During the summer grazing months many producers run into issues with lame cattle. The effects of lameness may show itself by decreased fertility, weight loss, decreased performance, and increased labor and medicine costs. It has been estimated that 88-92% of lameness in cattle stems from the foot. Several issues could be the culprit, but we will review some of the common causes and the key differences between the clinical signs. It is a good idea to contact your local veterinarian to create a treatment plan for these conditions prior to the grazing season.

The first way to determining the cause of lameness is to observe obvious swelling. The swelling most commonly effects the lower limb, indicating the area of inflammation just above the hoof. It is important to distinguish if the swelling is symmetrical (equal on both sides of the foot), or asymmetrical (only effecting one side). Swelling may also be noticed effecting single or multiple joints in both calves and cows.

Footrot is a common disease process that occurs in pasture cattle. Footrot is a bacterial infection of the foot that manifests itself with symmetric swelling encompassing the lower limb just above the hooves. Upon closer inspection, producers will notice a crack in the skin between the hooves and a foul pungent odor. Injectable antibiotic treatment is typically very rewarding when treated in the early stages of the disease. With delayed or late treatment of cases, however, deeper structures of the foot (tendons, joints, even bone) may become involved. Delayed treatment often requires extended therapy, and leads to increased cull rates from the herd.

It is always important to closely inspect symmetric swelling cases in the pasture settings. Wire, bale wrap, or other foreign bodies can wrap around and entrap the lower foot causing very similar symptoms as footrot. If the swelling has a well demarcated line horizontally across the foot, further investigation in warranted. The entrapping foreign body must be removed.

Single sided or asymmetric swelling of the foot often indicates a more serious condition in cattle. This type of clinical sign is often the result of deep structure issues. Puncture wounds, sole abscesses, or chronic infections can cause single sided joint, bone, or tendon infections. Extensive footwork on a tilt table or under sedation is often indicated in these cases. Contact your veterinarian when these cases are identified.

Single or multiple joint swelling with lameness can also be observed in pasture settings. In calves this is often the result of septic arthritis. This is a bacterial infection of the joints. In very young calves it can be the sequela of naval ill, or from bacteria that get into the blood stream. It is not uncommon to see this condition a week to 10 days following a bout of respiratory disease with some pathogens as well. Even with appropriate treatment, the inflammation in the joint often takes several weeks to resorb back into the body. Joint swelling in mature animals can also occur. Many times this is a result of an orthopedic break down. Torn cruciate ligaments in the stifles of breeding bulls, or hock damage from riding activity are examples of these conditions. Consult with your veterinarian for potential treatment or course of action if these situations occur.

Obvious lameness to one or more limbs with no noticeable swelling can often be challenging to diagnose appropriately. One of these conditions is called Hairy Heel Warts, also known as Digital Dermatitis, or Strawberry Footrot. These animals often display obvious lameness and will attempt to walk on the “tippy toe” of the foot. Upon closer observation you will notice wart like growths or bright red scab lesions below the dewclaws and above the heel bulbs of the foot. Topical treatment with an astringent or antibacterial solution is warranted for this condition.

The last condition we see more commonly in newly arrived stocker calves, is called toe tip necrosis (toe abscesses). These animals often appear with shifting lameness of the back legs. They will usually stand in strange orientations to protect and get pressure off the of the damaged toe. The rear, outside hooves are most often affected. Treatment of these consists of picking up the feet and using hoof testers to confirm the condition. Then the toes are slightly opened with hoof nippers to release the pressure. Without opening the toes, healing will not occur.

Lameness can be challenging to diagnose in a field situation, but understanding the subtle differences will help will proper and timely treatment. Visit with your veterinarian about any non-responsive lameness issues. Further diagnostics and treatment may be indicated.

Alicia Boor 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 her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592579538317.png" alt="Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District." />
 <figcaption>Alicia Boor is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the summer grazing months many producers run into issues with lame cattle. The effects of lameness may show itself by decreased fertility, weight loss, decreased performance, and increased labor and medicine costs. It has been estimated that 88-92% of lameness in cattle stems from the foot. Several issues could be the culprit, but we will review some of the common causes and the key differences between the clinical signs. It is a good idea to contact your local veterinarian to create a treatment plan for these conditions prior to the grazing season.Lameness with Swelling:The first way to determining the cause of lameness is to observe obvious swelling. The swelling most commonly effects the lower limb, indicating the area of inflammation just above the hoof. It is important to distinguish if the swelling is symmetrical (equal on both sides of the foot), or asymmetrical (only effecting one side). Swelling may also be noticed effecting single or multiple joints in both calves and cows.Footrot is a common disease process that occurs in pasture cattle. Footrot is a bacterial infection of the foot that manifests itself with symmetric swelling encompassing the lower limb just above the hooves. Upon closer inspection, producers will notice a crack in the skin between the hooves and a foul pungent odor. Injectable antibiotic treatment is typically very rewarding when treated in the early stages of the disease. With delayed or late treatment of cases, however, deeper structures of the foot (tendons, joints, even bone) may become involved. Delayed treatment often requires extended therapy, and leads to increased cull rates from the herd.It is always important to closely inspect symmetric swelling cases in the pasture settings. Wire, bale wrap, or other foreign bodies can wrap around and entrap the lower foot causing very similar symptoms as footrot. If the swelling has a well demarcated line horizontally across the foot, further investigation in warranted. The entrapping foreign body must be removed.Single sided or asymmetric swelling of the foot often indicates a more serious condition in cattle. This type of clinical sign is often the result of deep structure issues. Puncture wounds, sole abscesses, or chronic infections can cause single sided joint, bone, or tendon infections. Extensive footwork on a tilt table or under sedation is often indicated in these cases. Contact your veterinarian when these cases are identified.Single or multiple joint swelling with lameness can also be observed in pasture settings. In calves this is often the result of septic arthritis. This is a bacterial infection of the joints. In very young calves it can be the sequela of naval ill, or from bacteria that get into the blood stream. It is not uncommon to see this condition a week to 10 days following a bout of respiratory disease with some pathogens as well. Even with appropriate treatment, the inflammation in the joint often takes several weeks to resorb back into the body. Joint swelling in mature animals can also occur. Many times this is a result of an orthopedic break down. Torn cruciate ligaments in the stifles of breeding bulls, or hock damage from riding activity are examples of these conditions. Consult with your veterinarian for potential treatment or course of action if these situations occur.Lameness with no noticeable swelling:Obvious lameness to one or more limbs with no noticeable swelling can often be challenging to diagnose appropriately. One of these conditions is called Hairy Heel Warts, also known as Digital Dermatitis, or Strawberry Footrot. These animals often display obvious lameness and will attempt to walk on the “tippy toe” of the foot. Upon closer observation you will notice wart like growths or bright red scab lesions below the dewclaws and above the heel bulbs of the foot. Topical treatment with an astringent or antibacterial solution is warranted for this condition.The last condition we see more commonly in newly arrived stocker calves, is called toe tip necrosis (toe abscesses). These animals often appear with shifting lameness of the back legs. They will usually stand in strange orientations to protect and get pressure off the of the damaged toe. The rear, outside hooves are most often affected. Treatment of these consists of picking up the feet and using hoof testers to confirm the condition. Then the toes are slightly opened with hoof nippers to release the pressure. Without opening the toes, healing will not occur.Lameness can be challenging to diagnose in a field situation, but understanding the subtle differences will help will proper and timely treatment. Visit with your veterinarian about any non-responsive lameness issues. Further diagnostics and treatment may be indicated.Alicia Boor 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 her by e-mail at aboor@ksu.edu or calling 620-793-1910.

