Did you know that less than half of Kansas adults meet the minimum requirements for physical activity? Or that chronic disease is responsible for more than 70% of healthcare costs? The good news is that practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors can delay or prevent chronic disease! With this in mind, you will want to save the date for Walk Kansas 2023. Walk Kansas is a team-based health initiative program that will encourage you to lead a healthier life by being more active and making better nutrition choices. This year, the program will take place from March 26th to May 20th.

Through Walk Kansas, you are part of a six-member team which selects a goal and then supports one another in reaching that goal during the course of the eight-week healthy lifestyle challenge. Teams can be made up of family members, coworkers, friends, community organization members, neighbors, or members of a faith-based community. You don’t have to be in the same town, county, state, or even country. If you don’t have a team, we can assign you to one or you can fly solo!

We promote walking because almost anyone can do it and it is good for your heart. However, other types of exercise are beneficial as well so they also count towards Walk Kansas minutes. This includes any moderate or vigorous activity. This physical activity will help boost your mood, sharpen your focus, reduce your stress, and improve your sleep. No matter who you are, you can find safe, fun ways to get active by moving your own way.

By participating in Walk Kansas, you gain support in working towards leading a healthier life, including support from your teammates and exclusive membership in a closed Walk Kansas Facebook group. Success increases with supportive relationships. You will also receive weekly newsletters filled with motivational healthy lifestyle information, resources, and recipes. A new component of Walk Kansas this year will be the opportunity to participate in the online “Med Instead of Meds” class! If you’re interested in eating the Mediterranean way but not sure where to start, this weekly class series is perfect for you.

So, what are you waiting for? Registration for Walk Kansas opens on March 1st. Register by March 26th online at WalkKansas.org or by contacting your local K-State Research and Extension office. For more information, including about the optional kickoff 5K event on April 1st, please contact Clara Wicoff at 620-365-2242 or [email protected].

It’s taking place every day, for everyone….aging that is, and it is an opportunity!  Let’s come together to learn and ensure we can all thrive as we age, on Friday, April 28^th, for the Aging with Attitude Regional Expo.

The expo aims to promote positive attitudes about aging and educate on issues that support physical, mental, and financial health.  K-State Research and Extension along with community partners invite you to connect with others for information and resources on April 28^th.

The event includes presentations, breakfast, activities, prizes, and a resource fair from 8:00 to 11:30a.m. at Foursquare Church, 98 Main Street, Parsons, KS.  Registration fee is $15 per attendee.  Register online at https://bit.ly/2023AWAexpo or by calling 620-625-8620.

Keynote Presentations include:

Affordable Day Trips

SEK Living Magazine will provide the inside scoop on fun, affordable day trips in Kansas!

Planning for Life Panel

Hear from financial, legal, and funeral professionals on estate planning essentials and get your questions answered!

Make the most of your life by attending this year’s regional expo!  For more information you may contact me at [email protected] or 620-625-8620.

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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts.

Computers, phones, tablets, and smartwatches. Consumers today have more access to digital devices than ever before.

Recent studies indicate that spending hours on end staring at screens can have a large impact on your health. Lack of quality sleep, excessive eating, social isolation, low professional performance, and a lack of physical activity are all potential negative effects of spending too much time looking at screens.

The first step to combating these effects is to adjust how mindful and intentional you are with the time you spend looking at a computer, phone, or tablet screen. Experts recommend spending 3 to 4 hours daily screen-free. To help with sleep, put your devices away at least an hour before bedtime. This will allow your brain to start producing melatonin sooner, which is the hormone that helps “turn off” the brain. For eye health, take a break every 20 minutes and focus on an object at least 20 feet away. This is especially beneficial for those that work on a computer during the day as it prevents digital eye strain.

Parents of young children should be especially mindful of the amount of time they spend on screens with their young ones around. Children often mimic the behaviors they observe in their parents. If a majority of your time spent as a family includes screens, your children will likely pick up this behavior. Excessive screen time in children can lead to behavioral problems, irregular sleep, obesity, and impaired academic performance.

