The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
(Vol. 19 No. 10)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
I look forward to seeing you and your board members at the 2013 Statewide Annual Extension Partnership Meetings. We need to have each local unit complete the registration online and indicate which Partnership meeting is being attended.
January 24 Ottawa – Neosho Co. Comm College (Ottawa Campus), 900 East Logan Street
January 29 Abilene – Sterl Hall, 619 N. Rogers
January 30 Scott City – 4-H Building, Fairground Rd.
January 31 Great Bend – Central Baptist Church, 3301 Lakin Avenue
Theme for this year’s Partnership meetings is "K-State 2025: A Vision for Research and Extension." The brief agenda follows:
9:00 Registration, coffee, networking
9:30 Welcome and Introductions (By introductions, each local Extension
unit should come
prepared to share a
program success and impact for 2012)
10:00 Daryl
Buchholz, Associate Director
10:30 Small
group discussions - Session I
11:15 Small
groups report out and dialog
Noon Lunch 1:00 John
Floros, Director and Dean
1:30 Small
group discussions – Session
II
2:15 Small
groups report out and dialog
2:40 Updates and notifications
3:00 Extension Advisory Council Business Meeting (SEAC Representatives)
- Recognitions
- Balloting for SEAC elections
3:30 Adjourn
You can find more background info and agenda at this link.
Registration for these meetings is on-line at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/Registration_partnership/. Registration and agenda information may also be found on the Employee Resources website under “Registrations.” Please complete the on-line registration by Tuesday, January 15.
We all look forward to seeing everyone at the 2013 Partnership Meetings.
Have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
KSRE STATE-WIDE SURVEY
The KSRE state-wide program
prioritization survey process was launched in December. Between now and
March, individuals across Kansas will be
giving input into this process which will be used to help determine future
program direction.
The protocol for conducting the
local surveys is posted at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/programming/.
Resources to review and use in preparation include:
- Letter to Agents
- Agent Checklist
- Letter to Extension Board and PDC Members
- Extension Board and PDC Checklist
- Survey Planning Worksheet Example
- Survey Planning Worksheet
In addition, the following are
available in both English and Spanish:
- Letter to Survey Participants
- Survey (Online in English and hard copy in English and
Spanish)
While the
process depends greatly on engaging the local PDCs, the agent role in helping
facilitate the process is essential.
During Spring Action Conference, April 29 & 30, a great deal of the agenda
will focus on the results of the survey. The results of the survey will also be available for local units and
PFTs to use in future program development. -- Paula Peters ppeters@ksu.edu,
Gregg Hadley ghadley@ksu.edu, Barbara Stone bjstone@ksu.edu, Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu
K-STATE CELEBRATION OF KANSAS DAY
You are invited to the first-ever K-State
Celebration of Kansas Day on Tuesday, January 29, in the Hemisphere Room
of K-State’s Hale Library from 11 a.m. to
12 noon, followed by a luncheon.
Hosted by the KSU Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning,
this event will commemorate the state’s birthday with brief presentations from
KSU faculty about how they incorporate Kansas history into their teaching and
outreach. Topics include: What brought about Kansas Day?, Kansas Flora, Kansas Soils and Landscapes,
Undergraduate Research in Kansas History, Kansas Cowboy history and poetry, and
Cowboy Music. An optional $10 barbecue
lunch will follow, catered by Cox Brothers BBQ.
For more information or to register, go to http://www.k-state.edu/catl/kansasday. --Ron Wilson rwilson@ksu.edu
INVITATION TO ATTEND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORUM DURING AGENT UPDATE; FEBRUARY 12, IN MANHATTAN
During the February Agent Update, agents are invited to participate in a community forum (share fair, meal and
presentation) on February 12, 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. about social emotional development in childhood and adolescence.
Susan Jack, national consultant with the US Department of Education - Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) - is presenting at the Agent Update the morning of February 13, and will make a community presentation the evening before on February 12 (Tuesday) from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Frith Conference Room, Jardine Apartment Complex, Manhattan. A light dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Jack's presentation will highlight Vanderbilt University's CSEFEL Pyramid Model which promotes social emotional competence and prevents challenging behavior (e.g, bullying, conflict) among children in childcare and afterschool settings.
Contact Jackie Cox, cox1@ksu.edu, by February 4, to register for the community forum on February 12 in Manhattan. Contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu; or Bronwyn Fees, fees@ksu.edu; if you have questions about this valuable opportunity. --Elaine Johannes
2013 K-STATE SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Just a note to let you know you should check out the K-State 150th website pages for information about the upcoming sesquicentennial celebration for Kansas State University: http://www.k-state.edu/150/.
The kick-off weekend will be Thursday, February 14 - Sunday, February 17, 2013:
•February 14: kick-off event in Ahearn Fieldhouse with exhibits from departments and colleges across campus. Special b-day cupcakes and Call Hall ice cream will be served.
