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The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

Vol. 14, No. 24  April 29, 2008


IN THIS ISSUE... 

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...A Few Workers Still Needed for KSRE Booth at the 3i Show in Great Bend
...3-i Show Consumer Programs Offer Something for Everyone
...Grass and Gain Field Day Slated for May 15 at Miller, Kansas
...Ethanol Co-Product Storage and Utilization Conference
...K-State Center for Sustainable Energy Call for Proposals
...Annual Kansas Agroforestry Field Day
...MAB Offering Travel to Southeast Asia in 2008
...Center for Engagement and Community Development to Host Rural Grocery Store Summit June 1, 2008
...National Extension Award Opportunities
...KAE4-HA Award Winners Announced
...Local Unit Credit Card Policy Revised
...Extension Council Expenditure of Funds for Remodeling and Maintenance
...Employer Provided Vehicles
...Marie's Pick of the Week
...State 4-H Curriculum Action Team Formed
...Retaining New 4-H Members - Resources Needed!
...4-H Volunteer Impact Study Request for Help
...Board Recruitment Module
...The New Reporting Web Page is Ready for You to Use!!!
...Discovering the Leader Within You - The Leadership Challenge
...Community and Economic Development - Financial Capital
...Marketing Minute: Make Your Website Google-icious
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives


WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
This week I am in Washington DC with a group of delegates from the State Extension Advisory Council and the various Extension Professional associations who are all attending the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference. Theme for this year's conference is "Connectivity: Community to the Capitol." Sessions will focus on various aspects of connectivity vital to Extension's ability to accomplish its mission and initiatives. This year's delegation attending from Kansas includes:

State Extension Advisory Board members: Jason King, Grant County; Judy Parsons, Stevens County; JoAnn Murray, Atchison County; Andrew Sramek, Rawlins County; and, Don Montgomery, Osage County.

Extension faculty: Shawna Mitchell, McPherson County, for KEA4-HA ; Nadine Sigle, Post Rock District, for KEAFCS; Michael Vogt, Marshall County, for KACAA; Chuck Otte, Geary County, as NACAA Past President; and Margaret Phillips, Associate Director's office, for Epsilon Sigma Phi. Jim Lindquist, Assistant Director - Field Operations, and I will be co-hosting the delegation.

The conference is a great opportunity to connect with co-horts from all across the country who have interest and passion in Extension. On Wednesday the delegation will be making visits to each Congressional office carrying a message of how Extension is making an impact in Kansas. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

P.S. Think good thoughts..... "To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral down into ever increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that discipline - training - is about." ~James Clavell, in his novel "Shogun."

 

A FEW WORKERS STILL NEEDED FOR KSRE BOOTH AT THE 3i SHOW IN GREAT BEND
The 3i Show (3i stands for Irrigation, Implements, and Industry) takes place on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday May 7, 8, and 9, 2008, two miles west of Great Bend on 10th Street at the Municipal Airport Expo Complex.

The show is open each day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our booth (I-115) is in the Expo-2 Building, along the north wall in the same spot where we have been before.

We could still use a few people on Thursday, May 8th, from:

11:00 a.m. - 12 Noon
12 Noon - 1:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Steven Graham will bring the display and handout materials from campus, plus be present during all three days of the show. If you would like to attend the 3i Show and also assist in the booth for an hour or more, that would be great. There is no entrance or parking fee.

The 3i Show is a huge farm machinery show which also has some daily programming aimed at spouses. These programs, called "Extreme Makeover" this year, are coordinated by Donna Krug and Berny Unruh with our Barton County Research and Extension Office.

Please e-mail and let me know what time(s) you would like to work in the booth on Thursday, May 8th. Thanks for your assistance. --Steven Graham sgraham@k-state.edu

 

3-i SHOW CONSUMER PROGRAMS OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Twelve consumer programs are set to give 3-i Show visitors a break during their visit. The 3-i Show runs May 7th, 8th, and 9th, and is held at the Expo grounds west of Great Bend. The consumer programs are held in the Armory classroom. Watch for a flashing sign to guide you in the right direction.

