Wintertime when farmers are not in the field is the time to have some timely and informative meetings for agriculture producers. Myself and my coworker Alicia Boor have put together several upcoming programs in February and March. 

An Irrigated Corn Production program will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 7, from 11 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Registration and refreshments at 10:30 a.m. Topics and speakers: Irrigation Tools – How to Make More Crop per Drop by Jonathan Aguilar, Extension Specialist Water Resources; Fertility Placement, Rates & Efficacy by Lucas Haag, NW Area Agronomist; and Corn Insect Resistance to GMO Traits – what to do? Anthony Zukoff, Extension Entomologist. It will be held at American Ag Credit, 5634 10th Street, Great Bend. RSVP for the meal count by Monday, Feb. 5. Email Theresa tam3@ksu.edu or call 785-628-9430. 

The next week, a Tackling Challenging Weeds program will be conducted on Monday, Feb. 12th in the mid-afternoon, the program will be for 2 to 2.5 hours long. Topics and speakers are still being finalized. A supper will conclude the program. More details to come soon.  

The following day in Great Bend an Alfalfa School is scheduled for Feb. 13th beginning with registration at 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Great Bend Recreation Center’s Burnside Room, 1214 Stone St. The event is free to Kansas Forage & Grassland Council members, $45, payable at the door for non-members. This cost warrants meeting participation plus membership to KSFGC. RSVP by Wednesday, Feb. 7th; call 620-793-1910 or email aboor@ksu.edu For further information on topics and speakers refer to Alicia’s news column this week.  

A White-Tail Deer Biology Management program will be held in both Barton & Ellis counties, Feb. 20th beginning at 6 p.m. Kansas Wetlands Education Center, 592 NE K-156, Great Bend. Topics and speakers at both programs: White-Tailed Deer Biology, Space Use, Cover Requirements, Nutritional Requirements, Managing Deer Habitat, Supplemental Feeding and Managing White-Tailed Deer Populations. RSVP for meal in Great Bend by February 16, call 620-793-1910

The White-Tailed Deer Biology Management program in Ellis County will be on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 6:30 p.m. at the Hays Agricultural Research Center Auditorium, 1232 240th Avenue. No RSVP necessary; all interested people are invited to attend. 

Rounding out our winter programs is a state-wide series of three Farm and Ranch Transition Conferences. We are fortunate enough to be hosting one on March 7, Great Bend Convention Center, 3111 10th St. Registration opens and visit vendors 8-9 a.m. Keynote at 9 a.m., the program ends at 3 p.m. Topics and speakers: Keynote Presentation – Shannon Ferrell, Professor and Agricultural Law Specialist, Oklahoma State University. CRP-TIP Program – Farm Service Agency, Resources Available from K-State, Accountants in Transition Planning, Attorneys in Transition Planning. To register and see the full schedule www.agmanager.info/events by March 1st. 

Join Kansas State University Department of Agricultural Economics’ for a conference to help prepare for the transition to the next generation. This conference is for any farm family in any stage of planning for a transition.  If you have any questions contact us at one of the Cottonwood Extension District Offices. 

Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Cottonwood Extension District. Email him at scampbel@ksu.edu or call the Hays office, 785-628-9430.