•February 15: GALA 150 at Hilton Garden Inn
•February 16: K-State men's basketball vs. Baylor
•February 17: Major headliner - Carol Burnett - to close out the weekend with a special McCain Auditorium event at 3 p.m.
But the celebration doesn't end there. There will be a special Brown Bag Lunch and Lecture Series throughout the year, all kinds of merchandise (of course), specially-commissioned art and musical works, a pictorial history book, a cookbook, and many other events and projects, culminating in a final celebration during Homecoming Week next fall. All proceeds will go toward a 150th scholarship fund.
Please visit the www.k-state.edu/150 site. Help get the word out to fellow employees, alumni, and K-State friends. Let's prepare to celebrate K-State's 150th in typical Wildcat style. --Steven Graham sgraham@k-state.edu
REGISTRATION FOR UNITED ASSOCIATIONS CONFERENCE
Registration for the United Associations Conference has been posted at http://www.kafcs.org/conference.html as well as on participating associations' websites and shared with their listservs. Early bird fee is available through February 15.
This professional development conference will be held March 7 - 8, 2012,
at the Sedgwick County Extension Center. This year's theme is Passport to Excellence. Concurrent sessions will be offered in
three tracks: Developing Professionalism, Food, Nutrition, and Wellness, and Healthy Families and Communities. Keynote speaker will be Dr. Lindsey Shirley, FCS
Teacher Educator and Extension Specialist at Utah State University. Dr. Shirley's
presentation will focus on the use of technology in communicating with students
and clientele. Associations involved in planning the conference are Epsilon Sigma Phi,
Kansas Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Kansas Association of Teachers of
Family and Consumer Sciences, and Kansas Extension Association of Family and Consumer
Sciences. Members of these organizations, and others interested in professional
development in the tracks offered, are encouraged to attend.
Cost of early bird registration is $75 for one day or $120 for both days.
Regular registration, after February 15, will be $100 for one day and $145 for both days. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
HEALTHY YOU WELLNESS TIP -- WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT FLU
 Flu
activity is high this year. It started early and may continue for some time.
There are several steps you can take to prevent yourself, and those around you,
from the flu. First, get a flu vaccine. Second, make sure you do your part to
stop the spread of germs – every day. Third, take flu antiviral drugs if your
doctor prescribes them.
Get a flu vaccine. If you haven’t gotten vaccinated
yet, you should still try to. Flu vaccine may be harder to find now than it was
earlier in the season, so you may need to contact more than one provider. It takes two weeks for your body to develop an immune
response following vaccination. While most viruses characterized by CDC have
been like those in the vaccine, there is still a chance of catching a different
one.
Stop the spread of germs. Symptoms of flu can
include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache,
chills and fatigue. Some may also have vomiting and diarrhea. If you or your
child have flu like symptoms, limit contact with others as much as possible to
help prevent spreading illness. Stay home, or keep your child home, for at
least 24 hours after fever is gone (without the use of a fever-reducing
medicine.) When you cough or sneeze, cover our nose and mouth with a tissue.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub
when soap/water are not available.
Take flu antiviral drugs if prescribed by a doctor. There are antiviral
drugs that can treat your illness. They are a second line of defense and these
medications are not available over-the-counter so you will need a
prescription. Antiviral drugs are most
effective when started within 2 days of getting sick. --Sharolyn Flaming Jackson sharolyn@ksu.edu
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Community development programs enhance community vitality,
and any agent or specialist can conduct community development programming. Community
development program examples include, among others, those that help develop
current and future community leaders, improve local parks, ensure a local
supply of nutritious food alternatives, create or support new economic
opportunities, and enhance the health and wellbeing of community members.
I have asked some of our colleagues to share their community
development programming experiences in this monthly Tuesday Letter series. This first comes from Laurie Chandler –
Shawnee County Extension Director.
“Needs assessment is one of the ways that I
have found that I can help communities.
A few years ago, Trudy Rice, Extension Associate with Community
Development, and I worked with members of Rossville PRIDE to develop a survey
to find out what improvements the residents would like to see in their city
park. We worked closely with
the community to develop the survey. One of the tools we utilized was an
assessment and evaluation tool through Illinois Extension Community and
Economic Development, http://www.communitydevelopment.uiuc.edu/commsurvey/. The
tool provides examples of possible survey questions.
The survey was created
using a web-based program which has features that help to analyze the
data. Community members were responsible
for encouraging residents to complete the survey and to enter the information online
for those that preferred to fill out the paper survey. The survey provided valuable information and
was used to apply for and receive a $75,000 Small Communities Improvement
Program grant for their park.
It was a great
learning experience for me and provided the community with quality information
they could use. Rossville PRIDE
contacted me again this fall to develop another survey to assess what
improvements the residents would like to see in their downtown with the information used in another grant application submitted by the City of Rossville.”
