4-H Communications

In the communications project, Youth will learn to interpret verbal and nonverbal information, develop effective public speaking skills, enhance written and spoken communication, defend a point, design a presentation and much more!

There is 4-H Curriculum that can be purchased for anyone interested in the communications project. Here is a breakdown of what youth can learn at different levels:

Ages 7-8:

• Learn responses to bullying

• Decode a message

• Write a letter

• Give a project talk

Ages 9-11:

• Give and receive directions using directional and transitional words

• Write a speech and critique it

• Write a press release 

• Create and give a demonstration or illustrated talk

Ages 14-18:

• Discover what causes a communication gap

• Create and give a demonstration or illustrated talk

• Plan, research, outline and present a speech

• Debate an issue

• Prepare a resume and interview for a job or office

In addition to the curriculum, youth are also offered the opportunity to attend project meetings held by volunteers. Each year, youth are able to demonstrate their hard work locally at club meetings, 4-H Day, the county fair and depending on age and placing, the Kansas State Fair.

The communications project is a great opportunity for youth to learn important life skills. For more information about this project or the workshop, contact Jennifer K. Terrell, 4-H Youth Development for K-State Research and Extension – Southwind District at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

 

Prepare Kansas online challenge offered to get yourself, family better prepared.

Prepare Kansas is a free, easy way to ensure you’re better equipped to handle emergencies.  

 

Whether it’s reviewing insurance coverage or putting together a grab-and-go kit, preparing for any kind of disaster will make recovery easier. And Kansans know a thing or two about disasters. Flooded basements, fires, tornadoes or ice storms, we have them all and much more.   

  

To help Kansans become as prepared as possible for emergencies, K-State Research and Extension is offering the Prepare Kansas Annual Preparedness Challenge. It’s a free weekly online challenge through September that includes activities individuals and families can accomplish each week. By the end of the month, participants will be better prepared to withstand and recover from emergencies.   

  

Prepare Kansas aligns with National Preparedness Month, with a theme in September this year of “Disasters Don’t Wait. Make Your Plan Today.”   

  

The weekly activities this year revolve around:   

• Making a plan – talking with others about being prepared, updating the family communications plan and reviewing plans for shelter and/or evacuation, including pets, taking COVID-19 into account.  

• Building a kit – build a kit of basic emergency supplies plus grab-and-go backpacks for family members and pets.  
• Preparing for disasters – know the difference between watches and warnings, sign up for emergency alerts and participate in an emergency drill.  
• Talk to your kids – seek information on preparedness.  
• Get financially prepared – set aside money for an emergency, review insurance coverage, build or maintain a financial grab-and-go box, and complete a home inventory.  

  

For more information about the weekly challenges, go to the Prepare Kansas blog https://blogs.k-state.edu/preparekansas/ or on social media at #PrepareKS and #BeReady.  Follow us on Facebook @southwindextensiondistrict or Instagram @southwind_ext. For more information, please contact Joy Miller at [email protected] or by calling 620-223-3720.  

 

4-H members from the Southwind Extension District competed in the annual Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes event on August 22-23. These events were like nothing the teams had competed in before because normally, the teams would have been in Kansas State University’s Weber Hall, but due to COVID-19 all contests were held virtually. Participants from the Southwind Extension District were Sadie Marchiano, Clay Brillhart, Brody Nemecek, Carly Dreher, Aidan Yoho, Emery Yoho, Kristy Beene, Gwen Fry, Byron Fry, Taylor Elsworth, Leah Mueller, Trey Sommer and Haleigh O’Brien. Southwind District 4-H members represented 4-H Clubs from Allen, Bourbon Neosho and Woodson Counties.

4-H members learned gained new knowledge and worked on livestock skills in order to be competitive in the Sweepstakes event which consisted blending scores in four contests. Southwind Extension District completed the weekend by being named the 2020 Champion Kansas State 4-H Sweepstakes Team. Top ten individual Sweepstakes winners for Southwind were Aidan Yoho, 4^th and Sadie Marchiano, 3^rd overall.

