Event highlights latest information to help producers make key decisions, say organizers
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Health management of high-risk calves, humane euthanasia practices, beef cattle market outlook and a panel discussion on beef parasite control are among the topics planned for theKansas State University Beef Stocker Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 19.
“We are excited to host the 20th annual edition of the KSU Beef Stocker Field Day,” said Dale Blasi, a professor of animal sciences and beef cattle extension specialist. “Like all the other events in the past, we bring the latest information on marketing, nutrition, health and technology for attendees to apply to their operation.”
Hosted at the K-State Beef Stocker Unit (4330 Marlatt Ave. in Manhattan), the event starts with registration and coffee at 9:30 a.m. and the program at 10:15 a.m. Niman Ranch will provide a prime ribeye lunch, and the day ends with an evening socialfeaturing prairie oysters and Call Hall ice cream.
Attendees will have a chance to win door prizes, including a fishing trip, ATV sprayers and more. Attendees can also tour the new student housing at the Beef Stocker Unit.
Topics for this year’s agenda include
Beef Cattle Market Outlook
Changing Industry Structure is Forging a Closer Relationship Between Grow Yards and Feeders
Internal Parasite Management
Quality Stocker Production Considerations
Humane Euthanasia Practices
BeefBasis: Better Information for Better Marketing Decisions
Health Management of High-Risk Calves
Panel Discussion: Beef Parasite Control
This year’s event is sponsored by Bayer Animal Health. The pre-registration fee is $25 if paid by Sept. 10. More information and online registration is available at KSUBeef.org. After Sept. 10, attendees must pay $35 on site.
For more information, contact Lois Schreiner at 785-532-1267 or [email protected].
Krista Harding District Extension Agent, Horticulture Southwind Extension District 111 S. Butler Erie, KS 66733 Office: 620-244-3826 Cell: 620-496-8786
I know there is still a lot of summer left. But in just a few weeks, students will be back in school and fall will be here in the blink of an eye. Although our summer gardens are 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 (although we have had plenty this 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.
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.
Joy Miller, K-State Research and Extension Southwind District Family and Consumer Science, 620-223-3720 or [email protected]
Replacing Your Social Security Card Just Got Easier in Kansas
Your Social Security card should be kept in a safe place with your other important papers and avoid giving it out unnecessarily. Even with best intentions, it may get misplaced. Keep in mind you may not need a replacement, sometimes simply knowing your Social Security number is enough.
If you do need a replacement, the state of Kansas has made it easier. Kansas residents now have the ability to request a Social Security card replacement online, allowing you to skip the in-person appointment process. Replacing your card is quick, secure, and free.
To replace your card online, first you will need to log in or create your My Social Security account. Your personal information is protected by using identity verification and other security features. To set up an account go to https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/.
To replace your card online, you must also meet certain criteria. This includes being a U.S. Citizen age 18 or older with a U.S. mailing address, cannot be requesting a name change or any other change to your card, and must have a driver’s license or state-issued identification card from one of the states participating in this program.
My Social Security is an online service provided by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows you to review your earnings history, check current or future benefits, and access other Social Security services. You can also use your My Social Security account to:
Check applications.
Set up direct deposit for your benefit payment.
Change your address or phone number.
Request a benefit verification letter.
Request a replacement of tax forms SSA-1099 or SSA 1042S.
Check the status of a pending claim or appeal of disability.
Tarpoff says water is just one part of the equation
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Compared to recent years, Kansas’ weather has been mostly nice to the state’s cattle producers this summer. That has recently changed this summer.
Kansas State University beef veterinarian A.J. Tarpoff is sounding the bells for livestock producers to take some extra measures to protect their herds during a stretch of days in which temperatures are forecast to tbe very hot across the state.
“Water, water and lots of water,” said Tarpoff, who noted that the beef industry loses an estimated $369 million each year due to the effects of heat stress. “Whenever we have a heat stress event, that is the most essential nutrient for animals, times five.
“I say, ‘times five’ because the question always comes up about how much water do cattle need, and the answer is that they need five times the amount of water that they are taking up in dry matter.”
For a cow that is consuming 30 pounds of dry matter, that comes out to about 20 gallons per day. Multiply that by the number of cattle in an operation, and the need for water grows exponentially.
