Tuesday Letter

The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

Vol. 13, No. 51 October 30, 2007

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...4-H Blue Ribbon Youth Enrollment Software Conference Calls
...Lisa Martin Completes MS Degree
...Retirement Reception for Karen Elliott
...Featured Employee
...SEA Agronomist Named
...KAE4-HA Dues
...Small Dam Owner Seminar - November 5, Emporia
...Kansas Fruit Growers Association Fall Field Day
...Marketing Template Sent to Local Offices
...Marie's Pick of the Week
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Today I offer a quote on leadership.....

To lead people, walk beside them ... As for the best leaders, the people do not notice their existence. The next best, the people honor and praise. The next, the people fear; and the next, the people hate ... When the best leader's work is done the people say, "We did it ourselves!" - Lao-tsu

So much of what is said in Lao-tsu's quote conveys the character and qualities I have seen among many extension professionals. Outstanding programs come through great leadership and the ultimate compliment from those who benefited says "We did it ourselves!"

Have a safe Halloween! - Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

4-H BLUE RIBBON YOUTH ENROLLMENT SOFTWARE CONFERENCE CALLS
Another series of conference calls will be hosted this Thursday, November 1, at 10 a.m.; and/or Friday, November 2, at 2 p.m.; to help Office Professionals and Agents prepare their Blue Ribbon Software for the fall enrollment period. As with the previous sessions, we would really appreciate those of you with experience using Blue Ribbon to join in the conference calls, to share your wisdom as well as your questions.

In these sessions we will discuss the roll over process and basic member/leader enrollment. Topics include: resetting data files, modifying default settings, understanding member/leader status, adding/removing clubs, and questions as time permits.

Please register on-line at: http://www.Kansas4-H.org/register/ . There is no cost to register. The phone number and PIN number will be e-mailed as an attachment to your registration confirmation.

These calls are planned to be one hour long, but may go for as long as two hours if discussion warrants the extra time. It is our goal to share the same information during each conference call, so participants need only choose one session. If all sessions fill up, additional sessions will be scheduled.

In the meantime, if you have questions about Blue Ribbon processes, please review the Kansas Blue Ribbon support site at http://www.Kansas4-H.org/BlueRibbon/ . If you are unable to find the answers to your questions, then we will be happy to help you. --Justin Wiebers jwiebers@ksu.edu

LISA MARTIN COMPLETES MS DEGREE
Lisa Martin, EFNEP Agent in Shawnee County, completed requirements in August for her Masters Degree in Public Health from Kansas State University. Congratulations Lisa! --Jim Lindquist jlindqui@oznet.ksu.edu

RETIREMENT RECEPTION FOR KAREN ELLIOTT
Please join us for a celebration in honor of Karen Elliott, Johnson County FCS Agent. Karen will be retiring after 7 years of outstanding service to KSRE and the citizens of Johnson County for a combined total of 13 years of service to the state of Kansas. A retirement reception will be held Thursday, November 8, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Johnson County Extension office located at 11811 S. Sunset Drive in Olathe.

Cards and letters can be sent to: Johnson County Extension office, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Ste. 1500, Olathe, KS 66061 or e-mailed to chelsey.wasem@jocogov.org .

For more information, contact Chelsey Wasem at 913-715-7000. --Chelsey Wasem chelsey.wasem@jocogov.org

FEATURED EMPLOYEE
Ward Upham, extension associate in the Horticulture Response Center is currently being featured in the "Do You Know...." section of the Employee Resources website. Learn more about Ward at www.oznet.ksu.edu/employee_resources . --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu

SEA AGRONOMIST NAMED
Dr. Douglas Shoup has formally accepted the Southeast Area Agronomist position with K-State Research and Extension.

A native of southeast Kansas, He holds three degrees from K-State, including a Ph.D. from KSU in Weed Science. He is a Member of the North Central Weed Science Society, the Western Society of Weed Science and the Weed Science Society of America.

Dr. Shoup comes to K- State Research and Extension from industry, Monsanto, where he was a Soybean Yield Pipeline Technical Representative. He will begin his assignment in the SEA, January 14, 2008. --J. D. McNutt jdmcnutt@oznet.ksu.edu

KAE4-HA DUES
Dues are due to Jim Adams by November 1, 2007! Membership Options are:

Full Membership - $110
(Provides KAE4-HA, NAE4-HA, and KEAA)

State/Area Staff and /or County Staff who belong to another association - $104
(Provides KAE4-HA and NAE4-HA)

First Year Extension Professionals - $55
(Provides KAE4-HA, NAE4-HA and KEAA)

Associate - $45
(Provides KAE4-HA membership only. Open to Extension Staff who already belong to another Association, 4-H Program Assistants and 4-H Foundation Staff.)

Life - $210
(For past NAE4-HA Presidents and retired staff only)

Make check to KAE4-HA and send to:

Jim Adams
201 Umberger Hall
Manhattan, Ks. 66506-3404

--Jim Adams jadams@oznet.ksu.edu

SMALL DAM OWNER SEMINAR - NOVEMBER 5, EMPORIA
Many landowners have a pond formed by a dam. These are valuable assets. Take this opportunity to learn more about protecting the value and usefulness of your dam. Program includes: overview, care of dams, causes of dam failures, problem identification, problem explanation, problem solutions, hazard classification, and emergency action plan.

Most farm dams are small and thus do not require state oversite. However, dams with a fill height of more than 25 feet or that impound an area of more than 50 acre feet to top of the dam are required to meet dam safety regulations. These regulations are administered by Kansas Division of Water Resources.