Four programs are set for each day beginning at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. The theme for this year's consumer programs is "Extreme Makeover." From fashions, to home décor, food to financial planning, there is a program that will interest everyone. Extension Agents Lori Shoemaker, Amy Collins, and Kerri Ebert are each presenting programs this year.

Go to the Barton County Web page for the complete list and description of 2008 consumer programs. We hope to see you in Great Bend! --Donna Krug dkrug@oznet.ksu.edu  and Berny Unruh bunruh@oznet.ksu.edu 

 

GRASS AND GAIN FIELD DAY SLATED FOR MAY 15 AT MILLER, KANSAS
Have you been looking for ways to reduce sickness and improve performance when receiving calves? Would you like to hear or see ways to improve the utilization of one of our great local natural resources - the Flint Hills?

If so, Thursday, May 15, would be a great day to plan on being near Miller in the northeast corner of Lyon County. Porter Cattle Company will be the site of the “Grass and Gain Field Day” where you will have the opportunity to view, listen and ask questions about ways to potentially get more gain from your grasslands. Pre-registration with the Lyon County Extension Office, 620-341-3220, is requested by May 12 to ensure a meal count.

Co-hosted by K-State Research and Extension, Lyon County, and the Tallgrass Legacy Alliance, the Field Day will begin at the hay barn just southeast of Miller - just follow the signs! Registration and refreshments will begin at 3:30, with the speakers beginning shortly before 4:00 in the afternoon.

After some brief introductions, Rich Porter, owner of Porter Cattle Company, will give an overview and history of the Porter Cattle Company, talking about the goals, management, stocking and habitat enhancement taking place throughout the operation. Paul Ingle, watershed hydrologist with the Melvern Lake Water Quality Project, will follow with a discussion about the watershed we will be in and some of the practices undertaken by the Porter operation to preserve and enhance water quality.

Concurrent sessions will follow, rotating through three main areas around the hay barn. One session will focus on the cattle processing facility, including a demonstration of how some of the equipment works while reducing stress on the animals and workload on the cowboys. A second session will cover the receiving pens, grass traps and lagoon designs that help keep the facility environmentally friendly. The third session will take a look at the tame grass traps and have a discussion about how to best manage the tame grasses in the traps – for stand persistence, herd health and animal performance.

After all groups have rotated through the three sessions, the entire group will reconvene at the hay barn for some additional brief question and answer, followed by the evening meal sponsored by the Westar Energy Green Team, Frontier Farm Credit, the Melvern Lake Water Quality Project, and Porter Cattle Company.

“Maximizing Grass Gains while Maintaining Prairie Health” will be the topic of the keynote evening address, presented following the evening meal by Dr. K.C. Olson, Kansas State University Cow/Calf Nutritionist. With higher feed grain prices, it should be in every cattle producers’ best interest to get the most from their grazing lands while still keeping those lands in a long-term, highly productive condition.

Don’t forget to pre-register with the Lyon County Extension Office, 620-341-3220, or brees@ksu.edu by May 12 to ensure a meal count. See you there! --Brian Rees

 

ETHANOL CO-PRODUCT STORAGE AND UTILIZATION CONFERENCE
The Ethanol Co-Product Storage and Utilization Conference will be held May 19-20, 2008, at the University of Nebraska - ARDC near Mead, NE. Registration is due May 9. There is no cost to register.
The focus of the Conference will be hands on education on mixing and storage of wet distillers grains and surrounding issues. Educators should leave with a resources toolbox for use to provide training in their local areas. For more information regarding this conference, contact Sandy Johnson, sandyj@ksu.edu ; or John Hay by phone at 402-472-0408 or by e-mail at jhay2@unl.edu . --Lori Fabian lfabian@ksu.edu
 


K-STATE CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The K-State Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) seeks proposals from eligible K-State faculty in support of graduate student assistantships for projects related to enhancing research on renewable energy topics at K-State. These assistantships are intended to expand the current research base at K-State and encourage new research clusters addressing issues related to renewable energy.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) guidelines and an invitation from the CSE co-directors to submit a proposal can also be found at the CSE website, http://www.sustainable-energy.ksu.edu . Please forward this e-mail to other K-State Colleagues who may be interested in this RFP announcement.

