The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

Vol. 14, No. 26  May 13, 2008

IN THIS ISSUE... 

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Interview Schedule for Ornamental Nursery Production Specialist
...4-H and Youth Llama Fun Day on May 17
...Native Plant Identification Training
...Retirement Celebration for Crystal Coffman - June 1
...Spouse of Extension Agent Honored by White House
...Thank You from Phil Sell
...National Extension Diversity Award
...Excellence in Extension Award Nominations
...Insect Shipping Solution
...Storm Shelter Funding Announced by USDA Rural Development
...Kansas Wheat "Speak for Wheat" Spokesperson Recruitment
...State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest and Quiz Bowl, July 2, 2008
...Discovering Another Leadership Practice - The Leadership Challenge
...Important Kansas 4-H Awards Portfolio Update
...Social Capital
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
In a recent communication from Dr. Bill Hargrove, Director of the Kansas Center for Agriculture Resources and Environment (KCARE), Bill had come across a "CONVERSATION COVENANT," that he found to be meaningful, thought provoking, and useful in his everyday work. I know in reading and reflecting on each one, there is much I can do to improve my conversational competencies.

I/We will strive to:

I thank Bill for sharing these, and thanks to the Seminary of the Southwest for allowing us to provide a slightly edited version to share here. Have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE FOR ORNAMENTAL NURSERY PRODUCTION SPECIALIST
The department of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources will be interviewing three candidates for an ornamental nursery production specialist (extension and research) over the two weeks.

Cheryl Boyer: May 15 and 16
Rudy Pacumbaba: May 19 and 20
Jayesh Samtani: May 22 and 23

Everyone is welcome to any and all of the interviews. The vitae for each candidate is posted at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/seminars/DesktopDefault.aspx . In addition, the seminar of each candidate will be broadcast live at the same website:

Cheryl Boyer: 10 a.m., May 15
Rudy Pacumbaba: 9:30 a.m., May 19
Jayesh Samtani: 9:30 a.m., May 22

--Stu Warren slwarren@ksu.edu

4-H AND YOUTH LLAMA FUN DAY ON MAY 17
For your convenience, information on the Llama Youth Fun Day is now online. Go to http://4hllamas.googlepages.com/ for further information and registration.

Llama Youth Fun Day will be on Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. near Manhattan and is cosponsored by the Golden Plains Llama Association and K-State Research and Extension – Pottawatomie County. The day will include educational sessions on raising and showing llamas, the use of llamas in hiking, the use of llama fleece in weaving, a demonstration of a llama obstacle course, and more.

Registration is $10 with lunch included. Those with an interest in llamas are welcome to attend. --Ron Wilson rwilson@ksu.edu

NATIVE PLANT IDENTIFICATION TRAINING
Training sessions beginning at 9:30 a.m. on May 21 at Valley Falls, and May 30 near Salina, will provide training on identifying native grasses and forbs while in the vegetative state (no seedheads!), information about cost-share programs available to producers and discuss basic forage management, given the cold start to the growing season.

For more information and directions to the training sites, contact Jana Beckman, beckman@ksu.edu , 785-532-1440. --Jana Beckman

Cards, pictures and favorite memories can be sent to Dara Stambaugh at: dara@mokancomm.net , or sent to the Miami County Extension office at 104 S. Brayman, Paola, KS 66071.

You are also invited to express your gratitude and congratulations to Crystal in the form of a tax deductible donation for the Coffman Leadership Scholarship that will be given each year to a Miami County 4-H High School Senior. Checks can be made payable to Miami County 4-H Foundation and mailed to 104 S. Brayman, Paola, KS 66071.

For more information or directions, call Diane or Angela at 913-294-4306. --Diane L. Burnett dburnett@ksu.edu  

NATIONAL EXTENSION DIVERSITY AWARD
The purpose of this award is to acknowledge accomplishments in achieving organizational changes that support diversity, pluralism and innovation in programs that impact our Extension audiences. The Award for Diversity is presented at the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges’ (NASULGC) annual meeting.

Eligibility
The recipient can be an individual, team or Extension organization. The Award for Diversity  supports efforts that go beyond simply meeting EEO/AA program requirements. Extension efforts should support that creation of a diverse and pluralistic organization at the local, regional, state or national level.

The successful recipient of the Award for Diversity  will be recognized with a commemorative plaque from CSREES and a $5,000 monetary award from ECOP.