BOOR: Summer grazing and lame cattle

This is the time of year when people really notice crabgrass infestations. By far the best way to control crabgrass is to prevent it by maintaining a good, thick lawn. Crabgrass is an annual that must come up from seed each year and the seed must have light in order to germinate. If a lawn is thick enough that sunlight does not reach the soil, the crabgrass will not germinate. Under Kansas conditions it is not easy to maintain such a lawn; so many gardeners do the next best thing and apply a crabgrass preventer in the spring. Crabgrass preventers kill the seed as it germinates. Most do not have any effect on crabgrass that has already come up. If we are too late to apply a preventer, we do have other herbicides that will kill crabgrass plants including Ortho Weed-B-Gon Max +Crabgrass Control, Fertilome Weed-Out with Crabgrass Control, Monterey Crab-E-Rad and BioAdvanced Lawn Weed &amp; Crabgrass Killer. Each contains quinclorac, which is a crabgrass herbicide, as well as other active ingredients that control broadleaf weeds. Quinclorac is an excellent crabgrass killer that controls not only crabgrass, but also has good activity on foxtail and certain broadleaves such as field bindweed, black medic, and clover. However, it does little to nothing to goosegrass.

​Fortunately, crabgrass starts declining about the middle of August. This is about the same time that cool- season grasses such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass start to come out of their summer doldrums. By the first of September, the crabgrass will be less noticeable. Therefore, a small infestation is best ignored. Remember that crabgrass is a warm-season annual and will be killed by the first frost.

Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions she can be contacted by e-mail at lfick@k-state.edu or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the time of year when people really notice crabgrass infestations. By far the best way to control crabgrass is to prevent it by maintaining a good, thick lawn. Crabgrass is an annual that must come up from seed each year and the seed must have light in order to germinate. If a lawn is thick enough that sunlight does not reach the soil, the crabgrass will not germinate. Under Kansas conditions it is not easy to maintain such a lawn; so many gardeners do the next best thing and apply a crabgrass preventer in the spring. Crabgrass preventers kill the seed as it germinates. Most do not have any effect on crabgrass that has already come up. If we are too late to apply a preventer, we do have other herbicides that will kill crabgrass plants including Ortho Weed-B-Gon Max +Crabgrass Control, Fertilome Weed-Out with Crabgrass Control, Monterey Crab-E-Rad and BioAdvanced Lawn Weed &amp; Crabgrass Killer. Each contains quinclorac, which is a crabgrass herbicide, as well as other active ingredients that control broadleaf weeds. Quinclorac is an excellent crabgrass killer that controls not only crabgrass, but also has good activity on foxtail and certain broadleaves such as field bindweed, black medic, and clover. However, it does little to nothing to goosegrass.​Fortunately, crabgrass starts declining about the middle of August. This is about the same time that cool- season grasses such as tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass start to come out of their summer doldrums. By the first of September, the crabgrass will be less noticeable. Therefore, a small infestation is best ignored. Remember that crabgrass is a warm-season annual and will be killed by the first frost.Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions she can be contacted by e-mail at lfick@k-state.edu or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

FICK: Crabgrass control

I have a love / hate relationship with squirrels. They’re fun to hear as they chatter and scold you from a backyard tree or from a perch near your deer stand, and their crazy antics are entertaining as they chase each other around a tree or roll around inside a glass jar feeder. But they chisel holes in my new front lawn to bury acorns, and in the spring, our front flower bed would soon become an oak forest if we didn’t pull out all the little oak saplings that spring forth from their buried treasures.

Besides frog season, I thought all Kansas hunting seasons began in the fall and concluded with turkey season in the spring. Now, I knew full well there was a squirrel season in Kansas, but imagine my surprise to find it actually begins in June and runs statewide through the end of February. The daily bag limit is 5 squirrels and the possession limit is 20. Since squirrels are small critters, small firearms like a .410 shotgun or a .22 rifle with a good scope are the best choices for harvesting equipment, and all that’s needed is a general Kansas hunting license. Traditional ways of cooking squirrel are to cut them up into pieces and fry them like chicken, or to roast them whole. But there is an event held each fall in Bentonville, Arkansas that centers around all things squirrel cooking.

Local Bentonville resident Joe Wilson cut his teeth on hunting rabbits, squirrels and other small game before graduating to hunting deer. Bentonville has developed many artsy and historical tourist attractions, even displaying prominent artwork in local hotels, and while Wilson appreciates that immensely, he and other hunters and outdoorsmen his age began to feel that the area was slowly losing its “Ozark flavor,” as he puts it. In 2006, a group of older and retired deer hunters, tired of having to fight each year for good spots to hunt deer, decided to get back to what they all cut their teeth on, hunting squirrels and small game, and the novel organization Squirrels Unlimited, (SqU for short) was formed. Besides helping revive that local Ozark Flavor, a main goal of the group is also to get the youth hunters of today interested in hunting small game like they themselves had done. In 2012, while helping a film crew from the Travel Channel film an episode of “Bizarre Foods,” Wilson was asked if they could cook squirrels. To embellish a little, Wilson told them “Not only do we cook squirrels, we throw the World Champion Squirrel Cookoff.” Wilson said that to cover his lie, they had to scramble to put together the first event which took place in October of 2012. Teams from across the region converged on a warehouse in Bentonville in the middle of a sleet storm, and today the annual World Champion Squirrel Cookoff is so popular it has outgrown several locations.

The rules of the cookoff are simple; each dish must contain 80% squirrel meat. An advertisement for the event in one prominent magazine read “Every fall hundreds of chefs from around the country head to Bentonville, Arkansas to take part in a heated competition. They baste, emulsify, marinade and flambe’. They make everything from bratwurst to lollipops. Yes, welcome to the World Champion Squirrel Cookoff.”&nbsp; Some of the dishes from past year’s cookoffs have been squirrel poppers made with squirrel loins and jalapeno cheese, minced squirrel brains with cream cheese in a puff pastry, bacon-wrapped squirrel wings, squirrel pizza, squirrel tamales, squirrel dogs, squirrel gumbo, squirrel sliders, squirrel tacos, squirrel dumplings, squirrel enchiladas, and even squirrel flavored ice cream.&nbsp; Many of the teams are named for their entertainment value as well, with handles like team Chicken of the Tree, the Spice Squirrels and the Rawhide Nut Pirates. Last year’s event even hosted a cookoff team from the Netherlands; not sure how the Dutch know anything about cooking squirrels, but alright.&nbsp; Cookoff winners are awarded cash prizes and any profit from the event goes to local charities.

Wilson said that as a kid, he collected and sold squirrel tails to Mepps, a large fishing tackle manufacturer that uses the hair from the tails on many of it’s fishing lures. Mepps buys and uses hundreds of thousands of squirrel tails each year, and has become a major sponsor of Squirrels Unlimited and of the cookoff. A squirrel skinning contest has also been added to the event.