Proposals are due by 5 p.m., May 23, 2008.


In addition, you are invited to attend a meeting to introduce CSE to the K-State research community and to further discuss the RFP on Thursday, May 15, 2008, 9 a.m. in the Big 12 Room of the Union. The meeting agenda can be reviewed at:
http://www.sustainable-energy.ksu.edu . --Ron Madl rmadl@ksu.edu and Mary Rezac rezac@ksu.edu

 

ANNUAL KANSAS AGROFORESTRY FIELD DAY
The annual Kansas Agroforestry Field Day is set for Thursday, May 29, 2008. Vaughn Juhnke, winner of the 2006 Kansas Agroforestry Award, will be hosting the event at his McPherson County farm. Agroforestry is the integration of trees, shrubs and other vegetation into production agriculture with the goal of optimizing production as much as possible while simultaneously conserving and improving natural resources and wildlife benefits. Windbreaks, riparian forest buffers and wildlife plantings are a few examples of Agroforestry practices, all which may be found on Juhnke’s 40 acre farm.

The Agroforestry Field day will provide landowners and natural resource professionals the opportunity to observe a successful model of land management that optimizes wildlife habitat, recreation, conservation and aesthetics. A variety of concurrent sessions will be offered throughout the day that will provide information on how to establish and sustain trees, shrubs, native grass, food plots, and pond management. 

Registration costs $10, and will include lunch. A meeting brochure is available on the KFS Website at www.kansasforests.org . --Charles Barden cbarden@ksu.edu  

 

MAB OFFERING TRAVEL TO SOUTHEAST ASIA IN 2008
The Master of Agribusiness is planning its third international trip to Southeast Asia, November 7-22, 2008,
with stops in Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, Malaysia; Bangkok, Thailand; and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Visits to various crop and livestock operations, agricultural and food-related industries, aquaculture and ocean shipping ports, as well as sight-seeing, are planned. The trip is open to students, alumni, faculty and staff, friends, and family with an interest in learning about the agriculture industry in Southeast Asia.

Possible programs include a Southeast Asia rainforest canopy walk with FRIM scientists, visits to multinational agribusinesses, a tour of the United Nations office in Bangkok, and stops at farms and food processing facilities, to name a few. The tour will include other cultural and historical sites.

The cost of the trip is $3,900 and it includes airfare from the west coast, hotels, admission prices and the majority of our meals for 16 days. If you are interested in more information or would like to register, please contact Mary Bowen at mjbowen@ksu.edu  or 785-532-4435. A full itinerary is available at www.mab.ksu.edu/Alumni/International_Trips.html . --Mary Bowen, Master of Agribusiness, KSU Program Associate

 

CENTER FOR ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO HOST RURAL GROCERY STORE SUMMIT JUNE 1, 2008
The K-State Center for Engagement and Community Development, the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, the Kansas Sampler Foundation, and the USDA Rural Development will be hosting a Summit for Rural Grocery Store owners and partners at the Kansas Sampler Foundation in Inman on June 1.

The summit will provide an opportunity for rural grocery owners and partners to gather and discuss the challenges and success of operating a rural grocery store. Results of a statewide grocer survey and five regional customer surveys will also be discussed. The summit will also help CECD to understand what types of information or resources are most important to rural grocery store owners.

More information and a registration form can be found at www.ruralgrocery.org . Please contact Chandra Ruthstrom at 785-532-7260 if you have any questions. --Dan Kahl dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu

 

NATIONAL EXTENSION AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to the Excellence in Extension Award opportunity, a second National Extension Diversity Award opportunity has been posted to our Nominations and Awards Web Site. I encourage you to take a look at both these opportunities to nominate a colleague for this national prestigious award. The process takes time, but these are monetary awards for recognition of both outstanding faculty doing excellent Extension work, and for outstanding faculty who have done creative, innovative programming and work towards the goals of diversity.

