand the “realities’ involved in preparing for an employable future and adulthood
3/11-13 ~ FSCC College Rodeo,
Arnold Arena at Fort Scott Community College
SAVE THE DATE:
3/18 ~ Friendship Soup Lunch hosted by First United Methodist Church 11:30am – 1pm
First United Methodist Church will host a
drive-through soup lunch. A variety of soups including potato, vegetable beef, and chili will be served along with a dessert for a free-will offering. The soup lunch will be sponsored by the Mission Committee at FUMC
301 S. National
3/25-3/27 ~ FSCC Presents ‘Godspell’
Fifty years after its theatrical debut, the musical “Godspell” returns to the stage at Fort
Scott Community College in an exciting, powerful new form next month.
7:30 p.m. March 25-26 and 2 p.m. March 27. Admission is $5. FSCC students,
faculty and staff are admitted free of charge. Masks are required.
SHOPPING ~ SUPPORT LOCAL!
Boutiques-Antiques-Flea Markets & more!
Clickhere for Chamber member
specialty shopping & other retail in
Downtown & other areas of the community.
Fort Scott Area
Chamber of Commerce
620-223-3566
In This Issue
Chamber Highlights
Click here for our
Membership Directory.
We THANK our members for their support! Interested in joining the Chamber?
Click here for info.
Thinking of doing business in or relocating to Fort Scott?
Contact us for a relocation packet, information on grants & incentives, and more!
Seeking a job/career?
We post a Job of the Day daily on our Facebook page, distribute a monthly job openings flyer, and post jobs on our website.
Many opportunities available!
Housing needs?
Click here for a listing of our Chamber member realtors.
Click here for our rental listing.
Community Conversation: East Fire Station
Hop Into Spring Open House
Angie Dawn’s Ribbon Cutting
Timken Hiring Event
1st Annual Marsha Fest
Pancake Feed
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR
FUTURE NOW FINANCE AT FSHS
FORT CINEMA SHOW SCHEDULE THIS WEEKEND
THANK YOU TO OUR CHAMBER CHAMPION MEMBERS!
…

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Art, Bourbon County

Bo Co Arts Council 30th Annual Fine Art Exhibit March 10-12

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Bourbon County Arts Council Members present at the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee in 2020, from left, Elaine Buerge, Deb Anderson, Terry Floyd, Steve Floyd and Linda Noll.

The annual art show that showcases local area artists is March 10-12.

The 30th Annual Bourbon County Arts Council exhibit will be held Thursday, March 10 through Saturday, March 12 at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.

“We will host the Chamber Coffee on March 10 at 8 a.m.,” Deb Anderson, president of the council said.

The exhibit will be open Thursday, March 10 and Friday, March 11 from 12 PM to 7 PM and Saturday, March 12th from 9 AM to 1 PM.

The BCAC was formed in 1973 to foster, promote and increase the knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts, according to BCAC President Deb Anderson.

A 2016 photo of the Bourbon County Arts Council Annual Exhibit.

An artist reception will be held March 10th from 6 PM to 8 PM where participating artists will have the opportunity to listen to the juror critique and visit with her about their pieces.

The juror for the event this year will be Tara Booth,  an Associate Professor of Art at Cottey College, Nevada, Mo.

The competition is open to all artists age 16 and older.

Categories include Best of Show 2D and 3D, Ceramics, Drawing and Graphics (Pencil, Pen, Ink), Fiber Arts, Glasswork, Jewelry, Mixed Media, Painting (Oil and Acrylic), Pastel, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture and Watercolor.

A new “Theme” category has been included: The theme this year is “The Eye of the Beholder”.

Bourbon County businesses and individual sponsors for the first prize winners of the art categories are:

2D and 3D – Memory of E.C. Gordon Ceramics – Ward Kraft, Inc

Drawing & Graphics – Landmark Bank Jewelry – Citizens Bank

Mixed Media – Lyons Realty Painting – Union State Bank

Pastel – Mid-Continental Restoration

Photography – H & H Realty

Sculpture – Fort Scott Broadcasting

Fiber Arts – Bernita Hill

Watercolor – Buerge Art Studio

Theme – City State Bank

Glass – Jamie Armstrong, Edward D Jones

Printmaking – Osage Timber, LLC

Current Bourbon County Arts Council Bard Members are Deb Anderson, President; Bre Eden, Vice President; Steve Floyd, Secretary; Terri Floyd, Treasurer; Cindy Bartelsmeyer, Elaine Buerge, Deb Halsey, Justin Meeks, Laura Meeks, Linda Noll, Tedena Tucker, and Chris Woods.

