The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 13, No. 19  March 20, 2007

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Director - K-State Research and Extension
...Retirement Reception for Jenell Smith, Sedgwick County
...Retirement Reception for Doris Farris, Kearny County
...Gary Kilgore Retirement Celebration!
...Upcoming Community Development Conference for Kansas
...Register Now for the Third Annual Extension "Health Fest!"
...Thank You from Marilyn Toellner
...National Diversity Conference
...4-H Fair Judges Training
...Epsilon Sigma Phi Grant Support
..."Ejidotarias" (eh-hee-tho-tar-ee-ahs)
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE DIRECTOR - K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION
I have made the decision to cancel the Membership Opportunities Ad Hoc Committee and the Communication Task Force; the Cloverbuds Task Force will convene as planned. The Membership Opportunities Ad Hoc Committee and Communication Task Force have no reason to meet because the decisions of those groups have already been made by the Kansas legislature. Any recommendation from the Ad Hoc Committee other than to retain the age for full Membership at the local level in 4-H at age 7 will result in the prohibition of K-State Research and Extension expending funds to support the 4-H programs in Kansas. I will not cut $2.9 million dollars of support for the 4-H programs because the youth of Kansas is our most valuable resource. I will not eliminate the 15 state level 4-H staff and the over 60 Extension agent positions supported by these funds because they are the support network in reaching nearly 95,000 youth in Kansas who participate in Kansas 4-H programs. The Communication Task Force will have no policy recommendations or decisions to communicate. 

The Cloverbuds Task Force will convene because its purpose is not to develop policy, but rather work to identify age appropriate activities and curriculum for potential 4-Hers down to age 5. I believe that it is critical that we respond to this request from Kansas families and Extension agents who believe that 4-H can have positive impact on the youngest 4-Hers when the curriculum and activities are well designed and appropriate for that age of children.

There will be individuals who see this as a win, but there are no winners in this decision and in fact there is one big loser; the Kansas Cooperative Extension Service. I have said in many settings that Extension's hallmark as an organization is that it is an "evidence-based" decision making organization, or said another way, "unbiased deliverer of science based knowledge." I can no longer make this statement regarding the 4-H age issue because this decision was not evidence-based. In fact, it was made without the opportunity to review, evaluate, and make recommendations. K-State Research and Extension, the State 4-H office and I will honor this decision because the decision has been made.  

Thanks to all who volunteer to serve to "Make the Best Better" but the decision has been made to cancel the Ad Hoc Committee and Communication Task Force. The Cloverbuds Task Force will continue as planned.  --Fred Cholick fcholick@ksu.edu

RETIREMENT RECEPTION FOR JENELL SMITH, SEDGWICK COUNTY
A retirement reception is being held for Jenell Smith, Sedgwick County Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Sciences, on March 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Meadowlark Room at the Sedgwick County Extension Office.

Please send letters and/or cards for Jenell to Rachel Serrano at 7001 W 21st Street North, Wichita, KS 67205. --Rachel Serrano rserrano@ksu.edu

RETIREMENT RECEPTION FOR DORIS FARRIS, KEARNY COUNTY
A retirement reception for Doris (Welch) Farris, Kearny County FCS Agent, will be held on Saturday, March 31, at the Kearny County Fairgrounds, Lakin, KS, from 2 until 4 p.m. Cards, letters, and/or memories may be sent to the Kearny County Extension Office, PO Box 85, Lakin, KS 67860. Please join us as we celebrate Doris' 30+ years of service to Kansas Extension.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Einspahr, 620-355- 6551, or e-mail shuser@ksu.edu . --Stephanie J. Einspahr

• Distance Master’s Degree in Agronomy to be used by County Extension Agents, ANR, or industry personnel.   Those who wish to contribute to this fund should make their check payable to: The KSU Foundation, 2323 Anderson Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66502-2911, phone number is: 785-532-6266.
• The second scholarship is with the Kansas 4-H Foundation.  This scholarship is for Juniors or Seniors majoring in Agronomy who had an active Kansas 4-H program in high school.  Those wanting to contribute to this endowed scholarship should make their check payable to the Kansas 4-H Foundation, 116 Umberger Hall, Manhattan, KS 66502, phone number is: 785-532-5881.

Please indicate that your donation is for the Gary Kilgore Scholarship Fund on the memo portion of your check.  Checks can be mailed to the addresses above or sent c/o Karen Walters at the Southeast Area Extension Office, 308 West 14th, Chanute, KS 66720. --Karen S. Walters kwalters@oznet.ksu.edu

UPCOMING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE FOR KANSAS
The Kansas Community and Economic Development Conference will be held in Lindsborg on April 11 and 12. This year's Conference, titled, "A Time of Change, A Time for Change; Regionalism for Rural Kansas," will help participants to think about creating partnerships on a larger scale. You can download the brochure from the conference website at http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/conferen/kcced/

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Any Community considering applying for a COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT through the Kansas Department of Commerce should plan to attend the CDBG conference in Junction City on April 24-25, 2007. This will be the only application workshop this year. Guest speaker Dr. Vincent Amanor-Boadu, of Kansas State University, will speak on "Wealth as a Valid Development Objective."  For a registration brochure, contact Debbie Beck at dbeck@kansascommerce.com . Registration for this event is due April 17. --Dan Kahl dankahl@ksu.edu

REGISTER NOW FOR THE THIRD ANNUAL EXTENSION "HEALTH FEST!"
Extension "Health Fest!" will take place April 27- 28, 2007 at Rock Springs 4-H Center and you're invited!

Previously known as the Healthy Lifestyle Institute, this year's "Health Fest!" is open to all Extension professionals and community partners who have interest in supporting the National USDA 4-H Health and Wellness Mission Mandate. On April 27, Health Rocks!, the National 4-H Council's health promotion program, will be featured. Trainer, Dr. Susan Holder, from Mississippi State University Extension, will be leading us in the basics of the community youth development program for health.