Call them tree bacon, limb chicken, tofu of the woods or roof rats, squirrels can be entertaining or they can be a major nuisance. Even though Cousin Eddy from the movie “Christmas Vacation” says he quit eatin’ squirrel cause’ its high in cholesterol, squirrel meat is good, but DOES NOT taste just like chicken. This is yet another chance to take a kid hunting without having to purchase an expensive permit or other hunting equipment as you 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>I have a love / hate relationship with squirrels. They’re fun to hear as they chatter and scold you from a backyard tree or from a perch near your deer stand, and their crazy antics are entertaining as they chase each other around a tree or roll around inside a glass jar feeder. But they chisel holes in my new front lawn to bury acorns, and in the spring, our front flower bed would soon become an oak forest if we didn’t pull out all the little oak saplings that spring forth from their buried treasures.Besides frog season, I thought all Kansas hunting seasons began in the fall and concluded with turkey season in the spring. Now, I knew full well there was a squirrel season in Kansas, but imagine my surprise to find it actually begins in June and runs statewide through the end of February. The daily bag limit is 5 squirrels and the possession limit is 20. Since squirrels are small critters, small firearms like a .410 shotgun or a .22 rifle with a good scope are the best choices for harvesting equipment, and all that’s needed is a general Kansas hunting license. Traditional ways of cooking squirrel are to cut them up into pieces and fry them like chicken, or to roast them whole. But there is an event held each fall in Bentonville, Arkansas that centers around all things squirrel cooking.Local Bentonville resident Joe Wilson cut his teeth on hunting rabbits, squirrels and other small game before graduating to hunting deer. Bentonville has developed many artsy and historical tourist attractions, even displaying prominent artwork in local hotels, and while Wilson appreciates that immensely, he and other hunters and outdoorsmen his age began to feel that the area was slowly losing its “Ozark flavor,” as he puts it. In 2006, a group of older and retired deer hunters, tired of having to fight each year for good spots to hunt deer, decided to get back to what they all cut their teeth on, hunting squirrels and small game, and the novel organization Squirrels Unlimited, (SqU for short) was formed. Besides helping revive that local Ozark Flavor, a main goal of the group is also to get the youth hunters of today interested in hunting small game like they themselves had done. In 2012, while helping a film crew from the Travel Channel film an episode of “Bizarre Foods,” Wilson was asked if they could cook squirrels. To embellish a little, Wilson told them “Not only do we cook squirrels, we throw the World Champion Squirrel Cookoff.” Wilson said that to cover his lie, they had to scramble to put together the first event which took place in October of 2012. Teams from across the region converged on a warehouse in Bentonville in the middle of a sleet storm, and today the annual World Champion Squirrel Cookoff is so popular it has outgrown several locations.The rules of the cookoff are simple; each dish must contain 80% squirrel meat. An advertisement for the event in one prominent magazine read “Every fall hundreds of chefs from around the country head to Bentonville, Arkansas to take part in a heated competition. They baste, emulsify, marinade and flambe’. They make everything from bratwurst to lollipops. Yes, welcome to the World Champion Squirrel Cookoff.”&nbsp; Some of the dishes from past year’s cookoffs have been squirrel poppers made with squirrel loins and jalapeno cheese, minced squirrel brains with cream cheese in a puff pastry, bacon-wrapped squirrel wings, squirrel pizza, squirrel tamales, squirrel dogs, squirrel gumbo, squirrel sliders, squirrel tacos, squirrel dumplings, squirrel enchiladas, and even squirrel flavored ice cream.&nbsp; Many of the teams are named for their entertainment value as well, with handles like team Chicken of the Tree, the Spice Squirrels and the Rawhide Nut Pirates. Last year’s event even hosted a cookoff team from the Netherlands; not sure how the Dutch know anything about cooking squirrels, but alright.&nbsp; Cookoff winners are awarded cash prizes and any profit from the event goes to local charities.Wilson said that as a kid, he collected and sold squirrel tails to Mepps, a large fishing tackle manufacturer that uses the hair from the tails on many of it’s fishing lures. Mepps buys and uses hundreds of thousands of squirrel tails each year, and has become a major sponsor of Squirrels Unlimited and of the cookoff. A squirrel skinning contest has also been added to the event.Call them tree bacon, limb chicken, tofu of the woods or roof rats, squirrels can be entertaining or they can be a major nuisance. Even though Cousin Eddy from the movie “Christmas Vacation” says he quit eatin’ squirrel cause’ its high in cholesterol, squirrel meat is good, but DOES NOT taste just like chicken. This is yet another chance to take a kid hunting without having to purchase an expensive permit or other hunting equipment as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Squirrel — it’s what’s for dinner

There are times you can be for something or against something or neutral. But other times, like&nbsp; when you are jumping out of a plane, you either pull the ripcord or you don’t. Not deciding is the same as deciding not to. The world has now jumped out of a Boeing 747 and the momentum is carrying us toward more and more COVID-19 infections. At this moment, this very moment, we have to decide how to slow the momentum down.&nbsp;

We have the choice between being pro-humanity or anti-humanity.&nbsp; To be anti-humanity is to not be concerned about the public good as a whole and be only concerned about one’s own survival. To be pro-humanity means to be concerned about your fellow humans as well as yourself.&nbsp; When it comes to the global pandemic that we are facing right now, there is no middle ground. You are either pro-humanity or anti-humanity.

The COVID-19 virus is anti-humanity. It knows only one thing and that is to attack the human system in various ways in order to survive. The virus is definitely anti-humanity.

The headline on Hays Post on July 2, 2020 reads “Masks Encouraged, Not Required in Ellis County.”&nbsp; What we know about masks at this point is not as mysterious as the County Health Director lets on. The main purpose of the mask is to protect others. When you wear a mask , the mask provides minimal protection for you. But where the mask shines is in protecting others from your particles that you project into the air. Think of it like using a kleenex or handkerchief when you sneeze.&nbsp; You do it for other people. &nbsp;

So when you are in Dillons where the pro-humanity workers are wearing their masks to protect you, and you go in without a mask, you, demonstrating anti-humanity behavior, are placing the workers at Dillons at risk. If everyone is wearing a mask in Dillons, both workers and patrons, it is a pro-humanity win-win situation.

Let’s take a quiz and see if our county commissioners are pro-humanity or anti-humanity. We will even include the Ellis County Health Director since most of the information concerning the virus comes from him. I will be using quotes from the Hays Post article mentioned above, which I believe gets to the essence of their arguments concerning masks. Good luck!

•	Jason Kennedy, Ellis County Director of Health

Kennedy said when it comes to the county’s response to the pandemic, it would not require masks in public. “We have eight active cases, we have zero hospitalizations, and thankfully,we have zero deaths”, Kennedy said. “Our hospital capacity is sufficient to handle anything we want at this point.”

Would you feel horrified if I told you that we have plenty of open cemetery plots at this time, as a response to COVID-19? There is little difference between that and the county health director telling us that we have plenty of ICU bed spaces; so party on, dudes!&nbsp;

•	Pro-humanity &nbsp;•	Anti-humanity

2) Ellis County Commissioner Dustin Roths

“I encourage anyone that wants to wear a mask, that might be at risk, that may be around other people, and not be able to social distance for a period of time, feel free (to wear a mask). We actually probably encourage it.”

Remember that a mask is most effective for protecting others around you. Commissioner Roths seems to be saying to those who are most vulnerable “go ahead and take the risk of being around those without a mask. It’s your funeral.”

3) Ellis County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst

“If you feel threatened at all out in public or when you are at a gathering, please do wear a mask.” “I encourage you to do that.”

Thanks, Commissioner Haselhorst, for giving us permission to wear a mask. Again, the mask is worn by others in order to protect those who are feeling threatened. Was it “opposite day” at the county commission meeting on Thursday?

4) Ellis County Commissioner Butch Schlyer

“They don’t want to be told what they have to wear (the citizens of Ellis County) that sense of independence, people just thrive on it.” “They don’t want to be dictated to and mandated to, especially by some bureaucrat in some distant land.”

Sounding like a petulant teenager arguing with his mom about what shirt to wear to school, Commissioner Schlyer, the former Ellis County Health Director, is advocating every man, woman and child for himself during a global pandemic. He concluded with a good pinch of misogyny that the Governor will not tell him what to do. Even if that means killing off a few people?

•	Pro-humanity&nbsp; &nbsp;•	Anti-humanity

If you answered b to all of the above, good job! &nbsp;

By now you may be feeling like an orphan when it comes to the county protecting your health and well being. But there is hope.