Both nomination processes have a completion date of June 2, 2008. If you would like assistance in putting together your nomination, let me know, and we will work with you to create the strongest nomination package. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

 

KAE4-HA AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to our KAE4-HA award winners who were recognized at the spring conference recently. Help us in congratulating them for their work in promoting positive youth development.

ASA: Melissa Thimesch, Butler County
DSA: Andrea Schmidt, Riley County
MSA: Dr Pat McNally, State 4-H Office
25 year Service Award: Dr Gary Gerhard, State 4-H Office
Excellence in Camping: Emily Morehouse, Douglas County; and Jo Ellen Arnold, Franklin County

Communicator Awards:
Promotional Piece: Emily Morehouse, Douglas County
Feature Story: Phyllis Kriesel, Cherokee County
Periodical Publication: Andrea Schmidt, Riley County
Personal Column: Andrea Schmidt, Riley County
Published Photo: Andrea Schmidt, Riley County
Promotional Piece Team: Kansas 4-H Marketing Action Team - Jodi Besthorn, Sedgwick County; Aliesa Woods, Post Rock District; Andrea Karcher, Reno County; Keri Liddeke, Grant County; Andrea Schmidt, Riley County; and Diane Mack, NE Area Office

--Diane Mack, KAE4-HA President; and Robyn Deines, Recognition Committee Chair

 

LOCAL UNIT CREDIT CARD POLICY REVISED
The Local Extension Unit Credit Card Policy has been recently revised to allow for the purchase of airline tickets and to pay conference registration costs. The Extension Council/Governing Body can use their Council/Governing Body credit card to purchase airline tickets from airline ticket outlets. They can also pay conference registration costs directly to the conference registration site prior to the conference. Go to the Financial Resources page of the Employee Resources Website to view the revised policy:
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/employee_resources/DesktopDefault.aspx . --Jim Lindquist jlindqui@ksu.edu

 

EXTENSION COUNCIL EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS FOR REMODELING AND MAINTENANCE
A new attorney opinion, F27, has been posted to Chapter One of the Extension Administrative Handbook, which can be reached through the Helpful Links section of the Employee Resources Website:
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/employee_resources/DesktopDefault.aspx .
The opinion states that Extension Councils do have the authority to agree to participate in maintenance and remodeling expenses of office space. Extension Councils are prohibited from owning/erecting office space, however there is no such restriction for Extension Districts. --Jim Lindquist jlindqui@ksu.edu

 

EMPLOYER PROVIDED VEHICLES
IRS policy for federal, state, and local government employer provided vehicles has been placed on the Employee Resources Website on the Financial Resources page:
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/employee_resources/DesktopDefault.aspx .
The document defines personal use of vehicles as a taxable benefit and provides direction for reimbursement to the Council/Governing Body by the agent or issuing of a W-2 to the employee for the taxable benefit. Vehicle logs should be maintained to substantiate business use of the vehicle. Vehicle Logs can be downloaded from the FORMS link on the Employee Resources Website. --Jim Lindquist jlindqui@ksu.edu

 

MARIE'S PICK OF THE WEEK
This week I’m sharing a link to the Making an Impact flyer prepared for the 2008 Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) delegation. Copies were mailed to every extension agent, area director, and area specialist last week.

The topics for this flyer are developed after annually soliciting input from the leadership of the agents’ associations. This process is an effort to best represent local programming across the state in terms of the four Program Development Committees (PDCs). Some topics will have a targeted audience and/or location; others will be programs that are implemented statewide. When you prepare your own annual impacts, remember to forward such items to your association president and/or to me.

