The Southwind Extension District, along with the Bourbon County Conservation District, Kansas Department of Wildlife, and Kansas Bankers Association, will again be holding the Conservation Awards Program for 2023. This year, we will be giving awards in the following categories: Energy Conservation, Water Quality, Water Conservation, Soil Conservation, Windbreaks, and Wildlife Habitat.

The purpose of this program is to stimulate a greater interest in the conservation of the agricultural and natural resources of Kansas by giving recognition to the farmers and landowners who have made outstanding progress in practicing conservation on their farms. Public nominations can be made by any person in the county. They can be sent to the Southwind Extension office by November 10, 2023. Please visit http://www.agronomy.kstate.edu/extension, or contact Chad at the Southwind Extension Office in Fort Scott: 620-233-3720.

Amanda Clasen- Community Vitality Agent    

October 2023

Crisp autumn air will make anyone want to be outside and enjoying the seasons changing. Spring and Fall are the most opportune times of the year to work on making your yard and community appearance more inviting. Fall allows preparation for winter months ahead while spring invites us out of our “hibernation” to prepare and enjoy the incoming spring months. Organizing a community cleanup is a great way for community members and neighbors to make a change and show pride in their local community while improving the physical appearances.

Hosting a community clean-up campaign also helps improve the health of the community by eliminating habitation for rodents and insects to live, provides an avenue for residents to become more involved and show visible results and will create a good impression on visitors and potential employers. Organizing your Clean up campaign into seven areas will help make your campaign a successful event.

K-State Community Specialist Nadine Sigle & Former Community PRIDE Program Coordinator Daniel Kahl offer the following advise on how to plan and organize a successful Community Clean up.

1. Organize for success: A Clean-up effort should start with some planning and organizing from a group willing to take initiative to form a core planning committee. Those on the committee could include, but not limited to: Realtors, health professionals, parents, Chamber members, Elected officials, Local media, Civic/youth Organizations, Churches.
2. Plan for Clear Goals: Take photos to document and assist in prioritizing projects. Before and after photos are helpful if reporting is necessary to donated services or resources for the clean up effort. When Ranking projects, consider health, visual impact, safety, resources available to your effort and the likely hood of a successful project completion. K-State Research and Extension is an excellent resource to help in identifying areas of concerns.
3. Develop a plan: Develop a detailed plan that includes what projects are being completed and by who. Also include if there is a deadline for the completion of the project. If there are protentional cost involved in the clean up effort, develop a budget and where the financing or fundraising efforts may come from.
4. Advertise: A good advertising campaign will get others in the community excited to participate in the effort of the community beautification. Contact local media, post pictures and information to local social media stories as well as prepare flyers to be placed around town.
5. Volunteers: Be prepared to accommodate individuals that show up to assist after hearing about the project. Think of Friendships, family network, co-works, etc., that may provide resources or helpful contacts.
6. Execute your Project: The Safety of all volunteers should be the most important part of your execution. Depending on weather situations, have water and drinks available. Encourage workers to come appropriately dressed (Bright colors, appropriate shoes, etc.). Make sure all volunteers know where to take litter that is collected during the clean up effort.
7. Sustain the effort: Make sure to publicly thank all volunteers and cooperating businesses for their efforts in the clean-up. Recognizing a “Yard of the Week” or “Most Improved Property” are great ways to help sustain efforts. Use before and after photos to show the effect of the clean up and to keep the excitement of the beautification going long after the effort.

Find more information on conducting a Community Clean up in your community in “Conducting a Community Clean-up/Fix-up Campaign” publication from K-State Research & Extension found at http://bit.ly/1HU7Bcq, or contact Community Vitality Agent Amanda Clasen and [email protected] or any Southwind District Extension office.  Make sure to join our Monthly e-newsletter for Health and Wellness at http://bit.ly/southwindnews

Amanda Clasen- Community Vitality Agent
September 2023

As I have started to settle into my new position as the Community Vitality Agent for Southwind District and make my way around to communities within our district, there are many great projects and discussions that communities and groups are doing and supporting. I have been asked several times over the past three months, “What does the job of a Community Vitality agent consist of?”

The foundation of community vitality is to help communities become a prosperous place to live, work, play, and thrive through identifying the bright and dark spots in that community, while encouraging growth in population and sustainability.

Vitality is defined as “the state of being strong and active” and “the power giving continuance to life.”

By a community having strong vitality, we are setting our local businesses up for financial prosperity as well as enriching the lives of current and potential residents. It also encourages individuals to become more involved in making their communities shine.

Part of a strong community is using the guidelines of the Seven Community Capitals.

Rarely do communities possess ALL community capitals, but all possess some community capitals.

The capitals can create a foundation for expanding community capital areas, building on current capitals, or working to create opportunities in capitals that a community is currently lacking.

I encourage you to think of the bright spots that your community has that fall into each of the capitals listed below, and also think about projects that you can see your community benefiting from in each of these as well.

Natural Capital: The quality and quantity of natural and environmental resources existing in a community. Includes all natural aspects of community. Assets of clean water, clean air, wildlife, parks, lakes, good soil, landscape – all are examples of natural capital.
Cultural Capital: The values, norms, beliefs, and traditions that people inherit from the family, school, and community. assets may include local beliefs, values, history, foods, festivals, cultural heritage, art, etc.
Human Capital: Investments are those investments that add to the health, education, well-being and self-esteem of people.
Social Capital: Represents the “glue” that holds a community together and whose presence can spur the type of economic growth that brings benefits to the entire community. Examples include leadership, working together, mutual trust, and sense of a shared future.
Political Capital: The ability to influence and enforce rules, regulations, and standards. Communities should allow all groups to have opportunities for leadership and engagement, and to have a voice in public issues.
Financial Capital: Includes forms of money used to increase capacity of the unit that accesses it. These include: savings, debt capital, investment capital, tax revenue, tax abatement and grants. Other examples of financial capital are investments, fair wages, internal and external sources of income.
Built Capital includes all human-constructed infrastructure such as sewers, water systems, machinery, roads, electronic communication, buildings, and housing.