“We are at war with COVID-19. Do your civic duty and wear a mask to keep your family and neighbors healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>There are times you can be for something or against something or neutral. But other times, like&nbsp; when you are jumping out of a plane, you either pull the ripcord or you don’t. Not deciding is the same as deciding not to. The world has now jumped out of a Boeing 747 and the momentum is carrying us toward more and more COVID-19 infections. At this moment, this very moment, we have to decide how to slow the momentum down.&nbsp;We have the choice between being pro-humanity or anti-humanity.&nbsp; To be anti-humanity is to not be concerned about the public good as a whole and be only concerned about one’s own survival. To be pro-humanity means to be concerned about your fellow humans as well as yourself.&nbsp; When it comes to the global pandemic that we are facing right now, there is no middle ground. You are either pro-humanity or anti-humanity.The COVID-19 virus is anti-humanity. It knows only one thing and that is to attack the human system in various ways in order to survive. The virus is definitely anti-humanity.The headline on Hays Post on July 2, 2020 reads “Masks Encouraged, Not Required in Ellis County.”&nbsp; What we know about masks at this point is not as mysterious as the County Health Director lets on. The main purpose of the mask is to protect others. When you wear a mask , the mask provides minimal protection for you. But where the mask shines is in protecting others from your particles that you project into the air. Think of it like using a kleenex or handkerchief when you sneeze.&nbsp; You do it for other people. &nbsp;So when you are in Dillons where the pro-humanity workers are wearing their masks to protect you, and you go in without a mask, you, demonstrating anti-humanity behavior, are placing the workers at Dillons at risk. If everyone is wearing a mask in Dillons, both workers and patrons, it is a pro-humanity win-win situation.Let’s take a quiz and see if our county commissioners are pro-humanity or anti-humanity. We will even include the Ellis County Health Director since most of the information concerning the virus comes from him. I will be using quotes from the Hays Post article mentioned above, which I believe gets to the essence of their arguments concerning masks. Good luck!	•	Jason Kennedy, Ellis County Director of HealthKennedy said when it comes to the county’s response to the pandemic, it would not require masks in public. “We have eight active cases, we have zero hospitalizations, and thankfully,we have zero deaths”, Kennedy said. “Our hospital capacity is sufficient to handle anything we want at this point.”Would you feel horrified if I told you that we have plenty of open cemetery plots at this time, as a response to COVID-19? There is little difference between that and the county health director telling us that we have plenty of ICU bed spaces; so party on, dudes!&nbsp;	•	Pro-humanity &nbsp;•	Anti-humanity2) Ellis County Commissioner Dustin Roths“I encourage anyone that wants to wear a mask, that might be at risk, that may be around other people, and not be able to social distance for a period of time, feel free (to wear a mask). We actually probably encourage it.”Remember that a mask is most effective for protecting others around you. Commissioner Roths seems to be saying to those who are most vulnerable “go ahead and take the risk of being around those without a mask. It’s your funeral.”	•	Pro-humanity &nbsp;•	Anti-humanity3) Ellis County Commissioner Dean Haselhorst“If you feel threatened at all out in public or when you are at a gathering, please do wear a mask.” “I encourage you to do that.”Thanks, Commissioner Haselhorst, for giving us permission to wear a mask. Again, the mask is worn by others in order to protect those who are feeling threatened. Was it “opposite day” at the county commission meeting on Thursday?	•	Pro-humanity &nbsp;•	Anti-humanity4) Ellis County Commissioner Butch Schlyer“They don’t want to be told what they have to wear (the citizens of Ellis County) that sense of independence, people just thrive on it.” “They don’t want to be dictated to and mandated to, especially by some bureaucrat in some distant land.”Sounding like a petulant teenager arguing with his mom about what shirt to wear to school, Commissioner Schlyer, the former Ellis County Health Director, is advocating every man, woman and child for himself during a global pandemic. He concluded with a good pinch of misogyny that the Governor will not tell him what to do. Even if that means killing off a few people?	•	Pro-humanity&nbsp; &nbsp;•	Anti-humanityIf you answered b to all of the above, good job! &nbsp;By now you may be feeling like an orphan when it comes to the county protecting your health and well being. But there is hope.Governor of Kansas Laura Kelly“We are at war with COVID-19. Do your civic duty and wear a mask to keep your family and neighbors healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”Definitely pro-humanity.&nbsp;Jacinta Faber, Ellis County

LETTER: Mask decisions — pro- or anti-humanity?

This will be the week we get a good handle on just how counties are going to react to Gov. Laura Kelly’s “mask order” which requires Kansans, and visitors here, to wear facemasks when in public spaces where they are likely to be less than 6 feet apart.

County commissions will get the chance this week – and some already have – to pare down that ruling about masks in public spaces for whatever county reason there is. It just takes a public vote at a county commission meeting to say, “never mind in this county.” Nobody’s sure whether it could be stretched to say…unless your car tag is from a different county where there are more COVID-19 cases than we are comfortable with.

For us Statehouse habitués, the argument over the masks and who can tell whom to wear them and when and where is entertaining because if lobbyists used the same sort of arguments, well…they wouldn’t have much success for their clients.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There’s that initial argument by anti-maskers that “this is another state mandate on our lives.” That’s interesting, partly because the concept behind the mask rule is to save lives or at least reduce the inconvenience of catching or possibly dying of COVID-19.

And some of us under the Dome are wondering whether this whole mask issue was portrayed convincingly right from the beginning. There’s a little talk that if the masks had initially been described as a way to&nbsp;reduce&nbsp;catching the disease rather than&nbsp;spreading&nbsp;the disease, there might be fewer opponents to the issue.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Gotta wonder also whether the Kelly mask order, which has been described by Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, as an&nbsp; “iron-fisted state order,” is just that iron-fisted if counties can opt out of it. Nobody can remember whether the “iron -fisted order” argument was used to rally public protest against, say, those sneeze guards at the salad bar?&nbsp; …or to arbitrarily set .8 percent as the bright red line on driving while intoxicated?

And nobody’s talking out loud about it, but there is also that underlying benefit for businesses and stores and bars and such by having in place a statewide order. That way business owners and their masked employees can point toward Topeka and say, “we’re not keeping you from shopping here, it’s the governor.”

Nothing much better than finding someone else to blame for angering some customers, is there? That makes it simple, and probably means that store owners aren’t going to have to explain, probably unsuccessfully, why they won’t let anti-maskers into the store.

There’s also the issue of those $2,500 fines for violating the mask order. Yes, while the order leaves enforcement of the order up to the counties, and their sheriff’s officers, and county attorneys, nobody’s seen a fine issued yet.

Not wearing a mask in a county that hasn’t exempted itself from the order carries a civil fine of up to $2,500. It’s civil, so it won’t show up as a criminal act that will damage your chances for landing a job, or test-driving a car, but it’s still up to $2,500, though local officials could say, “we’ll call it good with just a warning, or maybe a $10 fine to cover the cost of copying the paperwork.”

Chances are good that the full fine wouldn’t be levied by your local district attorney unless you weren’t wearing a mask while robbing a liquor store…

So, yes, Statehouse regulars are wondering where this mask rule goes next session, when there are going to be brand-new legislators in the hallways…and when the real campaigning for the governor’s office starts again.

Although, the six-foot distance rule probably sounds good to some fathers of dating-age daughters…

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592848178110.png" alt="Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report." />
 <figcaption>Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report.</figcaption>
 </figure>This will be the week we get a good handle on just how counties are going to react to Gov. Laura Kelly’s “mask order” which requires Kansans, and visitors here, to wear facemasks when in public spaces where they are likely to be less than 6 feet apart.County commissions will get the chance this week – and some already have – to pare down that ruling about masks in public spaces for whatever county reason there is. It just takes a public vote at a county commission meeting to say, “never mind in this county.” Nobody’s sure whether it could be stretched to say…unless your car tag is from a different county where there are more COVID-19 cases than we are comfortable with.For us Statehouse habitués, the argument over the masks and who can tell whom to wear them and when and where is entertaining because if lobbyists used the same sort of arguments, well…they wouldn’t have much success for their clients.&nbsp;&nbsp;There’s that initial argument by anti-maskers that “this is another state mandate on our lives.” That’s interesting, partly because the concept behind the mask rule is to save lives or at least reduce the inconvenience of catching or possibly dying of COVID-19.And some of us under the Dome are wondering whether this whole mask issue was portrayed convincingly right from the beginning. There’s a little talk that if the masks had initially been described as a way to&nbsp;reduce&nbsp;catching the disease rather than&nbsp;spreading&nbsp;the disease, there might be fewer opponents to the issue.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gotta wonder also whether the Kelly mask order, which has been described by Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, as an&nbsp; “iron-fisted state order,” is just that iron-fisted if counties can opt out of it. Nobody can remember whether the “iron -fisted order” argument was used to rally public protest against, say, those sneeze guards at the salad bar?&nbsp; …or to arbitrarily set .8 percent as the bright red line on driving while intoxicated?And nobody’s talking out loud about it, but there is also that underlying benefit for businesses and stores and bars and such by having in place a statewide order. That way business owners and their masked employees can point toward Topeka and say, “we’re not keeping you from shopping here, it’s the governor.”Nothing much better than finding someone else to blame for angering some customers, is there? That makes it simple, and probably means that store owners aren’t going to have to explain, probably unsuccessfully, why they won’t let anti-maskers into the store.There’s also the issue of those $2,500 fines for violating the mask order. Yes, while the order leaves enforcement of the order up to the counties, and their sheriff’s officers, and county attorneys, nobody’s seen a fine issued yet.Not wearing a mask in a county that hasn’t exempted itself from the order carries a civil fine of up to $2,500. It’s civil, so it won’t show up as a criminal act that will damage your chances for landing a job, or test-driving a car, but it’s still up to $2,500, though local officials could say, “we’ll call it good with just a warning, or maybe a $10 fine to cover the cost of copying the paperwork.”Chances are good that the full fine wouldn’t be levied by your local district attorney unless you weren’t wearing a mask while robbing a liquor store…So, yes, Statehouse regulars are wondering where this mask rule goes next session, when there are going to be brand-new legislators in the hallways…and when the real campaigning for the governor’s office starts again.Although, the six-foot distance rule probably sounds good to some fathers of dating-age daughters…Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver's Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.hawvernews.com/">www.hawvernews.com</a>