History of BCAC

“The organization of the BCAC is 52 years old this year. It was originally known as the Fort Scott Arts Council,” Anderson said. “Upon its incorporation, it was changed to Bourbon County Arts Council.”
“There were several activities in the beginning,” she said. “In June 1973 the first project was a booth at the arts and crafts fair, during the Old Fort Days Rodeo sponsored by the Jaycees.”
“The BCAC held the first street theatre,” she said. “In the art area there was ceramics, bread baking, spinning and weaving, wood carving, and quilting. Local artists displayed paintings, there was also an artist who did sketches and another who had very unusual pottery.”
They held a Continental Theatre Group presentation, variety shows, musicals, even a parade
The original board officers:
Gary Cullor-Chairman
Joann Meara -Vice-Chairman
Sally Cullor-Secretary
Treasurer-Steve Buerge
Board members were Dale Hammons, Robert Estes, Robert Galvin, Helen Stranathan, and Larry Nuss.
Committee chairman were
Music – Ralph Carlson
Arts – Ernie Huse
Crafts – Sondra Carlson
Theatre – Sally Cullor
Publicity – Shirley Hill
Membership – Mary Ann Burke
“A big thank you to these individuals, for forming this organization, who realized how important the arts were to a community and all those who have came after in keeping the BCAC alive, Anderson said.
“I have attached a history story of the BCAC from Gary Cullor who shared it with me,” Anderson said. “He is much more knowledgeable since he was there from the beginning. There would be a correction to the information in the fourth paragraph, it should read April 9th,1973 instead of April 9th,1773.”
To view Cullor’s history of the art council:
Bourbon County, Business, Fort Scott

Bourbon County Retail Survey Response Requested

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Chamber Logo Transparent Background.png
BOURBON COUNTY

RETAIL SURVEY

Your response is requested and appreciated!

Click here for the survey.
Bourbon County REDI

(Regional Economic Development Inc.)

has engaged with Goldstone Consulting Group to perform a Community Retail Needs Analysis.

Having current, formalized data will assist Bourbon County REDI to pursue or seize future opportunities by being able to provide this information on community needs and priorities to developers and others interested in doing business in Fort Scott and Bourbon County.

While your response to the electronic survey format is greatly preferred, you may also click here for a printable copy of the survey

or pick one up at the Chamber.

Completed hardcopy surveys may be returned to the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce,

231 E. Wall St., Fort Scott, KS 66701 or to the office of Bourbon County REDI,

200 S. Main St., Ste. 200, Fort Scott, KS 66701.
You may also access the survey by scanning this QR code:
QR_code_QNFYCH3.png
Community Retail Needs Questionnaire _2_.png
Thank you in advance for your participation

and response to this survey.

Contact Bourbon County REDI with any questions:

Rob Harrington, Director ~ 620-215-0144
Thank you to our Chamber Champion members below…
Chamber Champions Logo Image 2022 - Ledger Size.png
Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce

fortscott.com | 620-223-3566 [email protected]
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Area News, Bourbon County, Church news, Entertainment, Fort Scott

The Prairie Troubadour: A Catholic Gathering This Weekend

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Luther’s BBQ restaurant is located at the corner of Oak Street and National Avenue on Fort Scott’s northside. The River Room Event Center is located on the second floor.

The 6th Annual Prairie Troubadour starts tomorrow Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the River Room Event Center, 3 W. Oak.

The event is “to bring Catholics together to enjoy things we enjoy culturally,” Michael Pokorny, a house father at St. Martin’s Academy said. “To help our friends and neighbors understand our faith and how we live it with joy.”

The Prairie Troubadour is named in memoriam of poet, songwriter, and man of the Kansas prairie, Gerald Francis Kerr, the father of St. Martin’s Academy founder, Daniel Kerr.

The theme of this year’s event is Feasts, Fasts, and the Seasons.

Tickets to the event must be purchased before the event and can be ordered on the website: Feasts, Fasts and the Seasons: the Art of Living Liturgically Tickets, Fri, Feb 25, 2022, at 6:30 PM | Eventbrite

Tickets start at $85 for the weekend’s events.

The schedule:

Feb. 25 is registration at 6:30 a.m. followed at 7 p.m. by Baylor University Professor Dr. Michael Foley who will be speaking on “How to Drink Like a Saint.”

8 p.m. Dale Alquist, president of The Chesterton Society, will speak on “Feasting and Surprisingly Fasting with G.K. Chesterton.”

9 p.m. There will be an afterglow session.

Saturday, Feb. 26

9:30 a.m. Daniel Kerr, headmaster/founder of St. Martin’s Academy will welcome guests, followed at 9:45 a.m. by Father Joshua Moore, sub-prior at Clear Creek Abbey, Oklahoma, who will speak on “Fasting: Or Why Officers Eat Last.”

