By DALE YOUNKER Natural Resources Conservation Service One of the biggest concerns I hear about cover crops in dryland cropping systems is that they use moisture that is needed for the next cash crop. I will concede that cover crops use moisture, just like any living, growing green plant. But do they use any more moisture than what is typically lost during the fallow period anyway.

Research from USDA-ARS Great Plains Research Centers and Kansas State University Research and Extension show that only about 25% of the moisture received during a fallow period is captured and stored in the soil. This varies depending on the type and amount of tillage done, weather conditions, soil type and so on. The rest is lost through runoff, evaporation, transpiration from weeds and deep percolation below the root zone. Based on those losses, a field that receives 20 inches of moisture during the fallow period will only gain about 5 inches of soil moisture for the next cash crop and 15 inches is just lost. 

The question then becomes, can we grow a cover crop on the moisture we are losing anyway to help decrease evaporation, improve infiltration rates, increase water holding capacity and provide other soil health benefits? I believe that we can If the cover crop mix is properly designed, and planted and terminated timely

Millets are a good base for summer cover crop mixes planted into wheat stubble. These low water use, shallow rooted species grow and mature quickly once they are established. Because of the small seed size, they need be planted no more than about an inch deep. With the small seed size a few pounds go a long way in the mix, so they are very economical to use. 

Adding a pound or two deep rooted species like radishes or sunflower will help break compaction layers that most cropped fields have. A legume, like sunn hemp, could also be added if allowed to grow long enough to fix nitrogen. 

I prefer to plant these mixes as soon after harvest as soon as possible if there is enough soil moisture to get the seeds to geminate and come up. If not, the planting can be delayed up to mid-August. Most of these mixes are designed to die after a hard freeze but if conditions become dry, or if a large flush of volunteer wheat comes up, the cover crop should be terminated earlier to limit its moisture use.

I like planting cover crops in the fall, behind grain sorghum and corn if they can be planted prior to November 1st. Winter cereal grains like wheat, triticale, rye and barley provide a good base for these mixes. Adding a pound or two of turnips and radishes will help break up compaction layers. A legume, like winter peas, or a vetch, could be added to help fix some nitrogen. 

After November 1st I would delay the planting until early spring and use oats as the base of the mix. If growing conditions are favorable, and the field is going to wheat the next fall, I would delay termination of these mixes to about the early heading stage. If another fall crop is going to be planted that spring, or If conditions become dry, you may want to terminate earlier.

Consider the economics when incorporating cover crops into you cropping system and figure your all your costs and returns. It takes money to establish a cover crop, but that cost may be offset with less spray and/or tillage passes during the fallow period. Other economic gains can be made by potentially grazing the cover crop and increased weed suppression.

We have several producers in western Kansas successfully incorporating cover crops in their fallow cropping systems. As a rule, their cash crop yields haven’t decreased and some years they have seen dramatic increases. The key to their success is paying attention to detail, using the right cover crop mix, and planting and terminating in a timely manner based on the weather and field conditions.

For more information about this or other soil health practices you can contact me at dale.younker@ks.usda.gov or any local NRCS office.

Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Jetmore.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628525048992.jpeg" alt="Dale Younker&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dale Younker&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By DALE YOUNKER Natural Resources Conservation Service One of the biggest concerns I hear about cover crops in dryland cropping systems is that they use moisture that is needed for the next cash crop. I will concede that cover crops use moisture, just like any living, growing green plant. But do they use any more moisture than what is typically lost during the fallow period anyway.Research from USDA-ARS Great Plains Research Centers and Kansas State University Research and Extension show that only about 25% of the moisture received during a fallow period is captured and stored in the soil. This varies depending on the type and amount of tillage done, weather conditions, soil type and so on. The rest is lost through runoff, evaporation, transpiration from weeds and deep percolation below the root zone. Based on those losses, a field that receives 20 inches of moisture during the fallow period will only gain about 5 inches of soil moisture for the next cash crop and 15 inches is just lost. The question then becomes, can we grow a cover crop on the moisture we are losing anyway to help decrease evaporation, improve infiltration rates, increase water holding capacity and provide other soil health benefits? I believe that we can If the cover crop mix is properly designed, and planted and terminated timelyMillets are a good base for summer cover crop mixes planted into wheat stubble. These low water use, shallow rooted species grow and mature quickly once they are established. Because of the small seed size, they need be planted no more than about an inch deep. With the small seed size a few pounds go a long way in the mix, so they are very economical to use. Adding a pound or two deep rooted species like radishes or sunflower will help break compaction layers that most cropped fields have. A legume, like sunn hemp, could also be added if allowed to grow long enough to fix nitrogen. I prefer to plant these mixes as soon after harvest as soon as possible if there is enough soil moisture to get the seeds to geminate and come up. If not, the planting can be delayed up to mid-August. Most of these mixes are designed to die after a hard freeze but if conditions become dry, or if a large flush of volunteer wheat comes up, the cover crop should be terminated earlier to limit its moisture use.I like planting cover crops in the fall, behind grain sorghum and corn if they can be planted prior to November 1st. Winter cereal grains like wheat, triticale, rye and barley provide a good base for these mixes. Adding a pound or two of turnips and radishes will help break up compaction layers. A legume, like winter peas, or a vetch, could be added to help fix some nitrogen. After November 1st I would delay the planting until early spring and use oats as the base of the mix. If growing conditions are favorable, and the field is going to wheat the next fall, I would delay termination of these mixes to about the early heading stage. If another fall crop is going to be planted that spring, or If conditions become dry, you may want to terminate earlier.Consider the economics when incorporating cover crops into you cropping system and figure your all your costs and returns. It takes money to establish a cover crop, but that cost may be offset with less spray and/or tillage passes during the fallow period. Other economic gains can be made by potentially grazing the cover crop and increased weed suppression.We have several producers in western Kansas successfully incorporating cover crops in their fallow cropping systems. As a rule, their cash crop yields haven’t decreased and some years they have seen dramatic increases. The key to their success is paying attention to detail, using the right cover crop mix, and planting and terminating in a timely manner based on the weather and field conditions.For more information about this or other soil health practices you can contact me at dale.younker@ks.usda.gov or any local NRCS office.Dale Younker is a soil health specialist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Jetmore.

YOUNKER: Cover crops in dryland cropping systems

By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension District

University of Nebraska Extension educators and weed specialists want to make the agriculture industry aware of recent developments regarding the herbicide Roundup™.

While variations on the Roundup name have been used for a variety of different herbicides marketed by Bayer (formerly Monsanto), this article discusses only the Roundup formulations that contain glyphosate as their active ingredient. 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), in its glyphosate interim registration review, published in January 2020, found “that there are no risks to human health from the current registered uses of glyphosate and that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” In 2021, the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/food/system/files/2021-06/pesticides_aas_agg_report_202106.pdf">European Union’s (EU) Assessment Group on Glyphosate</a> (AGG) determined that when used according to label directions, “a classification of glyphosate with regard to carcinogenicity is not justified.”

Other regulatory agencies have come to similar conclusions, indicating that when used properly and according to directions, <a href="https://geneticliteracyproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/GlyphosateInfographic_GLP.pdf">glyphosate poses little risk to human health</a>.

Over the past several years, however, glyphosate has been the subject of much litigation after the International Agency for Research on Cancer found it to be “probably carcinogenic to humans” in a hazard assessment that did not consider real-world exposure levels.

Bayer has recently announced steps it plans to take in an effort to put Roundup litigation behind it:

· Petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court in August to review Hardeman v. Monsanto, in which the plaintiff was awarded monetary damages after alleging Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. If the court were to grant review, it would likely render a final verdict sometime in 2022.

· Plans to replace its glyphosate products in the lawn and garden market with products containing alternative active ingredients. According to Bayer, “This move is being made exclusively to manage litigation risk and not because of any safety concerns.” The company expects this process to begin in 2023. Glyphosate formulations for the professional and agricultural sectors will remain available. This means that while Bayer will stop selling glyphosate products at the average box store, the chemistry will still be available to farmers and trained professionals.

As a crop protection tool, glyphosate is invaluable. To continue the safe and effective use of Roundup products in the market, Bayer plans to hold discussions with US EPA regarding labels to assist consumers in making informed decisions when purchasing and applying Roundup products. The company will also set up a new website with scientific studies regarding Roundup and its safety. Bayer is exploring a scientific advisory composed of scientific experts that are not affiliated with Bayer to review scientific information on safety regarding Roundup.

Bayer provides an announcement regarding this situation at the links listed below. 

· Bayer Provides Update on Path to Closure of Roundup™ Litigation <a href="https://www.media.bayer.com/baynews/baynews.nsf/id/Bayer-Provides-Update-on-Path-to-Closure-of-Roundup-Litigation">https://www.media.bayer.com/baynews/baynews.nsf/id/Bayer-Provides-Update-on-Path-to-Closure-of-Roundup-Litigation </a> · Five-Point Plan to Close the Roundup™ Litigation - <a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/roundup-litigation-five-point-plan">https://www.bayer.com/en/roundup-litigation-five-point-plan</a>

(Information provided by Jennifer Weisbrod and Greg Puckett, Assistant Extension Educators and Amit Jhala, Extension Weed Management Specialist with University of Nebraska – Lincoln.)

Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or calling 785-628-9430.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593022262288.png" alt="(Courtesy photo)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By STACY CAMPBELL Cottonwood Extension DistrictUniversity of Nebraska Extension educators and weed specialists want to make the agriculture industry aware of recent developments regarding the herbicide Roundup™. While variations on the Roundup name have been used for a variety of different herbicides marketed by Bayer (formerly Monsanto), this article discusses only the Roundup formulations that contain glyphosate as their active ingredient. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), in its glyphosate interim registration review, published in January 2020, found “that there are no risks to human health from the current registered uses of glyphosate and that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” In 2021, the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/food/system/files/2021-06/pesticides_aas_agg_report_202106.pdf">European Union’s (EU) Assessment Group on Glyphosate</a> (AGG) determined that when used according to label directions, “a classification of glyphosate with regard to carcinogenicity is not justified.”Other regulatory agencies have come to similar conclusions, indicating that when used properly and according to directions, <a href="https://geneticliteracyproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/GlyphosateInfographic_GLP.pdf">glyphosate poses little risk to human health</a>.Over the past several years, however, glyphosate has been the subject of much litigation after the International Agency for Research on Cancer found it to be “probably carcinogenic to humans” in a hazard assessment that did not consider real-world exposure levels.Bayer has recently announced steps it plans to take in an effort to put Roundup litigation behind it:· Petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court in August to review Hardeman v. Monsanto, in which the plaintiff was awarded monetary damages after alleging Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. If the court were to grant review, it would likely render a final verdict sometime in 2022.· Plans to replace its glyphosate products in the lawn and garden market with products containing alternative active ingredients. According to Bayer, “This move is being made exclusively to manage litigation risk and not because of any safety concerns.” The company expects this process to begin in 2023. Glyphosate formulations for the professional and agricultural sectors will remain available. This means that while Bayer will stop selling glyphosate products at the average box store, the chemistry will still be available to farmers and trained professionals.As a crop protection tool, glyphosate is invaluable. To continue the safe and effective use of Roundup products in the market, Bayer plans to hold discussions with US EPA regarding labels to assist consumers in making informed decisions when purchasing and applying Roundup products. The company will also set up a new website with scientific studies regarding Roundup and its safety. Bayer is exploring a scientific advisory composed of scientific experts that are not affiliated with Bayer to review scientific information on safety regarding Roundup.Bayer provides an announcement regarding this situation at the links listed below. · Bayer Provides Update on Path to Closure of Roundup™ Litigation <a href="https://www.media.bayer.com/baynews/baynews.nsf/id/Bayer-Provides-Update-on-Path-to-Closure-of-Roundup-Litigation">https://www.media.bayer.com/baynews/baynews.nsf/id/Bayer-Provides-Update-on-Path-to-Closure-of-Roundup-Litigation </a> · Five-Point Plan to Close the Roundup™ Litigation - <a href="https://www.bayer.com/en/roundup-litigation-five-point-plan">https://www.bayer.com/en/roundup-litigation-five-point-plan</a>(Information provided by Jennifer Weisbrod and Greg Puckett, Assistant Extension Educators and Amit Jhala, Extension Weed Management Specialist with University of Nebraska – Lincoln.)Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District (which includes Barton and Ellis counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at scampbel@ksu.edu or calling 785-628-9430.