Deadline for nominations is June 2, 2008. E-mail submissions only to Willene Buffett – University of Illinois Extension, at wbuffett@uiuc.edu . Questions? Call 708-481-0111 or visit http://www.extension.org/diversity . --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

The Award for Excellence in Extension is presented annually to individuals from each of the five regions, as well as one national recipient, who have strived throughout their careers to achieve the benchmarks reflective of excellence in Extension educational programming.

These recipients have demonstrated high impact programming, visionary leadership and anticipation of emerging issues for clientele and the system, commitment to diversity, and integration of programs in partnerships with university colleagues outside clientele. They are recognized as leaders at their universities and in their respective fields of expertise and have demonstrated the ability to garner a sustained flow of resources for sustainable Extension programs. They use innovative teaching methods and have earned recognition by peers and the communities served.

If you believe you or one of your colleagues fits the above description, I encourage you to complete a nomination form and have it submitted by June 2, 2008. All the instructions are on the Employee Resource website. In the center of that page click the Nominations for Awards  button. If you have questions, let me know. -- Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

INSECT SHIPPING SOLUTION
In the fall of 2007, we were alerted to a potential safety hazard of shipping insect samples in alcohol. Since that time, we have been working to develop an alternative procedure for shipping small soft-bodied insects to our insect diagnostic lab without the need for hazardous liquids.

Thus, we are now proposing the following solution: Small, immature or soft-bodied specimens can be shipped in small glass vials filled with vinegar. This material is inexpensive and can be purchased at any local grocery store. Do not use rubbing alcohol, ethyl alcohol, formalin, formaldehyde, or other similar preservatives as these are flammable, hazardous and may violate federal Department of Transportation shipping regulations.

Keep in mind that water is not a preservative and insects can discolor and decompose if shipped in plain water. When shipping insects in vinegar, make sure the lid is on tight and secure the cap with tape. Wrap the vial in a paper towel and seal inside a plastic bag. Put the bag in a small box or mailing tube filled with packing material to prevent breakage of the vials(s). More detailed shipping instructions can be found on our website at http://www.entomology.ksu.edu/extension under the tab for diagnostician. --Thomas W. Phillips and Phillip E. Sloderbeck psloderb@ksu.edu

STORM SHELTER FUNDING ANNOUNCED BY USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT
USDA Rural Development announced that the Agency will again offer funding in 2008 for the state's Rural Storm Shelter Program. This Program provides low interest loans and/or grants to help finance storm shelters for very-low income homeowners living in eligible areas of Kansas.

USDA Rural Development's Rural Storm Shelter Program can also assist homeowners with other necessary improvements or repairs. Many households across Kansas have benefited with this USDA assistance. Funds have been provided for energy efficiency improvements such as installing insulation, replacing windows or new heating systems, along with roof repair or replacement, siding replacement, and providing sanitary water and waste disposal systems.

Eligible program applicants must meet income guidelines for the county of residence, the home must be owned and occupied by the applicant, and the property must be located in a rural area or a community of less than 20,000 populations. Assistance is provided at a 1% fixed interest rate and/or by a grant. The maximum loan is $20,000 with a repayment term not to exceed 20 years. Grants may be available for applicants 62 years of age or older who do not have repayment ability for a loan. Grants are sometimes combined with loans to increase the amount available for repairs.

Homeowners interested in the Agency's Rural Storm Shelter Program should contact their local USDA Rural Development office, or they may call the state headquarters at 785-271-2720. Applications will be accepted until funding is exhausted. --Steven M. Graham sgraham@k-state.edu

KANSAS WHEAT "SPEAK FOR WHEAT" SPOKESPERSON RECRUITMENT
Kansas Wheat (Kansas Wheat Commission and Kansas Association of Wheat Growers) is accepting applications for volunteer "Speak for Wheat" Spokespersons. Spokespersons provide educational programs to various audiences including schools, extension service and civic groups. They have a passion to teach all ages about wheat production, nutrition and wheat food preparation. Volunteers are especially needed in southeast and central Kansas.

Training for existing and potential Spokespersons will be held during the Kansas Wheat Conference in Hutchinson on August 5-6. Spokespersons will be asked to be a member of one of these teams: Nutrition; Field to Table; and Production & Research.

If you know of qualified and interested men and women please contact Cindy Falk for an application at cfalk@kswheat.com  or call 785-539-0255. --Steven M. Graham sgraham@k-state.edu

STATE 4-H DAIRY JUDGING CONTEST AND QUIZ BOWL JULY 2, 2008
The free online registration is up and running! Just go to www.Kansas4-h.org  and read the details under "What's Hot". Then click on the Green Registration button. If you used the system last year, all you have to do is log in and click on your age division for judging and either Open or Senior Quiz bowl.

