The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
(Vol. 16 No. 45)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
The Kansas State Fair is underway and it was great seeing
several of you in your various capacities on the fair grounds. If there was any consistency, it was the
general lack of willingness to wear a name badge. I know, you were there as a spectator, a 4-H
parent, or simply forgot the name badge. I’ll again emphasize how much I would appreciate you wearing your name
badge proudly at the Fair. It speaks
well for K-State and K-State Research and Extension. It does warrant some responsibility in
wearing it. I’d suggest if you are
coming to Hutchinson in an
Extension vehicle and/or will in any way be reimbursed for your travel, that
you are "on the job" and obligated to be wearing a name badge. Is that too much to ask?
Thanks for the support you provide and the volunteers you recruit to
assist with the various educational and competitive events. K-State Research and Extension has a strong
presence and commitment to the success of the Kansas State Fair. I simply want the public to know who we are
when we are there! My suggestion holds with any such public events to which you participate while on the job. Hope you're always proud to be a part of K-State Research and Extension.
Otherwise, this week is hopping with interviews on
campus. We’ll have 2 of our 3 candidates for Dean/Director, our K-CARE candidate
interviews are both happening this week, and Agronomy and Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreational Resources are conducting interviews for faculty
positions. All this is happening within
this week, and more to come in the weeks ahead.
Thanks for all you do! Have a great week! –-Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
"SHARPENING WORKPLACE SKILLS"
"Sharpening Workplace Skills" workshop, sponsored by the Leadership PFT, will be held Wednesday, September 29, at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, Wichita. Cost will be $15 (lunch, breaks and handouts) and run from 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Much of our time at work is spent interacting with other people. This workshop is designed to help Extension Agents and specialists focus more purposefully on basic interpersonal skills from an individual, inward perspective. These skills will help each of us get the most out of ourselves as we work with other professionals and volunteers.
Speakers will include:
Dr. Rusty Andrews, K-State, discussing dealing with emotions, establishing clear boundaries, using and abusing interpersonal “triangles,” handling conflict, and figuring out appropriate roles. Beth Hinshaw, SE area 4-H Specialist, will focus on establishing relationships with office professionals and Dr. Gayle Doll, K-State, will talk about multigenerational interactions and supervision.
This workshop is being sponsored by the Leadership PFT. Registration form and speakers information is posted on the Employee Resources website at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/employee_resources/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=206.
Registration is due September 20. --Jodi Besthorn besthorn@ksu.edu
BIOMASS CONTRACTING WEBINAR
Cellulosic Biofuels Web Seminar Series 2010—Seminar 5
Friday, September 24, 2010
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Central Daylight Time
Contracting Matters: A Discussion of Key Legal Considerations in Biomass Production, Harvesting, and Storage Contracts
Presented by Joe R. Thompson—Stoel Rives LLP; Minneapolis, MN
Joe is a partner with the Stoel Rives law firm in Minneapolis, MN. Joe practices in the areas of agricultural business and renewable energy law. Joe has represented farmer cooperatives, and other entities in the development of soybean crush facilities, biodiesel plants, ethanol production facilities, community wind projects and in the acquisition and operation of grain handling and livestock facilities.
Stoel Rives is a full service law firm that provides legal services to clients throughout the United States. The firm is regarded as a leader in corporate, environmental, energy, natural resources, and renewable energy law.
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.
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 this URL to confirm your ability to connect.--Ed Brokesh ebrokesh@ksu.edu
THE FUTURE OF CANCER RESEARCH AND TREATMENT IN KANSAS
K-State's Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research offers the
following presentation, as part of its George S. Bascom Memorial
Workshop Series on Current Issues in Clinical Medicine.
The Future of
Cancer Research and Treatment in Kansas
by Barbara Atkinson, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor, KU Medical Center, Executive
Dean, KU School of Medicine
Tuesday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m.
K-State Student Union's
Forum Hall
This event is free and the public is invited. Parking is free after 5 p.m. everywhere except in the Union Parking
Garage, where it costs $1.50 an hour.
Check out the Website:
http://cancer.k-state.edu/news-events/103/george-s-bascom-memorial-workshop-series (or on our home page, scroll down to
'Upcoming Events'). --Marcia Locke, Public Relations & Outreach Coordinator
WATER AND THE FUTURE OF KANSAS CONFERENCE - CALL FOR POSTERS
Sustainable Water Resource Management: Assuring the Future
October 26, 2010, Topeka, Kansas
Call for Posters
The
Water and the Future of Kansas Conference planning committee invites
you to submit titles and abstracts for non-commercial poster papers for
the conference. Online submission is available at www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/waterfuture.
Topics
are open to any water resource-related issues such as policy,
standards, management areas, surveys, municipal, industrial or
agricultural projects, basic water science, and educational programs.
Emphasis on the conference theme, "Sustainable Water Resource
Management: Assuring the Future," is encouraged.
Student posters will be judged and awards will be presented at the conference. Submission deadline is October 1, 2010.
Poster
presenters must also register for the conference and pay the
registration fee. A reduced registration fee is offered to students.