HAWVER: County reactions to Kan. facemask order

Last Thursday, July 2, I had one of my most disheartening and disturbing experiences as an Ellis County citizen. I attended the County Commissioner’s special meeting to decide whether Ellis County would honor the governor’s mandate for wearing masks. Given the fact that this significant health-related question was to be decided by a body of men with no medical background but with political points to gain, I should not have been surprised at their unanimous decision to ignore the mandate.

Let’s take a moment to consider one by one their arguments in support of their decision:

“Wear a mask if you believe you’re at risk. It’s a matter of personal preference.”

This argument completely ignores the often-repeated fact that wearing a mask protects OTHER PEOPLE more than it protects the wearer. Wearing a mask offers little protection if others are not also wearing masks—hence the need for a mandate.

“People don’t like to be told what to do. In fact, if someone tells me what to do, I’m going to do the opposite.”

This argument, made by Commissioner Schlyer, sounds like a teenager’s whining, not a sound reason to ignore a mandate that could help us avoid a spike of cases in Ellis County. Someone might want to go barefoot into a restaurant, but “No shirt, no shoes, no service” is a mandate we’ve accepted for years for health reasons.

“I’m not going to support a mandate in a free country.”

Commissioner Roths made this argument, similar to the one above. But even in a free country, we have mandates to protect public safety. Speed limits are just one example.

“It shouldn’t be ‘one size fits all.’ ”

The thinking here seems to be that because we are in a rural part of the state, we don’t have to take precautions to slow the spread of the pandemic. Only counties with larger populations or larger spikes of cases need those precautions. I’ll return to the speed limit example. There’s much more traffic along I-70 in Johnson County than in Ellis County, yet we still have comparable speed limits for public safety. And speaking of I-70—because travelers come through Ellis County, we should not become complacent and assume the virus won’t find us here.

“Many of my constituents called to say they opposed the mandate.”

Commissioners revealed that many constituents were opposed to the mandate, and some were in favor of it. One of those in favor, who called each commissioner, was a medical doctor. For a medical decision, wouldn’t it make more sense to listen to a doctor than to constituents with non-medical backgrounds? The main reason for not doing so seems to be political, with a fear of losing votes being stronger than any desire to protect at-risk citizens. And if you don’t think this decision was political, consider Commissioner Schlyer’s argument:

“If Kobach was governor, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”

That statement spoke volumes to me. Let me point out that even the staunchly conservative governor of Texas has finally called for a mask mandate. Governor Kelly was simply trying to be proactive, not waiting for unnecessary deaths and hospital ICUs at 95% capacity and climbing, as they’re seeing in Texas after waiting too long to act.

“This mandate is an attack on small business.”

I found this argument by Commissioner Roths especially ironic since the opposite is actually true. I and many of my at-risk friends have avoided shopping in Hays because of the lack of masks. On a recent trip to Steamboat Springs, I felt comfortable going in stores and restaurants because of a city-wide mask mandate. Not so in Hays. If businesses want everybody’s business, they need to ensure everyone feels safe walking in the door.

“Some people struggle with wearing a mask—for example, asthma sufferers.”

To me, this is actually the most convincing argument, but it, too, can be addressed. Wouldn’t it be possible for such individuals to receive an exemption? They could apply through the County Health Office, perhaps, and receive an exemption card they could carry. Yes, this would mean that a few such individuals would be in public without masks, but surely that’s preferable to having the vast majority of individuals carelessly going out in public without masks.

Since our County Commissioners have failed to support a mandate that would protect citizens’ health, I must appeal instead to the compassion and common sense of business owners and those who go out in public while COVID-19 is still a threat. Please ask your patrons to wear masks—and for everyone reading this, please wear a mask when you’re out in public.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Last Thursday, July 2, I had one of my most disheartening and disturbing experiences as an Ellis County citizen. I attended the County Commissioner’s special meeting to decide whether Ellis County would honor the governor’s mandate for wearing masks. Given the fact that this significant health-related question was to be decided by a body of men with no medical background but with political points to gain, I should not have been surprised at their unanimous decision to ignore the mandate.Let’s take a moment to consider one by one their arguments in support of their decision:“Wear a mask if you believe you’re at risk. It’s a matter of personal preference.”This argument completely ignores the often-repeated fact that wearing a mask protects OTHER PEOPLE more than it protects the wearer. Wearing a mask offers little protection if others are not also wearing masks—hence the need for a mandate.“People don’t like to be told what to do. In fact, if someone tells me what to do, I’m going to do the opposite.”This argument, made by Commissioner Schlyer, sounds like a teenager’s whining, not a sound reason to ignore a mandate that could help us avoid a spike of cases in Ellis County. Someone might want to go barefoot into a restaurant, but “No shirt, no shoes, no service” is a mandate we’ve accepted for years for health reasons.“I’m not going to support a mandate in a free country.”Commissioner Roths made this argument, similar to the one above. But even in a free country, we have mandates to protect public safety. Speed limits are just one example.“It shouldn’t be ‘one size fits all.’ ”The thinking here seems to be that because we are in a rural part of the state, we don’t have to take precautions to slow the spread of the pandemic. Only counties with larger populations or larger spikes of cases need those precautions. I’ll return to the speed limit example. There’s much more traffic along I-70 in Johnson County than in Ellis County, yet we still have comparable speed limits for public safety. And speaking of I-70—because travelers come through Ellis County, we should not become complacent and assume the virus won’t find us here.“Many of my constituents called to say they opposed the mandate.”Commissioners revealed that many constituents were opposed to the mandate, and some were in favor of it. One of those in favor, who called each commissioner, was a medical doctor. For a medical decision, wouldn’t it make more sense to listen to a doctor than to constituents with non-medical backgrounds? The main reason for not doing so seems to be political, with a fear of losing votes being stronger than any desire to protect at-risk citizens. And if you don’t think this decision was political, consider Commissioner Schlyer’s argument:“If Kobach was governor, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.”That statement spoke volumes to me. Let me point out that even the staunchly conservative governor of Texas has finally called for a mask mandate. Governor Kelly was simply trying to be proactive, not waiting for unnecessary deaths and hospital ICUs at 95% capacity and climbing, as they’re seeing in Texas after waiting too long to act.“This mandate is an attack on small business.”I found this argument by Commissioner Roths especially ironic since the opposite is actually true. I and many of my at-risk friends have avoided shopping in Hays because of the lack of masks. On a recent trip to Steamboat Springs, I felt comfortable going in stores and restaurants because of a city-wide mask mandate. Not so in Hays. If businesses want everybody’s business, they need to ensure everyone feels safe walking in the door.“Some people struggle with wearing a mask—for example, asthma sufferers.”To me, this is actually the most convincing argument, but it, too, can be addressed. Wouldn’t it be possible for such individuals to receive an exemption? They could apply through the County Health Office, perhaps, and receive an exemption card they could carry. Yes, this would mean that a few such individuals would be in public without masks, but surely that’s preferable to having the vast majority of individuals carelessly going out in public without masks.Since our County Commissioners have failed to support a mandate that would protect citizens’ health, I must appeal instead to the compassion and common sense of business owners and those who go out in public while COVID-19 is still a threat. Please ask your patrons to wear masks—and for everyone reading this, please wear a mask when you’re out in public.Cheryl Hofstetter Duffy, Hays

LETTER: County decision on masks 'disheartening'

By Betsy Wearing Northwest Kansas Today

The census is still happening!
With the many other issues in the news, don’t forget that Kansas needs to get a
complete count for the 2020 census.