CAMPBELL: Update on Roundup brand herbicides

By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University&nbsp;

“Built to last.” That’s a phrase we often use to describe something built with the careful craftsmanship and solid materials of yesteryear – something that stands the test of time, like a solid old school building from decades ago.&nbsp;

Today we’ll learn about a group of volunteers who have taken such a building and repurposed it for their community’s modern use. Thanks to K-State’s Dr. Steve Smethers for this story idea.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jack Donaldson is one of the founders of the community center in Kincaid. Jack grew up in the nearby community of Selma where he went to grade school. He went on to high school at Kincaid and married Ann who also attended Kincaid before the high school closed in 1967. At that time, it was converted to a junior high school which then closed in 2005.&nbsp;

Jack had a career in the trucking and construction industries. Then he and Ann opened a bed and breakfast in Moran. In 2016, they retired back to Kincaid.&nbsp;

After the school closed, the building had been purchased by a couple from Utah. They were unable to do anything with it and donated it back to the city.&nbsp;

The mayor approached Jack about the building, which remains city-owned. “It was built as a WPA project back in the ‘30s,” Jack said. “It was very sturdy, built to last.”&nbsp;&nbsp;For example, he said, “instead of 2 x 6 floor joists, it had full 2 x 16 floor joists.”&nbsp;

As president of the high school alumni association, Jack checked with alumni. They gathered the donations needed to pay back taxes and create a museum in the old school building. A volunteer board of directors was created to raise operating funds.&nbsp;

Today the Kincaid Community Center serves as the site of the city library, senior citizen nutrition center and community museum.

“A lady named Jennifer Gum-Fowler took over the library in what had been the school library upstairs, and that’s now part of the southeast Kansas library system,” Jack said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The large science and biology classroom has been converted to the museum for Kincaid, housing lots of artifacts from the community.

“We have most of the annual yearbooks,” Jack said.&nbsp;

Artifacts donated for display include a 1936 baby buggy, a treadle sewing machine, quilts, old-time items such as feed sack dresses, a collection of fair books dating to 1909 and much more. Ann spent many days repainting rooms in the old building.&nbsp;

A smaller classroom has been converted into a museum for the even smaller rural communities in the region, including Selma, Bush City, and Lone Elm – population 25 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

The old ag classroom and shop is now an exercise room, complete with exercise bikes and other equipment.

“The ag teacher had taken lots of pictures of his students’ projects,” Jack said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Those are now posted on the walls around the room. “There are probably more than 650 pictures.”&nbsp;

Meeting space is available for rent to the public. The former school kitchen is available for caterers.

“We get some money from the township, but otherwise the museum has to support itself through donations and rentals,” Ann said.

“People are good about donating,” Ann said. “Everybody pulls together.”&nbsp;

“The city clerk will open the museum to the public when notified,” Ann said.

“A lot of people have helped to do this,” Jack said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, search for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Kincaid-High-School-Community-Center-622691321690651">Kincaid High School Community Center </a>on Facebook.&nbsp;

Built to last. That’s how Jack Donaldson described the structure of the old Kincaid High School building. Now he and others have helped convert that structure to a community center that serves the needs of the community today. We commend Jack and Ann Donaldson and the many other donors and volunteers who support the museum. They are making a difference that lasts.&nbsp;

And there’s more. Remember the collection of fair books dating back to 1909? Those fair books were from the free fair that’s been held in Kincaid for more than a century. We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141281633.png" alt="Ron Wilson " />
 <figcaption>Ron Wilson </figcaption>
 </figure>By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University&nbsp;“Built to last.” That’s a phrase we often use to describe something built with the careful craftsmanship and solid materials of yesteryear – something that stands the test of time, like a solid old school building from decades ago.&nbsp;Today we’ll learn about a group of volunteers who have taken such a building and repurposed it for their community’s modern use. Thanks to K-State’s Dr. Steve Smethers for this story idea.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jack Donaldson is one of the founders of the community center in Kincaid. Jack grew up in the nearby community of Selma where he went to grade school. He went on to high school at Kincaid and married Ann who also attended Kincaid before the high school closed in 1967. At that time, it was converted to a junior high school which then closed in 2005.&nbsp;Jack had a career in the trucking and construction industries. Then he and Ann opened a bed and breakfast in Moran. In 2016, they retired back to Kincaid.&nbsp;After the school closed, the building had been purchased by a couple from Utah. They were unable to do anything with it and donated it back to the city.&nbsp;The mayor approached Jack about the building, which remains city-owned. “It was built as a WPA project back in the ‘30s,” Jack said. “It was very sturdy, built to last.”&nbsp;&nbsp;For example, he said, “instead of 2 x 6 floor joists, it had full 2 x 16 floor joists.”&nbsp;As president of the high school alumni association, Jack checked with alumni. They gathered the donations needed to pay back taxes and create a museum in the old school building. A volunteer board of directors was created to raise operating funds.&nbsp;Today the Kincaid Community Center serves as the site of the city library, senior citizen nutrition center and community museum.“A lady named Jennifer Gum-Fowler took over the library in what had been the school library upstairs, and that’s now part of the southeast Kansas library system,” Jack said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The large science and biology classroom has been converted to the museum for Kincaid, housing lots of artifacts from the community.“We have most of the annual yearbooks,” Jack said.&nbsp;Artifacts donated for display include a 1936 baby buggy, a treadle sewing machine, quilts, old-time items such as feed sack dresses, a collection of fair books dating to 1909 and much more. Ann spent many days repainting rooms in the old building.&nbsp;A smaller classroom has been converted into a museum for the even smaller rural communities in the region, including Selma, Bush City, and Lone Elm – population 25 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;The old ag classroom and shop is now an exercise room, complete with exercise bikes and other equipment.“The ag teacher had taken lots of pictures of his students’ projects,” Jack said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Those are now posted on the walls around the room. “There are probably more than 650 pictures.”&nbsp;Meeting space is available for rent to the public. The former school kitchen is available for caterers.“We get some money from the township, but otherwise the museum has to support itself through donations and rentals,” Ann said.Several ladies clubs help raise money.“People are good about donating,” Ann said. “Everybody pulls together.”&nbsp;The museum is open by appointment.“The city clerk will open the museum to the public when notified,” Ann said.“A lot of people have helped to do this,” Jack said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information, search for the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Kincaid-High-School-Community-Center-622691321690651">Kincaid High School Community Center </a>on Facebook.&nbsp;Built to last. That’s how Jack Donaldson described the structure of the old Kincaid High School building. Now he and others have helped convert that structure to a community center that serves the needs of the community today. We commend Jack and Ann Donaldson and the many other donors and volunteers who support the museum. They are making a difference that lasts.&nbsp;And there’s more. Remember the collection of fair books dating back to 1909? Those fair books were from the free fair that’s been held in Kincaid for more than a century. We’ll learn about that next week.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Jack and Ann Donaldson, Kincaid Community Center 

It is rare these days to find a political message cutting across the usual red-blue partisan divide--but I saw one this weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;Looking out at me from the back of a pickup truck was a small bumper sticker, featuring an image of a Native American in full headdress, looking stoic and sad.&nbsp;&nbsp;The message read, “Trust the Government.”&nbsp;&nbsp;I took the message as sarcastic, telling us “the Government” is not trustworthy due to this country’s sad history of mistreating Native American peoples.&nbsp;&nbsp;The message is a little different from others we hear these days.&nbsp;&nbsp;More often we hear someone condemning critical race theory and vaccines together.&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead, this one relies on our country’s tough history regarding race as a reason to distrust all things related to government. This is an interesting twist, but still terrible advice.&nbsp;&nbsp;In fact, Native Americans need to get vaccinated for COVID right away.

A new report from the Brookings Institution shows the cost of non-vaccination.&nbsp;&nbsp;Titled “American Indians and Alaska Natives are dying of COVID-19 at shocking rates,”&nbsp;the report points out that among Native Americans, more of the deaths are among the young than among other races.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet many celebrated elders have died too.&nbsp;&nbsp;These statistics are often hidden because in many states, the American Indian-Alaskan Native population is replaced with an asterisk due to its small size.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brookings researchers dug out the terrible truth: of all ethnicities, the first Americans are&nbsp;the&nbsp;hardest-hit by COVID deaths, as a percentage of population.

&nbsp;The Brookings paper notes many states in which the Native American COVID deaths are much higher than those of whites as a percentage of population-- ten times higher in New Mexico, for example.&nbsp;&nbsp;The news is better in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;A September 23 article in the&nbsp;Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;concluded that Native American vaccination rates in Kansas are about the same as for the population as a whole.&nbsp;&nbsp;Still, author Andrew Bahl found that this population has a “traditional mistrust of government,” and that bureaucratic red tape makes vaccination more complicated.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is exactly why conspiracy theories about “the government” miss the mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ours is a complex, overlapping system of federal, state, and local authority, plus for-profit and nonprofit entities working on government contracts, and so on and so forth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What we have here is not&nbsp;the&nbsp;government at all, but&nbsp;governments--and their interrelationships sure can make things complicated.

From the Bureau of Indian Affairs to state and local authorities, not enough is being done to address this crisis, and the problem appears worse in other states than it is here.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet as Bahl noted, American Indians--for very good reason--are still very distrustful of anything related to government, and may refuse vaccination for this reason.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet today’s U.S. Center for Disease Control, state, and local public health authorities have little to do with this country’s horrible history regarding Native Americans.&nbsp;&nbsp;To refuse vaccination or promulgate conspiracy theories that say otherwise is to cause more preventable deaths.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We must face our country’s history honestly, but today, the culpability of our governments for Native Americans’ COVID deaths are happening because we are doing too little, not too much.&nbsp;

Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576785940426.png" alt="Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University." />
 <figcaption>Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>It is rare these days to find a political message cutting across the usual red-blue partisan divide--but I saw one this weekend.&nbsp;&nbsp;Looking out at me from the back of a pickup truck was a small bumper sticker, featuring an image of a Native American in full headdress, looking stoic and sad.&nbsp;&nbsp;The message read, “Trust the Government.”&nbsp;&nbsp;I took the message as sarcastic, telling us “the Government” is not trustworthy due to this country’s sad history of mistreating Native American peoples.&nbsp;&nbsp;The message is a little different from others we hear these days.&nbsp;&nbsp;More often we hear someone condemning critical race theory and vaccines together.&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead, this one relies on our country’s tough history regarding race as a reason to distrust all things related to government. This is an interesting twist, but still terrible advice.&nbsp;&nbsp;In fact, Native Americans need to get vaccinated for COVID right away.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A new report from the Brookings Institution shows the cost of non-vaccination.&nbsp;&nbsp;Titled “American Indians and Alaska Natives are dying of COVID-19 at shocking rates,”&nbsp;the report points out that among Native Americans, more of the deaths are among the young than among other races.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet many celebrated elders have died too.&nbsp;&nbsp;These statistics are often hidden because in many states, the American Indian-Alaskan Native population is replaced with an asterisk due to its small size.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brookings researchers dug out the terrible truth: of all ethnicities, the first Americans are&nbsp;the&nbsp;hardest-hit by COVID deaths, as a percentage of population.&nbsp;The Brookings paper notes many states in which the Native American COVID deaths are much higher than those of whites as a percentage of population-- ten times higher in New Mexico, for example.&nbsp;&nbsp;The news is better in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;A September 23 article in the&nbsp;Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;concluded that Native American vaccination rates in Kansas are about the same as for the population as a whole.&nbsp;&nbsp;Still, author Andrew Bahl found that this population has a “traditional mistrust of government,” and that bureaucratic red tape makes vaccination more complicated.&nbsp;&nbsp;This is exactly why conspiracy theories about “the government” miss the mark.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ours is a complex, overlapping system of federal, state, and local authority, plus for-profit and nonprofit entities working on government contracts, and so on and so forth.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What we have here is not&nbsp;the&nbsp;government at all, but&nbsp;governments--and their interrelationships sure can make things complicated.From the Bureau of Indian Affairs to state and local authorities, not enough is being done to address this crisis, and the problem appears worse in other states than it is here.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet as Bahl noted, American Indians--for very good reason--are still very distrustful of anything related to government, and may refuse vaccination for this reason.&nbsp;&nbsp;Yet today’s U.S. Center for Disease Control, state, and local public health authorities have little to do with this country’s horrible history regarding Native Americans.&nbsp;&nbsp;To refuse vaccination or promulgate conspiracy theories that say otherwise is to cause more preventable deaths.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We must face our country’s history honestly, but today, the culpability of our governments for Native Americans’ COVID deaths are happening because we are doing too little, not too much.&nbsp;Michael Smith is a professor at Emporia State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Vaccine hesitancy among Native Americans deadly