Registration is free, so please encourage all 4-H dairy youth participating in the All Breeds Junior Dairy show to register before June 15, 2008! --Jim Adams jadams@ksu.edu

DISCOVERING ANOTHER LEADERSHIP PRACTICE - THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
The Leadership Program Focus Team has been sharing a brief overview of the 5 practices of leadership. This week’s practice is “challenge the process.”

“Challenge the Process" does not mean challenging values or standards, just because you don’t like it. It does not mean attacking other people when we don't agree with their ideas or points of view. Nor does it mean seeking to dismantle what is working well, or attempting to eliminate something that is simply a personal inconvenience for you. Challenge the Process is about finding and implementing new and better ways of doing things in order to constantly improve to grow.” (Kouzes/Postner website).

Leaders must also resist the urge to Challenge Processes you know nothing about. This leadership practice requires homework. A process can have many parts that touch many people in many ways. A change to one part of a process can have unknown or unintended consequences in another part. You must understand the process in its current state, so you can determine the impact your changes will have. Remember that a solution to one problem often creates many new problems.

It’s important to "generate small wins." Small wins allow you to build a track record with people, and to show that you can be counted on to deliver what you promise. Following through on promises and commitments is at the core of credibility. When you are viewed as credible, others will have more confidence when you propose a new way of doing something that is currently unproven. Do what you say you will do everyday, deliver consistently on the small things, and very soon you will be involved with - and trusted with - some very large opportunities about which you are passionate.

What meaningful challenges are you seeking? Have you done your homework? Can you identify “small wins”? Have you involved others in challenging the process? Have you offered possible solutions and not just complained about the problem?

To learn more about “challenging the process” 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

SOCIAL CAPITAL
Of the seven community capital as discussed by Flora, Flora, and Fey (2004), it seems that social capital has sparked the most discussion by social and political scientists and economist. The term, social capital, was coined in the early 19^th century by a French sociologist to describe his observations of American social life. Alexis de Toqueville observed that Americans, no matter their circumstances, had an inclination toward associations with one another in informal settings, and they transferred to their civil lives those ideas gathered in private involvement for later benefit. Another Frenchman, Pierre Bourdieu, defined social capital as the "persistent social ties that enable a group to constitute, maintain, and reproduce itself." After a broad study of communities in Italy and the United States, American political scientist, Robert Putnam, (2000) defined social capital as, "connections among individuals – social networks and the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them".

Putnam (2000) studied trends in social connectedness. His findings illustrated how connections among individuals within communities and across varying communities contributed to the economic well-being of larger societies. He distinguished those connections as bonding and bridging social capital. Bonding social capital was based around family, close friends, and other near-kin. Inward looking bound together people from similar sociological positions. Self-perpetuation within closely-knit boundaries did not allow those outside the group to enter, nor did members of the group leave. Bridging social capital linked people from one close-knit group to other groups outside the immediate bonds. Bridging from one group to another tended to generate broad and inter-connected circles (Putnam, 2000). Deepa Narayan (1999) referred to bridging social capital as cross-cutting ties, the linkages between social groups. Narayan saw those ties as critical to social cohesion. Social cohesion was the result of high social capital, connections within and across various groups.

Other scholars labeled social capital as a by-product of social relationships resulting from mutual exchanges between members with associational/network ties. It could be recognized as a public good that generated positive outside connections, which, in turn, created cooperation to reach common goals. Persons with high social capital, when employed as a sort of currency, could use it for material/market and non-material/non-market benefit. For example, material benefit could include higher wages, better employment prospects or reduced transaction costs. Non-material benefits were found in improvements in health and social status and in the quality of the individual’s relationships.

In short, high social capital builds social cohesion. Narayan said social cohesion is a critical element in social stability and economic welfare over any extended period because people act collectively to gain access to resources needed for optimum quality of life in a community.

I have developed an extensive reading list on social capital. If you’re interested in other books to read, don’t hesitate to write. My personal opinion is that strong social capital can overcome weaknesses in the other capitals except perhaps natural capital. Check your own social capital. Are you involved in your community? When was the last time you called a friend, had a dinner party, volunteered, or gathered with a group of people to make changes in your community? Anyone can build his or her social capital. Next time – Political capital. --Debra Bolton dbolton@ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS