The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

Vol. 14, No. 7  December 18, 2007

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Soliciting 2008 Annual Conference Keynote Speaker Suggestions
...4-H Enhancement in the Flint Hills - Location Change Due to Power Outage
...Insect Zoo Giftshop Will Set Up Outside Waters 123 Again this Year
...Power Outages Scheduled for Umberger
...Seven PRIDE Community Groups Awarded "Get It - Do It!" Grants to Promote Health
...4-H Animal Electronic Identification Pilot Project
...Intentional Harmony Registration Closing Soon!
...Kansas Grape Growers and Winemakers Association Annual Conference
...Mid-America Fruit Growers Conference
...Harvey County 4-H Hippology and Quiz Bowl
...Kansas 4-H Horse Panorama
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
We are rapidly approaching the end of 2007. I believe K-State Research and Extension has achieved a great deal in supporting the issues and needs of Kansas citizens through our research and educational programs. Our greatest challenges have come through adversity that began with a winter ice and snow storm, and has now ended with winter ice and snow storm, at least I hope we've had the last major weather event in this year! I express my thanks to each and every one of you in the ways in which you have responded positively and appropriately in those trying times, and the selfless work that has been accomplished to help the citizens make rational and sound decisions.

Beyond that, we have made outstanding progress in research, development, and extension as evidenced in your annual reports of accomplishment, and in the soon to be published Annual Report to Kansas Legislature. I thank you again for your diligence and focused work in helping K-State Research and Extension to achieve its goals, which in turn support the interest and needs of Kansas citizens.

On a special note more fitting of the season of joy and thanksgiving, I was recently pointed to the following website by a friend, and it was of the nature I thought I would share it with all of you. The website and effort are lead by Scott Pruitt, apparently from Seattle, WA. His goal is simply to express gratitude to those who serve our country in the military.

The two brief videos are about a simple way of showing gratitude to the men and women who serve us in the armed forces. You'll find those two movie links on this website. Even the full length is no more than 2 1/2 minutes. In this holiday time, each and every man and woman serving in the military deserves our gratitude and thanks.

I wish you all a most blessed and joyous holiday season, and a very happy new year! Travel safe, stay warm, and enjoy your time with family and friends. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

SOLICITING 2008 ANNUAL CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER SUGGESTIONS
The K-State Research and Extension Annual Conference committee will meet soon to begin planning the 2008 conference.  The committee invites suggestions for keynote speakers, motivational speakers, and program topics.  Please click on the link below to participate in a 2 question / short survey for this purpose. The survey will be available until midnight on December 21.

 https://surveys.ksu.edu/TS?offeringId=77608

4-H ENHANCEMENT IN THE FLINT HILLS - LOCATION CHANGE DUE TO POWER OUTAGE
4-H Enhancement in the Flint Hills is being moved to the Eureka Public Library, 606 N Main, on Wednesday, December 19, 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

If you missed signing up or have questions, call Ann Religa at 316-284-6930 or e-mail to areliga@oznet.ksu.edu . Topics covered are GPS, First Aid, and Connecting With Teens. The fee is $15, which covers a meal. --Ann M. Religa

INSECT ZOO GIFTSHOP WILL SET UP OUTSIDE WATERS 123 AGAIN THIS YEAR
The Insect Zoo giftshop will be selling selected items outside of the Entomology office, Waters 123, on Wednesday, December 19, and Thursday, December 20, from 12-5 p.m.

POWER OUTAGES SCHEDULED FOR UMBERGER
Umberger Hall will experience a power outage from December 22-31, while contractors are upgrading the building's electrical system. All of Umberger will be closed during this time period. The IET servers in the building will be down three times:

December 22 from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.;
Dec. 26 from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.; and
Dec. 28 from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

We apologize for this inconvenience. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

Stafford PRIDE:
Jeanette Hildebrand, Chair
Glenn Newdigger, Stafford County Extension Agent

Kinsley PRIDE:
Vicky Haskell, Chair
Andrea Wood, Edwards County Extension Agent

Melvern PRIDE:
Darrel Schultz, Chair
Fran Richmond, Osage County Extension Agent

Portis PRIDE:
Kristie Haug, Chair
Nadine Sigle, Osborne County Extension Agent

Basehor PRIDE:
Charles Wilderson, Chair
Denise Sullivan, Leavenworth County Extension Agent

Olsburg PRIDE:
Peggy Johnson, Chair
Angela Abts, Pottawatomie County Extension Agent

Glasco PRIDE:
Dr. Claude Harwood, Chair
Pat Gerhardt, Cloud County Extension Agent

Funds will be used to promote adult and youth physical activity through:

--the development of walking trails,
--establishment of walking/biking/activity clubs,
--the implementation of TV/screen-time reduction campaigns, and
--promotional events intended to improve access to physical activity places (e.g., walking trails, tracks, -     neighborhood sidewalks).   