The Livestock Quiz Bowl started with a qualifying exam. The eight teams with the highest average scores advanced to the quiz bowl competition. Southwind #1 (Dreher, G. Fry, Sommers, O’Brien) was seeded 3^rd after the test, and was named Reserve Champion Quiz Bowl Team. Southwind #2 (Nemecek, Brillhart, A. Yoho, Marchiano) was seated first after the test and was later named the 3^rd best team.

The Livestock Judging contest consisted of seven judging classes, three questions classes and then two sets of reasons that were presented live to officials via zoom. Out of 163 contestants and 37 teams from across Kansas who judged livestock by online video, Southwind #2 (A. Yoho, Dreher, Marchiano, Beene) was 3^rd in Swine; 4^th in Sheep/Goats; Reserve Team Reasons; Reserve Team Cattle and 3^rd Team Overall. Southwind #3 (B. Fry, O’Brien, E. Yoho, Elsworth) was 10^th Team Overall, and Southwind #1 (Sommers, G. Fry, Mueller) was 11^th Team Overall. Individual livestock judging results are as follows:

• Emery Yoho – 10^th Swine
• Aidan Yoho – 7^th Swine
• Carly Dreher – 9^th Reasons
• Sadie Marchiano – 2^nd Reasons; 2^nd Cattle; 2^nd Sheep/Goats; 6^th High Individual Overall

  The Meats Judging contest was based on identification of thirty retail cuts, six placings classes and two sets of questions. Southwind #2 (Brillhart, Nemecek, A. Yoho, Marchiano) was 1^st in Retail ID; 4^th in Placings; 5^th in Questions; and Reserve Champion Team Overall. Individual meats judging results are as follows:

• Clay Brillhart – 1^st Retail ID; 3^rd High Individual
• Sadie Marchiano – 5^th Placings; 9^th Questions
• Brody Nemecek – 9^th High Individual

  In the Livestock Skillathon, 4-H members rotated individually through stations that addressed six areas of animal science. Those included feedstuffs, breed identification, equipment identification, meat identification, wool evaluation and a written test. Just like the rest of the weekend activities, this contest was offered virtually using Qualtrics with a timed and extensive exam. Southwind #2 (Marchiano, A. Yoho, Dreher, O’Brien) was 3^rd in Exam; 2^nd in Practicum and Reserve Champion Team Overall.

• Aidan Yoho – 4th Practicum, 5th High Individual
• Sadie Marchiano – 3^rd Exam, 5^th Practicum, 4^th High Individual

  This group was limited in the amount of time they could meet and work together because of the pandemic. Their story is a remarkable testament to how to overcome a challenge and make the most of it. There is no question they would have preferred to have traveled to Manhattan, KS and compete with their peers in face-to-face competition, but like so many others from across the state, they made the most of the situation and turned a challenge into an opportunity to learn and try new technologies. A different set of life skills were acquired because we competed in a platform like nothing we have ever experienced before. Reserve Champion Team in Meats, Reserve and 3^rd Quiz Bowl Teams, Reserve Skillathon Team, and Reserve Livestock Judging Team did add up to the Overall Champion Sweepstakes Team and for an Extension District is our biggest goal because the Southwind is able to serve as the vehicle that brings motivated and competitive youth from four counties together, and allow them to accomplish big goals as a team. They are an example we should all learn from during this difficult time because they have shown us how to “Make the Best Better.”  The Southwind District is proud of their accomplishments and look forward to future growth and learning.

K-State, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating.  K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

 

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

 

 

Safety and security of foods preserved in the home depend on the cook. It is vital that proper techniques and processes are used to ensure that home-preserved foods remain safe.