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher Happy National Cooperatives Month! As a cooperative communicator, October is full of educating people about and emphasizing the benefits of cooperative membership. Last year at this time, I wrote in this column about the history and value of cooperatives. To recap, we are fortunate to have robust, mature, and stabile cooperatives build on the foresight of our ancestors. During my recent travels to the Baltics with Kansas Farm Bureau’s Casten Fellows Program, building my cooperative knowledge was one of several highlights. A little context is important here. The Baltic countries all have relatively “young” farms started from scratch with a history of less than three decades because they were only liberated from the USSR in the early 1990s. That liberation came with the collapse of their existing system of agriculture, supply chain as the USSR utilized collective farms where the state mandated regions specialize in a few pieces of the system. In the Baltics the freedom to own land, farm independently and conduct free-market business has been tempered by the challenges of lack of infrastructure and capital, and inexperienced farmers and landowners. It should not have been surprising but my jaw dropped the first time a farmer shared that they were the proud member of a 2-year-old grain cooperative with 30 members. The farmer was also excited to share they were one of 10 farms starting a beef cattle cooperative. Even small cooperatives in Kansas have seven or eight decades of history and dozens to hundreds of members. I was primed with all kind of questions when we arrived at our first cooperative. It was the closest opportunity I would get to travel back in time and question my organization’s founders. I was not disappointed as both the general manager and chair of the board, who was also one of the founders, were both there to meet with our group. There were many similarities with us, like sourcing seed and fertilizer for members, grain storage and constantly exploring opportunities to add value for members. We also saw farmers having coffee, confirming that is a universal ritual of cooperatives. We all laughed when the chair told us we could not leave without discussing crop yields and land prices as he couldn’t return empty-handed to his neighbors. In contrast, we observed how being new altered their business. The cooperative had rented a barge and took on risk for grain until it reached northern Africa. It was exploring processing grain for domestic demand that was not being met. We were also reminded that their farmers had real skin in the game because they didn’t have past sales to build equity and capital. Their farmers had to buy-in with a membership fee assessed on how much ground they farmed. One of my most important take-aways for the trip came from this visit. I was curious about how they market the idea of cooperative membership to get people to buy-in. The chair’s response was a bit shocking. He said it was easy to sell the cooperative but they don’t really actively seek new members. He went on to say they could sign-up new members who would benefit from the cooperative but not be a good fit for the community. Their core group of members are neighbors who want to work together, not just for their own profitability but for the community. They are a small committed group. They work together, socialize together and grow together. Having that community mindset is more important than any other benefit when seeking or evaluating new members. Farmers in the Baltics reminded me that cooperatives are all about community. They are a community of people who act, risk their resources, and do things that benefit themselves and their neighbors, children and the industry. That mindset of working toward a common good and investing in the community not for shellfish gain sometimes feels absent in our lives here. As we celebrate Cooperatives Month, I challenge us all move away from the complacency that comes with our well-established roles in the community. Maybe taking new eyes to your community will help you to see needs and find ways to build something new or at least supporting something for the greater good.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher Happy National Cooperatives Month! As a cooperative communicator, October is full of educating people about and emphasizing the benefits of cooperative membership. Last year at this time, I wrote in this column about the history and value of cooperatives. To recap, we are fortunate to have robust, mature, and stabile cooperatives build on the foresight of our ancestors. During my recent travels to the Baltics with Kansas Farm Bureau’s Casten Fellows Program, building my cooperative knowledge was one of several highlights. A little context is important here. The Baltic countries all have relatively “young” farms started from scratch with a history of less than three decades because they were only liberated from the USSR in the early 1990s. That liberation came with the collapse of their existing system of agriculture, supply chain as the USSR utilized collective farms where the state mandated regions specialize in a few pieces of the system. In the Baltics the freedom to own land, farm independently and conduct free-market business has been tempered by the challenges of lack of infrastructure and capital, and inexperienced farmers and landowners. It should not have been surprising but my jaw dropped the first time a farmer shared that they were the proud member of a 2-year-old grain cooperative with 30 members. The farmer was also excited to share they were one of 10 farms starting a beef cattle cooperative. Even small cooperatives in Kansas have seven or eight decades of history and dozens to hundreds of members. I was primed with all kind of questions when we arrived at our first cooperative. It was the closest opportunity I would get to travel back in time and question my organization’s founders. I was not disappointed as both the general manager and chair of the board, who was also one of the founders, were both there to meet with our group. There were many similarities with us, like sourcing seed and fertilizer for members, grain storage and constantly exploring opportunities to add value for members. We also saw farmers having coffee, confirming that is a universal ritual of cooperatives. We all laughed when the chair told us we could not leave without discussing crop yields and land prices as he couldn’t return empty-handed to his neighbors. In contrast, we observed how being new altered their business. The cooperative had rented a barge and took on risk for grain until it reached northern Africa. It was exploring processing grain for domestic demand that was not being met. We were also reminded that their farmers had real skin in the game because they didn’t have past sales to build equity and capital. Their farmers had to buy-in with a membership fee assessed on how much ground they farmed. One of my most important take-aways for the trip came from this visit. I was curious about how they market the idea of cooperative membership to get people to buy-in. The chair’s response was a bit shocking. He said it was easy to sell the cooperative but they don’t really actively seek new members. He went on to say they could sign-up new members who would benefit from the cooperative but not be a good fit for the community. Their core group of members are neighbors who want to work together, not just for their own profitability but for the community. They are a small committed group. They work together, socialize together and grow together. Having that community mindset is more important than any other benefit when seeking or evaluating new members. Farmers in the Baltics reminded me that cooperatives are all about community. They are a community of people who act, risk their resources, and do things that benefit themselves and their neighbors, children and the industry. That mindset of working toward a common good and investing in the community not for shellfish gain sometimes feels absent in our lives here. As we celebrate Cooperatives Month, I challenge us all move away from the complacency that comes with our well-established roles in the community. Maybe taking new eyes to your community will help you to see needs and find ways to build something new or at least supporting something for the greater good."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Cooperative communities

I have been intrigued for several years with Ethan Lang, a junior majoring in finance. From his freshman year forward, I have heard parts of his story of entrepreneurialism and strong work ethic. Ethan was introduced as an ambassador of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship at the fall RCOBE Awards Ceremony, where he received several scholarships. So I reached out to Ethan to let him know how impressed I have been with his accomplishments and to learn a little more about him.

I was first introduced to Ethan weeks before he began his freshman year as a resident of the Dane G. Hansen Scholarship Hall. At the time, I was involved in conversations around the programming for Hansen Hall, a living and learning community that creates opportunities for residents to travel, compete, win awards, learn from successful entrepreneurs, and develop skills to advance their careers. It was then I learned a new freshman, Ethan Lang, was managing an investment account and had started a popular blog to share information with his peers. I couldn’t wait for this young man to move in and make an impact at FHSU. That is exactly what he has been doing ever since.

Ethan grew up in Hays and chose to continue his education at FHSU because of our outstanding financial planning program – a concentration within the finance major. He was particularly excited to take classes such as retirement planning, insurance planning, and estate planning.

Ethan shared with me that he became interested in personal finance and investing early in high school when his dad opened an investment account for 15-year-old Ethan.&nbsp;

“I started investing in stocks and tried to learn everything I could, and I definitely made mistakes along the way,” Ethan said. “I ended up buying a course about day trading and thought I was going to 'get rich quick'. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, and I'd be retired in my late 20s, sitting on a beach. To say the least, I was widely wrong. I made money on the first few trades, but my luck ran out. I lost over 40 percent of my portfolio in a day on a call option.”

Ethan explained that at the time, his portfolio was $500, so that loss was $200.

“But it was devastating to me, and I knew something had to change,” he explained. “I went back to square one and started educating myself, and this time, the right way. I consumed all of the information I could. I read books, watched YouTube videos, and listened to podcasts about personal finance and investing, trying to learn the right way of doing things. And you know what? I started to figure it out.”

Ethan soon started a blog and an Instagram page to share what he was learning.

“I didn't want anyone to go through what I did, falling into these 'get-rich-quick' schemes,” he said. “I decided to make it a business and call it, ‘Making Cents of Finance.’ To my surprise, people actually loved it.”

Ethan shared with me that his definition of entrepreneurship means helping and bringing value to others.

“I’m going to open up my own financial planning firm in Hays upon graduation, and of course, I’ll charge for my services,” he said. “But I’ll always focus on providing more value to the person on the other side of that table, even if they don’t decide to work with me.”

Last year, Ethan placed first at the Faulkner Challenge, an annual business pitch competition. He won $6,000 which he invested back into his business. Given his passion to share knowledge, part of that money funded the Young Wealth Podcast, where Ethan interviews guests who built wealth at a young age, so Ethan – as well as his listeners – can learn from them.

Ethan’s Instagram account has over 240,000 followers. Along with his Young Wealth Podcast, he manages other platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. All platforms share the goal of educating the next generation about personal finance.

Ethan is a member of the 2021 financial planning team. Recently, the team made the Elite Eight in the National Financial Planning Challenge and finished third overall. By the way, this is the 13th time in 14 years of competition that we have had one of the top teams in the country.

Ethan is also president of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) and is helping create an entrepreneurship club at FHSU to further help more aspiring entrepreneurs. He is a member of the Tiger track and cross country teams, where he is an MIAA league champion, an NCAA Division II All-American, and a three-time school record holder.