It is not too late to complete
the information for your household. You can go online to 2020census.gov to
respond.&nbsp; If you are not comfortable responding online, you can either
fill out the paper form you should have received in the mail, or call, 1-844-330-2020
(1-844-468-2020 for Spanish language).

For every Kansan that is not
counted, our state, and by trickle down, our hometowns lose more than
$2,000&nbsp;every year&nbsp;for 10 years.

So, for each person counted,
Kansas gains $20,000 in federal dollars over the coming decade. 

These funds are
critical for schools, highways, and a host of other programs and projects that
affect our daily lives. The census also is used to determine our representation
in Washington.

Be sure to count every person
in your household, from newborn babies born on or before April 1, to
grandparents, other relatives or friends who live with you.

If you have a friend or
neighbor you suspect might need help completing the census, offer to help or
share the phone number above.

Currently Kansas is at just
over 65% response rate. It’s better than the national average, but not as good
as it was in 2010 or as good as Kansas needs it to be.

Here are the response rates as
of July 2 for Northwest Kansas counties, none of which have yet met the rate of
response from the 2010 census:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587556040230.jpeg" alt="Ellis County has 66.10% response rate for the 2020 census as of July 2." />
 <figcaption>Ellis County has 66.10% response rate for the 2020 census as of July 2.</figcaption>
 </figure>By Betsy Wearing Northwest Kansas Today The census is still happening!
With the many other issues in the news, don’t forget that Kansas needs to get a
complete count for the 2020 census.It is not too late to complete
the information for your household. You can go online to 2020census.gov to
respond.&nbsp; If you are not comfortable responding online, you can either
fill out the paper form you should have received in the mail, or call, 1-844-330-2020
(1-844-468-2020 for Spanish language).For every Kansan that is not
counted, our state, and by trickle down, our hometowns lose more than
$2,000&nbsp;every year&nbsp;for 10 years. So, for each person counted,
Kansas gains $20,000 in federal dollars over the coming decade. These funds are
critical for schools, highways, and a host of other programs and projects that
affect our daily lives. The census also is used to determine our representation
in Washington.In short, it’s important!Be sure to count every person
in your household, from newborn babies born on or before April 1, to
grandparents, other relatives or friends who live with you.If you have a friend or
neighbor you suspect might need help completing the census, offer to help or
share the phone number above.Currently Kansas is at just
over 65% response rate. It’s better than the national average, but not as good
as it was in 2010 or as good as Kansas needs it to be.Here are the response rates as
of July 2 for Northwest Kansas counties, none of which have yet met the rate of
response from the 2010 census:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593951672981.png" alt="Northwest Kansas 2020 census response rates as of July 2." />
 <figcaption>Northwest Kansas 2020 census response rates as of July 2.</figcaption>
 </figure>

NW Kan. census response rates lagging; Ellis Co. at 66%

As I’m out
and about promoting soil health at field days, crop tours and conferences, I typically
run into a farmer or two who think what I’m talking about is voodoo science
and this whole no-till/soil health thing is a bunch of malarkey.

&nbsp; They claim that you need to “open up and
fluff up the soil with tillage” so it can take in moisture and that no-till
just makes the ground hard making it difficult for water to get through.&nbsp; 

Tradition may make you think that is the
case.&nbsp; After all farmers have been using
tillage since almost the beginning of time and it is what dad and granddad did.&nbsp; 

To start with, most tillage creates
compaction layers that only allow the moisture to get into soil just a few
inches before it begins to runoff or pond.&nbsp;
But more importantly tillage destroys soil aggregates, and the soil
biology that helps form them.

A soil
aggregate is a whole bunch of individual soil particles held together into
bigger sizes by biological glues that soil organisms, like fungi, bacteria and earthworm
secrete. By the way, these soil organisms rely on a living plant to
survive.&nbsp; 

Decomposing soil organic matter
also provide organic glues.&nbsp; These bigger
“clumps” of soil provide pore spaces so when it does rainwater can get into the
soil.&nbsp; 

Think of it of how water well
works.&nbsp; We use large pieces of gravel and
rock to fill in behind the well casing to provide large pore spaces for water
to get into the well.&nbsp; 

If we would use
something smaller in size, like clay particles, there would be smaller and
fewer pore spaces so very little water would get into the well.&nbsp; Same goes for the soil.&nbsp; The fewer and smaller pore spaces the less
water infiltration there will be.

In addition,
soil particles easily break away from each other when water enters an aggregate
with low stability.&nbsp; These soil particles
fill surface pore spaces and form a hard crust on the soil surface when the
soil dries.&nbsp; Water has difficulty
penetrating this crust and it typically runs off, which causes erosion.&nbsp; The crust can also restrict seedling
emergence.&nbsp; 

In western
Kansas dryland cropping systems, it’s all about water.&nbsp;

 The more we can capture and store in the soil
profile the better chance we have a growing a good, productive crop.&nbsp;

 Stable soil aggregates, that don’t break
apart when water enters them, provide more pore spaces for water to enter.&nbsp; This also increases the soil’s water holding
capacity. Good aggregate stability also helps in root development, which helps
the plant take up more water and nutrients.&nbsp;
The soil is also more resistant to erosion.&nbsp; 

So how do we
improve our soil aggregate stability?&nbsp;
The simple answer is to reduce tillage.&nbsp;


Excessive tillage physically breaks down soil aggregates and disturbs
the soil organisms that secrete the glues that hold soil particles together.&nbsp; Over time it also depletes soil organic
matter which is also important to aggregate stability. &nbsp;

I get that an occasional tillage operation may
be necessary and the best tool to use for the circumstance.&nbsp; But when it comes to improving the water
infiltration and increasing the soil’s water holding cap<a></a>acity
tillage is not your friend.

For more
information about this or other soil health practices you can contact me at <a href="mailto:dale.younker@ks.usda.gov">dale.younker@ks.usda.gov</a> or any local NRCS office.

Dale Younker is a Soil Health Specialist at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services office in Jetmore.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593956609910.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As I’m out
and about promoting soil health at field days, crop tours and conferences, I typically
run into a farmer or two who think what I’m talking about is voodoo science
and this whole no-till/soil health thing is a bunch of malarkey.&nbsp; They claim that you need to “open up and
fluff up the soil with tillage” so it can take in moisture and that no-till
just makes the ground hard making it difficult for water to get through.&nbsp; Tradition may make you think that is the
case.&nbsp; After all farmers have been using
tillage since almost the beginning of time and it is what dad and granddad did.&nbsp; But the opposite is true.&nbsp; To start with, most tillage creates
compaction layers that only allow the moisture to get into soil just a few
inches before it begins to runoff or pond.&nbsp;
But more importantly tillage destroys soil aggregates, and the soil
biology that helps form them.A soil
aggregate is a whole bunch of individual soil particles held together into
bigger sizes by biological glues that soil organisms, like fungi, bacteria and earthworm
secrete. By the way, these soil organisms rely on a living plant to
survive.&nbsp; Decomposing soil organic matter
also provide organic glues.&nbsp; These bigger
“clumps” of soil provide pore spaces so when it does rainwater can get into the
soil.&nbsp; Think of it of how water well
works.&nbsp; We use large pieces of gravel and
rock to fill in behind the well casing to provide large pore spaces for water
to get into the well.&nbsp; If we would use
something smaller in size, like clay particles, there would be smaller and
fewer pore spaces so very little water would get into the well.&nbsp; Same goes for the soil.&nbsp; The fewer and smaller pore spaces the less
water infiltration there will be.In addition,
soil particles easily break away from each other when water enters an aggregate
with low stability.&nbsp; These soil particles
fill surface pore spaces and form a hard crust on the soil surface when the
soil dries.&nbsp; Water has difficulty
penetrating this crust and it typically runs off, which causes erosion.&nbsp; The crust can also restrict seedling
emergence.&nbsp; In western
Kansas dryland cropping systems, it’s all about water.&nbsp; The more we can capture and store in the soil
profile the better chance we have a growing a good, productive crop.&nbsp; Stable soil aggregates, that don’t break
apart when water enters them, provide more pore spaces for water to enter.&nbsp; This also increases the soil’s water holding
capacity. Good aggregate stability also helps in root development, which helps
the plant take up more water and nutrients.&nbsp;
The soil is also more resistant to erosion.&nbsp; So how do we
improve our soil aggregate stability?&nbsp;
The simple answer is to reduce tillage.&nbsp;
Excessive tillage physically breaks down soil aggregates and disturbs
the soil organisms that secrete the glues that hold soil particles together.&nbsp; Over time it also depletes soil organic
matter which is also important to aggregate stability. &nbsp;I get that an occasional tillage operation may
be necessary and the best tool to use for the circumstance.&nbsp; But when it comes to improving the water
infiltration and increasing the soil’s water holding cap<a></a>acity
tillage is not your friend.For more
information about this or other soil health practices you can contact me at <a href="mailto:dale.younker@ks.usda.gov">dale.younker@ks.usda.gov</a> or any local NRCS office.Dale Younker is a Soil Health Specialist at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services office in Jetmore.&nbsp;