The seven communities and their Extension colleagues begin planning project details in January, 2008 and are expected to launch community activities that coincide with the 2008 Walk Kansas program (March 9 - May 3).

For more information about the Get It- Do It! grants, contact:

Connie Hoch, Extension PRIDE, 785-532-5996, choch@ksu.edu
Carol Fink, 4-H Youth Development, 785-532-5800, cfink@ksu.edu or
Elaine Johannes, Family Studies and Human Services, 785-532-7720, ejohanne@ksu.edu  

--Elaine Johannes

4-H ANIMAL ELECTRONIC IDENTIFICATION PILOT PROJECT
Julie Voge, from Animal Science and Industry Department, invites counties to apply for involvement in the 2008 EID (Electronic Identification) Pilot Project which uses the EID tags for 4-H market livestock identification. This will be the third year of the pilot program, coordinated by David Kehler, Butler County Ag Agent, and supported by Kansas Animal Health Department. 20 Counties participated in 2007, and we would like to expand the pilot to 35-40 counties in 2008. David Kehler will be presenting a workshop at the Kansas Fairs Association Meeting in Topeka on January 5 to explain the program and demonstrate the technology.

The use of the EID tags has proven to be a useful show management tool and is being considered as the tag that may be used as the "Kansas State 4-H Tag." This management tool is also starting to be used in commercial operations (cattle feedlots, dairies, etc.) to improve individual animal performance. Thus, this new EID management tool will be an excellent learning/teaching experience for agents, county fair managers, youth, and adults in your county.

Information and an application are being sent to counties by e-mail from Julie Voge.  If you missed it, contact Julie at 785-532-1264, jvoge@ksu.edu ; or Dave at 316-321-9660, dkehler@oznet.ksu.edu .   --Pat Murphy jmurphy@ksu.edu

INTENTIONAL HARMONY REGISTRATION CLOSING SOON!
If you still need to register for one of the Intentional Harmony: Managing Work and Life trainings in January, please e-mail or call Deb Sellers at dsellers@ksu.edu or 785-532-5773. Help us prevent possible cancellation of the training in your area by indicating your intent to attend! --Deb Sellers

KANSAS GRAPE GROWERS AND WINEMAKERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The Kansas Grape Growers and Winemakers Association is holding its annual conference January 4, 5 and 6 in Emporia, Kansas.  The program includes presentations on business planning, grape production, wine making with an emphasis on Cynthiana (Norton) grapes.  There will be an amateur winemakers competition and judging. 

For complete program details and registration see http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=513 .

County agents, please help get the word out. --Ted Carey tcarey@ksu.edu

MID-AMERICA FRUIT GROWERS CONFERENCE
Mid-America Fruit Growers Conference is the annual regional conference for fruit growers from Kansas and Missouri. The upcoming conference will be held January 15-18 at the luxurious Lied Lodge and Conference Center, Nebraska City, NE.  There will be sessions on tree fruit, small fruit, grapes and winemaking, and marketing.  

There will be a post-conference tour of area orchards and wineries.  Registration information can be found at http://www.hfrr.ksu.edu/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=513 . --Ted Carey tcarey@ksu.edu

HARVEY COUNTY 4-H HIPPOLOGY AND QUIZ BOWL
This quiz bowl will be held January 19, 2008, at the Chisholm Middle School, Newton, Kansas.  Registration is due January 11.

For more information, go to the Harvey County website at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/harvey/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=48 . If you have questions, call 316-284-6930 or e-mail areliga@oznet.ksu.edu . --Glenda Prieba gprieba@oznet.ksu.edu

KANSAS 4-H HORSE PANORAMA
The Kansas 4-H Horse Panorama is scheduled for February 9 and 10 at the Rock Springs 4-H Center located near Junction City. This event is a learning experience for youth to learn more about equine science. 4-H members will have the opportunity to apply their horse knowledge through contests. The published on-line registration deadline is set for January 15, 2008.

The schedule of events and more information can be found at http://kansas4-h.org/Horse/Panorama/Default.htm . If you have any questions or concerns contact Kaitlyn Crow at kcrow@ksu.edu . --Kaitlyn Crow