“spring has sprung” 2016 ext news.pdfmaster gardener 3 starting a small food business 4 welcome...
TRANSCRIPT
“Spring has Sprung”
Shawnee County Extension Master
Gardeners’ Plant Sale
Saturday, May 7 from 9:00 AM to Noon
1740 SW Western Avenue
(behind the Expocentre just north of the livestock barn)
S pring has sprung and it’s once
again time to shop until you
drop! The Master Gardeners have
been working feverishly since early
January planting seeds and
transplanting seedlings making
ready for their 8th annual Master
Gardener Plant Sale Extravaganza!
Check out the new sale hours!
The sale has been well received in
the community and we look
forward to another bumper
attendance! Annuals, perennials
(straight from Master Gardeners’
gardens), vegetables, and herbs and houseplants are all on the sale bill. The proceeds go
toward educational programs and materials to teach and train the public. Come early.
The plants go quickly! See a listing of plants and sale prices at www.shawnee.ksu.edu.
(Click on Lawn and Garden.)
Baskets for Mother’s Day
12” hanging baskets and 14” Patio Pots of Flowers
There are many hanging baskets and 14” patio pots of flowers to
choose from including Prairie Star Annuals, plants proven to thrive
here in Kansas.
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
Spring Has Sprung 1
Tractor Safety Training
for Youth
2
A Mild Winter’s Downside 2
Alfalfa Weevils 2
Controlling Nuisance
Moles
3
Starting Tomatoes Early 3
Master Gardener
Response Line is Open
3
Starting a Small Food
Business
4
Welcome Brenda Jarboe! 5
Strawberry Spinach Salad 5
Make a Plan for Meal
Time
6
Walk Kansas 6
Green Fair 6
Career Exploration Day 7
2016 Summer 4-H Camp 7
Calendars 8
April
2016
Shawnee County
Extension Office
1740 SW Western Avenue
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785 232-0062
Fax: 785-232-0093
Email: [email protected]
Watch for plants that
attract Monarchs!
P A G E 2
Leroy W. Russell
County Extension
Agent
Tractor Safety Training for Youth June 7 - 8, Wamego 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Youth ages 14 or 15 years must
have completed a Tractor Safety
Course to work for anyone other
than a parent or legal guardian.
Registration is being accepted
now for the next class being
offered June 7 -8 at KanEquip in
Wamego. Each day begins at
9:00 am and concludes at 4:00 pm.
Youth 16 years of age and older are welcome to attend
to improve their safety skills. Cost is $30 per person to
cover materials and meals/snacks. RSVP by June 1st to
785-232-0062.
A Mild Winter’s Downside
It has been an unusually mild winter in Shawnee
County this year. We have not had to fight a lot of snow
or cold in the Topeka area. The vehicles that sit out
have been easy to start. Livestock people have not had
to cut ice much or worry about animals getting too cold,
and crop producers have been able to start early getting
ready for planting season.
Freezing weather typically kills off some insects,
whereas in a mild winter, the insects are free to be
fruitful and multiply. Mosquitoes, fleas and ticks have
been reported being out in early March this year in our
area. Does this mean that by early summer we could
have large numbers of insects? Only time will tell.
During March plants
have started growing
early due to the warmer
than usual temperatures.
Pastures are greening up,
trees are blooming,
alfalfa fields are
growing, and wheat has
come out of dormancy.
This could create some problems for crop producers if
we get a late frost. If the wheat and alfalfa are growing
too early or farmers start planting soybeans and corn
early, a late cold spell could cause a lot of damage to
these crops affecting yield and profitability.
The average last frost in the Topeka area is April 21
with as late as May 4. April will tell if we will have
problems with the growing season for 2016. Please be
cautious of planting too early and watch out for extra
insect pests.
Alfalfa Weevils Alfalfa weevil larvae were first detected in north central
Kansas on March 3rd. Saline and Geary County
reported finding small
larvae and pinprick-sized
holes. So, ready or not,
alfalfa weevil larvae are
here, and I would bet, many
more will be hatching in
the next few days to weeks.