Think about the following questions, What is it that you love about the community you live in?

If you could change one thing about your community, what would it be?

What dialogue and with who, would you need to have a discussion with to make that change happen?

For more information please contact Amanda Clasen, Community Vitality Agent, at [email protected] or at any Southwind Extension office.

The virtual learning series, Living Well Wednesday, is set to kick off the 2023 Fall Series in October. This program is offered by K-State Research and Extension Family and Consumer Science Agents and Specialists from across the state. This year’s fall series will focus on topics of interest to parents and individuals who work with youth. Topics will help those around kids recognize warning signs of dangerous behavior and risk factors.

The fall series kicks off on October 4^th with “It’s Not So Kool to JUUL”. Guest presenter Donna Gerstner with Livewell Finney County Health Coalition in Garden City says vaping is the newest epidemic among young, stating further that 25% of Kansas High School students currently vape or have vaped. Discussion on the dangers of vaping, preventative measures, and helpful ways to identify smoking devices will help prepare parents to talk to their kids about this new epidemic and reduce the chance that their child will partake in this dangerous and addicting activity.

For the second session on November 1^st, Erin Tynon, Pottawatomie County Family and Consumer Science Agent, and guest speaker Christine Perez, a licensed clinical professional counselor, will present “Teen Stress and Anxiety: How Worried do Parents Need to be?”. This session will examine the current state of teen mental health and help parents decipher what stress is normal in teenagers versus when to seek professional help. By preparing what to say and do when teens talk about their stressors, parents will know how to talk about these tricky topics and when to seek professional help.

The last session on December 6^th is “Rapid Development of Baby Brains and Why It Matters”. Presenters Bradford Wiles, K-State Research and Extension Child Development Specialist, and Family and Consumer Science Agents Tristen Cope and Monique Koerner will discuss how impactful early years in a child’s life are on the outcome of their entire future. In this session, participants will see why positive early childhood experiences are critical for babies, how stress and trauma impact brain development at a young age, and what they can do to provide protective factors for healthy brain development in babies.

All three sessions will be at 12:10 – 1 p.m. on Zoom. To register, visit www.ksre.k-state.edu/fcs/livingwellwed/. All sessions will be recorded for later viewing. Recordings will be posted on the Living Well Wednesday Website and are assessible through the  link previously referenced. For more information, contact Cassidy Lutz at [email protected] or by calling 620-625-8620.

Renovating Fescue Lawns After Drought Loss

Unfortunately, this is the second year in a row that we are facing drought conditions going into the fall. Our fescue lawns have really taken a beating the last two years and many have almost completely died out. I know some lawns still look green, but you would be surprised at how much of your lawn is actually crabgrass and not fescue. If you are thinking about renovating your lawn, September is the time to do it. Renovating doesn’t have to be done by plowing under the current turf and starting from scratch. Instead, lawns can be thickened up by overseeding.

To start the overseeding process, mow the grass short (1-1.5 inches) and remove the clippings. This will make it easier to get good seed-soil contact and increase the amount of light that will reach the young seedlings. The success of overseeding is dependant on good seed-soil contact. Thatch can prevent the seed from reaching the soil and germinating. If the thatch layer is ¾ inch or more, use a sod cutter to remove it. A power rake can also be used to reduce a thatch layer.

Next, the soil should be prepared for the seed. Holes must be made into the soil for the seeds to fall into. A verticut machine can be used. It has solid vertical blades that can be set to cut furrows into the soil. Another option is to use a core aerator. This machine will punch holes into the soil and deposit the cores on the surface of the ground. Each hole will produce an excellent environment for seed germination and growth. Machines to do such work can often be rented, so check around.

Fertilizer should then be applied at the rate suggested by a soil test or a starter fertilizer should be used at the rate suggested on the bag.

Seeding is the next step. For overseeding, use half the amount needed compared to seeding bare ground. For tall fescue, the normal rate for bare seeding is 6 to 8 pounds per 1000 square feet so the overseeding rate would be 3 to 4 pounds per 1000 square feet. You don’t necessarily have to overseed with the same variety you planted before. The quality of a lawn by can be raised by overseeding with a fescue variety that has better growth habits. Many stores carry blends of several newer high-quality tall fescues.

Finally, water everything in and then keep the seedbed constantly moist for rapid germination. This might be a bit tricky considering how dry the soil is. Frequent light waterings are better than deeper, infrequent watering as the seedlings become established.

Fertilize with a high nitrogen fertilizer again 4 to 6 weeks after seeding to keep plants growing well and to build up food reserves.

On a side note, many homeowners often want to overseed bare spots under trees, but have minimal luck. The turf will sprout as fall progresses and will get established by winter. It continues to look good going into spring. However, the next summer it begins to die out again – despite any care it is given.

In many cases, this is due to too much shade or the type of turf planted isn’t a good fit for the location. Tall fescue is the only widely used lawn turf in Kansas that can survive some shade. All other cool and warm season turfs need more sunlight.

Instead of establishing grass under trees, consider underplanting the tree with shade tolerant ornamental plants. Examples include ground covers such as vinca minor vines, Boston ivy or liriope, or plants such as hostas or hardy ferns.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.

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