Our students inspire me every day. I am encouraged by their caring hearts for helping others, their thirst for knowledge, and their dreams for building a better world. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>I have been intrigued for several years with Ethan Lang, a junior majoring in finance. From his freshman year forward, I have heard parts of his story of entrepreneurialism and strong work ethic. Ethan was introduced as an ambassador of the Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship at the fall RCOBE Awards Ceremony, where he received several scholarships. So I reached out to Ethan to let him know how impressed I have been with his accomplishments and to learn a little more about him.I was first introduced to Ethan weeks before he began his freshman year as a resident of the Dane G. Hansen Scholarship Hall. At the time, I was involved in conversations around the programming for Hansen Hall, a living and learning community that creates opportunities for residents to travel, compete, win awards, learn from successful entrepreneurs, and develop skills to advance their careers. It was then I learned a new freshman, Ethan Lang, was managing an investment account and had started a popular blog to share information with his peers. I couldn’t wait for this young man to move in and make an impact at FHSU. That is exactly what he has been doing ever since.Ethan grew up in Hays and chose to continue his education at FHSU because of our outstanding financial planning program – a concentration within the finance major. He was particularly excited to take classes such as retirement planning, insurance planning, and estate planning.Ethan shared with me that he became interested in personal finance and investing early in high school when his dad opened an investment account for 15-year-old Ethan.&nbsp;“I started investing in stocks and tried to learn everything I could, and I definitely made mistakes along the way,” Ethan said. “I ended up buying a course about day trading and thought I was going to 'get rich quick'. I thought I was smarter than everyone else, and I'd be retired in my late 20s, sitting on a beach. To say the least, I was widely wrong. I made money on the first few trades, but my luck ran out. I lost over 40 percent of my portfolio in a day on a call option.”Ethan explained that at the time, his portfolio was $500, so that loss was $200.“But it was devastating to me, and I knew something had to change,” he explained. “I went back to square one and started educating myself, and this time, the right way. I consumed all of the information I could. I read books, watched YouTube videos, and listened to podcasts about personal finance and investing, trying to learn the right way of doing things. And you know what? I started to figure it out.”Ethan soon started a blog and an Instagram page to share what he was learning.“I didn't want anyone to go through what I did, falling into these 'get-rich-quick' schemes,” he said. “I decided to make it a business and call it, ‘Making Cents of Finance.’ To my surprise, people actually loved it.”Ethan shared with me that his definition of entrepreneurship means helping and bringing value to others.“I’m going to open up my own financial planning firm in Hays upon graduation, and of course, I’ll charge for my services,” he said. “But I’ll always focus on providing more value to the person on the other side of that table, even if they don’t decide to work with me.”Last year, Ethan placed first at the Faulkner Challenge, an annual business pitch competition. He won $6,000 which he invested back into his business. Given his passion to share knowledge, part of that money funded the Young Wealth Podcast, where Ethan interviews guests who built wealth at a young age, so Ethan – as well as his listeners – can learn from them.Ethan’s Instagram account has over 240,000 followers. Along with his Young Wealth Podcast, he manages other platforms such as TikTok and YouTube. All platforms share the goal of educating the next generation about personal finance.Ethan is a member of the 2021 financial planning team. Recently, the team made the Elite Eight in the National Financial Planning Challenge and finished third overall. By the way, this is the 13th time in 14 years of competition that we have had one of the top teams in the country.Ethan is also president of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization (CEO) and is helping create an entrepreneurship club at FHSU to further help more aspiring entrepreneurs. He is a member of the Tiger track and cross country teams, where he is an MIAA league champion, an NCAA Division II All-American, and a three-time school record holder.Our students inspire me every day. I am encouraged by their caring hearts for helping others, their thirst for knowledge, and their dreams for building a better world. &nbsp;

MASON: Lang investing in his future at Fort Hays State

Every living thing has an internal clock of some sort that helps regulate its life. It’s what tells butterflies and birds when to migrate and sea turtles when to lumber ashore to lay their eggs. My internal clock is very reliable as it relates to getting me up in the morning. I have an alarm clock by my bed like most everyone does, but I rarely have to use it. It seems I can just decide in my mind when I want to awaken and when that time rolls around, I awaken. We put our two little dogs to bed about ten PM every night and they also get a treat then. Their internal clock often tells them when it’s time for a snack, as they begin to stir and whine about that time every night, and you can nearly set your watch by it.

Wildlife has different worries in life which are all about survival, like when to begin growing their heavy winter coats or when to begin breeding to sustain their species. All studies and research say that those things are dictated by the amount of daylight in a day, technically known as photo-period. So as the days get shorter and thus the amount of daylight becomes less, it triggers changes in wildlife.

In deer, shortening days and reduced amount of daylight triggers the breeding season known to us as “the rut.” I spoke with now retired Big Game Coordinator for the state of Kansas, Lloyd Fox who explained to me how increased amount of darkness each day causes increased production of certain hormones in a deer’s body and thus the bodies of both male and female deer prepare for the breeding season. He also pointed out that moon signs and other factors may bring about increased deer activity and changes of behavior, but it is all ultimately controlled by the length of days (photo-period.) As a side note here, have you ever wondered why deer and all wildlife for that matter have their young in the spring and not fall, early winter or even year-round like some domestic livestock? God has programmed their bodies to react the way they do so all wildlife young are born in spring when everything in nature gives them the absolute best chance of survival.

Furbearers are also affected by decreased amount of daylight. Matt Peek, Furbearer Biologist for the state of Kansas explained to me how the photo period dictates when a fur bearer’s pelt becomes “prime.” Fur bearing animals grow an extra-thick, heavy coat to protect them from winter blasts, and when that coat is at its absolute fullest and best for fur harvesting it is called “prime.” Decreasing amounts of daylight initiates that growth. It could be sixty-five degrees clear into December, but the animals’ fur still grows and becomes prime in anticipation of the cold, no matter when it comes, so that the critters are prepared. Fur from different parts of the country varies vastly in quality, as fur from Idaho for example will always be thicker and more luxurious than fur from Florida. But no matter where a fur bearing animal lives, their fur still becomes prime and the timing of that is dictated by the amount of daylight.

I hate the bi-annual time changes; I wish we would just choose one or the other (I really don’t care which one) and then just leave it alone! But this spring as I was scurrying around resetting the clocks on the microwave, etc. and knowing full well I’ll have to do it again come fall, I stopped for a moment and considered how the wild critters clocks just kinda’ reset themselves thanks to the wisdom of our Creator. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Every living thing has an internal clock of some sort that helps regulate its life. It’s what tells butterflies and birds when to migrate and sea turtles when to lumber ashore to lay their eggs. My internal clock is very reliable as it relates to getting me up in the morning. I have an alarm clock by my bed like most everyone does, but I rarely have to use it. It seems I can just decide in my mind when I want to awaken and when that time rolls around, I awaken. We put our two little dogs to bed about ten PM every night and they also get a treat then. Their internal clock often tells them when it’s time for a snack, as they begin to stir and whine about that time every night, and you can nearly set your watch by it.Wildlife has different worries in life which are all about survival, like when to begin growing their heavy winter coats or when to begin breeding to sustain their species. All studies and research say that those things are dictated by the amount of daylight in a day, technically known as photo-period. So as the days get shorter and thus the amount of daylight becomes less, it triggers changes in wildlife.In deer, shortening days and reduced amount of daylight triggers the breeding season known to us as “the rut.” I spoke with now retired Big Game Coordinator for the state of Kansas, Lloyd Fox who explained to me how increased amount of darkness each day causes increased production of certain hormones in a deer’s body and thus the bodies of both male and female deer prepare for the breeding season. He also pointed out that moon signs and other factors may bring about increased deer activity and changes of behavior, but it is all ultimately controlled by the length of days (photo-period.) As a side note here, have you ever wondered why deer and all wildlife for that matter have their young in the spring and not fall, early winter or even year-round like some domestic livestock? God has programmed their bodies to react the way they do so all wildlife young are born in spring when everything in nature gives them the absolute best chance of survival.Furbearers are also affected by decreased amount of daylight. Matt Peek, Furbearer Biologist for the state of Kansas explained to me how the photo period dictates when a fur bearer’s pelt becomes “prime.” Fur bearing animals grow an extra-thick, heavy coat to protect them from winter blasts, and when that coat is at its absolute fullest and best for fur harvesting it is called “prime.” Decreasing amounts of daylight initiates that growth. It could be sixty-five degrees clear into December, but the animals’ fur still grows and becomes prime in anticipation of the cold, no matter when it comes, so that the critters are prepared. Fur from different parts of the country varies vastly in quality, as fur from Idaho for example will always be thicker and more luxurious than fur from Florida. But no matter where a fur bearing animal lives, their fur still becomes prime and the timing of that is dictated by the amount of daylight.I hate the bi-annual time changes; I wish we would just choose one or the other (I really don’t care which one) and then just leave it alone! But this spring as I was scurrying around resetting the clocks on the microwave, etc. and knowing full well I’ll have to do it again come fall, I stopped for a moment and considered how the wild critters clocks just kinda’ reset themselves thanks to the wisdom of our Creator. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Does length of the day cause your body to obey?

Over the years I’ve written this column, my wife has tried numerous times to get me to fan-out into genres other than the outdoors, but I’ve pretty much a stickler for staying with what I know and do best. However, I love to write about my observations at the state fair, although it has, well, uh, absolutely nothing to do with the outdoors other than much of it sits outside.

I'm the oldest of five kids and we were all in 4-H until they kicked us out. We had a flock of registered sheep, and for numerous years I showed those sheep at several county fairs and at the Ohio State Fair. At the State Fair I stayed in a room above the sheep barn which was close enough to the midway that there was absolutely no sleeping until midnight when the midway rides shut down and the crowds went home. A popular draw was the dunk tank featuring Bobo the Clown. Now Bobo had a way of taunting kids without being belligerent or racist that would cause a kid to stand there and pitch softballs at a pie-sized target on that dunk tank until they had spent their life savings, their college fund plus their parents 401(k). I will take to my grave the haunting sound of Bobo’s voice as it echoed through the dark, humid nights proclaiming “Bobo, high and dry!”

Jeff Foxworthy has said that if you want to see a family more dysfunctional than your own, go to a state fair. State fairs have taught me many important truths to guide me through life, such as, knee socks of any description on a man look horrendous with shorts, wearing both suspenders and a belt (especially with shorts) looks even dorkier than wearing both with jeans, purple spiked hair is not really that cool on a fat 50-something man. And speaking of colored hair, I saw hair in every color of the rainbow, as if a giant blimp full of Skittles had exploded somewhere over Kansas. &nbsp;

And why is “the midway” called “the midway?” Is it because it’s “midway” between you and your wallet? Or could it possibly be midway between you and insanity? Anyway, it’s on the midway of the Kansas State Fair that I learned another of life’s great truths; that in this day and age there is no food group immune from being deep fried and/or put on a stick. I found deep fried PB&amp;J, (haven’t a clue how that works,) deep fried Twinkies (sounds to me like a waste of a perfectly good Twinkie,) deep fried peaches (those almost sound good,) and new this year, deep fried deviled eggs. As scrumptious as those all sound, my favorite has to be Moink Balls on a stick, which I finally tried for the first time this year, comprised of beef meatballs (the “mo”) wrapped in a slice of bacon (the “oink”) and not one but five served on a stick; now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!&nbsp;

Another piece of advice from Jeff Foxworthy is “If you’re going somewhere alone, don’t wear a T shirt that says “I’m Here with Stupid.” I love reading T shirts people are wearing and boy-howdy, there’s no better place to do that than at a state fair. Here, in no particular order are my favorite T shirt captions seen at the Kansas State Fair:

Even though COVID left its mark on this year’s state fair, causing some empty spots in buildings and some regulars like KS Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism guys and gals to remain absent, there’s still no better entertainment for this country boy than the state fair; fond memories, life lessons learned, fine dining and new fashion statements. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>Over the years I’ve written this column, my wife has tried numerous times to get me to fan-out into genres other than the outdoors, but I’ve pretty much a stickler for staying with what I know and do best. However, I love to write about my observations at the state fair, although it has, well, uh, absolutely nothing to do with the outdoors other than much of it sits outside.I'm the oldest of five kids and we were all in 4-H until they kicked us out. We had a flock of registered sheep, and for numerous years I showed those sheep at several county fairs and at the Ohio State Fair. At the State Fair I stayed in a room above the sheep barn which was close enough to the midway that there was absolutely no sleeping until midnight when the midway rides shut down and the crowds went home. A popular draw was the dunk tank featuring Bobo the Clown. Now Bobo had a way of taunting kids without being belligerent or racist that would cause a kid to stand there and pitch softballs at a pie-sized target on that dunk tank until they had spent their life savings, their college fund plus their parents 401(k). I will take to my grave the haunting sound of Bobo’s voice as it echoed through the dark, humid nights proclaiming “Bobo, high and dry!”Jeff Foxworthy has said that if you want to see a family more dysfunctional than your own, go to a state fair. State fairs have taught me many important truths to guide me through life, such as, knee socks of any description on a man look horrendous with shorts, wearing both suspenders and a belt (especially with shorts) looks even dorkier than wearing both with jeans, purple spiked hair is not really that cool on a fat 50-something man. And speaking of colored hair, I saw hair in every color of the rainbow, as if a giant blimp full of Skittles had exploded somewhere over Kansas. &nbsp;And why is “the midway” called “the midway?” Is it because it’s “midway” between you and your wallet? Or could it possibly be midway between you and insanity? Anyway, it’s on the midway of the Kansas State Fair that I learned another of life’s great truths; that in this day and age there is no food group immune from being deep fried and/or put on a stick. I found deep fried PB&amp;J, (haven’t a clue how that works,) deep fried Twinkies (sounds to me like a waste of a perfectly good Twinkie,) deep fried peaches (those almost sound good,) and new this year, deep fried deviled eggs. As scrumptious as those all sound, my favorite has to be Moink Balls on a stick, which I finally tried for the first time this year, comprised of beef meatballs (the “mo”) wrapped in a slice of bacon (the “oink”) and not one but five served on a stick; now that’s what I’m talkin’ about!&nbsp;Another piece of advice from Jeff Foxworthy is “If you’re going somewhere alone, don’t wear a T shirt that says “I’m Here with Stupid.” I love reading T shirts people are wearing and boy-howdy, there’s no better place to do that than at a state fair. Here, in no particular order are my favorite T shirt captions seen at the Kansas State Fair:<ul>
 <li>My IQ Test Came Back Negative</li><li>The Only Thing that Should Come Between a Hunter and His Meat is Bread</li><li>9 out of 10 Bears Surveyed Prefer Campers over S’mores</li><li>I’m Not a Complete Idiot; Some Parts are Missing</li><li>I Believe Every Form of Wildlife has its Place; Right next to the Mashed Potatoes and Gravy</li><li>You’ve Read My T Shirt, that’s Enough Social Interaction for Today</li><li>I Love My Country, it’s My Government that Scares Me</li><li>I Have Multiple Personalities and None of Them Like You</li><li>(This appeared with a picture of a Harley Chopper motorcycle ridden by a skeleton and is possibly my favorite.) Sons of Arthritis, Ibuprofen Chapter</li>
 </ul>Even though COVID left its mark on this year’s state fair, causing some empty spots in buildings and some regulars like KS Dept of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism guys and gals to remain absent, there’s still no better entertainment for this country boy than the state fair; fond memories, life lessons learned, fine dining and new fashion statements. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: All right, 'fair' enough!

Kansas stands to benefit substantially when the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act becomes law. The White House projects over $3 billion will come to Kansas through the improvement of roads, bridges, electric vehicle charging stations, and the expansion of high-speed internet.&nbsp;

Much of this infrastructure spending is critical to Kansas agriculture.&nbsp;

Now is a once-in-a-generation chance to throw a life preserver to our farmers and ranchers, yet Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall both voted “no” on this legislation.

Our farmers and ranchers should be outraged. For decades, our agricultural industry has suffered from a systemic lack of federal infrastructure investment and when a bill finally garners bipartisan support, neither of Kansas’ Senators voted for it.&nbsp;

The bill contains $110 billion for roads and bridges, $66 billion for passenger and freight rail improvements, and $17 billion for port infrastructure.&nbsp;

These allocations provide funding to fix transportation routes critical to the delivery of agricultural products grown in Kansas. Our farmers and ranchers rely on the nation’s roads, railways, and waterways to transport their goods to market.

The allocation for port infrastructure is especially beneficial as waterways provide a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way to move and export farm produce. The Mississippi River plays a major role in transporting grain commodities — and Kansas is one of the country’s top producers of grain crops. According to the US Department of Agriculture, shipping delays caused by outdated locks along the Mississippi cost an average of $44 million annually. This bill provides much needed improvements to the inland waterway system that directly benefits Kansas farmers.

Additionally, extreme weather events like droughts, wildfires, flooding, and erosion deteriorate much of the aging infrastructure critical to transportation of Kansas’ agricultural goods.&nbsp;

Droughts and flooding affect waterways and there are few alternate cost-efficient pathways for grain transport in the United States. This reduces the ability of our farmers to export their grains to international markets. This legislation provides tens of billions of dollars to fight these extreme weather events and a further $150 billion for clean energy and climate change protections.&nbsp;

Mitigating extreme weather events is crucial to Kansas agriculture. The US Food and Drug Administration projects changes in the frequency and severity of droughts and floods pose major challenges for our state’s farmers and ranchers.&nbsp;

These events can affect crop yields and directly threaten livestock, making it more difficult to grow crops and raise animals in the same ways and same places as we have done in the past. Research conducted by Harvard University indicates that unless immediate mitigation steps are taken, major droughts are expected to affect 60% of wheat-growing areas around the world — including Kansas. Our state was the country’s largest wheat producer in 2019 and second largest in 2020 — Kansas grows approximately 18% of all US wheat.

Furthermore, the International Food Policy Research Institute projects that by 2050, the effects of extreme weather changes will result in a crop yield loss of greater than 5% in our state. This legislation has the potential to slow these alarming projections and provide long-term stability for Kansas’ farmers.

To put it briefly, this legislation is a big deal for our state’s agriculture. Instead of voting for it, and throwing a critical lifeline to Kansas agriculture, Senators Moran and Marshall chose ideological virtue signaling over Kansas’ future.

Alexandra Middlewood is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633377761670.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University." />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas stands to benefit substantially when the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act becomes law. The White House projects over $3 billion will come to Kansas through the improvement of roads, bridges, electric vehicle charging stations, and the expansion of high-speed internet.&nbsp;Much of this infrastructure spending is critical to Kansas agriculture.&nbsp;Now is a once-in-a-generation chance to throw a life preserver to our farmers and ranchers, yet Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall both voted “no” on this legislation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Our farmers and ranchers should be outraged. For decades, our agricultural industry has suffered from a systemic lack of federal infrastructure investment and when a bill finally garners bipartisan support, neither of Kansas’ Senators voted for it.&nbsp;The bill contains $110 billion for roads and bridges, $66 billion for passenger and freight rail improvements, and $17 billion for port infrastructure.&nbsp;These allocations provide funding to fix transportation routes critical to the delivery of agricultural products grown in Kansas. Our farmers and ranchers rely on the nation’s roads, railways, and waterways to transport their goods to market.The allocation for port infrastructure is especially beneficial as waterways provide a cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way to move and export farm produce. The Mississippi River plays a major role in transporting grain commodities — and Kansas is one of the country’s top producers of grain crops. According to the US Department of Agriculture, shipping delays caused by outdated locks along the Mississippi cost an average of $44 million annually. This bill provides much needed improvements to the inland waterway system that directly benefits Kansas farmers.Additionally, extreme weather events like droughts, wildfires, flooding, and erosion deteriorate much of the aging infrastructure critical to transportation of Kansas’ agricultural goods.&nbsp;Droughts and flooding affect waterways and there are few alternate cost-efficient pathways for grain transport in the United States. This reduces the ability of our farmers to export their grains to international markets. This legislation provides tens of billions of dollars to fight these extreme weather events and a further $150 billion for clean energy and climate change protections.&nbsp;Mitigating extreme weather events is crucial to Kansas agriculture. The US Food and Drug Administration projects changes in the frequency and severity of droughts and floods pose major challenges for our state’s farmers and ranchers.&nbsp;These events can affect crop yields and directly threaten livestock, making it more difficult to grow crops and raise animals in the same ways and same places as we have done in the past. Research conducted by Harvard University indicates that unless immediate mitigation steps are taken, major droughts are expected to affect 60% of wheat-growing areas around the world — including Kansas. Our state was the country’s largest wheat producer in 2019 and second largest in 2020 — Kansas grows approximately 18% of all US wheat.Furthermore, the International Food Policy Research Institute projects that by 2050, the effects of extreme weather changes will result in a crop yield loss of greater than 5% in our state. This legislation has the potential to slow these alarming projections and provide long-term stability for Kansas’ farmers.To put it briefly, this legislation is a big deal for our state’s agriculture. Instead of voting for it, and throwing a critical lifeline to Kansas agriculture, Senators Moran and Marshall chose ideological virtue signaling over Kansas’ future.Alexandra Middlewood is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Federal infrastructure bill critical to future of ag

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

That sounds like something a teenager might say, but in this case, I did get to know Jack. What’s more, I got to know the three creative women who are with Jack. They are utilizing his story to promote their business and their community, and having a lot of fun in the process.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sisters Marsha Hoagland, Diane Johnson and Rhonda Gabriel are the owners of Red Dirt Jack’s in Medicine Lodge. Red Dirt Jack’s is a gas station, convenience store and more.&nbsp;

These three women and a fourth sister, Kim Fowles, are the Hoagland sisters. They were raised on the family ranch in western Barber County. “We call it red dirt country,” Marsha said. The ranch is near the unincorporated rural community of Lake City which today has a population of perhaps 20 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

They grew up here, went to school in Medicine Lodge and on to college. Marsha went to Wichita State and had a career in finance. Her husband’s family owned a convenience store in Oklahoma for many years.&nbsp;

Diane became a dental hygienist in Wichita. She and her husband retired to Medicine Lodge in 2016.&nbsp;

Rhonda went to K-State. After her husband passed away, she recently remarried.&nbsp;

After many years, the sisters are all back in Medicine Lodge. In January 2020, they had an opportunity to buy the local convenience store. “This was just a dowdy little place,” Marsha said. These three sisters went together to buy it and worked on upgrading it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then they had to decide what to name the store.&nbsp;

Years ago, Rhonda had been at a charity auction where she purchased a stuffed donkey that was the size of a large dog. She nicknamed it Jack. What does one do with a large stuffed donkey? “I tried giving him away, but somehow he kept finding his way back,” Rhonda said.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As the sisters discussed what to name the store, their cousin suggested they name it for Jack. Because of the location in red dirt country, they named it Red Dirt Jack’s. Jack became the mascot for the business.&nbsp;

The sisters took Jack with them on a trip to Utah and had a lot of fun en route. “By the time we got to Lakin, Kan., Jack had his own Facebook page,” Marsha said.&nbsp;

Jack continues to post on social media and has become quite the celebrity. He has his own wardrobe, appeared in wedding photos and parades, and traveled as far away as Florida. On the first day of school at Medicine Lodge, he was pictured in his backpack at the school crosswalk. He waits patiently at the store and is available for photos.&nbsp;

Someone said that this was a genius marketing ploy. “No, it was a fluke,” Marsha said with a smile.&nbsp;

While the sisters have a lot of fun with Jack, they have significantly upgraded the store.&nbsp;&nbsp;That was no fluke. They refurbished the building, added an industrial kitchen, cleared a lot next door for parking, doubled the cooler space and added a deli and more food options. There are salads and made-to-order sandwiches and small booths for sitting.&nbsp;

“We are not a restaurant; we are a gas station with food,” Marsha said. Their daily lunch specials have become very popular. “We use our grandma’s recipe for meat loaf,” she said.&nbsp;

Their Monday Chinese food special can have people waiting in line outside the door.&nbsp;&nbsp;Other specials include homemade lasagna, pulled pork, spaghetti, patty melts and half-pound hand-patted cheeseburgers.&nbsp;

What has all this meant to the community? “There was no gathering place in town,” Diane said. “Maybe this community needed Jack.” Customers have told them how much they appreciate the sisters.&nbsp;

“We love Barber County,” Marsha said. “We are part of the community and we want to give back.”&nbsp;

For more information, find Red Dirt Jack’s on Facebook.&nbsp;