On April 28, Bobbie Harris, Friends University faculty member and originator of the acclaimed "Physical Extensions" health promotion project for afterschool, will be training teens and adults in afterschool group management and physical activity promotion. Bobbie is also the author of Physical Focus and Physical Essentials, which are both Kansas Health Foundation programs that are currently used in many Kansas schools.

Extension Health Fest! is supported by the USDA/CYFAR "Kansas Teen Leadership for Physically Active Lifestyles" project.

Register (not later than April 15) by sending an e-mail to Carol Fink, cfink@ksu.edu or Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu . There is no charge for HealthFest! Just come learn, enjoy and get active! --Elaine Johannes

THANK YOU FROM MARILYN TOELLNER
Thank you so much for your cards and letters of sympathy and encouragement that I received after the death of my mother.  She was a kind and loving mother and I shall miss her.  Your care and concern will long be remembered.  I do appreciate your time and attention. --Marilyn Toellner mtoellne@ksu.edu

NATIONAL DIVERSITY CONFERENCE
"Diversity Leadership: Modeling Systemic Change" will be the theme for the National Diversity Conference to be held April 25 to 27 in Seattle, Washington. The conference is designed for faculty and staff from extension, research and academic programs of land-grant universities. General session speakers and break-out sessions are designed to equip those in attendance to meet the challenges of living and working in an increasingly diverse society.

K-State Research and Extension will be represented by Paula Peters, Zelia Wiley, Carol young and Stacey Warner. Registrations are still being accepted. Additional information can be found at http://emmps.wsu.edu/NDC . --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu

4-H FAIR JUDGES TRAINING
Harvey, Butler, Cowley and Sedgwick County have joined together to offer a judges training workshop on Thursday, May 3, from 4 - 9 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center.  It is open to anyone who has judged, is interested in judging, or just wants to learn more about the judging process and what judges are looking for.  This would be a great learning experience for project leaders too as they work with kids to prepare them for county fair.

Participants may select up to three break-out sessions.  Each participant is asked to bring a “sample exhibit” to their break-out session for a mock judging experience.   These will be led by experienced judges and/or extension staff.  Please note that we are including livestock at this event, however, actual animals will not be present. 

Everyone will participate in the general session to learn about role of the judge, purpose of judging, how to conference judge, handling difficult situations, ribbon placings, etc.  Registration is due April 25, with late registration fees after that date.  The flyer containing the details and registration information may be accessed under the “What’s Hot” section of the state 4-H website at www.kansas4-h.org   or at www.sedgwickcountyextension.com .

We’re looking forward to providing a great learning opportunity to strengthen the skills of judges and others and to increase the pool of trained judges for the county fair season. --Jodi Besthorn Besthorn@oznet.ksu.edu

EPSILON SIGMA PHI GRANT SUPPORT
The north central counties that were involved in the fall 2006, Transitions in Family Farm Management, would like to thank the Epsi grant for support of this joint project. Agents in Smith, Phillips-Rooks, Post Rock District, Ellis and Russell counties, planned December 2006 sessions that were held in Jewell, Stockton and Osborne.

A second session was scheduled for February 12, in Beloit and Hays. Due to the winter snow storm, this session had to be cancelled. We hope to try this program again in December 2007 to reach more farm families that are in the process of transferring their farm to the next generation.

The agents would also like to thank Dr. Rodney Jones, Sarah Fogleman, and Mark Wood for their informative presentations to farm family clients.

For more information about this program, contact any of the agents in the above mentioned counties. --Kathy Lupfer-Nielsen knielsen@oznet.ksu.edu

"EJIDOTARIAS" (EH-HEE-THO-TAR-EE-AHS)
Don’t forget to roll the “Rs”. I introduced the ejido farm producer two weeks ago. The community or municipio owns the land. You stake a claim, of sorts, to some land, and you farm it. As long as you do not abuse the land or other farms around you, you can work that land as long as you like. There is a small usage fee to help the community. The county (municipio) government usually helps with initial seeding, reclamation, and improvements.

We visited the farm of two women near the minicipio of Ayala, state of Morelos. I would love to send you pictures of them. Just e-mail me. The señoras farmed their ground together. They produced corn, green beans, squash, and sugar cane. Their corn seed came from the U.S., and they grew both grain (maiz) and sweet corn (elote) - pronounced “my-eese” and “eh-lo-tay.”

Farming 3,000 feet above sea level, the ladies planted, irrigated, and harvested by hand and with the use of oxen and horses. Small irrigation ditches ran through the land. It is up to the farmer to flood her fields from the ditches with dams and canals. They farmed four hectares (about 10 acres) per year. It costs about 5,000 pesos per hectare (2.48 acres) including 200 pesos for fertilizer and 350 pesos for insecticide. They pay their water usage annually. The ladies gave us an estimate that it took about 29,000 pesos to get their produce to the market. That is about $2,900.

In the ejido system, producers help one another plant and harvest. For example, the sugar cane was harvested with a machete. It takes strong arms to swing a machete. The crops go to market in Mexico City. Visiting this particular farm held a few contradictions. Everything was done by hand, which took us back in time. The power lines above had electricity surging through them, audibly. That brought us back to reality.

Next week, I will talk about the “municipio” and its residents’ micro-enterprises. Thanks to Epsilon Sigma Phi, SARE, and Daryl Buchholz for making this trip possible. --Debra Bolton dbolton@ksu.edu

Tuesday, April 3, through Wednesday, April 4
.... Spring KAE4-HA Conference, Hutchinson/RN, Statewide, Andrea Schmidt aschmidt@ksu.edu

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