Tarpoff said cows try to cool themselves by panting heavily (evaporative cooling), and somewhat by sweating – though they are inefficient sweaters compared to humans. Cows accumulate a heat load during the day and rely on cooler, nighttime temperatures for relief.
Producers can aid in cooling not only by providing more water, but also by changing some of their management strategies during the hottest days.
For example, Tarpoff notes, producers should consider providing most of the cattle’s feed later in the day, as much as 70 percent. Doing so will help to reduce digestive heat, or the heat that accumulates when cattle eat.
“This time of year, we may be providing that ration at 6 or 6:30 in the evening so we can push back that digestive heat load into the cooler hours of the night,” Tarpoff said. “That can make a big impact on how much these animals deal with during the heat of the day.”
Producers should also try to avoid lower quality straw hay or other foods that are fibrous, which create more heat in the animal’s rumen. Feedlot rations and lush green grass are better options for helping animals control digestive heat, Tarpoff said.
In feedlots or other confined settings, producers should provide plenty of water and shade (if available), and use sprinklers to cool pen floors. Tarpoff said they also should minimize handling of animals because the more they have to move, the more heat they produce.
The Kansas Mesonet Network at Kansas State University maintains a Cattle Comfort Index that combines the effect of temperature, humidity, wind and solar radiation. Tarpoff said it’s an excellent online source for producers to monitor when making plans for heat and potential nighttime cooling.
Pictured are team members: Haydon Schaaf, Clay Brillhart, Jillian Keller, Brody Nemecek. Submitted photo.
Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director
In January 2019, the Southwind Extension District 4-H Livestock Judging Team of Jillian Keller (Piqua), Brody Nemecek (Iola), Haydon Schaaf (Uniontown), and Clay Brillhart (Fort Scott) were named Reserve National Champions at the National Western 4-H Livestock Judging Contest in Denver, Colorado. In recognition as a winning team, they were awarded an invitation to compete internally at the Royal Highland Show in Scotland and at the Charleville Show in the Republic of Ireland, June 19-July 3, 2019.
The Royal Highland Show was a top-notch livestock show similar to what could be found at the American Royal or National Western Stock Show. The Southwind District 4-H youth were divided into pairs, and each pair judged a different species. Jillian Keller and Clay Brillhart formed the Kansas 4-H Sheep Team and earned recognition as the Reserve Champion Sheep Judging Team. Haydon Schaaf and Brody Nemecek were the Cattle Team and were 7th. No overall results were announced, but combined division scores reveal that the Kansas 4-H Team was Reserve Team Overall, behind a 4-H team from Virginia. Individually, Jillian Keller was 2nd in Sheep; Brody Nemecek 5th in Cattle; Clay Brillhart 7th in Sheep and Haydon Schaaf 14th in Cattle.
The biggest part of the International Livestock Tour included agriculture seminars, tours and opportunities to enhance leadership skills and education through interaction with the citizens of the UK and Ireland. They toured a variety of livestock operations, including a water buffalo milking facility that produced their own mozzarella cheese; a sheep milking operation that produced their own blue cheese; a progressive 3-ring sale barn; and a Waygu beef feeding facility that raised 5-year old steers that are sold at a retail price of $50,000 each. One of the most memorable tours was on a farm that raised Highland cattle and owned a bull that came from the Queen’s own herd.
In addition to the agriculture tours, the Kansas youth also wore kilts in Scotland, rode the London Eye in England and kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland. The International Livestock Tour included American 4-H and FFA Teams from 9 different states who had all earned the opportunity to travel by winning either a Champion or Reserve title at a National Livestock Judging Contest.
To raise funds for the Tour, the Southwind team sold stock in the Livestock Judging Team and will be hosting a shareholders meeting on Friday, August 2, 2019, at the Liberty Theater in Fort Scott, KS. Shareholders will be treated to dinner and a detailed explanation of the learning opportunities encountered on the Tour so they can see the return on their investment in the 4-H Livestock Judging Team.
Carla Nemecek
Southwind Extension District
Director & Agent [email protected]
620-365-2242
1 North Washington, Iola, KS 66749
Herschel George, K-State Southeast Kansas Watershed Specialist, shows how a water tank that he helped build on Doug Eden’s farm, works and functions to colleagues on June 25. From left: Will Boyer, Dan Devlin, Amanda Schlelky ( a research assistant) George, Doug Eden and Jeff Davidson.