10:45 a.m. Brandon Sheard, owner/operator of Farmstead Meatsmith, Tulsa, OK will speak on “The Virtue of Pig Killing.”

At noon, lunch will be on your own, Luther’s Restuarant, directly under the River Room Event Center, is recommended.

At 1:15 p.m. Dr. John Cuddeback, a professor of philosophy at Christendom College, Front Royal, Virginia will speak on “Animating Your Home with Leisure.”

At 2:15 p.m. Dr. William Fahey, president of Thomas Moore College of Liberal Arts, Merrimac, NH, will speak on “My Little Horse Must Think It Queer and Other Musings on the Natural Order of Liturgical Living.”

There will be a break at 3:15 p.m. and a break-out with vendors.

A question and answer session with the speakers will happen at 4:30 p.m. and the symposium closes at 5:30 p.m.

At 7 p.m. there will be a whiskey and cigar soiree with the speakers and musical entertainment by the St. Martin’s Academy students and others. This event is for VIP Pass Holders only.

 

 

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Price Risk Management for Cow-Calf Producers: Part 1

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We at the Southwind Extension District thank Dr. Jennifer Ifft, KSU Ag Economics Specialist, for allowing the use of this 8-part series to help our district’s beef producers. Questions regarding this series can be directed through Chad Guthrie at [email protected], or by contacting your local extension office.

Farmers and ranchers face risk every day. Individual producers have tools to mitigate risk, such vaccination and irrigation, but never have complete control over production outcomes. Price risk is one example of the many types of risk that can influence farm income. “Uncertainty” characterizes a situation where outcomes are unknown, while “risky” characterizes situations where potential outcomes are known or understood, but different outcomes can occur.

For cow-calf producers that are calving now or within the next few months, production (breeding) decisions were made over 9 months ago. However, it will be another 6 months from today, or longer, that most producers receive any income. Predicting market prices at breeding is highly uncertain: it’s difficult to know what markets will be like a year and a half in advance. By calving, market predictions or expected prices for feeder cattle have been established through futures markets:1 this is a risky situation rather than an uncertain situation. While futures prices are not a guarantee of a particular market price, they provide information about likely price outcomes.

Price risk is not about whether expected prices are high or low, but whether market prices are different than expected. What does it mean for a price to be different than expected? Let’s say a producer calves in April and plans to sell in October. Today October feeder futures are around $185/cwt. In other words, $185 is the expected market price for October 2022, or $185/cwt is best estimate we have for average national prices in October, based on currently available information. The price risk faced by the producer is that when October arrives, prices may have dropped below $185/cwt. If prices decrease by October, will the producer still be able to make a profit?

In some years, prices decline or stay the same. The largest decline in recent years was in 2015. In April 2015, October feeder cattle futures were around $214/cwt. By October, prices had declined to around $183/cwt. Some producers might have still made money at $183, but this was substantially less than the expected price in April. Prices were similarly high in April 2014: October feeder futures were over $230/cwt. Actual 2014 October prices were a little higher than this. In 2020 expected and actual prices were also similar, around $140/cwt.

Actual prices can be higher than expected. While this is technically a form of price risk, or “upside risk”, most producers are more worried about price declines, or “downside risk”. In April 2013, the October feeder cattle futures price was around $144/cwt, but the actual price ended up around $160/cwt. Likewise, in 2017, the actual October price was almost $10 higher than expected.

Producers may also face unexpected declines in local prices, that may not be reflected in national or futures markets. This type of risk is often referred to as “basis risk”. Basis risk is defined as the different between the current (or nearby) futures price and local cash prices. For example, prices at the local sale barn may experience a larger decline than futures prices.

To summarize, price risk management is not just about getting a high price; it is about protecting yourself from declines in the expected market price. The next article in this series will discuss different price risk management strategies.

This article is the first in an 8-part series on price risk management for cow-calf producers. The first part of the series will focus on price risk and different management alternatives. The later part of the series will focus on Livestock Risk Protection, an insurance product available to Kansas producers, that pays out when market prices for feeder cattle (or fed cattle or swine) are lower than expected. While LRP has been available for 2 decades, recently policy changes make it more affordable to producers. Funding for this work was provided by the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Award Number 2018-70024-28586.

We at the Southwind Extension District thank Dr. Jennifer Ifft, KSU Ag Economics Specialist, for allowing the use of this 8-part series to help our district’s beef producers. Questions regarding this series can be directed through Chad Guthrie at [email protected], or by contacting your local extension office.

For more information about this publication and others, visit AgManager.info.