YOUNKER: The effects of tillage on aggregate stability

I’ve seen several articles lately both in print and on the TV evening news reminding Kansans that it’s snake season. 

It reminded me of a small story years ago on the back page of the Hutchinson News entitled “Rattlesnake Relocation Project comes to an End.” It seems that in the spring of 2007, Lenexa, Kansas residents began spotting an ever-increasing number of rattlesnakes in some neighborhoods. 

While checking on the construction site for a never-built Target store, the city construction inspector discovered numerous rattlesnakes lying around the site. It was determined that a large rattlesnake den existed somewhere under a big pile of construction rubble there. A biology professor at a major out-of-state university, saw it as the perfect opportunity to test a new conservation model; the attempted relocation of as many snakes as possible from a single population in hopes they would establish their same population somewhere else. Around-the-clock “snake watches” were established at the den, and over the next 2 or 3 weeks the professor and a host of her students and other volunteers caught 35 Timber Rattlesnakes, implanted them with radio transmitters to permit their being tracked and deposited them at another suitable den site some miles away at a “top-secret” location.

The professors reasoning for relocating the snakes and not “whacking” them was two-fold; first of all it seemed at that time, extreme eastern Kansas was probably the western most boundary of the Timber Rattlesnake in the U.S. and since their numbers were sparse, the Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) had made them a SINC species, which stands for Species In Need of Conservation.&nbsp; Because of this, Timber rattlesnakes can legally be killed in Kansas ONLY if they directly threaten your safety, not just because they happen to have rattles on their tail. She called them “the puppy dogs of the rattlesnake world,” and said a timber rattler’s first line of defense is to blend-in rather than to coil or strike, as they opt to save that energy for hunting. Secondly, she said that those snakes were likely there for years, possibly even before the area was built-up, meaning that we humans had encroached on their territory.

Now I’m more snake friendly than most, and because of the free, natural rodent control they provide I’ve been known to relocate a bull snake or two rather than to kill them. One I took to the river actually had duck eggs in its throat already when I drug it from the duck’s nest, so don’t get me wrong here, I see rattlesnakes place in Nature. You rescue Lassie or Timmy if they fall into the well, you rescue a kitten with its head stuck in a salmon can, heck one guy on YouTube even rescued a prairie dog from his swimming pool, but I have a tough time seeing any sane Kansan rescuing a rattlesnake. It all reminds me of the prairie dogs “recued” years ago from around the Mall in Hutchinson. The group went to great lengths to have them “sucked” from their dens into a big, padded truck, and taken to Quivera National Wildlife Refuge, only to discover later that the Quivera badgers were eating them like fast food. I feel sorry for the poor snakes, as the worst they probably ever encountered around their old home were little old ladies with garden hoses or hoes, but their new “secret” home was probably somewhere in the country where the resident farmers and ranchers would remove their heads and care less what species they were. The “puppy dog” of the rattlesnake world really doesn’t work for me either, as I refuse to give that nickname to anything that won’t curl up in my lap to have its ears scratched. And as far as killing Timber Rattlers in Kansas only if they threaten your safety, I have to ask you when you last saw a rattlesnake and did not fear for your safety.

I’ve never been able to find the final outcome of the experiment / project in terms of whether it was deemed successful or not. The article did go on to say that a few litters of young Timber Rattlers were born during the project, and that the students went so far as to name several of the adult snakes; the largest being a male about 4 ½ feet long that weighed 2 pounds. He was named Abuelo, Spanish for grandfather. And by the way, the Timber Rattlesnake is still on the SINC list (Species In Need of Conservation) in Kansas. So, if confronted by a rattlesnake or any snake, give them a chance to retreat if at all possible and live another day. 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 Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>I’ve seen several articles lately both in print and on the TV evening news reminding Kansans that it’s snake season. It reminded me of a small story years ago on the back page of the Hutchinson News entitled “Rattlesnake Relocation Project comes to an End.” It seems that in the spring of 2007, Lenexa, Kansas residents began spotting an ever-increasing number of rattlesnakes in some neighborhoods. While checking on the construction site for a never-built Target store, the city construction inspector discovered numerous rattlesnakes lying around the site. It was determined that a large rattlesnake den existed somewhere under a big pile of construction rubble there. A biology professor at a major out-of-state university, saw it as the perfect opportunity to test a new conservation model; the attempted relocation of as many snakes as possible from a single population in hopes they would establish their same population somewhere else. Around-the-clock “snake watches” were established at the den, and over the next 2 or 3 weeks the professor and a host of her students and other volunteers caught 35 Timber Rattlesnakes, implanted them with radio transmitters to permit their being tracked and deposited them at another suitable den site some miles away at a “top-secret” location.The professors reasoning for relocating the snakes and not “whacking” them was two-fold; first of all it seemed at that time, extreme eastern Kansas was probably the western most boundary of the Timber Rattlesnake in the U.S. and since their numbers were sparse, the Kansas Dept of Wildlife and Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) had made them a SINC species, which stands for Species In Need of Conservation.&nbsp; Because of this, Timber rattlesnakes can legally be killed in Kansas ONLY if they directly threaten your safety, not just because they happen to have rattles on their tail. She called them “the puppy dogs of the rattlesnake world,” and said a timber rattler’s first line of defense is to blend-in rather than to coil or strike, as they opt to save that energy for hunting. Secondly, she said that those snakes were likely there for years, possibly even before the area was built-up, meaning that we humans had encroached on their territory.Now I’m more snake friendly than most, and because of the free, natural rodent control they provide I’ve been known to relocate a bull snake or two rather than to kill them. One I took to the river actually had duck eggs in its throat already when I drug it from the duck’s nest, so don’t get me wrong here, I see rattlesnakes place in Nature. You rescue Lassie or Timmy if they fall into the well, you rescue a kitten with its head stuck in a salmon can, heck one guy on YouTube even rescued a prairie dog from his swimming pool, but I have a tough time seeing any sane Kansan rescuing a rattlesnake. It all reminds me of the prairie dogs “recued” years ago from around the Mall in Hutchinson. The group went to great lengths to have them “sucked” from their dens into a big, padded truck, and taken to Quivera National Wildlife Refuge, only to discover later that the Quivera badgers were eating them like fast food. I feel sorry for the poor snakes, as the worst they probably ever encountered around their old home were little old ladies with garden hoses or hoes, but their new “secret” home was probably somewhere in the country where the resident farmers and ranchers would remove their heads and care less what species they were. The “puppy dog” of the rattlesnake world really doesn’t work for me either, as I refuse to give that nickname to anything that won’t curl up in my lap to have its ears scratched. And as far as killing Timber Rattlers in Kansas only if they threaten your safety, I have to ask you when you last saw a rattlesnake and did not fear for your safety.I’ve never been able to find the final outcome of the experiment / project in terms of whether it was deemed successful or not. The article did go on to say that a few litters of young Timber Rattlers were born during the project, and that the students went so far as to name several of the adult snakes; the largest being a male about 4 ½ feet long that weighed 2 pounds. He was named Abuelo, Spanish for grandfather. And by the way, the Timber Rattlesnake is still on the SINC list (Species In Need of Conservation) in Kansas. So, if confronted by a rattlesnake or any snake, give them a chance to retreat if at all possible and live another day. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Rattlesnake relocation project

This spring-now-summer of protest shows no signs of fading away, as 
demonstrators make their voices heard on issues as disparate as health 
regulations, gun violence, Confederate statues and institutionalized 
racism.