To view the 2008 flyer, go to http://tinyurl.com/2363nh  and select PILD under the Making an Impact header in the upper right corner. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu

 

STATE 4-H CURRICULUM ACTION TEAM FORMED
State 4-H Curriculum Action Team was formed and met Saturday, April 26, 2008. A web page will be developed where information will be shared. The Action Team members are:

Andrew Dempewolf, Teen, Decatur County

Kendra Baehler, 4-H Youth Development, Reno County

Brenda Taxeras, Volunteer, Leavenworth County

Linda Biles, Volunteer, Shawnee County

Clarissa Shields, Teen, Johnson County

Beth Drescher, 4-H Youth Development, Sedgwick County

Bill Wood, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Douglas County

Cathy O'Rourke, Volunteer, Johnson County

Diane Nielson, Family and Consumer Sciences/4-HYouth Development, Atchison County

Lori Hambright, Volunteer, Dickinson County

Barbara Havlicek, Volunteer, Riley county

--Jim Adams jadams@ksu.edu

 

RETAINING NEW 4-H MEMBERS - RESOURCES NEEDED!
It was clear that this is an issue and that some have developed resources and activities to address.
Our group would like to ask that if you have a resource you would be willing to share systemwide, please send it electronically to either Rod Buchele or Justin Wiebers so that it can be posted to the Resource Section of the Kansas 4-H page.

Also, if you have held an activity or developed an approach to help transition new families into 4-H, can you share that information with the committee, as well?  Even if you didn't have stellar results, it would be important to share the types of approaches that are being tested. Activity ideas can be directed to Eric Otte  (group convener), JoEllen Arnold, or Susan Schlichting.  We will gather the information and share it back out to the system.

We have so many creative and exciting things happening across the state. It is important that we take time to share our successes and our attempts so that we can continue to build on ideas and work "to Make the Best Better" as we Grow 4-H in Kansas! --Susan Schlichting sschlich@oznet.ksu.edu

 

4-H VOLUNTEER IMPACT STUDY REQUEST FOR HELP
Kansas
will be participating in the North Central 4-H Volunteer Impact Study. The purpose of this survey is to document and quantify the impact volunteers have on 4-H Youth Development Programs in the twelve states of the North Central Region. This survey is being conducted by the 4-H Volunteer Specialists in these states as a part of a multi-state effort to improve support for 4‑H volunteers.

The goals for the survey are:
* To identify (in a general way, surveys will be anonymous) who volunteers for 4-H,
* The ways people volunteer within 4-H,
* The scope of that effort (time and personal resources) and
* To document what individuals feel they gain from their experiences as a 4-H volunteer.

The survey is planned as an online survey. Your help is requested in determining survey participants. Each office will be contacted to obtain e-mail addresses to send invitations to volunteers to participate in the survey. Thanks in advance for your help. This survey has received IRB approval.  --Rod Buchele rbuchele@ksu.edu

 

BOARD RECRUITMENT MODULE
Reports coming from the field indicate that those who are using the Board Recruitment Module from the Board Leadership Learning Opportunities are seeing a difference in their council and board. May is a great time to being strategizing for the recruitment process.

The Board Recruitment Module includes:

* Strategizing about the characteristics that are important to an effective board

* Identifying individuals who have those characteristics

* Determining who to invite to run for election to the council is another step

* Communicating the importance of the council and of having nominees who are willing and available to participate in the business

* Expecting at least 3 meetings a year to do the important work is essential

* Getting commitment from individuals to have their name placed on the ballot and find out if they are also willing to serve the board or not

* Attending the election meeting and annual meeting is also important

Take a look at the module and plan ahead for a successful outcome in 2009. http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/boardleadership/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=999&tabid=566

--Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu

 

THE NEW REPORTING WEB PAGE IS READY FOR YOU TO USE!!!
An e-mail has gone out to all of you to announce the new reporting website. As a reminder, we ask that agents and specialists report quarterly. This is a change from the monthly reporting that agents needed to send to us in the past. We are also only asking for impact, success stories and contact information.

