Protect the prairie

By John Schlageck, Kansas Farm Bureau Like the grass, wind, tumbleweeds, tornadoes and drought, prairie dogs have long been a part of the northwestern Kansas landscape. At the same time, farmers and stockmen have lived and thrived in this short-grass environment for more than a century. In the early 1900s, the first landowners and settlers broke out some of the native, short-grass prairie to grow crops. Many introduced livestock into this region to eat the ...

The Greatest Innovation?

In any area, people continually discuss (argue?) over the best or greatest. We trot out statistics and arguments, call on experts for their opinions, poll the public and spend a great deal of time in the debate. There are yearly, decade, century, and as 2000 approached even millennial lists. Examining our everyday lives, the media has and continues to debate what inventions and innovations have had the greatest effect on our everyday lives. The agricultural ...

4-H members honored for accomplishments

Barton County 4-H members were honored for their accomplishments at the 77th annual 4-H Achievement Celebration. The theme was "Blue Jeans and Country Dreams". Gracie Brantley, 4-H Council President served as the emcee. Drew Reisner, 4-H Council Vice President led the members in the Flag Salute and 4-H Pledge.

Precipitation and People

Curiously on one of the Wichita TV stations after the most recent precipitation, the weatherman spent time regarding the drought and if the drought was over. Most of us while very grateful for the moisture know we are still in a severe drought, especially when you consider that even after the last event many areas are still five or more inches behind normal compared to the long-term yearly average as of this date. So what exactly did we gain with this moisture?

Remember pennies?

By John Schlageck, Kansas Farm Bureau Until recently, I would often stop by the corner convenience store after work to treat my sweet tooth. From the time I was four-years-old and walked barefoot down to Vern Wagner's little general store, I've always been forced to satisfy my craving for chocolate. Today, I wind up plunking down a buck plus tax for my favorite candy – either Reese's peanut butter cups or their mouthwatering chocolate sticks. ...

Remember pennies?

Until recently, I would often stop by the corner convenience store after work to treat my sweet tooth. From the time I was four-years-old and walked barefoot down to Vern Wagner's little general store, I've always been forced to satisfy my craving for chocolate.

Of precipitation and people

Curiously on one of the Wichita TV stations after the most recent precipitation, the weatherman spent time regarding the drought and if the drought was over. Most of us while very grateful for the moisture know we are still in a severe drought, especially when you consider that even after the last event many areas are still five or more inches behind normal compared to the long-term yearly average as of this date. So what exactly did we gain with this moisture?

Problems, Opportunities, and Challenges

Dr. Victor L. Martin One of the classes many students in the Agricultural Program at Barton take is titled, "Agriculture In Society." The purpose of this course is to explore not only the effects our agriculture heritage has had on the development of our country but how the country as a whole interacts with and views the industry and culture of agriculture today. This necessarily involves some history and background, from hunter-gatherers to today's modern ...

The future will be what it will be

Regardless of the location across Kansas, this fall has served up ideal harvest conditions. Many producers report they are ahead of schedule with the 2011 harvest. Seldom are the temperatures this mild, the humidity this low and the weather this dry during this time of year.

K-State researcher to present information on CRP

MANHATTAN – The Conservation Reserve Program will be the topic of a presentation by a Kansas State University agricultural economics researcher for the department of geography colloquium series.

Doing a lot with a little

This last Tuesday Barton Community College held the 8th Annual Jack Kilby Science Day (JKSD). Most everyone in the area is familiar with who Jack Kilby was and his huge contribution to our modern society and its reliance on computer technology. You likely have read about the JKSD in this paper. "Hands-on" topics ranged from Forecasting Severe Weather, Music, Physics and Technology, and Physics Magic to Crime Scene Analysis, Internet and World Wide Web history ...

Ag producers recognized

Once again it is that time of year to recognize agriculture producers that have done an outstanding job of conserving our natural resource. Producers are recognized thru the Kansas Bankers Awards. This program is sponsored by the Kansas Bankers Association. This year there are six categories that awards will be considered: Energy Conservation; Water Quality; Water Conservation; Soil Conservation; Windbreaks and Wildlife Habitat

Hunger in Kansas: Statewide programs make a difference

Each spring and early summer in Kansas, fields of golden wheat stretch their friendly wave to passers-by, providing stunning evidence of the state's historical supremacy in wheat production and research.

Wheat, weather, and winter

Normally by now, it wouldn't be unusual for area producers to be getting ready to turn out cattle on wheat and rye pasture, especially south of here and under irrigation. Wheat is behind where we would like it to be for the third week of October. Wheat is just emerging, or has emerged and is slowly starting to develop. Normally producers wouldn't be too happy but this isn't a "normal" year. When you consider ...

Fly your fanny flag high

By John Schlageck, Kansas Farm Bureau Kansas farmers have access to a safety tool that should always be used. The slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem can save lives and machinery. A slow-moving vehicle emblem (fanny flag) is designed for one reason to notify the public that the vehicle motorists are approaching is not traveling more than 25 miles-per-hour, says Holly Higgins, Kansas Farm Bureau safety director. That in turn allows them to slow down and proceed ...

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.