Questions about Carpenter bees

Lately, I have had a few questions about Carpenter Bees, and what to do about them when they start becoming a nuisance on your property. I contacted Dr. Robert Bauernfeind, a K-State Research and Extension specialist and State Leader Entomologist to learn a little more about Carpenter Bees, and what to do about them when their benefits as pollinators no longer outweigh the problems of having them close by. He sent out an article that ...

Handle food with care

While most people don't acknowledge, reflect or dwell on it, they value tremendously the joy and pleasure that results from eating – especially with family and close friends. Food remains deeply entrenched in our family values.

One Life to Live

The answers to the questions from two weeks ago are at the end. Old-timers say wheat has nine lives. It's safe to assume wheat has used up eight and is on its last one after this growing season. As of now it appears the wheat heads escaped the cold snaps in April with little obvious damage to the head or stems but the stem damage may show up if hot, dry conditions set in. A few fields this past week did exhibit some obvious head damage but the damage appeared to be scattered.

University team receives $9.6 million USDA grant to help develop solutions for beef cattle grazing s

Drought, flooding, extreme heat, subzero temperatures: All of these climatic events and more in Kansas can threaten the supply and affordability of the nation's beef supply. It's hard to do much about the weather, but a team of Kansas State University scientists will be trying to find solutions so cattlemen can better adapt to any future climate extremes in their grazing operations.

Wandering about wheat

Looking at wheat throughout the central region of Kansas during the first couple days of May, members of the Wheat Quality Council (WQC) labeled the crop in fairly average to slightly above average condition.

Barton County Farm Bureau awards scholarships

Trees need care through dry weather

The question that I seem to get most often right now is why are my trees dying? Most of the time, the answer is the drought. Even though we have had some moisture recently, we are still in a severe drought. Driving around the county, you will even see old, big Red Cedars dying in the tree rows. That is because we have had two summers that were extremely hot and dry which baked the ...

Divide remains in Congress over Farm Bill, food stamps

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House and Senate Agriculture Committees laid the groundwork this week for reducing the size of the federal food stamp program, approving farm bills that would shrink food aid and alter the way people qualify for it.

Kansas CRP meetings for landowners prior to signup hosted by PF

Pheasants Forever is hosting fifty-one informational meetings across Kansas for landowners and agricultural producers in advance of the USDA Farm Service Agency's Conservation Reserve Program general sign-up that runs May 20 through June 14. Led by Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologists, landowners can learn how to increase their farm or ranch income while creating wildlife habitat in the process.

Even Animal Lovers Prefer No Rabbits in the Garden

This week, I found a column from K-State's Mary Lou Peter about the rabbits that are out and about. They may be cute hopping around in a field, but when they get into your garden, their cuteness wears a little thin.

MILC, SURE, and NAP will restart on May 8

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia announced today that farm payments, which had been temporarily suspended due to sequestration, are scheduled to resume today, May 8th. This includes payments for the 2011 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), the Noninsured Crop Assistance Program (NAP) and the Milk Income Loss Contract Program (MILC).

Why Does It Matter?

This is finals week at Barton and many of the other colleges around the state. For instructors it's time to evaluate what students learned over the last semester. For students it's time for that one last push to maintain or raise their grades. While faculty see testing as a method to evaluate learning and adjust accordingly, students often see testing as a way to be tortured. Students focus on the grade while faculty focus on ...

Play safe on the farm

The dream of many young farm boys and girls is to ride on a tractor. For a youngster, the mammoth tractor epitomizes raw power, responsibility and coming of age.

FFA officers installed at banquet

Soil Stewardship Week

In 1955, the National association of Conservation Districts began a national program to encourage Americans to focus on stewardship. Stewardship Week is officially celebrated from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in May. It is one of the world's largest conservation-related observances.

Farm Service Agency County Committee nomination period begins June 17

Kansas Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Adrian J. Polansky announced today that the nomination period for local FSA county committees begins on Monday, June 17th.

Problems with tomato plants

It's that time of year again when everything is growing, and people are looking forward to be rewarded for all of their hard work in the garden. With the unseasonal low temperatures this year, your garden might be a little behind normal, but with our recent rains, the weather warming up, and a little bit of care right now, your garden should be getting into the full swing of things.

Lessons from the land

For Kansans June, July and August are months when some of us return to our roots and visit family in rural communities across the state. Some go back to help with wheat harvest, others go home to spend time visiting with friends they have grown up with. For all it's a time to reflect and remember.

Fathers’ Day and Agriculture

First here's wishing all the dads out there a Happy Fathers' Day. Since the wheat is rapidly ripening and harvest will soon be here, especially after the past week's heat, let's focus on something a bit more upbeat fathers, children, and agriculture.

Quarter-scale tractors, full-scale success: University teams win international competition

Kansas State University's quarter-scale tractor design teams are the winners of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers' 16th annual International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition, May 30-June 2, in Peoria, Ill.

Conservation Stewardship Program applications due by June 14

The Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) will provide about $175 million in funding for up to 12.6 million additional acres enrollment this year.

Not so fast

Pre-packaged, vacuum-packed, just add water…

Caring for container plants

Sometimes, when you are taking care of your container plants, you might see a white or yellowish build up around the edges of the pot, or even on the soil itself. Many people wonder what this is, and want to either repot the plant entirely, or sadly, think that there is something wrong with the plant and just stop trying. The cause of this build up is actually very easy to explain, and easy to remove to be able to keep your plants healthy and looking great.

So You Want A Career in Agriculture

Everyone is waiting to see what the wheat crop will hold. Summer crops are pretty well planted until double-cropping. The area has been receiving fairly significant rain and overall temperatures, while a little cool for corn and sorghum, are great for wheat grain development. Let's take the opportunity to shift gears from crops to our most important agricultural resource – people. Specifically, let's take a look at the people out in the fields and feedlots ...

Patent issued for beneficial animal ‘candy’

A U.S. patent has been granted to a Kansas State University-developed "candy" that stimulates the growth, health and reproductive functions of cattle, bulls and other livestock.

4-H Wheat Plot Tours

As May turns into June, thoughts turn to the wheat crop. Anywhere you drive in Barton County, the wheat fields are waving in the wind. To me, this is a major reminder of how beautiful our great state is, and one of my favorite things to do in the spring and summer is watching the wheat grow and develop. But how well is our wheat doing? Come join us on June 6th at 6 p.m. for a 4-H wheat plot tour to hear more.

Rain and Summer Crops

As of noon this past Thursday, The GMD 5 (Groundwater Management District) weather station west of Great Bend reported 2.48 inches of precipitation for the preceding 24 hour period. The highest amount for that period from their weather stations was 4.12 inches for the Stafford site with Macksville at 3.8 inches and Radium at 2.77 inches. No, this doesn't end the drought for areas receiving this rain but it certainly eases its effects.

Seek shade, not sun

The next time you take a few minutes out of the sun, dust off one of those old family albums. You know the ones that date back to the '20s, '30s, '40s and even late '50s.