March 18, 2021 Minutes

The Starlite FCE held their March meeting at the Yeager Building at the Fairgrounds.  President Glenda Miller called the meeting to order.  The Pledge of Allegiance and Club Collect was led by Joyce Allen.  Eleven members were in attendance and reported twenty-one and half volunteer hours and that they had recycled fifty-five pounds of cardboard.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved.  Doris Ericson presented the treasurers report.  Glenda Miller passed out membership lists and quizzed the club with a Saint Patrick’s Day green quiz.

Old Business consisted of the Easter Party for Tri-Valley.  Glenda Miller had prepared white bunny Easter Bags for the party.  Members provided candy, fruit snacks and snack crackers to fill their eggs and bunny bags.

New Business consisted of Walk Kansas.  Terri Williams announced that it will be starting March 28^th with the theme of Move your Way, Make every Bite Count.  Six members signed up to precipitate in the Cross-Country challenge, which has each person exercising for four hours a week.  It was also announced that the garden club will be having a plant sale the first Saturday in May at the Farmers Market.

It was discussed whether to have the Spring Social within the County only since the District will not be having one.  It was decided to forgo it this year.  Deb Lust moved the Starlite donate $60 to the open class Fair premiums, Joyce Allen seconded the motion, motion carried.

Deb Lust announced that the Fort Leavenworth VA will be in Fort Scott Monday to give out the Johnson and Johnson Covid shot to Veterans.

Doris Ericson Moved that the meeting be adjourned, Letha Johnson seconded the motion, meeting adjourned.

After the meeting Glenda Miller presented the program of Decluttering: For a Better Life.  She presented many practical ways to sort through items.

Saint Patrick’s Day refreshments of brownie bites, sandwiches, nuts and water were provided by Joyce Allen and Glenda Miller and enjoyed by all.

Prepared by

Terri Williams

Last year at this time, I wrote an article on how gardens could provide some food security to us during the chaotic time we were all living through. There was a huge interest in gardening. I remember how our local suppliers couldn’t keep vegetable transplants on the shelves! They were selling out that fast. Many folks tried gardening for the very first time. I hope the same interest in gardening continues this year.

Even if you didn’t give gardening a shot last year, start this year! If you are thinking to yourself that you have never grown anything in your life and just don’t think it’s possible, let me assure you that it is possible. Even for the most novice! You might be thinking that you don’t have space for a garden, or maybe you don’t have a tiller or other equipment. Don’t let that stop you because almost all vegetables can be grown in containers.

The containers don’t have to be anything fancy. Literally, anything that can hold soil and have drain holes drilled in the bottom can be used. Containers that are 16 to 24 inches in diameter work well. Containers less that 12 inches are probably too small – except for lettuces. The most important component of growing vegetables in a container is getting the right potting media. Potting mixes are ideal (instead of soil from your yard). The components are lightweight and hold water and oxygen much better. Make certain that you don’t forget to drill some drainage holes into the bottom of the container.

Fertilizer should be added at planting time and mixed into the soil. If you want to go the organic route, mix blood meal or bone meal into the soil before planting. If you use a synthetic fertilizer, add a slow-release type when preparing the container.

Another benefit to growing vegetables in containers – you don’t have to fight the weather quite as much. Right now, traditional garden soils are way too wet to even think about planting. But with the container system, you can keep them dry inside a garage until you are ready to plant.

Early spring is the ideal time to plant cool season vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, radish, onions, carrots and potatoes. All can be easily grown in containers, even potatoes!

Gardening is a great stress reliever. If you have kids at home, gardening is the perfect activity to get them outside to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine, all while learning at the same time!

Here’s where I come in. I have lots of resource material to help you. The ”Kansas Garden Guide” is a full-color, in-depth guide to planting a garden. It is available in each of our Extension offices for $6. This is one of our only publications that we charge for, but it is worth it. Another very useful publication is “Growing Vegetables in Pots.” You can find a link to this publication and others by visiting our Southwind Extension District website and clicking on the “lawn and garden” tab: www.southwind.ksu.edu

In addition, I’m always available by phone, e-mail or social media to answer your questions. Don’t be afraid to ask! In Extension, we say there are no “dumb” questions. I am here to help you in any way that I can.

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.

K-State’s Garden Hour – “Pruning Like a Pro”

The K-State Garden Hour – a popular online program featuring horticulture experts from across the state – will discuss tips for pruning trees and shrubs on Wednesday, March 17^th from noon to 1 p.m.

Pruning is both an art and a science, which means there are many ways to do it correctly.

Every snip, clip, or cut can affect plants in different ways.

Learn how trees and shrubs respond to pruning so that you can prune like a pro.

Garden hour programs will continue two times a month through the summer.

To register and participate in the K-State Garden Hour, visit www.ksre-learn.com/KStateGardenHour-register

For more information, please contact Krista Harding, horticulture agent, at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

Winter is still holding on, although I’m optimistic that spring might be within sight. Hopefully we will get some nice warm days here in March since February didn’t have very many to offer us. When we do, have your dormant oil sprays ready for application.

