Vol. 15, No. 19  March 17, 2009

IN THIS ISSUE... 

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Family Resource Fair March 19 in Downs
...Walnut Creek District - Ness City Office Has New Address
...Board Leadership Module: Building Strong Effective 4-H Youth Development
...Marie's Pick of the Week
...Spring Shooting Sports Match - April 18 in Alma
...Webinar on Wildflower Infiltration Basins and Rain Gardens
...Spring 2009 CECD Engagement Incentive Grants, Request for Proposals
...Retirement Reception Honoring Ron Seyfert
...Reminder - Now's the Time to Put Your County Fair on the Schedule
...Kansas NRCS Announces Funding for Innovation Grants
...K-State Center for Sustainable Energy Seeks Proposals
...Kansas 4-H Brochure
...Communication Minute: Writing for the Web
...Master Schedule

                                                                                                           ...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Teamwork and mentoring is about encouraging, coaching, praising one another for the accomplishments made. It's about seeking out others who have different experiences or who need help to gain a special experience. It's helping pick someone up after a failure, letting them know how to take risks, and providing each other with the constructive criticism to show ways to become better. And, it's about going it together through teamwork, taking advantage of each others' knowledge, wisdom, and experience. It's not about competing with each other, but rather competing with oneself to get better. It's not about comparing, but rather encouraging and supporting. As one gains that experience, knowledge, and wisdom, it's not about boasting, but rather sharing what you learned to help others along the way.

No better time to start looking for ways to give to others through mentoring and teamwork than right now! Have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

FAMILY RESOURCE FAIR MARCH 19 IN DOWNS
K-State Research and Extension and Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services (KAMS) will host a Family Resource Fair on Thursday, March 19, from 2 - 5 p.m., at Memorial Hall in Downs.

The family resource fair is an opportunity for producers and families in North Central Kansas to discover resources available to them. Exhibitors, including but not limited to, Kansas Rural Family Helpline, Kansas AgriWomen, Area Agency on Aging, High Plains Mental Health, Kansas Workforce Center, Kansas Highway Patrol, Central Kansas Library, Farm Bureau, KSRE, and KAMS will have booth setup during the fair.

As part of the fair, at 3 p.m., Stacey Seibel, attorney, will give a presentation on Estate Planning and Family Farm Transitions. Seibel is a fifth generation Kansan and comes from a long-time farm and ranch family. She practices law in Hays and has a personal understanding of proper estate planning and the impact on family assets as they pass from generation to generation.

The resource fair is a come and go event but you won't want to miss Seibel's presentation. The fair is free and  open to everyone.

Sponsoring the Family Resource Fair are the K-State Research and Extension Offices in the Post Rock Extension District (Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, and Osborne Counties), the Phillips-Rooks Extension District, and Russell, Ellis and Smith counties, along with the Kansas Agricultural Mediation Service.

For further information you may contact KAMS at 1-800-321-3276 or the Post Rock Extension Office in Osborne at 785-346-2521. --Nadine Sigle nsigle@ksu.edu  and Deanna Sweat dsweat@ksu.edu

WALNUT CREEK DISTRICT - NESS CITY OFFICE HAS NEW ADDRESS
The Walnut Creek Extension District- Ness City Office, has moved to 105 S. Pennsylvania Avenue, Ness City, KS 67560-1907. All phone numbers are still the same. --Robyn Deines rdeines@ksu.edu

BOARD LEADERSHIP MODULE: BUILDING STRONG EFFECTIVE 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
"Building Strong, Effective 4-H Youth Development Programs" is a recent addition to the Board Leadership Modules located at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/boardleadership/DesktopDefault.aspx .

This module is to assist board members in reviewing their local 4-H Youth Development program.

Board members will:
* Review the components of an effective program
* Learn the four essential elements of a positive 4-H learning environment
* Learn that 4-H clubs are the "sweet spot" of delivery models
* Review the five life skills of Kansas 4-H

The module includes a 4-H program check list of characteristics of an effective 4-H Youth Development program. Participants will rate their local program, then, following a PowerPoint presentation, will engage in discussion based check list. If a characteristic is identified for improvement, then discussion will follow about how that might happen.