For more information, please visit to the conference website at www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/waterfuture. --Steven Graham sgraham@k-state.edu
NATIONAL 4-H WEEK - GET THE WORD OUT
Market your local 4-H program during National 4-H Week, October 3 - 9. You have two sites for resources to use - 4-H Marketing Action Team resource page and National 4-H Brand Network.
Your Kansas 4-H Marketing Action Team has created many resources to help you with a membership campaign. Items and ideas to use are outlined in the 4-H Membership Campaign Agent Resource. To view the agent resource and all new items go to the 4-H Marketing Action Team resource page available at Kansas4-H.org. Click on Resources and then Marketing or go directly to: http://www.kansas4h.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=56.
Use the new Join Kansas 4-H website on your marketing materials- www.JoinKansas4-H.org. Over 100 parents have completed the “how to join” information that is forwarded to local offices. Most parents are completing the information on weekends and times other than normal office hours.
National 4-H Brand Network also has their Promotional Tool Kit available at http://www.4-h.org/.
Best wishes in growing your local 4-H program. --Diane Mack and members of the 4-H Marketing Action Team
NATIONAL LET'S MOVE CAMPAIGN - SCHOOL LUNCH RECIPE CONTEST!
Let's Move!, in association with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is challenging school nutrition professionals, chefs, students, parents and interested community members to create tasty, healthy, exciting new recipes for inclusion on school lunch menus across the country.
Participants will form teams, develop, document, and prepare at least one healthy recipe in one of three categories (Whole Grains, Dark Green and Orange vegetables, or Dry Beans and Peas). Their creations will be served in the school's cafeteria, and rated by students.
Fifteen semi-finalist teams will have their recipe evaluated by our judging panel during events held at their school, and the top three teams will compete in a national cook-off to determine the grand prize winner! Semi-finalists' recipes will also be posted for online voting by the public to determine a Popular Choice Winner.
Details are located at http://www.recipesforkidschallenge.com/. --Gary Gerhard ggerhard@ksu.edu and Gayle Price gprice@ksu.edu
"OPEN SEASON" FOR PROGRAM FOCUS TEAMS (PFTS)
While there is no set date for joining or changing program focus teams, now may be a good time to reinforce the process.
The following information is from Roles and Responsibilities of Program Focus Teams located on the web at Employee Resources>Professional Development>PFT Roles and Responsibilities: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/Employee_Resources.
Changing teams or joining a PFT for the first time is based on the following questions:
Is this a need in your local unit?
Do you have the support of your Extension Board?
Are you willing to seek out and attend training to strengthen that expertise?
Do you have a passion for the work to be done?
The process also includes consultations with the Area Director and Extension Board to reinforce which team to participate with. The process can happen at a time determined appropriate by the three parties involved in the process.
New Extension agents select a Program Focus Team sometime during their first year of employment. This usually happens soon after completing the program development session.
If a new agent has not joined a team by annual conference time they may use that time to explore by sitting in on a couple of team meetings. --Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu
MARIE'S PICKS . . .
This week my picks include outcomes and success stories from Rachael Boyle, Phillips-Rooks District #5; Mike Holder, Flint Hills District #13; and Jamie Hancock, Shawnee County.
**In the spring of 2010, a follow-up survey from the June 2009 field day indicated that nine land managers had controlled 1,200 acres of Honeylocust trees. One land manager cut and chemically treated more than 400 trees in the fall of 2009.
**Because the Bluestem Pasture Report was discontinued, inquiries about grass rent and stocking rates increased about 20%. By providing consistent and fair budget numbers to both landowners and tenants, grazing operations were able to maintain a higher level of projected profitability and sustainability. Final quarter work focused around education related to the proposed smoke management plan for Kansas. Our purpose is to ensure decision makers have factual information about range management, livestock production, burning practices, grazing economics, and the implications of smoke management regulations on producers, communities, and the prairie ecosystems. This work continues.
**Kathy called the Shawnee County Extension office seeking help to identify an insect found in her basement. She made it clear that proper professional identification was instrumental in her being eligible to receive a new furnace for low-income people. We identified the insect, but she needed documentation from a K-State entomologist. We sent an image of the insect via computer to Dr. Cloyd who provided identification within the hour that it was a cricket, not a brown recluse spider. The next week Kathy called back, excited to inform us that because of our prompt actions she was able to receive the furnace, 24 new windows, insulation for her home, a new hot water heater, and two new doors. She also told us that she had not had heat in her home in two years. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
2011 CLARITY, FOCUS, ACTION WORKSHOP
Clarity, Focus, Action is a workshop that teaches coaching skills. It is designed to help you help others get clear on where they want to go, get focused on the various paths to get there, and then move them into action. The coaching skills derived from this workshop will be useful if you supervise others - and almost everyone in our system either directly supervises others or works with someone who needs a little nudge because they are 'stuck'.
This workshop was offered a couple of years ago and was called Coaching Workshop. It will be facilitated by a team from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and held at Rock Springs 4-H Center near Junction City.
Select this from the Online Professional Development System for your individual Professional Development Plan.
Protect the dates of March 9-11, 2011 on your calendar. --Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu
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