Herschel George started as a Kansas State University Extension Agent in February 1970, just after graduating from the university.
Through the years he worked in various counties as an agent, then became a specialist in watersheds.
A watershed consists of surface water-lakes, streams, reservoirs and wetlands, and all the underlying groundwater, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
George was a 4-H Extension Agent in Marion County, moved to be the agricultural agent in Miami County from 1972 until 2003 when he became a watershed specialist.
George continued in that role but moved to Uniontown, his home town in 2007.
His last day in the watershed specialist role was June 30, 2019.
As a watershed specialist for Southeast Kansas, he worked to encourage farmers and ranchers to install alternative water supplies for livestock and also encouraged the farmers/ranchers to participate in watershed restorative and protection strategies.
“That was the best part of the job,” George said. “Relationships I could build with producers (farmers/ranchers). Another good thing about the job was the continuing education and professional development through the K-State Extension system.”
“I would use county fairs and field days and the 4-State Farm Show as places where I might present or demonstrate alternative livestock practices,” George said. “I often did demonstrations of solar (water) pumps or tire tank installations, to create interest.”
Additionally, he worked with local Watershed Restorative and Protective Strategy organizations as a technical service provider.
Another role George had was to provide technical assistance to livestock operators who may be out of compliance with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment policies, he said.
The purpose of his job was to reduce the nitrogen and phosphorus content of runoff from livestock areas.
“Keeping the poop on the grass, not in the ponds,” George said.
In 2008 and 2009 he traveled with K-State’s Kansas Center for Agriculture Resources and the Environment (KCARE) to Africa where he demonstrated drip irrigation systems in community and private gardens.
On June 25-26, George invited co-workers to tour the types of projects that producers in this area installed to improve water quality, just before his retirement June 30.
It’s been a good 49 plus years, according to George.
“I’ve had nothing but very good supervisors throughout,” he said. “County extension board members to K-State Administration.”
“And I’ve had a good, supporting wife,” George said.
Following his retirement, George will continue to work with K-State and KDHE on special projects and activities across the state, as a consultant, he said.
In his retirement, George said he “might travel to see our daughter and help my brothers in farming as needed.”
George is a 1965 graduate of Uniontown High School, attended Fort Scott Community College, then transferred to Kansas State University, where he graduated in the fall of 1969 with a bachelors degree in agricultural education. In 1981 he earned a masters degree in agriculture mechanization from K-State.
He is involved in the Uniontown community through Uniontown Baptist Church and the Old Settler’s Picnic Association.
Colleagues from Kansas State University toured area farms where George has helped improve water quality in his tenure as Watershed Specialist for Southeast Kansas. From left: Ron Graber, watershed specialist; Pat Murphy, extension agriculture engineer, emeritus; Dan Devlin, watershed specialist; Will Boyer, watershed specialist; Sue Brown, Kansas Center for Ag. Resources and the Environment Assistant; Doug Eden, owner of the property; Connor Minson son of watershed specialist Stacie Minson; Stacie Minson; Jeff Davison, watershed specialist, and George.Looking at a former pond on Doug Eden’s farm, which was converted back to pastureland and replaced with a tire tank waterer that George helped install. From left: George, Dan Devlin, and Doug Eden.Herschel George, K-State Watershed Specialist for Southeast Kansas, finds some shade to check in on a cell phone in 2018 at the Bourbon County Fair. Fairs and farm shows were where George raised public awareness about alternative water supplies, including pumping livestock water.
Krista Harding District Extension Agent, Horticulture Southwind Extension District 111 S. Butler Erie, KS 66733 Office: 620-244-3826 Cell: 620-496-8786
What an unusually rainy spring and summer we have had! Our soils have definitely been saturated for several weeks now. You may think that watering won’t be needed for quite some time since soil moisture levels are very high. However, watering may be needed much sooner than you think.
Excessive rain can drive oxygen out of the soil and literally drown roots. Therefore, as we enter hotter, drier weather, the plants with damaged root systems may be very susceptible to lack of water. Don’t forget to check your plants for signs of wilting or leaf scorching and water as needed.
The excessive rainfall has also depleted our soils of nitrogen. If your annual flowers haven’t been overly impressive yet, they may need a shot of fertilizer.