Board Leadership modules are designed to be used at regular extension board meetings and are designed to take about 15 minutes. --Margaret Phillips margaret@oznet.ksu.edu

MARIE'S PICK OF THE WEEK
While reviewing the new database for items that are especially effective at helping us understand how our work can be highlighted to share outcomes, impacts, success stories, and public value, this week my pick was reported by Tom Maxwell.

Impact:
Assuming that the 10,000 acres treated with fungicide in Saline County showed a 10% yield increase vs. untreated would increase gross income by ~$400,000. The outcome of these educational programs for wheat growers affects individual farm income, profitability and the local economy. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu

SPRING SHOOTING SPORTS MATCH - APRIL 18 IN ALMA
On-line registration is up and ready for use! Since this is the first time that a State Shooting Sports Match has used on-line registration, please be patient and help all of these first-time users with the process. Deadline for registering is March 30, 2009! Future shooting sports events will be posted further in advance of the deadline.

Also, for the first time, the spring match will be offering a meal in addition to T-shirts and the three discipline competitions of BB gun, air rifle and air pistol. Anyone attending the match desiring to eat the meal, buy a T-shirt or compete in a discipline MUST register!

County/District 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinators will receive a report of their registrations so they can verify discipline enrollment, basic course completion and state match qualifying.

Local Extension offices should collect fees from registrants and be prepared to respond to an e-mail invoice like other on-line registration events. Thanks for helping this new group of 4-H families with the on-line registration process!! --Jim Adams jadams@ksu.edu

WEBINAR ON WILDFLOWER INFILTRATION BASINS AND RAIN GARDENS

The Kansas Small Business Environmental Assistance Program (SBEAP), housed in Engineering Extension, will be hosting a free Webinar on March 31, at 2 p.m. CDT. This one-hour Webinar will discuss uses for infiltration basins and rain gardens, benefits and potential issues, and available resources for learning more. The main speaker will be David Dods with the URS Corp. 

Pre-registration is required. Please visit www.sbeap.org and look for the yellow box, or to register by phone, call 1-800-578-8898 or 785-532-6501. Please contact Ryan Hamel, rhamel@ksu.edu , if you have any questions. --Ryan Hamel

SPRING 2009 CECD ENGAGEMENT INCENTIVE GRANTS, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Deadline: 5 p.m. on April 1, 2009
The Center for Engagement and Community Development solicits proposals for projects that will support community development and will lead to enhanced engagement in teaching, research, and/or outreach. For the Spring 2009 RFP, CECD is soliciting proposals that address some aspect related to the sustainability of rural grocery stores. CECD believes rural grocery stores are a critical infrastructure for rural Kansas communities and essential for community sustainability and development.

Examples of proposals might include, but are not limited to: develop a buy-local campaign; conduct a study exploring strategies that bring healthy food and nutritious foods to local residents; establish a pilot rural grocer entrepreneurship program; conduct an economic/business analysis of forms of ownership of rural grocery stores; produce oral histories of rural groceries, communities, and owners; develop a service-learning course that addresses rural grocery issues; and/or write a series of white papers on significant issues facing rural grocers.

These grants are intended to provide seed money to faculty who would like to incorporate engaged work into their instructional, research, and/or outreach programs. Activities supported by this program should lead to a larger project concept and the submission of a proposal for external funding. Proposals should clearly outline both the short-term and the potential long-term outcomes. These grants will be in the range of $10,000 to $12,000.