“You don’t know jack.” Well, now you do. We commend Marsha Hoagland, Diane Johnson and Rhonda Gabriel for making a difference by investing in their community and serving their customers with excellence - and, with Jack.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632921511797.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;“You don’t know jack.”&nbsp;That sounds like something a teenager might say, but in this case, I did get to know Jack. What’s more, I got to know the three creative women who are with Jack. They are utilizing his story to promote their business and their community, and having a lot of fun in the process.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sisters Marsha Hoagland, Diane Johnson and Rhonda Gabriel are the owners of Red Dirt Jack’s in Medicine Lodge. Red Dirt Jack’s is a gas station, convenience store and more.&nbsp;These three women and a fourth sister, Kim Fowles, are the Hoagland sisters. They were raised on the family ranch in western Barber County. “We call it red dirt country,” Marsha said. The ranch is near the unincorporated rural community of Lake City which today has a population of perhaps 20 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;They grew up here, went to school in Medicine Lodge and on to college. Marsha went to Wichita State and had a career in finance. Her husband’s family owned a convenience store in Oklahoma for many years.&nbsp;Diane became a dental hygienist in Wichita. She and her husband retired to Medicine Lodge in 2016.&nbsp;Rhonda went to K-State. After her husband passed away, she recently remarried.&nbsp;After many years, the sisters are all back in Medicine Lodge. In January 2020, they had an opportunity to buy the local convenience store. “This was just a dowdy little place,” Marsha said. These three sisters went together to buy it and worked on upgrading it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Then they had to decide what to name the store.&nbsp;Years ago, Rhonda had been at a charity auction where she purchased a stuffed donkey that was the size of a large dog. She nicknamed it Jack. What does one do with a large stuffed donkey? “I tried giving him away, but somehow he kept finding his way back,” Rhonda said.&nbsp;&nbsp;As the sisters discussed what to name the store, their cousin suggested they name it for Jack. Because of the location in red dirt country, they named it Red Dirt Jack’s. Jack became the mascot for the business.&nbsp;The sisters took Jack with them on a trip to Utah and had a lot of fun en route. “By the time we got to Lakin, Kan., Jack had his own Facebook page,” Marsha said.&nbsp;Jack continues to post on social media and has become quite the celebrity. He has his own wardrobe, appeared in wedding photos and parades, and traveled as far away as Florida. On the first day of school at Medicine Lodge, he was pictured in his backpack at the school crosswalk. He waits patiently at the store and is available for photos.&nbsp;Someone said that this was a genius marketing ploy. “No, it was a fluke,” Marsha said with a smile.&nbsp;While the sisters have a lot of fun with Jack, they have significantly upgraded the store.&nbsp;&nbsp;That was no fluke. They refurbished the building, added an industrial kitchen, cleared a lot next door for parking, doubled the cooler space and added a deli and more food options. There are salads and made-to-order sandwiches and small booths for sitting.&nbsp;“We are not a restaurant; we are a gas station with food,” Marsha said. Their daily lunch specials have become very popular. “We use our grandma’s recipe for meat loaf,” she said.&nbsp;Their Monday Chinese food special can have people waiting in line outside the door.&nbsp;&nbsp;Other specials include homemade lasagna, pulled pork, spaghetti, patty melts and half-pound hand-patted cheeseburgers.&nbsp;What has all this meant to the community? “There was no gathering place in town,” Diane said. “Maybe this community needed Jack.” Customers have told them how much they appreciate the sisters.&nbsp;“We love Barber County,” Marsha said. “We are part of the community and we want to give back.”&nbsp;For more information, find Red Dirt Jack’s on Facebook.&nbsp;“You don’t know jack.” Well, now you do. We commend Marsha Hoagland, Diane Johnson and Rhonda Gabriel for making a difference by investing in their community and serving their customers with excellence - and, with Jack.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Hoagland sisters, Red Dirt Jack’s 

All the talk on the news about inflation is a little
 scary. Is there any way to protect yourself against it on a day-to-day 
basis?

When people start 
talking about inflation, it seems like there are always some who want to
 start collecting gold, fill every container they own with gasoline and 
stick their cash under their mattresses. But listen, you can prepare&nbsp;for
 inflation and address the results&nbsp;without&nbsp;being panicked.

You&nbsp;are
 still in control of your money, inflation or not. You’ll be able to 
make sure your money is going toward the right things, while being able 
to find places where you can cut spending, if you’re living on a 
written,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/useful-forms" target="_blank">monthly budget</a>.
 If you’re noticing the prices of things like food and gas rising in 
your area, you’ll need to adjust your budget to account for this. That 
way, you’ll know exactly what you’re working with, and it will help you 
avoid any nasty surprises.

If you’re really feeling the pinch and want to save even more, look for specific ways to&nbsp;lower your grocery bill&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-secret-to-saving-money" target="_blank">save money</a>&nbsp;on
 gas.&nbsp;Maybe it’s time you switched to&nbsp;generic brands,&nbsp;or started a 
carpool into work. If you find great deals on canned food and things you
 can&nbsp;stock your pantry&nbsp;with—I’m talking about stuff you’ll actually 
use—go ahead and buy a little extra. Just make sure you’ve budgeted for 
it before heading to the grocery store. You’ll want to already know 
exactly what you’re going to spend, so you don’t get swept up into 
impulse buying.

Like it or not, inflation is a thing. If you plan on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/investment-calculator" target="_blank">retiring</a>&nbsp;one
 day, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the cost of a loaf of bread, a 
tank of gas and even a cup of coffee will have gone up by then. The best
 way to protect yourself against inflation that’s bound to happen is 
to&nbsp;invest your money—and the sooner the better. But remember, if you 
still have debt other than your mortgage, and don’t have an emergency 
fund of three to six months of expenses, you need to take care of those 
things first!

<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has
 appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox 
News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped 
people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their 
lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596845065840.jpeg" alt="Dave Ramsey&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dave Ramsey&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Dear Dave,All the talk on the news about inflation is a little
 scary. Is there any way to protect yourself against it on a day-to-day 
basis?GarretDear Garret,When people start 
talking about inflation, it seems like there are always some who want to
 start collecting gold, fill every container they own with gasoline and 
stick their cash under their mattresses. But listen, you can prepare&nbsp;for
 inflation and address the results&nbsp;without&nbsp;being panicked.You&nbsp;are
 still in control of your money, inflation or not. You’ll be able to 
make sure your money is going toward the right things, while being able 
to find places where you can cut spending, if you’re living on a 
written,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/useful-forms" target="_blank">monthly budget</a>.
 If you’re noticing the prices of things like food and gas rising in 
your area, you’ll need to adjust your budget to account for this. That 
way, you’ll know exactly what you’re working with, and it will help you 
avoid any nasty surprises.If you’re really feeling the pinch and want to save even more, look for specific ways to&nbsp;lower your grocery bill&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-secret-to-saving-money" target="_blank">save money</a>&nbsp;on
 gas.&nbsp;Maybe it’s time you switched to&nbsp;generic brands,&nbsp;or started a 
carpool into work. If you find great deals on canned food and things you
 can&nbsp;stock your pantry&nbsp;with—I’m talking about stuff you’ll actually 
use—go ahead and buy a little extra. Just make sure you’ve budgeted for 
it before heading to the grocery store. You’ll want to already know 
exactly what you’re going to spend, so you don’t get swept up into 
impulse buying.Like it or not, inflation is a thing. If you plan on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/investment-calculator" target="_blank">retiring</a>&nbsp;one
 day, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the cost of a loaf of bread, a 
tank of gas and even a cup of coffee will have gone up by then. The best
 way to protect yourself against inflation that’s bound to happen is 
to&nbsp;invest your money—and the sooner the better. But remember, if you 
still have debt other than your mortgage, and don’t have an emergency 
fund of three to six months of expenses, you need to take care of those 
things first!Dave<a href="https://www.ramseysolutions.com/" target="_blank">Dave Ramsey</a>&nbsp;is a seven-time No. 1 national best-selling author, personal finance expert, and host of&nbsp;The Ramsey Show, heard by more than 18 million listeners each week. He&nbsp;has
 appeared on Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Today Show, Fox 
News, CNN, Fox Business, and many more. Since 1992, Dave has helped 
people regain control of their money, build wealth and enhance their 
lives. He also serves as CEO for Ramsey Solutions.

DAVE SAYS: Protect against inflation?

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau The calendar has turned to fall, and the weather is slowly following suit. Harvest is underway with combines rolling through fields and semis hauling grain to elevators and on-farm bins. There’s more of those bins and semis now than ever before because there’s more grain. Over time, small changes can make an extraordinary impact. Of all the crops being cut this season, corn is perhaps the best example of how slow, steady progress has created grain harvests our ancestors could have never fathomed. From the 1860s to the late 1930s, corn yields were essentially flat at 26 bushels per acre. The USDA’s latest estimate for the 2021 crop is projecting a nationwide average of about 175 bushels per acre. Over the span of about 80 years, farmers have increased their production nearly seven-fold. Yields for other grains have shot up too, but corn takes the crown in overall productivity. This proliferation didn’t happen overnight, rather it began quite slowly, with yields inching up about 0.8 bushels per acre per year from the late ’30s to 1955 with the use of double-cross pollinated varieties. Continued improvements in genetic selection, the use of nitrogen fertilizer, mechanization, better management and more effective pesticides have pushed yields up by about 2 bushels per acre per year over the last 65-plus years. While farmers have incorporated all of these advances into their operations, it’s the result of a truly collective effort. Public and private research across a range of industries has contributed to the incremental but reliable yield increase. While the actual yields still vary depending on weather, recent years have seen the national average stay within 10 bushels of the 176.6 bushel-per-acre record set in 2017. We’re just one good growing season away from setting a new national record. Harvest can top 300 bushels per acre in some areas across the country, but it requires some help from Mother Nature. Statewide, Kansas’ average is usually somewhere in the mid-130 bushel range because dryland acres dominate the landscape. Irrigated fields and those dryland parcels blessed with timely, adequate moisture often top 200 bushels per acre. That’s nearly six tons of grain per acre, an enormous increase from the inch-long cobs grown about 10,000 years ago in central Mexico where corn was first domesticated. The Columbian exchange delivered corn to the rest of the world. Now it grows across the globe, and its uses are just as versatile. Cattle convert corn to steak. Manufacturers transform the starch into plastics, fabrics, adhesives and more. It’s also a feedstock for the ethanol in your gas tank. Of course, it’s pounded into flour for things like cornbread and tortillas. Corn sugars sweeten drinks. My favorite though is corn that’s been fermented, distilled and poured over ice. Farmers have gotten so good at growing corn, wheat, soybeans, sorghum and many other staples we no longer see gradual improvements as something that’s especially newsworthy. This is partly because farmers make a very difficult job appear easy. While the rest of us enjoy all the bounty fall offers, from cool nights and tailgates to changing colors and bonfires, I hope the bounties in farmers’ fields are just as rich this autumn.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="Greg Doering&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau The calendar has turned to fall, and the weather is slowly following suit. Harvest is underway with combines rolling through fields and semis hauling grain to elevators and on-farm bins. There’s more of those bins and semis now than ever before because there’s more grain. Over time, small changes can make an extraordinary impact. Of all the crops being cut this season, corn is perhaps the best example of how slow, steady progress has created grain harvests our ancestors could have never fathomed. From the 1860s to the late 1930s, corn yields were essentially flat at 26 bushels per acre. The USDA’s latest estimate for the 2021 crop is projecting a nationwide average of about 175 bushels per acre. Over the span of about 80 years, farmers have increased their production nearly seven-fold. Yields for other grains have shot up too, but corn takes the crown in overall productivity. This proliferation didn’t happen overnight, rather it began quite slowly, with yields inching up about 0.8 bushels per acre per year from the late ’30s to 1955 with the use of double-cross pollinated varieties. Continued improvements in genetic selection, the use of nitrogen fertilizer, mechanization, better management and more effective pesticides have pushed yields up by about 2 bushels per acre per year over the last 65-plus years. While farmers have incorporated all of these advances into their operations, it’s the result of a truly collective effort. Public and private research across a range of industries has contributed to the incremental but reliable yield increase. While the actual yields still vary depending on weather, recent years have seen the national average stay within 10 bushels of the 176.6 bushel-per-acre record set in 2017. We’re just one good growing season away from setting a new national record. Harvest can top 300 bushels per acre in some areas across the country, but it requires some help from Mother Nature. Statewide, Kansas’ average is usually somewhere in the mid-130 bushel range because dryland acres dominate the landscape. Irrigated fields and those dryland parcels blessed with timely, adequate moisture often top 200 bushels per acre. That’s nearly six tons of grain per acre, an enormous increase from the inch-long cobs grown about 10,000 years ago in central Mexico where corn was first domesticated. The Columbian exchange delivered corn to the rest of the world. Now it grows across the globe, and its uses are just as versatile. Cattle convert corn to steak. Manufacturers transform the starch into plastics, fabrics, adhesives and more. It’s also a feedstock for the ethanol in your gas tank. Of course, it’s pounded into flour for things like cornbread and tortillas. Corn sugars sweeten drinks. My favorite though is corn that’s been fermented, distilled and poured over ice. Farmers have gotten so good at growing corn, wheat, soybeans, sorghum and many other staples we no longer see gradual improvements as something that’s especially newsworthy. This is partly because farmers make a very difficult job appear easy. While the rest of us enjoy all the bounty fall offers, from cool nights and tailgates to changing colors and bonfires, I hope the bounties in farmers’ fields are just as rich this autumn."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: The bounty of fall