To become more mindful, recognize that behaviors are a choice. Every part of human behavior is driven by a choice and can be changed with a shift in thinking. Instead of simply saying that you will make a change, you need to take action to make that change happen. Next, think about the rationalizations behind your current thoughts. For example, why do you spend hours scrolling through social media sites when your time and energy could be better spent elsewhere? Lastly, think of alternatives. Reading a book, journaling, cleaning, cooking, or going for a walk are all great ways to spend your free time.

Taking control of your screen time can be challenging, but you and your entire family can benefit from this behavior change. For more information, contact Cassidy Lutz at [email protected] or by calling 620-625-8620.

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

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.

There is a child care crisis and it is a community, family, business, and workforce issue.  Child Care Aware of Kansas estimates that the desired capacity of child care providers in the state meets only 49% of the potential demand.  I have been on the search for child care before and every week social media presents inquiries for quality childcare or a provider working to acquire licensure.

This issue can be addressed and opportunities are out there for businesses and communities!  I recently attended a Communities in Action Workshop for Bourbon and Crawford Counties and learned about the following possibilities that I invite you take a part in.

Child Care Community Partnership Grants

Child Care Aware of Kansas, in partnership with the Kansas Department for Children and Families, can help you create and implement community-driven solutions and unique strategies to ensure that young children and families in your community thrive. There will be two funding opportunities for communities working to address access to affordable, high-quality child care.

Learn more and start planning by registering for a Communities in Action Workshop:

Allen and Woodson

Date: Feb 28^th, 9am-4pm

Location: Humboldt Sports Complex, Humboldt, KS

Registration: https://form.jotform.com/230023829219149

Neosho, Cherokee, Labette

Date: Tuesday, April 11^th, 9am-4pm

Location: DCF Office, 300 N 17th St, Parsons

Registration: https://form.jotform.com/230165315113139

Business Tax Credit Expanded

All Kansas businesses, large or small, can now apply to receive a state income tax credit for providing child care for employees or helping employees pay for child care.

The expansion of the tax credit helps employers support their workforce, even if they are not big enough to create a child care program on their own. It also helps support children’s need for a stable early learning environment.  Learn more at https://ks.childcareaware.org/cctc/.

We can all invest in our youngest and in return all in our communities benefit.   For more information, contact Tara Solomon-Smith, [email protected], or by calling 620-244-3826.

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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director of K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts.

Research shows that one in four homes in Kansas tests high for radon. Many home inspectors are now testing for radon, which is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.

K-State Research and Extension is partnering with the Kansas Radon Program to bring three learning sessions to southeast Kansas. The hour-long program is free to attend and will feature information on radon risks and how to test your home. A light meal will be served.

Sessions will be held at the following locations:
Independence – Wed 2/15 at 12pm – 410 Peter Pan Rd.
Parsons – Wed 2/15 at 5:30pm – 25092 Ness Rd.
Iola – Thursday 2/16 at 12pm – 1006 N. State St.

While there is no cost to attend, registration is required to allow for food count. Register online at https://bit.ly/krpsekc or by calling (620) 365-2242.

This event is sponsored by Security 1^st Title, with offices throughout southeast Kansas. Other sponsors include Kansas Radon Program and KSRE’s Southwind and Wildcat Districts.

For more information, contact Clara with the Southwind District at (620) 365-2242 or Julie with the Wildcat District at (620) 784-5337.

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Tara Solomon-Smith, is the new Family and Community Wellness Extension Agent for K-State Extension Service.

She began work on January 9, 2023,  at her home office  in Erie, which serves Allen, Bourbon, Neosho, and Woodson Counties, which comprises the Southwind District.

Smith is in the Fort Scott office, located at the Bourbon County Courthouse on Thursdays.

Her hometown is Yates Center.

Smith earned a bachelors degree in Family Studies and Human Services from Kansas State University, and has been working in community education and engagement for over sixteen years.

The K-State Extension offers support to the community.