In case you haven't seen the e-mail, the contents are included here, too. One clarification that you need to be aware of is that in the contacts section of the reports, Hispanic/Latino is a separate category from the race categories because it is an ethnicity, not a race. So the contacts for race should add up to the same number as the contacts for gender, but Hispanic/Latino ethnicity will be an additional number because they could be of any race.

The reporting task force and I are really looking forward to seeing the impacts that will come forward in this new system.

The address is: www.reporting.ksre.ksu.edu .

You will need to log in with your eid and password, which will be the same one you use for everything at KSRE and K-State.

You will find instructions linked in the tool bar at the top of the page once you get into the system. These are instructions for agents. (Specialists can learn from these, too. The difference is that specialists do a different quarterly report than agents and we will be adding an instruction page for them soon.)

The system should recognize you as either an agent or a specialist. If when you click on "insert a new quarterly report" the page you see doesn't look like the instruction page, you are in the database as a specialist. Please send a message in the feedback link at the top of the page to get that changed.

You don't need to go back and put in reports for previous quarters unless you want to for local use.

Please use the feedback link in the top toolbar to give us suggestions or let us know if you are having trouble using the system. We will be making improvements for awhile, I am sure, so let us know what you think.

We will be adding some templates for you to use, if you like, to share your impacts with stakeholders. These are still under development.

Thanks for all of your patience during the development of this system. It has taken longer than we anticipated (doesn't everything??) but hopefully, we have created something that you will be able to use in a variety of ways.

I am also happy to receive calls directly from you when you want to compliment us on a job well done. :-) Of course, I will listen even if that is not your message!! --Reporting Task Force - Paula Peters, Co-Chair ppeters@ksu.edu

 

DISCOVERING THE LEADER WITHIN YOU - THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
For the next several weeks, the Leadership Program Focus Team will be sharing a brief overview of the 5 practices of leadership. This week’s practice is “inspire a shared vision.”  So what’s this vision thing? Vision is one of those words that evokes ridicule and awe, cynicism and mystery, confusion and inspiration. It’s a difficult practice to define; it can be done in many different ways; and you’ll know it when you see it! 

Kouzes & Posner define vision as “an IDEAL and UNIQUE IMAGE of the FUTURE for the COMMON GOOD.” Vision is about hopes, dreams and aspirations. It’s about exciting possibilities, creating something grand, achieving a whole new standard of excellence. Vision is about developing a shared sense of destiny. It’s about what the group or organization or community collectively desire.

When asked to share his viewpoint of vision, Daryl Buchholz, Assistant Director KSRE, said,

“Communicating is among the most important actions that a person in a position of responsibility has to do. I've found that my weekly communication can bring clarity to goals, expectations, and a culture for the organization. Continuous, open communication will fill the void that might otherwise be filled with gossip, rumor, and negative energy. Letting the system know priorities helps to set a positive direction and eventual culture for the organization. When I interviewed for the Associate Director responsibility, communication was on the top of my list of actions I needed to be about. In my first 4 years I have every indication that persons in positions of significant responsibility for the organization can never communicate too much.”

So what’s your vision? How would you like to change the world for yourself and your organization? What’s your most distinctive skill or talent? What work do you find enthralling, absorbing, involving? Can you define your vision for your program? How have you shared your vision? 

To learn more about “inspiring a vision” and other leadership principles, plan to participate in the “Discovering the Leader Within You” Workshop, October 7 - 9, 2008 at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, Wichita, Ks.  Registration is $200 which includes a personal 360-degree assessment of your leadership skills. Registration is limited to 25 people on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additional information and registration can be found at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/Employee_Resources/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=206
--Jodi Besthorn besthorn@ksu.edu

 

COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - FINANCIAL CAPITAL
In our week’s hiatus from discussion, I hope you have had a chance to internalize some of our conversations on the Community Capitals.

Last time I ended with a reference to built and financial capitals being closely connected.  Let us continue with that discussion.