Laurie provided us with a great example of how she used her
Extension skills to support meaningful community development. If you have
questions about how you might use your skills to do community development
programming, please contact me, members of the Community Development Program
Focus Team, or your Community Development Program Development Committee. --Gregg Hadley ghadley@ksu.edu
SPRING 2013 CONSERVATION SEEDLING SALES INFORMATION
December 3, 2012 marked the opening
of Kansas Forest Service’s 57th successive Conservation Tree
season. This program, open through the first
Monday of May 2013, encourages landowners to plant trees and shrubs for conservation
purposes. Approved uses of the agency’s plants
include wildlife habitat, windbreaks, woodlots, stream bank plantings,
Christmas tree plantations, timber production, and other related conservation
practices. Organizations considering
planting seedlings for educational benefits are also eligible to order.
The
program offers more than 30 species that are selected for hardiness in the
central high plains. Most are bare-root
stock, one to two years old and eight to eighteen inches tall, depending on species. Also offered are several evergreen species
sold in containers.
Along
with conventional single species bundles sold in units of 25 seedlings,
songbird, pheasant, quail and wildlife mast bundles are also offered with
species selected to help support the state’s bird and wildlife populations. Orders can be made by phoning 785-532-3300,
toll free at 888-740-8733, or on-line at https://www.kansasforests.org/public_saps/Welcome.aspx. Order forms are also available at any county
or district Kansas State University Research and Extension office, the USDA
Service Center Offices or on the Kansas Forest Service website at http://www.kansasforests.org/conservation/downloads.shtml. Additional information is available
by phoning the above numbers, or writing Kansas Forest Service, 2610 Claflin
Road, Manhattan, KS 66502. --Leslye Haller lahaller@ksu.edu
MARIE'S PICKS . . .
This week my picks are short term outcomes by Jen Schoenfeld; and success stories from Amy Lorenzen and Julie Niehage, Golden Prairie District:
**Collaborating with Farm Bureau, KSRE and FB hosted a field trip for
Gove County 5th and 6th graders in May of 2012. It was a day of
"Exploring Agriculture in Gove County." A local dairy and sheep farm
was toured and the afternoon was packed with hands-on classes teaching
on local wildlife, trapping and farm implements. Eighty students, teachers,
and volunteers participated.
**Fifty-three pre-teens and teenagers became certified baby-sitters by attending
one of two baby sitting clinics held in Oakley and Wakeeney. Students
learned how to properly care for children by providing a safe
environment, safe foods to eat and developmentally appropriate toys to
play with.
**Walk
Kansas participants enjoy reading the weekly newsletter sent by email.
One comment from a participant, "The newsletters are full of good
information, and the recipes are delicious! Please send more!" Health Fair participants purchased radon test kits for their homes and
found out whether their homes had radon issues and whether their families
were at risk. Two participants purchased kits again to retest their
home as advised by the agent before starting any home renovation to
remove the radon.
**Each
session had good reviews from the students and teachers, but the two
sessions where we made the play doh and the duct tape wallets were most
memorable. Forty-five students in grades kindergarten through fifth
grade learned about wants and needs. By making their own play doh, then
making their "need" and explaining it to the rest of the group,
students learned what they think of as a need may really be a want. Determining the differences between a want and a need provided for some
lively discussions.
**More than 20 people have contacted me to ask me about the horticulture plot
at the courthouse. They want to know what the flowers are for
and which varieties are there so that they can plant them at their homes
next year. This has been a great promotion for extension in the Golden
Prairie District. Also, the courthouse and county commissioners enjoyed
the plot so much that they are already asking if I will plant another
one next year! --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
UPDATED ON-LINE ORDERING IN K-STATE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION BOOKSTORE
With just a few clicks, KSRE Bookstore and Mail Center clients can view and order books, organizational supplies, educational documents, enrollment forms, and promotional items, using the site's new shopping cart/checkout features.
The site was recently upgraded and moved to a new online location to improve options and functionality. Returning clients can log in and begin adding educational documents, supplies, or promotional items to the shopping cart. Applicable discounts will be displayed for KSRE and K-State clients upon logging in. New clients will be prompted to provide shipping and invoicing information to place an order. All users may view the hundreds of free PDF documents available by browsing or by using the improved site search.
Among items available are “Stored Product Protection,” a book focused on protecting food and other stored commodities; “Ingredient Substitutions,” a handy guide for spice and other recipe substitutions; “Kansas Garden Guide,” an updated version of the old horticultural favorite; and a 4-H “Join the Club” color-changing cup. The site also includes unbiased research information in documents such as “2012 Kansas Performance Tests with Winter Wheat Varieties” and “Swine Day 2012.”
The Bookstore and Mail Center, housed in the Department of Communications and Agricultural Education, serves K-State Research and Extension across the state - along with all of campus — by distributing thousands of documents each week. In conjunction with the KSRE Mail Center and University Printing, published documents can be posted or printed and shipped by departmental staff.
For more information, contact manager Mandy Wilson at orderpub@ksu.edu or call 785-532-5830. --Gina Nixon gnixon@ksu.edu
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