The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
(Vol. 16 No. 29)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
I had an eventful week last week with the Center for Creative Leadership being here on campus to put 28 K-State Research and Extension administrative heads/unit leaders/faculty through a series of learning experiences to help us understand ourselves and others on how we approach change, decision making, transition through change, interpersonal behaviors, and teaming. I have lots of review and reflection that still needs to happen. Then I moved on into our regular administrative meetings, followed by a meeting with the Kansas Extension Agent Association Board and the Executive Committee of Epsilon Sigma Phi. Again, lots of great dialog and discussion with need for review and reflection. More to come in future Tuesday messages.
Now, this week our Extension interns have just completed their orientation and are headed out to their respective assignments. I had a great opportunity to join them for lunch, and then share a few thoughts with them as they were preparing to hit the road. I’ve listed out the interns and where they will be spending their summer.
Kristin Gleason in Barton County.
Lindsey Friesen in Central Kansas District.
Callie Williams in Douglas County.
Lauren Davis in Haskell County.
Jenell Cox in Johnson County.
Bridget Doyle in Kearny County.
Hallie Frobose in Linn County.
Rebecca Strong in the Northeast Area Extension Office.
Lynn Leuthold in Scott County.
Teauania Charles in Sedgwick County.
Hannah Morray in Shawnee County.
I know you will welcome them enthusiastically. Give them the best experience they can possibly have. I did suggest to them that they needed to be curious and ask lots of questions. Specifically, ask “why” to everything going on. Try to get a view of the grand scheme of Extension, not just what is happening on that day. And, to understand how each activity or event that they encounter helps to fulfill our ultimate mission of improving the quality of life and standard of living for the people living in Kansas! They might also ask how is it you know if that truly happens?
That group of interns are enthused and excited. It's up to us to keep them that way!
Have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
CELLULOSIC BIOFUEL LOGISTICS WEBINAR
Cellulosic Biofuels Web Seminar Series 2010—Seminar 3
Friday, May 28, 2010
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Central Time
“Cellulosic Biofuel Logistics” Presented by Dr. John Cundiff—Virginia Tech University
Dr. John Cundiff will discuss the logistics issues associated with biomass production and delivery. Dr. Cundiff is a Professor and Bioprocess Engineering Specialist in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State College. Areas of professional interest include alternative energy, alternative crops and systems simulation.
Webinar Series Purpose
Cellulosic ethanol production is an emerging industry. Production practices, materials and business methods are expected to be different from those currently used in agriculture. This webinar series is intended to provide interested individuals with an overview of the ethanol industry and the anticipated needs, from production, agronomic, and contractual perspectives for supplying cellulosic materials to a biofuel plant. This webinar series is presented by National eXtension and the High Plains Extension Energy Team.
Webinar Series Topics & Dates:
The seminar series will consist of 1 hour long webinars approximately once a month for the next six to eight months. The current list of topics and planned dates are:
1. State of the Industry: Corn and Cellulosic Ethanol - Friday, March 26, 11 a.m. Central.
2. Economics of Cellulosic Biofuels - Friday, April 30, 11 a.m. Central.
3. Cellulosic Biofuel Logistics—TBA (May 28, 11 a.m. Central).
4. Agronomic Impacts of Cellulosic Material Harvest – perspectives from the eastern and western corn belt TBA. (Expected to be in July).
5. Contracts for Cellulosic Biomass TBA.
6. Rural Community Infrastructure TBA.
Previous Webinars are available for viewing.
How To Connect: Start connecting 5 minutes prior to the start time. You need a computer with Internet access and speakers. At the meeting time, copy and paste this URL into your browser to enter the meeting: http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/agenergy/.
At that URL you will find a login page. “Enter as a Guest” with your name, and business or institution and click “Enter Room.” The audio portion of the meeting will be come through your computer speakers.
Anytime before the meeting you can visit the following URL to confirm your ability to connect: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/testconnect/. --Ed Brokesh ebrokesh@ksu.edu
FREE WILDFLOWER TOUR - SATURDAY, JUNE 5
The Kansas State University (KSU)
Big Creek Middle Smoky Hill River Watershed Restoration And Protection
Strategies (WRAPS) Project is teaming up Dubuque Land & Cattle, Russell
County Conservation District, and Russell County Extension to sponsor a free
Wildflower Tour on Saturday, June 5. Participants can come and go any time from 9 a.m. until noon.
“Local wildflower tours provide the
public a chance to view native flora that many times we do not see,” said
Stacie Minson, watershed specialist with K-State Research & Extension. “Wildflowers are a great way to learn about
the history of the landscape and the benefits of native plants, while also
providing a chance to learn which wildflower can be in a home landscape to
reduce water consumption, improve water quality, and reduce yearly
maintenance.”
This marks the fourth wildflower
tour sponsored by the KSU WRAPS project. If you haven’t had the opportunity to attend, past participants will
tell you it is worth your time to come out and see the wildflowers in
bloom. One tour attendee commented, “The
two speakers who identified wildflowers were extremely knowledgeable. It's
unbelievable how many plants they knew and the background that went with each.