The failure to follow a tested recipe or to store food in a safe place can jeopardize food safety, yet recognizing when home preserved foods are past their prime or no longer safe-to-eat is sometimes a challenge, said Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University Research and Extension food scientist.

Tell-tale signs that suggest food is suspect and should be discarded include:

* Vacuum seal on the lid has been compromised; lid may pop, bulge, or show signs of rust;

* Jar is chipped, cracked or otherwise damaged;

* Evidence of loss of food quality, such as the presence of mold, loss or change of color, texture, or off odor.

* Evidence of insect or rodent infestation; and

* Date made is unknown.

Do not taste or use food from any jar that has become unsealed or shows any signs of spoilage, Blakeslee said.

To keep home canned foods safe, she recommends:

1) Choose a tested recipe from a reliable source;

2) Use canning equipment that is in tiptop shape. Check the pressure canner gauge annually or more frequently, if a malfunction is suspected. Replace damaged jars and containers. Use new lids;

3) Follow recipe directions exactly;

3) Label and date all home-preserved foods;

4) Store home canned foods in a cool, dry and dark place. Avoid attics, garages, or shelving near a water heater or other appliances that generate heat;

5) Use home preserved foods within one year; and

6) Check food storage area regularly to inspect for potential problems, such as a water leak or insect damage.

It is recommended that pressure canner/cooker gauges be tested for accuracy. This can be done quickly and easily in any of the Southwind Extension offices at no cost. Call any of the Southwind offices to schedule a time to have testing done.

More information about food preservation is available at K-State Research and Extension Southwind offices, and on our website at www.southwind.ksu.edu.

An additional resource is the National Center for Home Food Preservation, located at the University of Georgia and online at: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp.

We’re continuing our way through the COVID pandemic. Some of us are starting to venture out and ‘testing the waters’ so to speak.

We know that staying home is the safest for our physical health — especially for our senior adults. As we look down the road to what the future holds beyond this pandemic, there are likely some additional precautions our older adults (and many others) may take – even after a vaccine becomes available.

The handshake may be gone forever.

Increased handwashing, disinfecting, mask wearing will develop into standard protocol in many establishments.

Businesses and restaurants will elevate their hygiene standards and will make that a key piece of their advertising strategy to their customers.

Look for other forms of greeting while social distancing that you can use to show your enthusiasm in meeting someone.

Many have already moved into the more isolated economy where online shopping has become the norm.

Some older adults are having to make a big jump into the realm of online shopping, not having used the internet a great deal in the past. Yet, shopping from the comforts of home enhances the safety reassurances older adults are seeking. Shopping from home and picking up curbside or by mail will bolster those assurances.

Those exploring or wanting to brush up on internet safety precautions may want to visit https://ksre.k-state.edu/tuesday/announcement/?id=47047 for internet usage tips.

Local small restaurants and businesses may find their way again as residents restrict their travel to the city to shop and eat. Those in their smaller communities will likely do more business locally since they know and trust the owners.

Travel will change. Overseas travel will decrease. More vehicles will be on the road for longer drives, which may have been by air in the past. When flights are required, extra seats may be purchased to assure a more comfortable social distancing experience. Future travel plans are most likely to focus around visiting family. With more wheels being on the road, renting an RV may become an attractive alternative for multi-generational travel for families.

Travel to visit family may not be as necessary in the future as in the past. Families are more apt to move closer together.

A trend may develop where older family members that were leaning toward assisted living situations may be moving in with family members. The trust level of family members looking over the care and contacts of loved ones versus strangers taking that charge, may override many of the usual deciding factors for external health care.

Looking at health care, telemedicine will continue to surge ahead as an appealing option to monitor personal health. My recent experience with telemedicine options has been refreshing when conducting follow-up with a specialist. While my situation was not serious, it was a nice opportunity to visit with the doctor from my own home and getting mine and his questions answered without having to travel out-of-town for a 5-minute conversation. Obviously those visits requiring procedures need to be face-to-face. However, telemed options can save time, not to mention allowing for safe social distancing.

Change is ever-present. As we age, change is often not as welcomed as it may have been when we were younger. However, pandemic has mandated many changes in how we go about our daily lives. Many of those changes will be here for the foreseeable future.

 

Barbara Stockebrand

Southwind Extension District – Yates Center

Family and Consumer Sciences

211 W. Butler

Yates Center, KS 66783

[email protected]

620-625-8620; Fax: 620-625-8645

 

I realize we just turned the calendar to August, and although our summer gardens are still going strong, it is time to start thinking about getting our fall vegetables planted. Believe it or not, fall is a great gardening season!

When you think about it, fall weather is much like spring – warm daytime temperatures and cool nights. Rainfall is typically more abundant in the fall than summer so less irrigation is needed and fall gardens often have fewer insect pest and disease problems. Combine all of these and you have the ingredients for a great garden! And of most importance is the taste of the produce grown. Flavors of fall grown vegetables are often sweeter and milder in taste than those grown during hot summer weather.

Some of the best vegetables for a fall garden are lettuce, spinach, radishes, beets, cabbage, turnips and carrots because of their frost-tolerance. These vegetables can be planted directly into your garden wherever space can be found – next to plants still growing in the garden like tomatoes, cucumbers and pumpkins. Plant mid-August until the first week of September.

Left over seed from spring planting can be used as long as it was stored in a cool, dry location. To speed up germination and seedling emergence, soak the seeds overnight before planting. If you are purchasing new seed, look for the shortest season cultivars that you can find to insure harvest before a killing frost. The average fall freeze date for our area is around October 24 according to the Weather Data Library on the K-State campus.

Sometimes establishing a fall garden can be difficult during the summer when soil temperatures are extremely high. One way to avoid this is to establish plants in containers or pots for transplanting into the garden later in the season when the weather begins to cool. Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and collards can be grown in cooler protected areas for 2-4 weeks prior to setting in the garden. Be sure to acclimatize crops for several days before transplanting directly into the garden.

Garden soil should be prepared just like for spring. An application of fertilizer will probably be necessary for optimum plant growth. Use one pound of a complete analysis fertilizer, such as 12-12-12, applied per 100 square feet of garden area. Weeds and grasses will also grow well in a fall garden so mulching may be warranted.

If you do not have a traditional garden space, think about doing a container garden. Just about anything that will hold soil and have a drain hole in the bottom can be used.

Everyone gets geared up to plant vegetables in the spring, but the fall season offers many benefits to gardening. Few take advantage of the season, but consider giving it a try this year.

The Extension office has the “Vegetable Garden Planting Guide” publication available free of charge. This guide offers information such as days to first harvest, days to germination, planting depth, frost resistance, and more.

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.

Kansas State University nutrition specialist Sandy Procter says recent changes to nutrition labels on most foods should be viewed as a great ally for consumers and their good health. 

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration initially published rules on changing nutrition information on food labels in 2016, citing the need for those labels to reflect updated scientific information, including the link between diet and such chronic diseases as obesity and heart disease. 

 

Since that time, American food companies have gradually come into compliance. Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales were required to switch to the new label by January 1 of this year; those with less than $10 million in annual sales must meet the labeling requirements by January 1, 2021. 

 

“The consumer is the winner here,” Procter said. “It allows each of us to control what we are putting into our bodies.” 

 

The new label not only reflects more of what we know about foods, but also is based on current nutrition and public health research, and the updated dietary guidelines for Americans. Public input was also considered, Procter said. 

 

In addition to larger print, the new label is more clear on the number of calories per serving of any given food, and lists information on nutrients considered more vital for overall health. 

 

For example, Procter said, “vitamin D and potassium were never on the label until now. Before, the nutrients highlighted were vitamin A and vitamin C, which are nutrients of concern in other countries, but not in the United States. 

 

Procter said the new labels reflect the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, identifying vitamin D and the mineral potassium as nutrients where most U.S. consumers fall short.  

 

“Vitamin D is activated in the liver and is made by our bodies when we spend a little time out in the sun each day,” Procter said. “But vitamin D is limited in food sources.” 

 

“Vitamin D is important to boost our auto-immune systems. And it works with calcium to support bone health and bone strength. So, it makes sense for us to look at a food label and determine that a food is a great source of vitamin D.” 

 

Potassium, she adds, forms a pump with sodium to keep fluids in balance in and around cells. Eating foods high in potassium helps to offset high levels of sodium, which can contribute to high blood pressure and other disease. 

 

“So, while we are carefully watching our salt intake, we might want to be more interested in sources that are high in potassium,” Procter said. “Fruits, vegetables, milk and other dairy products are good sources of potassium.” 

 

The new food labels not only include the quantity of sodium, potassium and other nutrients in a single serving, but also the percentage one serving contributes to the daily dietary guidelines of a given nutrient – called the Percent Daily Value. 

 

“That information was there before, but you had to invest time and some thought process to find it,” Procter said. “Most of us really don’t want to do that when it comes to limiting or determining our food intake.” 

 

More information about all of the changes on the nutrition facts label is available online from the FDA. 

 

“The new label is user-friendly and contains as much information as most of us would really need when choosing foods,” Procter said. “If you are watching your weight or concerned about pre-diabetes, then it’s much easier to look at calories and added sugars. Or maybe you’ve been told to watch your fat and sodium intake because you have high blood pressure; in that case, you may read the label to quickly know how many calories, grams of fat or sodium is in a food.” 

 

“We can pick and choose the parts of the label that mean the most to each of us. It’s great if you want to read the whole label, but certain parts may be more important and allow us to focus on our personal nutrition needs.” 

For more information about making wise food choices, contact Kathy McEwan at [email protected] or by phone at 620-365-2242.

 

Most older people can remain intellectually sharp late into their lives, but doing so requires two things. First, believe in your ability to maintain mental alertness and remain optimistic and confident that you can. Next, regularly exercise your mental talents just as you need to exercise your body to stay in peak physical condition.

One of the greatest fears of many older people is the loss of mental competence. Although obviously a possibility for some, both middle-agers and elders often worry excessively about this occurring.

Besides being nerve-racking, the worrying can encourage the very behavior we fear: We believe we are becoming forgetful and then point to perfectly natural lapses in memory as proof that senility is setting in. Thus, too often, our fear of mental decline becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, sometimes at a surprisingly early age. Guard against this tendency both in yourself and among your friends and family.

As we grow older, we show some decline in what is called “explicit memory.” For example, you want to remember a name or fact, and try as you might, the memory refuses to come on demand. Also, with advanced age, distractions can be more of a problem, and the speed of processing information slows. Other kinds of memory show little or no decline with age.

Some of this process has to do with the learning processes that work best for us. If we are a visual learner, for example, then those things we see will stick with us better. If our preferred learning style is through auditory processes, then we may have a greater need to hear things to retain them. We need to remember that we have to learn something before we can remember it. When it comes to recalling names, for example, if we have never been good at remembering names, then we shouldn’t be hard on ourselves if we don’t remember them well in older age.

With frequent use and practice, older persons can significantly improve their cognitive functioning. Activities such as reading, word games and stimulating conversations aid our mental abilities.

Take one day at a time, expect the best, stretch yourself to achieve it, and appreciate the gift of a good mind. Remember that most of us are capable of far more than we realize.

Contact Barbara Stockebrand at the Yates Center Southwind Extension District Office at 620-625-8620 for more resources on keeping your mind sharp.

 

Mail Call: Bills, a birthday card from Mom, a store circular, or your monthly bank statement. From time to time, you may receive “pre-approved” credit card offers in the mail, too. Do you ever wonder what they are and where they come from?

These credit card offers are not random, they are prescreened and targeted to you. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are allowed to include your name on lists used by creditors or insurers to make firm offers of credit or insurance that are not initiated by you. Prescreened offers are based on information in your credit report that indicates you meet the criteria set by the offeror.

You have the option to opt-out of these offers, why might you? Some people prefer not to receive these kinds of offers in the mail to limit access to their credit report information for solicitations or to reduce some mailbox “clutter”.

As you consider opting out, you should know that prescreened offers can provide many benefits. These offers can help you learn about what’s available, compare costs, and find the best product for your needs. The terms of prescreened offers also may be more favorable than those that are available to the general public. Some credit card products may be available only through prescreened offers.

The official Consumer Credit Reporting Industry website to accept and process requests to Opt-In or Opt-Out of prescreened offers is OptOutPrescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT. Whether you call or visit the website, you will be asked to provide certain personal information. You will have two choices for opting out. The first is to opt-out for five years and the other is to opt-out permanently. You can always Opt-In and be eligible to receive prescreened offers again if you have previously completed an Opt-Out request.

A reminder that it may take up to 60 days for offers to stop being mailed. You may continue to receive mail from companies who send offers not based on prescreening.

How does this affect your credit report? There will be “inquiries” showing which companies obtained your information for prescreening, but those inquiries will not have a negative effect on your credit report or score. Removing your name from prescreened lists has no effect on your ability to apply for or obtain credit or insurance.

To learn more about Credit, visit our website at southwind.k-state.edu/home-family/financial/. Also follow us on Facebook @southwindextensiondistrict or Instagram @southwind_ext. For more information, please contact Joy Miller at [email protected] or by calling 620-223-3720.

 

For many, the Fourth of July holiday may be a day off from work, but Karen Blakeslee says it’s not a day off from food safety.

 

“Handling food safely is important every day, not just at holidays,” said Blakeslee, a food safety specialist with K-State Research and Extension. “During the summer, it is more important to follow the four core principals of cook, chill, clean and separate.”

 

She notes that foodborne illness often peaks in the summer for a couple important reasons: Bacteria multiply faster in warmer temperatures, and preparing food outdoors makes safe food handling more difficult. “Temperature abused food can allow bacteria to grow and multiply every 20 minutes,” Blakeslee said.

 

For picnics and barbecues, Blakeslee provides some timely tips:

 

• Cook food to the recommended internal temperature. If bacteria are present on food, they can be killed by cooking meat properly. There is no need to wash meat or poultry. Marinate meat in the refrigerator and discard unused marinade. For popular picnic foods, the suggested internal temperatures are 165 degrees Fahrenheit for poultry; 160 F for ground meat and hamburgers; and 145 F for beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks or chops.

• Chill foods that won’t be in a refrigerator. Use several ice chests to store cold food below 40 F and keep it cold until meal time. Don’t leave picnic food out for more than two hours or one hour if outdoor temperatures are above 90 F. Once the meal is finished, put leftovers on ice or in the refrigerator promptly.
• Clean produce, surfaces and hands regularly. Wash produce with plain water before prepping or cooking. Rub or scrub when possible to remove dirt. Clean surfaces often. When washing hands, any soap that produces bubbles — which break up bacteria and germs – will work. Rub between fingers, back of hands and up your arms, too. If you don’t have running water, moist disposable towelettes are a good choice.
• Separate foods. Keep raw foods away from ready-to-eat foods. Use separate plates and utensils for raw meat and cooked meat. Or, wash plates and utensils before using them for cooked meat.

 

“It is easy to get distracted with summer activities and forget about food,” said Blakeslee, who suggests keeping the meal simple.

 

“Plan ahead to reduce mishaps since cooking and eating outdoors is out of your normal routine. Keep food safe for everyone at your party to enjoy.”

 

For more outdoor food safety tips, contact Kathy in the Southwind Extension office at 620-365-2242 or [email protected].