Alfalfa weevils will continue to hatch and larvae
continue to develop any time temperatures exceed 48°F
– and those temperatures have been much more
common over the last few weeks than usual.
Thus, it looks like larvae will be emerging, and damage
progressing, relatively quickly. Whether this warm
weather will compress the alfalfa weevil larval feeding
so that the damage is not as stretched out as usual
remains to be seen.
There are also many lady beetles present in the alfalfa
fields we have checked, as well as a few pea aphids.
Treatment thresholds we use for alfalfa weevil
insecticide applications are 30-50% infestation, i.e. 1
larva/2-3 stems.
For more information on alfalfa weevils, please visit:
http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/mf2999.pdf
Agriculture
P A G E 3
Horticulture Jamie Kidd
County Extension Agent
Controlling Nuisance Moles
Numerous home remedies have been concocted to con-
trol moles including chewing gum, noisemakers, broken
glass, bleaches, windmills, and human hair. None have
been found to provide consistent and reliable control.
Poison baits also fail to work because moles feed on
earthworms and grubs, not vegetable matter. Even grub
control products are usually ineffective as most do not
control earthworms, and earthworms are the primary
food source for moles. The best control method is the
use of traps.
There are three types of traps (harpoon, choker, and
scissor-jawed) and
each can be
effective but may
take some time to
master. Try the
following sugges-
tions:
Moles use some tunnels more than others. Use a
broomstick or something similar to poke holes in a
number of runs. Check a day later to see which runs
have been “repaired.” These are the active runs and
should be used for trap placement. Place a trap in an
active run by excavating soil, placing the trap and then
replacing loose soil. Secure the trap so that the recoil
will not lift the trap out of the ground. Make sure the
triggering mechanism is in the center of the run. Finally,
push down two more holes, one on each side of the trap.
Moles should be caught when they try to repair the
tunnel. Move traps if no moles are caught within three
days. KSU Publications: MF-2803 Watering Established Lawns
MF-2067 Low Water Use Plants
C-701 Controlling Nuisance Moles
These publications are available at our office or online
at http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu. Type the title in
the search box at the top of the page.
Starting Tomatoes Early
If you would like to have your tomato plants produce
earlier in the year, there are certain things to keep in
mind. Most people who try to get a jump on the season
set their tomatoes out early and hope they do well.
However, that is often not a good plan, as tomatoes
have to have certain requirements before they will grow
well. Those requirements are an acceptable soil temper-
ature for root growth and an acceptable air temperature
for both plant growth and fruit set.
Root Growth: Tomatoes need a soil temperature of at
least 55 degrees to do well. Plastic mulch is most com-
monly used to warm the soil. Several days may be need-
ed to raise the soil temperature. Check the soil tempera-
ture 2.5 inches deep in the soil at about 11:00 a.m. If
that is not possible, check the temperature before leav-
ing for work and again when your return and use the
average of the two.
Air Temperature: Plants must be protected from frost.
Hot caps or water teepees are placed over the young
plants to provide protection as well as a higher average
temperature to encourage growth. Eventually the plants
will outgrow the cover and start to develop flowers. But
if the temperature goes below 55 degrees at night, toma-
to flowers may not set. The plant is not hurt, but the
blossom will not set fruit, or, if it does set fruit, the fruit
is often misshapen.
Master Gardener
Response Line is Open
9:00 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
weekdays
April through October
785-232-0062
For answers to your lawn, garden
and insect questions. Walk-in
questions are welcome also!
P A G E 4
Cindy M. Evans
County Extension
Director
County Extension Director
Starting a Small Food Business
June 21st
Glacier’s Edge Winery 1636 SE 85th Street, Wakarusa
8:00 am—4:30 pm
Launching a successful food business is more than the
perfect recipe. This one-day workshop hosted by
K-State Research & Extension — Shawnee County and
CoreFirst Bank & Trust is packed with information
entrepreneurs need to develop a food product from
concept to consumer.