K-State Agricultural Economics | 342 Waters Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-4011 | 785.532.1504

www.agecononomics.k-state.edu

Copyright 2022: AgManager.info and K-State Department of Agricultural Economics

1 Contracts to buy or sell commodities at a future date can be purchased in futures markets, such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange or CME. For more information on futures markets, see https://agmanager.info/hedging-using-livestock-futures or https://agmanager.info/livestock-meat/marketing-extension-bulletins/price-risk/introduction-futures-markets. Information on expected prices may be available from other sources, but within a similar time range as futures markets.

Bourbon County, Food, Fort Scott

Perry’s Pork Rinds $2 Off

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Sending on behalf of chamber member
Perry’s Pork Rinds
We have lost our minds, we know! Today is 2/2/22 and it’s just after 2pm CST this sale is good for $2 Off per bag of pork rinds until midnight CST. It’s our biggest and best deal since starting in 2017! Not combined with any other discounts! We love and appreciate you helping keep a family-owned and operated business alive and well in Bronson, KS! Because of YOU and your faithful support. The best compliment you can provide is to INVITE others to like our page or SHARE this post! God be less you all have a great day… now go shop! Discount automatically applies at check out. Curbside pickup is available too!
Place your orders here:www.PerrysPorkRinds.com 
Like their Facebook page here
Bourbon County, K-State Extension

Fruit Trees Should Be Pruned Now

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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

 

Are you itching to get out of the house and do something productive in the landscape? If you have fruit trees, now is the time to prune. A little planning ahead with fruit trees, such as pruning, can mean big rewards later in the growing season.

Are you like many who are “afraid” to prune? Don’t be. When done correctly, pruning is an essential component of growing a healthy, productive fruit tree. Fruit trees should be pruned every year and for several reasons. The first is the development of a strong tree structure. Pruning should begin when the tree is planted and continued each year thereafter. Another reason to prune is the increased penetration of sunlight for the development of fruit buds and for the fruit to mature properly.

Trees can be pruned this early (winter) because they are dormant. This can be done in January, February and even early March. Pruning when trees are dormant makes it easier to see undesirable branches because leaves aren’t present. It is important to do any pruning before dormant sprays are applied, to avoid spraying some of the wood that will later be removed. Total spray coverage of limbs, branches and shoots will be increased after pruning. Do not prune if temperatures are below 20°F because this can cause tissue damage.

Have your fruit trees been neglected for quite some time? If so, pruning can seem like an overwhelming task; where to start, how much wood to remove, etc. But a neglected tree can be revitalized.

The first step in revitalizing a neglected tree is to prune wood around the trunk area and near the ground. Remove all sucker growth around the trunk by cutting as close as possible to the point of origin. Then remove all dead and diseased branches. Next, look for two branches that rub and remove one of the two. Branches that are growing toward the interior of the tree should also be removed. No more than thirty percent of the tree should be removed in a year.

You will want to retain scaffolds that are growing away from the tree center at wide angles with the trunk. Scaffolds are one of the main branches making the basic framework of a tree. They should be positioned on different sides of the tree for good distribution of the fruit crop.

The right tools are needed for proper pruning. Tools always need to be sharp so clean cuts can be made. Cuts that result in bark tears, stubs, or jagged surfaces are slow to heal and may even not completely heal. A scissor type of hand shear is used to prune small size wood, usually ¼ inch in diameter. Long handled loppers should be used to cut ¼ to ½ inch wood. These will need to be used generally by the third year of tree growth. For branches larger than ½ inch, use a fine-toothed pruning saw.

The Extension office has a couple of publications on pruning fruit trees that explain in more detail how to prune depending on the species and age of the tree. These publications can be found on our Southwind website: www.southwind.ksu.edu

If you would like me to evaluate your trees, give me a call and a home visit can be scheduled.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural 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.

Bourbon County, Government

Agenda For Bourbon County Commission Feb. 22

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Bourbon County Commission Room
1st Floor, County Courthouse
210 S. National Avenue
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Tuesdays starting at 9:00
Date: February 22, 2022
1st District-Lynne Oharah Minutes: Approved: _______________
2nd District-Jim Harris Corrected: _______________________
3rd District-Clifton Beth Adjourned at: _______________
County Clerk-Ashley Shelton
MEETING HELD IN THE COMMISSION ROOM
Call to Order
• Flag Salute
• Approval of Minutes from previous meeting
• Eric Bailey – Road and Bridge Report
• Cereal Malt Beverage Permit Approval
• Removal of Special Assessment Process
• County Counselor Comment
• Susan Bancroft, Finance Director Comment
o Inclement Weather
o Control Room Request
o Finance Report Update
• Public Comment
• Elected Officials Comment
• Commission Comment

Bourbon County Local News