Dr. Victor L. Martin

As this is written, Barton and the surrounding counties missed the rain chances forecast over the weekend. The droughty conditions were made worse by well above normal temperatures and strong winds that further stressed the wheat crop and depleted the precious little moisture received the previous seven days. In spite of this, the majority of wheat in the area would still be rated overall fair to good. However, conditions need to improve soon to salvage an average wheat crop.

New tax benefits for American families

April means that Tax Day is just around the corner. For those folks who are working – or scrambling – to meet the deadline, you should know that you have until April 18th this year. But even if you have already filed, you might be wondering how last the bipartisan tax cut compromise reached last December affects you and your family.

Henbit can be mowed until next fall

By Rodney Wallace Pawnee County K-State Research & Extension LARNED - It will not be long before the plants with the little purple flowers start to make themselves known in home lawns and the plants are called henbit. If you are not really sure this is what you have, check the stems. If they are square rather than round, you have henbit. Though henbit actually comes up in the fall, most of us do not ...

Lacrosse producer appointed to Cattlemen’s Beef Board

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently appointed Kansas beef producer Brittany Howell of LaCrosse to a three-year term on the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board, which oversees administration of the national Beef Checkoff Program.

Spring alfalfa concerns

With the price of feed grains and quality hay, alfalfa producers have the opportunity to generate substantial income, especially in the spring when forage stockpiles are low, before warm-season pastures are ready for grazing, or summer annual forages are planted.

From the heartland to the world

Only once in a blue moon do Kansas farm and ranch families have an opportunity to tell their story to people half way around the world. That was the case March 23-24 when a Dutch (public broadcasting company in the Netherlands) television crew traveled to Smith and Sheridan counties to portray life on the farm in rural Kansas.

Winter 2011 - what happened?

Now that spring is finally here, it is time to assess what may have happened, what it means, and make plans for the coming crop year. Conditions in the area were not helpful in planting and establishing winter wheat. While the weather contributed to a rapid, timely harvest of fall crops, dry conditions led to uneven wheat stands, overall poor fall growth, and in many cases delayed wheat emergence and tillering. Wheat was further stressed ...

Farm Bureau President's Conference

Jerry Morgenstern and his wife recently attended the Farm Bureau President's Conference in Washington D.C.. The Morgensterns learned that Barton County Farm Bureau has an outstanding reputation of fulfilling the Mission Statement of Farm Bureau and meeting the goals of the County Association among leaders not only on the State level but through out the Nation.

It’s twister time

May 4, 2007, will be a day many Kansans always remember. On that fateful day the town of Greensburg, in Kiowa County, was all but wiped off the face of the earth.

Proposed consolidation of State Conservation Districts discussed

Governor Sam Brownback has proposed to consolidate the State Conservation Commission into the Kansas Department of Agriculture, creating the Division of Conservation using his authority under an Executive Reorganization Order.

Fire remains vital management tool

Every spring, this ritual continues. Viewed up close or at a distance, prairie fires are riveting. Across the vast, open grasslands we call the Flint Hills, fires can be seen for miles. The flames lick at the blue Kansas sky as the brown, dry grass crinkles, cracks and bursts into orange.

Ag appreciation

2011 Forestry Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI) Cutoff Announced

State Conservationist Eric B. Banks for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced the cutoff date of April 8, for the multi-state forestry Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI).

Troy Schroeder, Albert, wins KWF President’s Award

The Kansas Wildlife Federation (KWF) proudly announces winners of the 2010 Conservation Achievement Program Awards. KWF recently honored thirteen recipients at a reception and banquet in their honor in Great Bend on February 26.

Ricks Ag-Roundup

BACKYARD BIRDING Okay, I have to admit, I am not a big time birder. What I mean is – I am not an expert when it comes to knowing bird species nor their biology and habits. I like birds when they aren't damaging crops or gardens. I enjoy their songs and sounds and enjoy watching their habits. They bring beauty and charm to the environment. They also benefit by eating troublesome insect pest at times. ...

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.