Learn about:
*product development assistance from the Value
Added Center at Kansas State University;
*rules and regulations for vendors selling food at a
Farmer’s Market;
*requirements for setting up a licensed kitchen and the
alternative use of an incubator kitchen;
*labor laws and your work force;
*resources from the Kansas Department of Agriculture
related to marketing and grants;
*assistance from the Washburn Small Business
Center to develop a business plan;
*From the Land of Kansas trademark program; and
* lessons learned by local entrepreneurs.
Download a detailed agenda and workshop objectives at
www.shawnee.ksu.edu or pick up a printed brochure at
Shawnee County Extension, 1740 SW Western.
Register by June 10th for only $25.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Name ________________________________
Mailing Address ________________________
City_________________ Zip ____________
Phone ________________________________
Email ________________________________
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Registration (includes lunch and breaks)
____$25 if received by June 10th
____$40 if received from June 11- June 17th
Checks payable to: Shawnee County Extension
Council. We do not accept credit cards.
Return registrations to: Shawnee County
Extension, 1740 SW Western, Topeka, KS 66604.
Learn from local entrepreneurs of
business challenges and opportunities.
Mike & Lisa Steinert
Bill & Angie Anderson
Rex & Shannon Rees
P A G E 5
Lisa Martin
County Extension
Agent
Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program
Welcome Brenda Jarboe!
Brenda Jarboe has joined the Shawnee County
Extension staff as a SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator/
Community Garden Network Coordinator.
Her position is funded by Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), sponsored
by the USDA through a contract with the Department
for Children and Families (DCF). SNAP-Ed is
implemented by Kansas State Research and Extension
(KSRE) with programming in 80+ counties through the
efforts of County Extension Agents and their assistants.
SNAP-Ed is a nutrition education program provided at
no cost to Kansas families with limited resources. Our
goal is to provide nutrition education to individuals and
families who receive food assistance or who are
eligible to receive food assistance.
Brenda will provide cooking classes and food
preservation programs, and will assist with
implementing community gardens. The gardens may be
run by low-income clients or by agencies or
organizations who will donate produce to food banks or
emergency centers.
Brenda will also coordinate the community garden
network to match gardeners with garden space, train
garden managers and volunteers, and disseminate
resources and grant opportunities. She will target areas
of Shawnee County that have limited access to fresh
produce such as Central and East Topeka.
Brenda will also serve on the Healthy Eating
Workgroup of Heartland Healthy Neighborhood
Coalitions to collaborate with local community
agencies and organizations that share a common
concern for the welfare of limited resource Kansans.
To date, Shawnee County Extension has provided
community garden training to churches, neighborhood
improvement associations, Department of Corrections,
Shawnee County Health Agency, and community
centers.
Hands-on Community Garden Training will be offered
on May 11 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm at
the Hi-Crest community garden
located behind the Southern Hills
Mennonite Church at 511 SE 37th
St, Topeka.
If you are interested in learning
more about community gardens, contact Brenda at
785-232-0062, ext. 113 or [email protected].
Strawberry Spinach Salad
6 ounce pkg. spinach leaves (or about 2 bunches)
1 pint strawberries (about 2 cups sliced)
Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon minced onions
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup cider vinegar
Directions:
1. Wash spinach leaves and strawberries in clear water
and drain well.
2. Remove stems from spinach leaves, tear into
bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.
3. Remove stems, slice strawberries and add to
spinach. Cover and chill until serving time.
4. In a blender or food processor, combine sugar,
seeds, onions, Worcestershire Sauce and paprika.
5. With blender running, add oil and vinegar to
combine ingredients. Chill.
6. Toss spinach and strawberries with about half the
dressing, reserving the rest for another recipe.
