As fall is swiftly approaching, the Cottonwood Extension District and K-State Research and Extension are planning some programs for the second half of September. If you have any questions about any of these programs, you can contact me at the Barton County office by calling 620-793-1910, or email me at aboor@ksu.edu.
Disaster Preparedness for Home, Family and Furry Friends
When the tornado sirens sound, are you confident that you are prepared to face a storm? Or if your house is on fire, are you prepared to evacuate? Would you be prepared to not only survive the damage, but also ease the process of recovery?
Plan to attend the free program “Disaster Preparedness for Home, Family and Furry Friends” led by Linda Beech and myself, Cottonwood District agents. Call to register for the location of your choice: Thursday, Sept. 14 - noon, Extension Office, Hays, 785-628-9430; and Tuesday, Sept. 27 - noon, Great Bend Recreation Commission Activity Center, Great Bend, 620-793-1910
Many of us have taken some steps to protect our home and families from emergencies. But do you have a plan for your pets? And what about your financial emergency preparedness – would you have the records and documents needed to recover your losses if your home was damaged or destroyed?
Disasters are unpredictable and devastating to lives and property. Instead of just hoping to avoid a disaster, it is important to put some time and attention into preparing for the possibility. In case of emergency, you’ll be glad you planed ahead. Attend this program and learn more!
Fall Horticulture Night in Hays
The annual fall Horticulture Night will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 19. This is an open invitation to the public to attend various presentations in the gardens at the K-State Agricultural Research Center in Hays. Daylight in the autumn evenings is short so presentations will be brief.
This is the 20th and last year for the Prairie Star bedding plant trials at K-State and the Hays Research Center due to budget limits. From those years, 1,877 varieties have been trialed at the Hays site with only 421 selected as worthy of being on the Prairie Star List. The Prairie Star List only includes flower varieties available on the market and that perform well throughout Kansas.
A segment of how to collect a representative soil sample for the garden will be presented by Augustine Obour, KSU Ag Research Center soils scientist. He will also discuss the interpretation of test results and soil amendments. Holly Dickman, the new water conservationist for the City of Hays will comment on the program regarding water-smart landscaping.
The Ellis County master gardeners, Pat Phillips and Terry Pfeifer will report preliminary harvest results of the performance vegetable trials. There will be sampling tables. This is the first year for the Backyard Demonstration Garden. Ellis County Master Gardener, Mary Lou Mastin, will share the experience of establishing and maintaining a sustainable garden.
Bring along your friends and neighbors! Property and homeowners are encouraged to attend. Questions about flowers, vegetable gardening and soil tests will be addressed but it is not limited to these topics. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. with the program starting at 6 p.m. The Research Center is located south of Hays at 1232 240th Avenue. For more information phone 785-625-3425 or check Facebook or Twitter.
Alicia Boor is the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Barton County K-state Research and Extension. Contact her by email at aboor@ksu.edu or call 620-793-1910.
