OPEN HOUSE AND FRIENDS OF THE KSU GARDENS POINSETTIA SALE
Fifty-eight different cultivars of poinsettias from three breeding companies were produced by students in HORT 570 Greenhouse Operations Management this fall semester. The annual open house will occur on Wednesday, December 3, from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Festivities include a consumer preferences survey (you receive a 5" 'Purple Plum' poinsettia for participating, while supplies last), a poinsettia tree, and apple cider. 

For more information, contact Kim Williams at kwilliam@ksu.edu .

The Friends of the KSU Gardens are selling these plants to benefit the Gardens. A pre-Thanksgiving sale will occur on Tuesday, November 25, from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. at the KSU Gardens Visitor's Center at 1500 Denison Avenue. The remaining hours for the sale are Wednesday, December 3, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; December 4 and 5, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., and 4 - 6 p.m.; and Saturday, December 6, from 9 a.m. - noon.  Prices are $10 for 6.5" pots [Buy 5 get 1 free].  Many rare and unusual colors are available.

For more information, contact Lori Levin at info@lalasheirloomproduce.com . --Kim Williams kwilliam@ksu.edu

URBAN TREES SEMINAR - DECEMBER 9
The Kansas Forest Service annual Urban Trees Seminar will be held on December 9, 2008 at the El Dorado Civic Center. Participants will learn ‘first hand’ from four major tree injection companies about the increasing popularity of using injection systems versus canopy type spraying methods. Additional information can be found on our website: http://www.kansasforests.org/community/training/index.shtml . Registrations will be accepted through Friday, December 5.

Questions on this event may be directed to Tim McDonnell at tmcdonne@ksu.edu . --Patricia McCaffrey pmccaffr@ksu.edu

DIVERSITY PROGRAMS UPDATE
On November 13, Cargill arrived at Kansas State for their three day visit. Highlights of their trip included a visit to the College of Agriculture to meet the Cargill Scholars and other students assisted by Cargill’s generous gifts. Their trip wrapped up on Saturday, November 15, with the team presenting a gift of $1 million to the office of diversity and dual career development to establish the Cargill Project Impact Diversity Partnership. The Diversity Programs Office can offer nothing but thanks and gratitude to Cargill for such a generous contribution. This gift supports the multicultural recruiting and retention efforts currently underway within the Colleges of Agriculture, Business Administration and Engineering. Six initiatives will receive funding over a three-year period through this gift. They include the following:

The Cargill College for a Day Institutes – one day programs for students in grades 7-12 to explore academic disciplines in agriculture

The Cargill Relationship Recruiting Program – personalized recruiting activities that mentor participants in target disciplines

The Cargill Project Impact Scholarships – scholarships for historically underrepresented undergraduate students in the Colleges of Agriculture, Business Administration or Engineering

Cargill Infrastructure Support – funding for program components of Project Impact

The Cargill Summer Bridge Program – preparation for incoming multicultural students to familiarize them with campus services, organizations, and enrollment

The Cargill Diversity Faculty Fellowship – fellow will advise students during the summer bridge program and continue through enrollment

The Cargill Diversity Faculty Fellow was named during the Cargill visit as Dr. Christopher Reinhardt of Animal Sciences & Industry. The Diversity Programs Office would like to congratulation him on his selection and welcome him to the diversity team.

On November 16, the Diversity Programs Office, the Academic Programs Office, and the College of Veterinary Medicine held the first annual Unexpected Destinations workshop at the Reardon Center in Kansas City. The event was a tremendous success and the Diversity Programs Office would like to say thank you to everyone who helped make the event possible. The workshop helped high school students gain insight and advice from K-State faculty, current K-State students, and current professionals in the agricultural industry, allowing them to explore careers they might not otherwise have considered within the field of agriculture. The event also featured giveaway prizes for students and counselors in attendance, including a $150 book scholarship, which was awarded to Ivory Bradford of Kansas City, Missouri.