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

“Betterment:&nbsp;&nbsp;The act or process of improving something.”&nbsp;

This definition certainly applies to the work of a group of volunteers who are helping to improve their rural southeast Kansas community.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Danny Scott is with the Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation. He told of how Caney has made progress, thanks to the Kansas PRIDE Program, First Impressions, Rural Grocery Initiative, the City of Caney and members of the community.&nbsp;

Danny and his wife Norma have rural roots. They grew up in Chautauqua County near the rural community of Niotaze, population 82 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

Danny and Norma were in 4-H together and went to K-State before getting married. He started working at the bank in Caney during the summers and joined the bank full-time after earning his ag economics degree. He then worked for a computer network company in Coffeyville before coming back to Caney’s Community National Bank &amp; Trust, from which he retired in 2019. He had become quite concerned about the community’s trajectory.&nbsp;

“Caney was running downhill,” Danny said. Downtown businesses were boarded up, the grocery store had closed, the town’s old swimming pool was leaking, and the chamber of commerce closed down. “It was discouraging,” Danny said.&nbsp;

In 2015, the city hired Fred Gress as city administrator and he started working immediately on infrastructure.&nbsp;

In 2017, Danny and others got with the K-State Research and Extension local director to see what could be done to help. They formed the Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation, which joined the Kansas PRIDE program.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The group set out to conduct fundraisers to support diverse community improvements.&nbsp;One was for the swimming pool, another was to raise funds for a police drug dog, and another was for new Christmas lights downtown. “For every fundraiser we’ve had, it’s been different people that have stepped up,” Danny said. “Alumni and other people from out of town are donating too.”&nbsp;

These investments began to make a difference. A drug dog was purchased. A new swimming pool was built. Then there was the long-term question of grocery service in the town.&nbsp;

“Our grocery store had closed more than 10 years ago,” Danny said. “We tried all different alternatives but none of them worked.” Gress knew of an example where the grocery store was municipally owned and they finally decided to try it.&nbsp;

The city bought the former grocery store building and a bank loan helped finance the operation. Caney Market opened in March 2021 with help from a marketing analysis study provided by K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative. “They’ve been wonderful,” Danny said.&nbsp;

“Kansas PRIDE has helped us a lot,” Danny said. “They helped us participate in the First Impressions program and hosted a grant-writing class provided by K-State Research and Extension.We’re very appreciative of the PRIDE program.”&nbsp;

Danny also credits Gress. “He took the lead on several of these projects. Without him, many of these things wouldn’t have happened. Hiring a good city administrator is worth the investment.”.&nbsp;

Last spring, Caney hosted a May Fest event at which more than a thousand people attended. A couple of K-State grads initiated a downtown outdoor live country music concert series called 4th and Live featuring Nashville recording artists. The concert series has proven quite popular.&nbsp;

“We have had several news businesses move to downtown,” Danny said. “We want to keep the positive momentum going. People have been good to us and I owe it to the community to improve it so it will be good for the future.”&nbsp;

For more information, search for Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation on Facebook.&nbsp;

Betterment is defined as the act or process of improving something. The community of Caney has benefitted from such improvement thanks to the work of committed volunteers such as Danny Scott and dedicated public servants such as Fred Gress.&nbsp;

We commend the Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation and all the donors and volunteers who are making a difference by investing their time and treasure. They are making their community a better place.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632322960025.png" alt="Norma and&nbsp;Danny Scott" />
 <figcaption>Norma and&nbsp;Danny Scott</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development“Betterment:&nbsp;&nbsp;The act or process of improving something.”&nbsp;This definition certainly applies to the work of a group of volunteers who are helping to improve their rural southeast Kansas community.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Danny Scott is with the Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation. He told of how Caney has made progress, thanks to the Kansas PRIDE Program, First Impressions, Rural Grocery Initiative, the City of Caney and members of the community.&nbsp;Danny and his wife Norma have rural roots. They grew up in Chautauqua County near the rural community of Niotaze, population 82 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;Danny and Norma were in 4-H together and went to K-State before getting married. He started working at the bank in Caney during the summers and joined the bank full-time after earning his ag economics degree. He then worked for a computer network company in Coffeyville before coming back to Caney’s Community National Bank &amp; Trust, from which he retired in 2019. He had become quite concerned about the community’s trajectory.&nbsp;“Caney was running downhill,” Danny said. Downtown businesses were boarded up, the grocery store had closed, the town’s old swimming pool was leaking, and the chamber of commerce closed down. “It was discouraging,” Danny said.&nbsp;In 2015, the city hired Fred Gress as city administrator and he started working immediately on infrastructure.&nbsp;In 2017, Danny and others got with the K-State Research and Extension local director to see what could be done to help. They formed the Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation, which joined the Kansas PRIDE program.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The group set out to conduct fundraisers to support diverse community improvements.&nbsp;One was for the swimming pool, another was to raise funds for a police drug dog, and another was for new Christmas lights downtown. “For every fundraiser we’ve had, it’s been different people that have stepped up,” Danny said. “Alumni and other people from out of town are donating too.”&nbsp;These investments began to make a difference. A drug dog was purchased. A new swimming pool was built. Then there was the long-term question of grocery service in the town.&nbsp;“Our grocery store had closed more than 10 years ago,” Danny said. “We tried all different alternatives but none of them worked.” Gress knew of an example where the grocery store was municipally owned and they finally decided to try it.&nbsp;The city bought the former grocery store building and a bank loan helped finance the operation. Caney Market opened in March 2021 with help from a marketing analysis study provided by K-State’s Rural Grocery Initiative. “They’ve been wonderful,” Danny said.&nbsp;“Kansas PRIDE has helped us a lot,” Danny said. “They helped us participate in the First Impressions program and hosted a grant-writing class provided by K-State Research and Extension.We’re very appreciative of the PRIDE program.”&nbsp;Danny also credits Gress. “He took the lead on several of these projects. Without him, many of these things wouldn’t have happened. Hiring a good city administrator is worth the investment.”.&nbsp;Last spring, Caney hosted a May Fest event at which more than a thousand people attended. A couple of K-State grads initiated a downtown outdoor live country music concert series called 4th and Live featuring Nashville recording artists. The concert series has proven quite popular.&nbsp;“We have had several news businesses move to downtown,” Danny said. “We want to keep the positive momentum going. People have been good to us and I owe it to the community to improve it so it will be good for the future.”&nbsp;For more information, search for Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation on Facebook.&nbsp;Betterment is defined as the act or process of improving something. The community of Caney has benefitted from such improvement thanks to the work of committed volunteers such as Danny Scott and dedicated public servants such as Fred Gress.&nbsp;We commend the Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation and all the donors and volunteers who are making a difference by investing their time and treasure. They are making their community a better place.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Caney Community Betterment Group Foundation 

Big-time, outside money has spread across Kansas elections for years but it hasn’t, until now, attempted to influence the most grassroots and least national-issue driven of all elections—the vote to choose who sits on a local school board.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In Kansas, candidates do not run as the nominee of a political party, but as local citizens.&nbsp; All school board elections are nonpartisan. So, it is surprising that a national Political Action Committee is taking an interest in who will sit on our school boards come November.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The 1776 Project PAC is backing as many as 50 school board races in seven states.&nbsp; A total of 13 school board candidates in Lansing, Olathe, Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Andover are slated to be supported according to Ryan Girdusky, head of the 1776 PAC in an interview with the&nbsp;Sunflower State Journal.&nbsp; The 1776 PAC opposes teaching critical race theory.&nbsp;&nbsp;

PACs get contributions mostly from wealthy individuals, corporations, labor unions and national organizations. Voters often don’t know the names of those supporting any given PAC.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wichita is the only school district in Kansas large enough to be covered by the state ethics commission. In the other districts there is no limit on the size of campaign contributions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Contributions to campaigns are limited for individuals and corporations, but Political Action Committees may, not only make contributions to candidates, they can influence elections through unlimited expenditures independently of a candidate or political party.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We’re backing slates,” Girdusky said.&nbsp; “We want to take over the entire school board.”

Typically, PACs use advertising, social media and political-advocacy news outlets to support their candidates and attack messages to discourage votes for opposition candidates.&nbsp;

Also typically, as soon as one PAC appears on multiple communication platforms, the opposition political party strikes back with a PAC sympathetic to its candidate or cause.&nbsp;

Bringing the 1776 Project into Kansas school board elections is puzzling, because it’s basically pursuing a moot argument.&nbsp; In July the Kansas State Board of Education published a letter saying that critical race theory is not and never has been part of the state’s educational standards.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The board then pointed out that critical race theory is “not interchangeable with educational equity” which is “evident in federal and state education policies” taught across all schools in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In other words, Kansas schools do not teach theories of history just as they don’t teach differential equations to six-year-olds, but six-year-olds do understand respect for others and they are taught racism is wrong.&nbsp; Racist events and conditions in our state and nation are explained accurately and discussed widely in Kansas schools but theoretical critiques are left to university-level study.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

PACs like the 1776 Project are front-line warriors in culture-war battles.&nbsp; Their huge resources create massive megaphones that can skew elections toward hot-button non-issues and away from the democratic process of one person, one vote.&nbsp;&nbsp;