It was a true joy to have them involved.” While another participant stated, “That Western Kansas
is a beautiful place! The different types of flowers mean different types of
soil and drainage.”
Light refreshments and door prizes
will be available. The tour site is in
southeast Russell County. From I-70 exit in Russell, go 12 miles south
on Highway 281, 11.5 miles east on Michaelis Road
and 1/2 mile north on 197 street. Signs
will be posted to help guide you to the site as well. Event will take place
rain or shine.
More information is available by contacting Stacie Minson at
785-650-1282 or on the website at http://www.MyKansasWatershed.com/wildflower. --Stacie Minson sedgett@ksu.edu
TIME TO REGISTER FOR THE RURAL GROCERY SUMMIT
“Rural Grocery Summit II: Saving Rural America’s
Critical Infrastructure”June 14-15, 2010
Kansas State
University will host a
summit on June 14-15, 2010 to address this crisis of rural grocery store
sustainability.
Fifty-one percent of the 675 Kansas cities and towns do not have a
grocery store. Since 2007, 82 of the 213
grocery stores in Kansas
communities of less than 2,500 have closed their doors. Rural grocery stores are more than just a
local business; they are a critical piece of the infrastructure that undergirds
rural America. Rural grocery stores provide an important
source of jobs and taxes. They provide a
source of healthy food and they are a symbol of community vitality. Unfortunately,
these business cornerstones are disappearing at an alarming rate, along with
their rural community homes.
In response, the Rural Grocery Summit II is highlighting research
and project-based presentations about: bringing more local foods into a community,
building community support for local grocery outlets, identifying sources of
funding for rural grocery stores, addressing labor issues in rural communities,
and recognizing that food is a critical piece of rural culture. In addition, there will be two citizen
dialogues where participants will chart a path forward on public policy issues,
public education campaigns, food distribution models, and ways to build
community support for local grocery outlets. Rick Mills from Walsh,
Colorado will present the
luncheon keynote about how his town of 650 citizens saved their grocery store
and provided food access to their rural community.
This summit is open to the public. Registration is free to rural grocery store
owners and $100 for all other participants. To view the complete summit agenda and registration information, see http://www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/ruralgrocery/.
If you have questions, please contact the K-State Center for Engagement and Community
Development by phone at 785-532-6868 or e-mail at cecd@ksu.edu. --Dan Kahl dankahl@ksu.edu
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
Academy
teaches participants to create
quality, sustainable communities. This fall
will provide a special community training opportunity for citizens in
northwest
Kansas and beyond. Kansas State University’s Center for Engagement and
Community Development, with assistance from USDA Rural Development, will
host
a Community Development Academy (CDA) targeted toward
northwest
Kansas. Registration is now open for the Academy, which will be held
September 23, September 29 & 30 and October 6 at Fort Hays
State University
in Hays, Kansas.
The
CDA is a participant-centered
workshop that engages volunteer teams in the development of community
improvement strategies. No prior planning or community development
experience
is required, just the willingness to invest in community betterment.
Interested
participants are asked to put together a group of people (a team of five
is
ideal) from their community to participate in the workshop. During the
training, teams will meet one to two days per week over a three week
period.
Between sessions, they will be given homework. During this three-week
experience, community teams will be guided through a process that asks
them to:
- assess
their community assets and devise a public engagement plan.
- make
initial contacts for a community-wide effort.
- devise
a draft community development process plan.
- identify
needed resources and meet resource providers.
After
the workshop, participants will
have a characterization of their community, a community involvement plan
and
resources to help them in the process of reaching their goals.
Communities
are encouraged to recruit
team members who have an active role in housing, community or economic
development, or those who will have similar roles in the future. Teams
are
encouraged to include community leaders and youth participants. For
teams of
five or more, the training costs $125 per person; for teams of four or
fewer,
the cost is $150 per person. This fee covers all materials and meals
for
the academy.
Matching
scholarships are available for
northwest Kansas community teams and coaches to participate in the
academy,
through a grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation of Logan, Kansas.
Scholarships will pay a percentage of the registration costs for
community participants. The scholarships are targeted to northwest
Kansas,
although persons from other regions of the state are welcome to
participate in
the academy. The scholarships are available on a first-come,
first-served
basis, and priority will be given to five person teams and community
coaches.
For more information on scholarships, go to www.huckboydinstitute.org
or contact the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at
785-532-7690.
The
CDA is being held in conjunction
with a Community Coaching Academy – a training for Extension and
community
and economic development professionals. The Coaching Academy will meet
with the
teams, plus two extra days – September 22 and October 7.
Sponsors
for the academy include:
K-State’s Center for Engagement and Community Development, USDA Rural
Development, Kansas Department of Commerce, Midwest Energy, K-State
Research
and Extension, Kansas Pride, Federal Home Loan Bank-Topeka and the Huck
Boyd
Institute.
Applications
and registration for the
academy session are available online. This is an excellent opportunity
for your
community to organize for broad community assessment and project
planning. For
more information, visit www.k-state.edu/cecd/cda. --Dan Kahl dankahl@ksu.edu
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