Small Dam Owner Seminar - November 5, 2007
Public Library, Emporia, Kansas - 1 to 4 p.m.

KANSAS FRUIT GROWERS ASSOCIATION FALL FIELD DAY...
will be held Thursday, November 8, at the Grantville Community Center and Rees Fruit Farm.

Those interested in commercial fruit production should come and enjoy a day of education and fellowship with fruit growers. Presentations in the morning will cover aspects of small fruit and tree fruit production and pest management by extension experts and producers. In the afternoon, there will be a tour of the Rees Fruit Farm and market viewing the overall operation and focusing on specific topics covered in the morning presentations, including a demonstration and discussion of peach tree pruning.

Registration information, a list of speakers and instructions on getting to the workshop are at http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=513 .

For more information, contact Ted Carey, 913-856-2335, extension 120; or tcarey@ksu.edu . --Ted Carey

MARKETING TEMPLATE SENT TO LOCAL OFFICES
A newly-developed template for writing a marketing plan was sent through county mailboxes last Friday, October 26. This template can be used to help you put together a marketing plan for an upcoming event, a program, or even your office's entire communications strategy.

Because it's a template, you can personalize this to your own situation. Guidelines used in the template are based on K-State Research and Extension's Five-Year Marketing Plan that was implemented in mid-2007. Download a copy of the template in MS-Word at the Department of Communications' marketing Web site, www.communications.ksu.edu/marketing . --Pat Melgares melgares@ksu.edu

MARIE'S PICKS OF THE WEEK
While beginning to review the 2007 Project Accomplishments database for items that are especially effective at helping us understand how our work can be highlighted to share outcomes, impacts, and success stories, this week my picks were reported by Michelle Brokes and Michael Vogt.

Success Story:
The Walk Kansas program in Ellsworth County saw an increase in teams from 12 in 2006 to 23 in 2007! Of the 138 participants, nearly all met their individual goals set at the beginning of the program. We reached a wide variety of ages with this program; our youngest was 10 and our oldest participant was in her 80s!!

Success Story:
Soil Testing through Conservation Programs has been a huge success. Six years ago we averaged about 120 soil samples per year. This year there were 957 soil samples—a 698% increase in soil samples! Also, I am beginning to notice an improvement in participating fields and in soil pH as farmers apply lime.

Impact Report:
Soil testing and advising farmers on the best ways to improve soil fertility is very important. We continue to see soils with low soil pH. For many years, farmers have gradually "mined" the calcium out of the soil, and the soil pH gets lower and lower to where even the most tolerant crops to acid soils need lime. Farmers and landlords have a hard time getting over the initial up front cost of liming a field. But, after they have grown the first crop after liming, they say they have seen yields improve and better weed control!

For the 2006-2007 program year, many of the agriculture soil samples were cost shared through the USDA EQIP and CSP conservation programs. Most participants in these programs sent their soil samples through the Marshall County Extension office. The producers are to apply fertilizer based on the soil test recommendations. To date, 16 soil samples were for horticultural purposes; 957 soil samples were taken for agricultural purposes representing 43,065 crop acres. I believe soil testing had a value and impact of $430,650.

Impact Report:
Leasing land is one of the more popular subject areas every year. Leasing is very important as we continue to have more landlords and fewer active farm and ranch operators. Helping and educating landlords and tenants can be challenging, but it is very rewarding. I believe Extension is making an impact on having more landlords and tenants develop written leases and I also encourage more cash renting of land for landlords, who do not feel comfortable with the increasing costs of agriculture and/or the task of marketing grain.

This program reached 83 people during the past year and 50 program hours spent. A conservative estimate of the value of advising and educating landlords and tenants about lease issues is $373,500. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

Submit corrections to previously submitted items to jzarger@ksu.edu .

DATES TAKEN FROM THE MASTER SCHEDULE FOR NOVEMBER 7, 2007, THROUGH NOVEMBER 13, 2007:

Wednesday, November 7
.... Mentor Workshop, Manhattan (Pottorf Hall), 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Stacey Warner swarner@oznet.ksu.edu and Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu

Thursday, November 8
.... Kansas Insurance Workshop, Salina (Marriott Courtyard), 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Rich Llewelyn rllewely@agecon.ksu.edu

Thursday, November 8, through Friday, November 9
.... CEDPD Team Resource Fair, K-State Salina, Dan Kahl dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu

Thursday, November 8, through Saturday, November 10
.... Search Institute: Healthy Communities - Health, Rochester, NY, Elaine Johannes ejohanne@ksu.edu

Saturday, November 10
.... State 4-H Advisory, McPherson, Statewide, Pat McNally pmcnally@ksu.edu

Sunday, November 11
.... Veteran's Day

Monday, November 12, through Tuesday, November 13
.... MAST, KSU-Manhattan, Statewide, 8:00 a.m., Alicia Goheen agoheen@agecon.ksu.edu

Tuesday, November 13
.... Eastern Kansas Animal Sciences Update, Burlington, 9:30 a.m., Karl Harborth harborth@oznet.ksu.edu
.... Behavioral Change Theories and Models, NE Area, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Mike Bradshaw mhb@ksu.edu

Tuesday, November 13, through Thursday, November 15
.... Kansas Turfgrass Conference, Topeka, Statewide, Rodney St. John rstjohn@ksu.edu

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tuesday@oznet.ksu.edu . Put the word "Tuesday" in the subject line.

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