PACs can divert voters from other issues that face schools such as increasing achievement of our lowest performing students, preparing all students to enter higher education or the workforce, enhancing reading, math and civics education and expanding early childhood learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas doesn’t need school boards taken over by any special interest group.&nbsp; Kansas needs school boards taken over by reasonable, capable people with differing viewpoints who are committed to their local schools and are willing to do this difficult work without pay.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593719779701.jpeg" alt="Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education." />
 <figcaption>Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.</figcaption>
 </figure>Big-time, outside money has spread across Kansas elections for years but it hasn’t, until now, attempted to influence the most grassroots and least national-issue driven of all elections—the vote to choose who sits on a local school board.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Kansas, candidates do not run as the nominee of a political party, but as local citizens.&nbsp; All school board elections are nonpartisan. So, it is surprising that a national Political Action Committee is taking an interest in who will sit on our school boards come November.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 1776 Project PAC is backing as many as 50 school board races in seven states.&nbsp; A total of 13 school board candidates in Lansing, Olathe, Blue Valley, Shawnee Mission and Andover are slated to be supported according to Ryan Girdusky, head of the 1776 PAC in an interview with the&nbsp;Sunflower State Journal.&nbsp; The 1776 PAC opposes teaching critical race theory.&nbsp;&nbsp;PACs get contributions mostly from wealthy individuals, corporations, labor unions and national organizations. Voters often don’t know the names of those supporting any given PAC.&nbsp;&nbsp;Wichita is the only school district in Kansas large enough to be covered by the state ethics commission. In the other districts there is no limit on the size of campaign contributions.&nbsp;&nbsp;Contributions to campaigns are limited for individuals and corporations, but Political Action Committees may, not only make contributions to candidates, they can influence elections through unlimited expenditures independently of a candidate or political party.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’re backing slates,” Girdusky said.&nbsp; “We want to take over the entire school board.”Typically, PACs use advertising, social media and political-advocacy news outlets to support their candidates and attack messages to discourage votes for opposition candidates.&nbsp;Also typically, as soon as one PAC appears on multiple communication platforms, the opposition political party strikes back with a PAC sympathetic to its candidate or cause.&nbsp;Bringing the 1776 Project into Kansas school board elections is puzzling, because it’s basically pursuing a moot argument.&nbsp; In July the Kansas State Board of Education published a letter saying that critical race theory is not and never has been part of the state’s educational standards.&nbsp;&nbsp;The board then pointed out that critical race theory is “not interchangeable with educational equity” which is “evident in federal and state education policies” taught across all schools in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;In other words, Kansas schools do not teach theories of history just as they don’t teach differential equations to six-year-olds, but six-year-olds do understand respect for others and they are taught racism is wrong.&nbsp; Racist events and conditions in our state and nation are explained accurately and discussed widely in Kansas schools but theoretical critiques are left to university-level study.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;PACs like the 1776 Project are front-line warriors in culture-war battles.&nbsp; Their huge resources create massive megaphones that can skew elections toward hot-button non-issues and away from the democratic process of one person, one vote.&nbsp;&nbsp;PACs can divert voters from other issues that face schools such as increasing achievement of our lowest performing students, preparing all students to enter higher education or the workforce, enhancing reading, math and civics education and expanding early childhood learning.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas doesn’t need school boards taken over by any special interest group.&nbsp; Kansas needs school boards taken over by reasonable, capable people with differing viewpoints who are committed to their local schools and are willing to do this difficult work without pay.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: National PAC targets Kan. school board elections

By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer Every so often I have the opportunity to visit a classroom full of elementary students and read a book to them. More often than not, I’ve accomplished my guest reading visits using virtual platforms that so many are now accustomed to using. Thanks to technology, and a decent internet connection, I’ve been able to read to classrooms hours away from our farm.&nbsp; &nbsp; While the books I read vary depending on the grade level of students, the subject matter and the conversations we have following ultimately always focus on agriculture. &nbsp; It’s a time I truly look forward to as it allows this former teacher to briefly get back into a classroom and get kids excited about reading while also sharing our farm with them. &nbsp; After reading, the students and I spend time talking about the story and they can ask me questions about my farm. While I never really know the direction the students’ questions may go, I do know a lot of elementary-aged children are very curious about how many dogs and cows I have on my farm. I also know that during every single one of my visits, without fail, I will have a child inquire about my favorite crop. &nbsp; While I generally answer that question diplomatically — just as a parent would if asked who their favorite child is — the reality is that while I value and appreciate all of the plants we grow on our farm, I do give one of our crops a bit more attention than the others. &nbsp; Our popcorn crop receives a lot of my time and focus throughout the year. It’s the smallest crop we grow based on the total number of acres, but it’s definitely the one I spend a lot of my thoughts on. &nbsp; Maybe it’s because we’ve only grown popcorn for a handful of years, making it the “baby” of the farm. Maybe it’s because it requires a bit more attention and TLC compared to the other crops. Maybe it’s the fact that we market it directly to consumers, which is different compared to our other commodities.&nbsp; &nbsp; Like a doting parent, the popcorn is also the most photographed on our farm — second only to my own two children. My cellphone is full of images I’ve captured of this crop’s milestones throughout the growing season. From observing the small seeds getting planted into the soil, celebrating when tiny plants emerge from the earth, and cheering them on as they develop and grow larger and larger by the day. It’s all documented. &nbsp; Whether it’s the threat of weather in our area, making sure the plants are getting plenty of water during the hot days of summer, or obsessing over the moisture content of the kernels leading up to harvest, I definitely fret over the popcorn a bit more as well.&nbsp; &nbsp; I always experience a sense of relief when we get the combine into the field and finally begin picking the corn. I’m calmed once we safely tuck the grain away into its bin for storage until it’s time to send it off to be cleaned, sorted and bagged. And I can also breathe easier knowing when the grain has safely arrived at its destinations. &nbsp; So, while I can honestly say that I appreciate all of the plants that we grow on our farm equally as they provide my family with the life we have, I find myself quite fond our little popcorn crop. It might be the smallest, but it definitely receives the mightiest amount of my attention annually.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573617414005.jpeg" alt="Kim Baldwin" />
 <figcaption>Kim Baldwin</figcaption>
 </figure>By KIM BALDWIN McPherson County farmer Every so often I have the opportunity to visit a classroom full of elementary students and read a book to them. More often than not, I’ve accomplished my guest reading visits using virtual platforms that so many are now accustomed to using. Thanks to technology, and a decent internet connection, I’ve been able to read to classrooms hours away from our farm.&nbsp; &nbsp; While the books I read vary depending on the grade level of students, the subject matter and the conversations we have following ultimately always focus on agriculture. &nbsp; It’s a time I truly look forward to as it allows this former teacher to briefly get back into a classroom and get kids excited about reading while also sharing our farm with them. &nbsp; After reading, the students and I spend time talking about the story and they can ask me questions about my farm. While I never really know the direction the students’ questions may go, I do know a lot of elementary-aged children are very curious about how many dogs and cows I have on my farm. I also know that during every single one of my visits, without fail, I will have a child inquire about my favorite crop. &nbsp; While I generally answer that question diplomatically — just as a parent would if asked who their favorite child is — the reality is that while I value and appreciate all of the plants we grow on our farm, I do give one of our crops a bit more attention than the others. &nbsp; Our popcorn crop receives a lot of my time and focus throughout the year. It’s the smallest crop we grow based on the total number of acres, but it’s definitely the one I spend a lot of my thoughts on. &nbsp; Maybe it’s because we’ve only grown popcorn for a handful of years, making it the “baby” of the farm. Maybe it’s because it requires a bit more attention and TLC compared to the other crops. Maybe it’s the fact that we market it directly to consumers, which is different compared to our other commodities.&nbsp; &nbsp; Like a doting parent, the popcorn is also the most photographed on our farm — second only to my own two children. My cellphone is full of images I’ve captured of this crop’s milestones throughout the growing season. From observing the small seeds getting planted into the soil, celebrating when tiny plants emerge from the earth, and cheering them on as they develop and grow larger and larger by the day. It’s all documented. &nbsp; Whether it’s the threat of weather in our area, making sure the plants are getting plenty of water during the hot days of summer, or obsessing over the moisture content of the kernels leading up to harvest, I definitely fret over the popcorn a bit more as well.&nbsp; &nbsp; I always experience a sense of relief when we get the combine into the field and finally begin picking the corn. I’m calmed once we safely tuck the grain away into its bin for storage until it’s time to send it off to be cleaned, sorted and bagged. And I can also breathe easier knowing when the grain has safely arrived at its destinations. &nbsp; So, while I can honestly say that I appreciate all of the plants that we grow on our farm equally as they provide my family with the life we have, I find myself quite fond our little popcorn crop. It might be the smallest, but it definitely receives the mightiest amount of my attention annually."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: A farmer's pet

Fort Hays State University exists to improve lives. Our alumni, engaged citizens leaders, use their education and improve the lives of others. This pay-it-forward mission makes our world better. Whether a teacher, banker, nurse, artist, or physicist, our alumni are dedicated professionals who transform their fields and their communities.

In a couple of weeks, the FHSU Alumni Association will honor seven remarkable change agents. I love listening and learning about their journeys and the remarkable impact they have made on our world.

As I walk across campus, stopping to talk with several students, I find myself also thinking about these seven award winners’ beginning steps and how Tiger Nation nurtures talents and self-discovery. I think about Maya Angelou’s statement that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. I think about the amazing students who have passed through our “halls” and those who are in the middle of figuring it all out right now. One of those is junior Hannah Dechant.&nbsp;

Hannah grew up in Goodland in northwest Kansas. For 13 years, her life was shaped and nurtured by her involvement in 4-H. She has shown sheep and dogs, done art and crafts, photography, and foods and nutrition.&nbsp;

“Growing up in my small town, agriculture is a way of life for us, so being in 4-H and doing so many things was not uncommon,” she said. “However, it was about a lot more than just all of the ribbons and awards I would receive. For me, it was about helping others achieve their goals and dreams.”

You may be guessing this accomplished 4-H’er came to campus to study agriculture. I did. Heck, Hannah even works on our university farm. As often is the case, there is more to Hannah’s story.&nbsp;

When Hannah was 5 years old, she was diagnosed with Amblyopia; she is legally blind in her left eye. That meant that throughout her K-12 years, she would navigate education via disability accommodations. As Hannah would say, there is an extra layer of challenges for those children who grow up with a disability. Her experiences as a person with a disability shaped and fueled her passion to become a special education teacher. At FHSU, Hannah is an elementary education major with a minor in special education.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>Fort Hays State University exists to improve lives. Our alumni, engaged citizens leaders, use their education and improve the lives of others. This pay-it-forward mission makes our world better. Whether a teacher, banker, nurse, artist, or physicist, our alumni are dedicated professionals who transform their fields and their communities.In a couple of weeks, the FHSU Alumni Association will honor seven remarkable change agents. I love listening and learning about their journeys and the remarkable impact they have made on our world.As I walk across campus, stopping to talk with several students, I find myself also thinking about these seven award winners’ beginning steps and how Tiger Nation nurtures talents and self-discovery. I think about Maya Angelou’s statement that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. I think about the amazing students who have passed through our “halls” and those who are in the middle of figuring it all out right now. One of those is junior Hannah Dechant.&nbsp;Hannah grew up in Goodland in northwest Kansas. For 13 years, her life was shaped and nurtured by her involvement in 4-H. She has shown sheep and dogs, done art and crafts, photography, and foods and nutrition.&nbsp;“Growing up in my small town, agriculture is a way of life for us, so being in 4-H and doing so many things was not uncommon,” she said. “However, it was about a lot more than just all of the ribbons and awards I would receive. For me, it was about helping others achieve their goals and dreams.”You may be guessing this accomplished 4-H’er came to campus to study agriculture. I did. Heck, Hannah even works on our university farm. As often is the case, there is more to Hannah’s story.&nbsp;When Hannah was 5 years old, she was diagnosed with Amblyopia; she is legally blind in her left eye. That meant that throughout her K-12 years, she would navigate education via disability accommodations. As Hannah would say, there is an extra layer of challenges for those children who grow up with a disability. Her experiences as a person with a disability shaped and fueled her passion to become a special education teacher. At FHSU, Hannah is an elementary education major with a minor in special education.“I have always had a heart for young kids, and 4-H only expanded on that more,” Hannah said. “Because I have been through the journey of living with a disability, and all the paperwork that comes with it for school, I will be able to help students with exceptionalities better.”&nbsp;What I love about Hannah’s story is how she combines her love for agriculture with her calling to assist others with special needs.“In 4-H, I have been able to help and teach students who have special needs reach their goals. I have been able to help those children feel like any other child,” she said. “For the past three years, I have been able to help a young girl who is unable to walk – or talk – show a lamb by training a lamb to walk by a wagon with her riding in it. I have also been able to help two children with a disability learn how to cook and bake.”Hannah looks forward to the day she has her own classroom. She can’t wait to integrate different kinds of activities that will focus on all that agriculture has to offer.“I feel that every student should understand agriculture and where our food comes from,” she said. I also want the children to know that livestock are not scary when you handle them the correct way.”&nbsp;Hannah’s vision for her life is truly inspiring. Through that vision, I know her life will be rich, and those lives that she touches will be even more enriched.&nbsp;In the words of Nelson Mandela, there is no doubt in my mind that a Fort Hays State education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. Thank you, Hannah, for your passion and the unique way you will make our world better one child at a time!&nbsp;

Opinion