Detailed information and instructions regarding this grant are available at http://www.ksu.edu/cecd . --Dan Kahl dankahl@ksu.edu

RETIREMENT RECEPTION HONORING RON SEYFERT
Friends and colleagues of Ron Seyfert, Central Kansas District Agent, are invited to attend a retirement reception honoring Ron for his forty years of service to Kansas State Research and Extension. The reception is Saturday, April 4, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Ottawa County Courthouse meeting room. The courthouse is located at 307 North Concord in Minneapolis, Kansas. Letters and cards can be sent to Central Kansas Extension Office at 307 North Concord, Minneapolis, Kansas 67467. --Peg Condray pcondray@oznet.ksu.edu

REMINDER -- NOW'S THE TIME TO PUT YOUR COUNTY FAIR ON THE SCHEDULE
'Tis that time of year to submit the dates of your County Fair to Sue Robinson, srobinso@ksu.edu . In reality, the county fair season will begin in about four months. Both the Extension Administration Office and the State 4-H Office receive calls regarding the dates for county fairs and it would be greatly appreciated if we could get the dates listed so we would have them when we receive requests. Marie Blythe will also enter them on the Master Schedule so that we can all provide better information and service to the callers. Many thanks. --Pat McNally pmcnally@ksu.edu

KANSAS NRCS ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR INNOVATION GRANTS
USDA NRCS announced $200,000 of available funding for new technology or approaches under the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). Through innovation, CIG is an effort to address some of the state's most pressing natural resource conservation needs. CIG is a component of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).

CIG is a voluntary program intended to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies while leveraging federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. The program enables NRCS to work with other public and private entities to accelerate technology transfer and adoption of promising technologies and approaches to address some of the Nation's most pressing natural resource concerns. CIG will benefit agricultural producers by providing more options for environmental enhancement and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

State, tribal, and local governmental entities, non-governmental organizations, and individuals may apply. Project proposals should demonstrate the use of innovative technologies or approaches to address a natural resource concern. Project results are expected to improve and create the transfer of conservation technologies, management systems, and innovative approaches (such as market-based systems) into NRCS technical manuals or guides or to the private sector.

Applications are due in the Kansas NRCS State Office by April 24, 2009. Project proposals will be evaluated with the assistance of the Kansas Technical Committee based on the criteria identified in the announcement of Fiscal Year 2009 program funding.

Selected applicants may receive grants up to 50 percent of the total project cost. Individual grant awards may not exceed $50,000. Applicants must provide non-federal matching funds for at least 50 percent of the project cost. Of the non-federal matching funds, 50 percent may be from in-kind contributions. Projects may be single or multi-year, not to exceed three years.

Additional information, the request for proposals, and related forms are located on the Kansas NRCS CIG Web page, http://www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/cig/index.html , and at www.Grants.gov . --Steven M. Graham sgraham@k-state.edu

K-STATE CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SEEKS 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. Proposals are due 5 p.m., April 28, 2009, via e-mail.

A link to the Request for Proposals (RFP) guidelines can also be found on the front page of the CSE website: http://www.sustainable-energy.ksu.edu . Questions about the RFP can be sent to energy@ksu.edu  or call 532-4995.

Please forward this e-mail to others K-State colleagues who may be interested in this RFP announcement. --Mary Rezac rezac@ksu.edu and Ron Madl rmadl@ksu.edu

KANSAS 4-H BROCHURE
The Experience 4H676 (4-page color marketing brochure) is no longer available! It was accidentally put on the 3rd quarter order form. Please do not order it as the supply has run out and it cannot be reprinted. Jim Adams jadams@ksu.edu 

COMMUNICATION MINUTE: WRITING FOR THE WEB
Many web surfers scan online articles looking for important items, rarely reading an entire story. Here's some tips to make sure your information doesn't get lost when people come to your Website:

• Summarize. Make your key points in the first paragraph.
• Use bulleted lists for important items or points.
• Write in short, clear sentences.
• Keep pages short. Readers don't like scrolling through a long page to find information.
• Place headings on articles. Bold-face, if appropriate.
• Link to more information.

Learn more about this and other communications strategies by visiting http://ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com/ . --Carrie Blaes

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

To view the complete Master Schedule online or as a pdf, go to http://129.130.72.54/MasterSchAdd/

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Please Submit Items no later than Noon on Monday to include in the following Tuesday Letter to:
tuesday@oznet.ksu.edu . Put the word "Tuesday" in the subject line.

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