She offers these programs:

In her spare time she enjoys being on the family farm and exploring the outdoors with her husband and two boys, Smith said.

Much of Southeast Kansas experienced drought through the late summer and fall months of 2022. This has affected pasture health, forage yields, and hay prices, causing some producers to worry if they will have enough forage to maintain their herd numbers. In this article we will lay out a few forage options that producers may not be utilizing.

Many tall fescue pastures in SEK went into dormancy early last summer, and never seemed to come out, leaving producers to worry if the fescue is dead. While it is difficult to tell how much will recover, we know that stand health will be poor this spring. In some cases, spring oats can be drilled into fescue stands to provide additional forage. Using low seeding rates and a no-till drill, oats make a great companion crop allowing the fescue to rest.

Winter wheat can be used as a dual-purpose crop, where producers graze the stand early in the spring, and then pull cattle off to have a harvestable wheat crop. Winter wheat can be grazed until the first hallow stem stage without impacting yield potential. Research has shown a 0% yield impact from grazing prior to the first hallow stem stage, and then a 2% yield loss each day the wheat is grazed after the first hallow stem stage. The first hallow stem stage can be identified by splitting the main tiller on the wheat plant and finding the developing wheat head. The first hallow stem stage begins when the developing wheat head is approximately 1.5 centimeters above ground, roughly the diameter of a dime.

Winter wheat can also be used solely as a forage crop with the ability to rotate to a summer crop. In this system, wheat can be grazed until planting time. Wheat can be terminated via tillage or herbicides.

For producers who did not plant winter wheat in the fall there are a number of spring- planted cereal crops that make excellent grazing options.

Cereal rye is a cold-hardy, fast growing cereal crop that will produce a large amount of forage quickly. Cereal rye is most often planted in the fall, but in SEK, late winter plantings can also achieve adequate stands. Rye is best served as a silage crop because it matures quickly, but it will also give producers the earliest grazing option.

Spring oats is the next earliest forage option. Spring oats can be planted as early as February 15 in a warm and dry winter, or as late as March 10 in a cold and wet winter. Oats will freeze kill, so plan to plant after the last threat of a freeze.

Spring oats will not produce tillers, so yield potential will not be as high as other cereal crops. Grazing should begin when plants reach 6-8 inches tall and then grazing should end when plants reach 2-3 inches tall to maintain regrowth.

For producers looking to get more forage from their spring crop, spring triticale can be a great option. Spring triticale will mature later in the season than cereal rye and spring oats, so it is not recommended if producers want to rotate to corn in that field. Double-cropped soybeans would be an option in SEK.

Spring triticale has many hybrids that are designed for different forage types, meaning it can have good grazing potential, but triticale is best served as a hay/silage crop.

With a glim outlook on spring pasture health, producers may need to look beyond their typical spring grazing options. Cereal crops can be an inexpensive and high-quality forage to fill a need while tall fescue pastures recover from last year’s drought. For more information on using alternative forages, contact Chad Guthrie, crop production and forage management agent, at any Southwind Extension District office.

By Clara Wicoff

Southwind Extension District

Have you had your home tested for radon? According to Wichita State University, asking just this one question can reduce your whole family’s risk of cancer. The Kansas Radon Program reports that residential radon gas exposure is the top cause of lung cancer death for non-smokers. Radon is sometimes referred to as the “silent killer” because you can’t see it, smell it, or taste it.

One in four Kansas homes tests high for radon. The only way to know the radon level in your home is to test for it. According to the Kansas Radon Program, winter is an excellent time to test your home. You can obtain a radon test kit from any K-State Research and Extension office, including our Southwind District offices in Iola, Fort Scott, Erie, and Yates Center.

If you want to learn even more about radon, join us for an educational program on February 16^th at 12 PM in our Iola office! The professionals from the Kansas Radon Program will be presenting on the dangers of radon exposure and how to test your home. This program is free, but registration is required at bit.ly/krpsek. A light meal will be provided.

For more information, please contact me at [email protected] or 620-365-2242. You can also learn more from the Kansas Radon Program at kansasradonprogr