How could you tell if your community has low financial capital? Is the community infrastructure substandard, though the tax burden is high on residents? Does you community have unusually high poverty rates? Does your community have trouble raising funds for non-profit charitable organizations? Do bond issues for schools or infrastructure improvement fall flat from lack of vote or votes against? Each of the aforementioned issues indicates low financial capital. You could ask similar questions to assess your own financial capital. For example, is your debt ratio higher that your income?

It is easy to assess a community’s financial capital. The challenge is figuring out how to increase financial capital. Well, it cannot be done without engaging the other capitals. South Dakota Extension uses a great example.

If a community wants to build a new swimming pool, it must be able to invest several of the community capitals to reach its goal. Say, interested community members form a “Build Our Pool group to work on the project, and they collaborate with several local civic clubs to hold fundraisers (Human, Social and Financial Capital). The mayor and city council agree to support the project with funding and an available vacant lot with access to the city water system (Political, Built and Financial Capital). The community pool project becomes a success!

Five of the seven capitals were needed to reach the goal and the two remaining capitals could easily be added to the equation. For instance, Cultural Capital could be included by holding fundraisers that promote the local heritage or traditions, such as a German supper or a tamale sale. Natural Capital could be added by including improvement of the local landscape, where the vacant lot that was once an eyesore can become welcoming and attractive by adding trees and grassy areas around the pool.

This example illustrates how building relationships enhances access to financial capital. The capitals are intertwined. It takes one to build on the other in many cases. That leads us into the discussion of social capital, which is my favorite capital to study. I look forward to that for next time. Thanks to SDSU Extension and Flora, Flora, Fey, and Emery for their extensive study into the capitals. --Debra Bolton dbolton@ksu.edu

 

MARKETING MINUTE: MAKE YOUR WEBSITE GOOGLE-ICIOUS
For many Web users, Google or Yahoo are their first stops when searching the Web. And, when those search results appear, it is our goal that K-State Research and Extension sites top the list, and that our descriptions within those results are captivating enough to get users to click on our links.

 

So, a question we ask is how to make our sites more “Google-icious!” Here are a few tips:

 

-Title your site. Make sure your page has a descriptive, accurate title. It’s the first thing people will see from your site when they do a search. And keep it short. If you look at Google search results, Google only displays about the first 64 characters of a title.

 

-Always add descriptions to documents. When making PDFs with Acrobat, use Control D, and put a good title in the title field.

 

-Include alt text on navigations, graphics. Without alt text, search engines cannot “read” what your graphics represent. Adding the alt text lets a visual item be read as content.

 

-Create a network of links. By linking to other sites and encouraging them to link to your site, you can move up the ranking of search results.

 

-Add metadata. These are the descriptive words that explain what is in your site, and it also appears in the site description in a Google search.

.

- Register your site at Open Directory Project, a web directory of Internet resources, including Google: http://dmoz.org/add.html .  Or use http://www.google.com/addurl.html .

 

For more tips to make your site Google-friendly or to comment on this discussion, visit our Marketing Minute blog at http://ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com/ . If you need more information on search engines, please contact Amy Hartman at 785-532-6379, or e-mail ahartman@ksu.edu

 

 

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

To view the complete Master Schedule online or as a pdf, go to http://129.130.72.154/MasterSchAdd/

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

DATES TAKEN FROM THE MASTER SCHEDULE FOR MAY 8 THROUGH MAY 14, 2008:

Saturday, May 10, 2008, Harvey County 4-H Spring Rabbit Show, registration starting at 8:00 a.m. at the Fairgrounds, Athletic Park in Newton, Ann Religa areliga@ksu.edu

Wednesday, May 14, 2008, Character Counts! 201 Intermediate Level, starting at 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the McPherson County Extension Office, Gary Gerhard ggerhard@ksu.edu

Wednesday, May 14, 2008, NE Area FCS Program Enhancement, starting at 9:30 a.m. at Throckmorton on the K-State campus, Room 2002, Sharolyn Flaming Jackson sharolyn@ksu.edu

 
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