Annual flowers have been bred to flower early and over a long period of time. Providing nitrogen through the growing season (side-dressing) will help maintain flower display. A high nitrogen fertilizer applied every four to six weeks is helpful during a rainy summer or if flower beds are irrigated.
Common sources of nitrogen-only fertilizers include nitrate of soda, urea, and ammonium sulfate. Use only one of the listed fertilizers and apply at the rate given:
Nitrate of soda (16-0-0) – Apply ¾ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet
Ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) – Apply ½ pound fertilizer per 100 square feet
If you cannot find the above materials, you can use a lawn fertilizer that is about 30 percent nitrogen (nitrogen is the first number in the set of three) and apply it at the rate of 1/3 pound per 100 square feet. Do not use a fertilizer that contains a weed killer or a weed preventer.
Removing spent flowers or “deadheading” will help some plants bloom more profusely. Annuals focus their energy on seed production to ensure that the species survives. If old flowers are removed, the energy normally used to produce seed is now available to produce more flowers. Deadheading is as easy as pinching the plant between the thumb and finger, but tough, wiry stems will require the use of scissors or pruning shears.
Plants that do increase blooms in response to deadheading include hardy geraniums, coreopsis, some petunias, marigolds, snapdragons, begonias, some roses, zinnias, sweet peas, salvia, blanket flower, and yarrow.
There are some “self-cleaning” plants on the market now. These plants drop their spent flowers and bloom again and do not require manual deadheading. In many cases, they are sterile varieties – bred not to produce seeds. The petunia and rose varieties that are “self-cleaning” continue to excel in the home garden market because of their low maintenance and blooming power.
If you need help with any horticulture topic, give me a call. My current office schedule is Monday and Friday – Erie; Tuesday – Iola; Wednesday morning – Yates Center; Wednesday afternoon – Chanute Recreation Commission and Thursday – Fort Scott.
Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 62-244-3826.
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Joy Miller, K-State Research and Extension Southwind District Family and Consumer Science, can be reached at 620-223-3720 or [email protected]
National Insurance Awareness Day, What to Review
Insurance is one of those things we don’t think about until we need it, but we know it is important in many aspects of our lives. Insurance gives us a way to care for and protect our families in the event of an injury, accident or unplanned event. National Insurance Awareness Day serves as a reminder to review insurance policies. Here are a few suggestions of what and how to review your policies.
Make the call. Make an appointment or have a phone conversation reviewing your policies and coverage to understand your rates and benefits. You can ask about current promotions, services, or lock-in rates as well as changes in your premiums. Discounts come and go, but certain long-term promotions can help save you more money over time. If your policy isn’t reviewed until it’s time to renew, you could be missing out on added savings.
Take charge to change your rates. Whether it is taking an online defensive driving course, going the gym a few times a week, or putting in a home security system, these doable actions can lead to added savings on your various insurance policies.
Check out the competition. Insurance shopping does not evoke the fun of buying a new pair of shoes, but if you are always on the hunt for the best deal, comparing rates could save you money. Knowing your options gives you the most power and the best chance to save money.
As life changes, so might your policy. If job changes lead to less driving or your teenager goes off to college without the car, your insurance company might re-evaluate your rates. As for home insurance, changes in marital status and remodeling your home can affect those rates. Different stages in life may require different types of insurance such as transitioning from life insurance to long term care insurance or health insurance options.
Take advantage of this day to review your existing insurance policies, making sure they are up to date and meet the coverage you need. The most common insurances include life, car, home/renter’s, health, flood, umbrella, jewelry, and business owners. These policies offer a layer of protection in a variety of ways, review the types of insurance you have or may benefit from to cover any gaps and needs you may have.
Summer Cooking Classes by K-State Research and Extension will begin on June 25 and continue through June 27 at the First United Methodist Church basement in Ft. Scott. The classes will include students that have completed 2nd-5th grade.
The classes will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 11:30 a.m.
Bronson Cooking Classes
The Bronson cooking classes will begin on June 25 and continue through June 27 at the Bronson Community Center. Classes will be from 2:00-4:30 PM if you would like to cover the event.
During each class all students will prepare and then consume the different dishes.
Again, the first 60 minutes of the class on the FIRST day will be instruction.