As a reminder, Tilford Faculty Incentive Grant applications are due December 1. Proposals are invited to create or enhance existing strategies to infuse the Tilford multicultural competencies within the student body’s educational experience. The guidelines are available at www.k-state.edu/tilford/ . Grants will be awarded for varying amounts with a maximum of $2000 for individuals and $4000 for interdisciplinary teams. Awards will be announced at the end of the fall 2008 semester.

Finally, November is Native American and Alaskan Native Heritage Month so please help us celebrate by recognizing and reflecting on the traditions, contributions and heritage of the Native American culture.

If you would like more information on any of the aforementioned programs or events, please contact your Diversity Programs Office or Dr. Zelia Z. Wiley, Assistant Dean for Diversity, at zwh@ksu.edu or 785-532-5793. --Zelia Z. Wiley

FACILITATING PUBLIC ISSUES FORUMS WORKSHOP- JANUARY 12-14
Applied Extension work addresses important community needs and issues. No matter what your area of specialization, your work often overlaps with community members - and having skills to work effectively with them around sensitive issues is important. The Public Issues Facilitation Workshop will help you to organize and address issues including:

+ How to set up public forums
+ The role of the facilitator
+ Facilitation values
+ Best practices for facilitators
+ Assessing public issue forums
+ Participation in different forms of public conversation
+ Practice/coaching sessions for individual facilitation skills

Register now at http://www.k-state.edu/icdd/Facilitation/Registration.html . Questions? Contact Dan Kahl at dankahl@ksu.edu . --Dan Kahl

SERIES OF FARMERS' MARKET WORKSHOPS OFFER COMPETITIVE EDGE FOR PRODUCERS
Beginning November 21, the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) began a series of statewide farmers’ market workshops focused on growing techniques for better sales at farmers’ markets, food safety and salesmanship/direct marketing. The workshops will be open to growers and farmers’ market masters.

Local direct marketing provides Missouri producers with a profitable opportunity to sell directly to consumers at retail prices. Farmers’ markets are growing in popularity, and in number, as consumers are becoming more health conscious and aware of the benefits of buying fresh, locally grown produce. Recently, Missouri has seen an increase of farmers’ markets with more than 140 markets around the state. These markets are poised to be successful local markets, but more growers are needed to supply a variety of products to satisfy the consumer demand.

The Farmers’ Market Workshops will be held in seven cities across the state. The schedule is as follows:

• Nov. 21 – Direct Marketing: Finding the Salesman in You
  Hannibal, Quality Inn and Suites
• Dec. 4 – Direct Marketing: Finding the Salesman in You
  St. Joseph, Buchanan County Extension Office
• Dec. 11 – Growing for a Farmers’ Market
  Fredericktown, Missouri Pine Crest Camp
• Jan. 20 – Food Safety, On the Farm and At the Market
  Columbia, Boone Electric Coop Facility
• Jan. 27 – Direct Marketing: Finding the Salesman in You
  Blue Springs, Courtyard by Marriott Kansas City East/Blue Springs
• Feb. 10 – Food Safety, On the Farm and At the Market
  St. Peters, St. Charles County Extension Office
• March 6 – Growing for a Farmers’ Market
  Springfield, Springfield Library Center

The workshops are sponsored by the Missouri Department of Agriculture. Go online to find more about the upcoming workshops www.mda.mo.gov or the Missouri Farmers’ Market Blog, “A Look at Missouri Farmers’ Markets” www.mofarmersmarket.blogspot.com .  

Workshops are $15 per person and includes lunch and snacks. For more information or to obtain a registration form, contact Lane McConnell, marketing specialist with MDA, at 573-751-4339 or Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov . --Lane McConnell

2009 CALENDAR NOW AVAILABLE
The 2009 Calendar is now available on the Employee Resources Program Development and Reporting Page (last item-lower right). --Martha Monihen mmonihen@oznet.ksu.edu