There are a number of dormant sprays used on fruit trees and other plants to control various diseases and insects. However, a dormant oil spray is designed to control scale insects, aphids and mites. Just like the name implies, dormant oils are applied before the tree begins to bud. Dormant oil sprays are important because some pests attack before visible growth even begins. If you have a problem with scale, now is the time to start watching the weather and look for an opportunity to spray.

Scale insects can be seen easily this time of year since there a no leaves. Scale insects are easily overlooked because they are small and immobile most of their lives, and they do not resemble most other insects. Many of them resemble small shells that are oval or circular. Coloring varies but can include white, tan and brown. Plants that should be inspected for scales include apple, pear, other fruit trees, lilac, crabapple, oak, ash, elm, maple, arborvitae, juniper, pine, spruce, euonymus and yew.

Plants are not harmed if only a few scales are present, but scale population can increase dramatically during the growing season. Heavy scale infestations can damage fruit crops, destroy branches and kill entire plants.

Normally sprays should be applied around March 1, especially with peaches and nectarines. Apples are tougher and application may be delayed up to the green tip stage. Temperatures need to be at least 40 degrees so spray has a chance to dry before freezing. If the spray does freeze before it dries, plant injury can occur. Applying the spray during the morning will help insure that it dries properly. It is much easier to achieve good spray coverage if the tree is pruned before spraying.

The Extension office has several publications outlining the fruit spray schedule for the entire growing season.

Now is an excellent time to prune. Pruning can be done in March. Prune on days when the temperature is above 20 degrees to prevent injury. Prune older trees first because older, larger wood tolerates lower temperatures than young trees with small diameter wood.

If your trees are overgrown, out of control and you just don’t know where to begin, stop by the Extension office and pick up a pruning publication. This publication offers step-by-step instructions on pruning overgrown trees and it also has nice diagrams.

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.

Most often financial preparedness comes to mind when we think about retirement. There are a lot of variables that can create a big gray area in knowing if you have put enough back to live comfortably and do the things you have longed to do in retirement.

Feeling financially prepared can relieve a lot of worry and lends to the thought there will be smooth sailing in retirement. However, we may not be giving enough consideration to our mental preparedness toward retirement.

Retirement is an exciting adventure for most. The term liberation comes to mind. There may be a sense of freedom to do what you want when you want and the ability to start tackling your bucket list. It’s a major transition – moving from a structured work life as you are “getting a new life.” Be prepared to be patient with yourself and those in your household who are experiencing this “new life” transition along with you.

Being productive and having purpose is important in retirement. Getting that all figured out is a normal process for retirees. Having some hobbies in place before retirement is helpful in creating that sense of purpose. Give thought to volunteer opportunities that may be available. Be vigilant in concentrating on those undertakings that are important to you. Volunteering can fill a void and foster new relationships and environments to spend productive time. On the other hand, committing to too much can be overwhelming and taxing on your health.

When considering retirement, it is important to be aware of the effects retirement might have on your most meaningful relationships. Being together with your loved ones more frequently can be wonderful but may also be too much at the same time. The key is to talk about your fears, expectations, and concerns with your loved ones and friends ahead of time. Some helpful questions to consider discussing with family members and close friends include:

1. When I retire, I picture spending my time doing ______. How do you feel about that? How/when would you like to be involved?
2. What would you like for us to accomplish together once I retire?
3. How do you picture balancing our personal space/personal interests with participating in joint activities or socializing together once I retire?

Our expectations and assumptions for retirement may not match up with those we plan to spend time with. There may be expectations that more time together will be automatically accepted. That may not be the desired outcome for one of the parties. It’s good to get those out in the open prior to transitioning.

Retirement can be a rollercoaster of emotions and adventures, both fun and nerve-wracking. Not only are you leaving something, you will be starting something new. There will likely be not one but many transitions. Prepare yourself mentally for the unexpected. Realizing that ups-and-downs are likely to happen, and that it is okay, will help in re-establishing your sense of purpose and assist in enjoying retired life.

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

4-H Beef

In the beef project, youth will learn all aspects of the beef industry by raising a market steer or building your own herd by raising heifers and cows.

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

Things to Learn/Do in the Project

Age 7-9

• Identify breeds of beef cattle

• Learn the parts of a calf

• Compare animal differences 

• Halter break a calf

Age 10-13

• Learn about cattle feeds and how they are digested

• Judge beef cattle and present oral reasons

• Show a calf and learn showing techniques

Age 14 and Older

• Use performance data to make breeding decisions

• Evaluate beef carcasses and identify meat products

• Explore impact of technology and career opportunities in the beef industry

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 the county fair and depending on age and placing, the Kansas State Fair. There are other local and state shows available to youth as well.

The beef 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.