Shawnee County Community Garden Network
P A G E 6
Susan Fangman
Family & Consumer
Sciences Agent
Family & Consumer Sciences
Make a Plan for Meal Time
Over the course of the past
several years I have been asked
many times in one form or
another, “How can I feed my
family a nutritious, budget-
friendly meal that can be put on
the table quickly?” Over the
next few months I will be giving
you a few research-based ideas that have worked for
me to get dinner on the table in a short amount of time.
This month’s focus is on making a plan. For me, this is
the most important, but hardest step. Do a quick search
on the Internet to find an image of a weekly menu
planning guide that works for you. This will be a form
where you can write down what you plan to eat for
every meal each day of the week. As you are planning,
don’t forget to ask for input from the other people in
your household. My kids are more apt to eat what I
have planned if they are involved in at least a small
part of the process. Also, I think it is important to allow
yourself some flexibility. If Tuesday night’s dinner
plan involves a lot of preparation time, and you end up
working late, it is okay to have something you planned
for another night.
Use these tips along with your weekly menu planning
guide to make a menu in minutes.
Plan your menu around food items you already
have on hand, especially perishable foods in your
refrigerator. This will make your grocery budget
go farther and help you to use products before they
spoil.
Have the local store circulars available when you
are planning. Take advantage of sale products that
you and your family enjoy and use often.
Choose a variety of meals that include family
favorites, budget stretchers, and quick-fix meals.
Plan to use your left-overs. Sometimes, we have
left-over night at our house. I take everything out
of the refrigerator that needs eaten and set up a
buffet of sorts. It can be an unusual assortment, but
nothing gets wasted, and we leave the table full
and nourished.
Plan to make a large batch of one or two main
dishes to use later in the week, or to put in the
freezer for an up-coming busy week.
Make your grocery list as you plan your menu.
Keep your menus for future use.
Planning a menu will help you to avoid wasting food
and money. It will also save you time. No more trying
to decide what you will eat each night. No more
running to the grocery store to pick up last minute
items.
Sources: Dining On a Dime Eating Better for Less,
K-State Research and Extension and Food Sense, Utah
State University Extension
Please stop by the office or call if you would like more
meal planning tools or information. I am also providing
programming on topics related to meal planning and
cooking on a budget. Let me know if you would like
me to speak to your group.
Walk Kansas gets underway April 3rd! It is not too late
to get signed up. We will be taking registrations until
April 8th (but would prefer them before the 3rd). You
can find all of the needed forms on our website,
www.shawnee.ksu.edu or stop by the office for a
packet.
Green Fair
I will be at the Topeka and
Shawnee County Public Library
Green Fair on Saturday April
16th from 1-4. Stop by to say
“Hi” and pick up some
information on food preservation.
P A G E 7
Candis Meerpohl
County Extension
Agent
4-H Youth Development
Career Exploration Day
10 4-H youth took a day of their spring break to learn
about careers available in Shawnee County. Career
Exploration is an important part of planning for higher
education and life after high school.
Shawnee County 4-H was hosted by the Shawnee
County Sheriff’s Office, Capitol Federal Bank, Hy-Vee
and Kansas Rehabilitation Hospital. Youth received
tours and talks as local professionals revealed to them
how they got into their careers.
Many professionals stressed the importance of
shadowing careers they are interested in and putting an
emphasis on their math and science classes now.
The pharmacist at Hy-Vee, who is a former 4-H’er, also
stressed the importance of the 4-H record book. She
said that her 4-H record book got her many college
scholarships as well as helped her get into pharmacy
school.
The youth who participated deemed the day a success.
They also gave feedback about careers they would like
to learn about in the future. Career Exploration Day will
be offered again during Spring Break in 2017.
2016 Summer 4-H Camp
Registration is now open for 2016 Rock Springs 4-H
Camp June 4th-7th! Our theme for camp this year is
#4HFUNGROWSHERE following the National 4-H
campaign of #4HGROWSHERE.
Shawnee County camps with the Oz-Some camp group
that also includes: Saline County, Ottawa County,
Sedgwick County, McPherson County, Rice County,
Marion County and Leavenworth County. Our camp
group offers two different options for camp. Youth who
have completed 1st and 2nd grade prior to camp can
enroll in Rookie Camp. Rookie Camp is two days and
one night.