Krista Harding District Extension Agent, Horticulture Southwind Extension District 111 S. Butler Erie, KS 66733 Office: 620-244-3826 Cell: 620-496-8786
Bagworms are a yearly pest in our area and can cause considerable damage. Most homeowners typically don’t get too concerned about bagworm control until they see large bags present on plants. By then it is too late and the damage is already done! Now is the time to get your treatment game plan ready.
Bagworms overwinter as eggs deposited in the female bags. From mid-May through mid-June, larvae hatch from the eggs and exit from the bottom opening of the old bag. Larvae begin constructing their miniature silk-lined bags immediately. Only after the bags have been completed do the larvae begin actual feeding activities. And as the larvae grow, so do their bags. By mid-to late August when feeding activities are complete, larvae firmly anchor their bags to the twigs and branches on which they were feeding.
Bagworms are most commonly found on eastern red cedar and junipers. However, bagworms can attack arborvitae, spruce and pine. Broadleaf trees, shrubs and ornamentals can also serve as a host to bagworms. After bagworms have defoliated a host plant, they are capable of migrating in search of additional food sources. They may attack the same species from which they came or a completely different species.
The damage caused by bagworm feeding can be minimal to severe. As larvae enter their later development stages, they require greater amounts of food. Sometimes in what seems to be just overnight, bagworms can completely defoliate a tree. Several successive years of heavy foliar feeding can result in the death a tree, especially with conifers.
There are two ways to control bagworms – cultural and chemical. Cultural practice is used by those who do not want to utilize insecticidal sprays to control bagworms. Instead, bagworms are eliminated by handpicking individual bags from plants. This is best done in the winter months when bags stand out against a trees background color. Keep in mind that a single missed bag could result in a thousand new bagworm larvae. Of course handpicking becomes impractical when a host is literally covered with bags or it is too tall to make handpicking possible.
Chemical control is most effective when larvae are in their early developmental stages. Generally, bagworm larvae will begin emerging from the overwintering bag by mid-to late May. Hatching does not happen overnight. Instead, hatching can continue for 4 to 5 weeks. Controls applied in late summer are often a waste of time and expense because the larvae are large, tough and may have stopped feeding. Now is the time to find the correct insecticide and get the sprayers out and ready for the job ahead.
For more information on bagworm control, please contact me at one of our Southwind Extension District office locations.
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.
Submitted by: Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District Director & Agent
While it is common for Southeast Kansas to receive quite a bit of rainfall in the spring, 2019 has gone a bit overboard! Recent weather has caused damage to our communities, and kept area farmers out of their fields. In an effort to continue to be a trusted and reliable resource, K-State Research & Extension in the Southwind District has updated our website with information that can be of assistance if you are trying to manage your home or garden after the flood waters recede. Please visit www.southwind.ksu.edu to find links to the most up-to-date resources on managing after a flood.
After a flood has devastated your home or business, food safety is one of the many things to be considered. Flood water should generally be considered contaminated, as it is difficult to determine what it has contacted on its way to your property. Water from floods can be contaminated with sewage or animal waste, particularly if they occur in areas near wastewater treatment facilities or livestock operations. Raw sewage and animal waste contain bacteria that can cause illness if contaminated foods are eaten. Flood waters that cover roads, vehicles, solid waste facilities, or pass by manufacturing and business sites can carry heavy metals and other industrial contaminants, which can also be hazardous to human health.
Mildew may develop on damp or wet items in your home. Mildew is a gray-white mold that leaves stains and rots fabric unless it is removed promptly. Mold and mildew are problems after the type of weather we have had lately. Resources for managing mold and for cleaning up, can also be found on at www.southwind.ksu.edu
If you have a sump pump, we offer a link for details about making informed decisions about back up pumps and various home systems.
We provided links to local emergency management resources in Allen, Bourbon, Neosho and Woodson Counties along with state websites such as KSReady.gov, the state’s portal to information and resources on emergency planning and preparedness for the public, businesses, schools, children, elected officials and first responders.
Floods are the most common natural disaster in the U.S.. We cannot always be prepared for the worst, but Extension is here to help you when recovery is the only option. K-State Research & Extension invites you to explore the links on www.southwind.ksu.edu and let us know if we can answer your questions. Above all, please be safe during this period of bad weather.
Carla Nemecek
Southwind Extension District
Director & Agent [email protected]
620-365-2242
1 North Washington, Iola, KS 66749