Youth having completed 3rd-7th grade prior to camp
can register for full-time camp that is four days and
three nights. Full-time campers are provided
transportation to and from camp from Shawnee County
Extension office. Rookie campers ride the bus one-way
to camp and parents have to provide the other half of
the transportation.
New this year we will have two sessions of Rookie
Camp! Rookies can select their preference of June
4th-5th or 6th-7th.
Campers register for camp online using
CampDoc. The link to the registration site is
on the 4-H page of the Extension website
under current events. www.shawnee.ksu.edu
Camper registration is due May 2nd. Youth
having completed 8th grade through 12th
grade can get a camp counselor application
on the website or at the Extension Office.
Counselor applications are due April 22nd.
Counselor interviews will be April 25th and 26th.
Camp prices are as follows:
Full-Time Camp: $198
Rookie Camp: $100
Camp Counselor: $107
Our group got to
sit in the Capitol
Federal Board
room while we
learned about the
duties of a Board
of Trustees.
Seth gets the view from
the driver’s seat of a
Sheriff’s vehicle.
P A G E 8
MARCH 2016
March 31 Spring Lawn Care, 7:00 p.m., TSCPL
APRIL 2016 April 3 Walk Kansas Starts April 4 Horticulture Response Line Opens, 9:00 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 to 4 p.m. April 5 Executive Board Mtg., 5:30 p.m., EMR April 6 4-H in the Library, 4 to 5:00 p.m., TSCPL April 14 “What Should I Plant in Kansas?” 7:00 p.m., TSCPL April 16 Green Fair, 1 to 4 p.m., TSCPL April 19 “From Farm To You,” Expocentre April 21 “Planting for Curb Appeal,” 7:00 p.m., TSCPL April 23 Earth Day at the Zoo April 26 Fair Board Assoc. Meeting, 7:00 p.m., EMR April 28 “Grandma’s Tomatoes,” 7:00 p.m., TSCPL
MAY 2016
May 1 Sheep/Swine/Goat/Bucket Calf Weigh-In, 2-4 p.m., location Blythe Farm May 7 Master Gardener’s Annual Plant Sale May 7 & 8 Spring Livestock Show, KS Expocentre May 5 4-H in the Library, 4-5 p.m., TSCPL May 10 Executive Board Mtg., 5:30 p.m., EMR May 12 “Community Gardens,” 7:00 p.m., TSCPL May 24 Fair Board Assoc. Meeting, May 25 PQA Training, 5:30 p.m., EMR May 26 “All About Trees,” 7:00 p.m., TSCPL May 27 PQA Training, 5:30 p.m., EMR May 28 Last Day of Walk Kansas May 30 Office Closed for Memorial Day Holiday May 31 to June 3 4-H Discovery Days at K-State
Extension Agents Cindy Evans, Director Susan Fangman, Family and Consumer Sciences Jamie Kidd, Horticulture Candis Meerpohl, 4-H Youth Development Lisa Martin, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program Leroy Russell, Agriculture & Natural Resources
Extension Staff Connie DeHart, Master Gardener/SPIN Club Coordinator Joanne Domme, Office Professional, Agriculture and Horticulture Marc Galbraith, Horticulture Program Assistant Brooke Gray, 4-H Program Assistant Brenda Jarboe, SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator/Community Garden Network Coordinator Janice Jones, EFNEP Nutrition Assistant Margarita Munoz, EFNEP Nutrition Assistant Kim Seeley, Office Professional, 4-H Youth Development Kendra Stover, EFNEP Nutrition Assistant Tracy Tugman, EFNEP Nutrition Assistant Pam Weaver, Office Professional, Administration and Family and Consumer Sciences
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. K-State Research and Extension is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision or hearing disability, or a dietary restriction, please contact our office at 785-232-0062.
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