Through it all, the First Amendment both fuels those voices and 
protects those rights — at times in collaboration with other amendments 
in the Bill of Rights.

Still, few of us are steeped in constitutional law and statutory 
regulations. Primers can provide any citizen with the basics on rights, 
responsibilities and potential entanglements with a patchwork quilt of 
federal, state and local laws.

Here’s a First Amendment-friendly guide with links to those primers, 
classes and advisories about protest — how the rights of free speech, 
assembly and petition work when you step outside — or go online — to be 
heard.

To all of that information, let’s add a few additional items:

Granted, a recitation of the rules, regulations and legal 
circumstances around exercising your free speech when assembling 
peaceably to petition for change may lack the passion of the real thing.

But it’s those freedoms that give legal protection for the passions 
that have changed the nation’s laws, policies and even attitudes, about 
women’s rights, racial injustice, juvenile protection laws, labor 
regulations and rights and much more.

And that’s a lot from a little: the simple but majestic 45 words of the First Amendment.

Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593729871227.png" alt="Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. " />
 <figcaption>Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom Forum Institute. </figcaption>
 </figure>This spring-now-summer of protest shows no signs of fading away, as 
demonstrators make their voices heard on issues as disparate as health 
regulations, gun violence, Confederate statues and institutionalized 
racism.Through it all, the First Amendment both fuels those voices and 
protects those rights — at times in collaboration with other amendments 
in the Bill of Rights.Still, few of us are steeped in constitutional law and statutory 
regulations. Primers can provide any citizen with the basics on rights, 
responsibilities and potential entanglements with a patchwork quilt of 
federal, state and local laws.Here’s a First Amendment-friendly guide with links to those primers, 
classes and advisories about protest — how the rights of free speech, 
assembly and petition work when you step outside — or go online — to be 
heard.From the Freedom Forum:<ul>
 <li>Freedom of Assembly <a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/first-amendment-center/primers/protest-primer/" target="_blank">protects the right</a>
 to peacefully gather with others, without regard to views and opinions 
when we take the streets in protest or in support of a causes.</li><li><a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/first-amendment-center/primers/18655-2/" target="_blank">Everything you need to know</a> whether you’re a student, parent, teacher, school administrator or lawyer about classroom walk-outs and school protests.</li><li>Social media platforms are private companies and since the <a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/first-amendment-center/primers/free-expression-on-social-media/" target="_blank">First Amendment only applies to government</a>,
 they can accept or reject what people post. But given their growing 
role in public discourse, what are their censorship policies? How do 
they compare to each other and to the First Amendment’s protections?</li><li>I’m just <a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/first-amendment-center/primers/basics/" target="_blank">speaking my mind</a>, at work or in a public place — how protected is what I say?</li><li>Pushing the limits of <a href="https://newseumed.org/tools/debate-comparison/pushing-limits-protest" target="_blank">protected speech</a>: When is “disruptive” too disruptive?</li><li><a href="https://newseumed.org/tools/video-page/right-protest" target="_blank">How it was done</a>: (Video) Shirlene Mercer remembering the modern civil rights-era protests around lunch counter sit-ins in Greensboro,&nbsp;N.C.</li>
 </ul>From other sources:<ul>
 <li>The experts at New York University’s online First Amendment Watch have <a href="https://firstamendmentwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Citizens-Guide-to-Recording-the-Police-2.pdf" target="_blank">produced a detailed guide</a>
 for citizens when recording police activity. Learn about federal and 
state laws, how your rights apply in different situations and the legal 
roots for this still-new tool in holding police accountable.</li><li>The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has a quick, to-the-point <a href="https://www.naacpldf.org/files/our-work/Know_Your_Rights_at_a_Protest.pdf" target="_blank">general guide</a> to “know your rights at a protest.”</li><li>The online legal services site FindLaw has a <a href="https://civilrights.findlaw.com/enforcing-your-civil-rights/is-there-a-right-to-peaceful-protest.html" target="_blank">guide to legal issues</a> ranging from basic rights to a section titled — somewhat ominously — “wartime policies.” The same site also provides a <a href="https://civilrights.findlaw.com/enforcing-your-civil-rights/protest-laws-by-state.html" target="_blank">guide to each state’s unique laws</a> about protesting in public.</li>
 </ul>To all of that information, let’s add a few additional items:<ul>
 <li>When protesting, there is no immunity under the First Amendment that
 allows you to disregard, without potential arrest and penalty, a direct
 order — even one you believe is illegal — from a police officer.</li><li>The First Amendment rights of petition and assembly do not give you 
permission to cross or occupy private property; that’s still called 
trespassing. And as to occupying public property: Since the “occupy” 
movement a few years ago, many jurisdictions updated their policies 
regarding public squares, parks and such, with many outlawing overnight 
stays or blocking the space so that other, non-involved persons are 
unable to pass through it.</li><li>Blocking traffic on a public street, whether an individual effort or
 a mass protest, likely is illegal. Again, there is no First Amendment 
shield against arrest, though police action may well depend on balancing
 the taking of protesters into custody versus clearing the thoroughfare.</li><li>The rights of assembly and petition on National Park Service 
property have certain limitations, with permits required if a group of 
25 or more, or – pay attention to this — the protest is likely to 
attract a combined audience of participants and those watching of more 
than 25. A court decision some years ago cleared the way for individuals
 to protest with no permit conditions, as long as the person was not 
blocking others from using the park.</li>
 </ul>Granted, a recitation of the rules, regulations and legal 
circumstances around exercising your free speech when assembling 
peaceably to petition for change may lack the passion of the real thing.But it’s those freedoms that give legal protection for the passions 
that have changed the nation’s laws, policies and even attitudes, about 
women’s rights, racial injustice, juvenile protection laws, labor 
regulations and rights and much more.And that’s a lot from a little: the simple but majestic 45 words of the First Amendment.Gene Policinski is a senior fellow for the First Amendment at the
 Freedom Forum, and president and chief operating officer of the Freedom
 Forum Institute. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:gpolicinski@freedomforum.org" target="_blank">gpolicinski@freedomforum.org</a>, or follow him on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/@genefac" target="_blank">@genefac</a>.

FIRST FIVE: Our rights to speak, assemble, seek change

By DALE YOUNKER K-State Research &amp; Extension

One thing
about living in Kansas is if you don’t like to current weather, don’t worry,
because it will change to the other extreme on the pendulum.&nbsp; 

A year ago, we all struggled to get fall
crops planted and the wheat harvested due to the extremely wet conditions.&nbsp; This year it’s the opposite, where many of us
planted crops in a dry seedbed with the hope and a prayer that the rain in the
forecast happens.&nbsp; 

The majority of
western Kansas is in a moderate to extreme drought, with some counties in the
far southwest in exceptional drought.&nbsp;
Some forecast models are indicating that these conditions could persist
through the growing season.&nbsp; 

Given the
current dry conditions and the prospect that this may continue you may think
that the last thing I would be wanting to talk about is planting cover
crops.&nbsp; But cover crops can provide as
many benefits in dry periods as they can wet periods, especially in fallow
systems where there will not be a cash crop planted until next spring.&nbsp; 

Much of this year’s wheat crop will be
shorter and thinner due to the dry conditions. Some of the late spring freezes
also set the wheat back and reduced the number of tillers on the plant.&nbsp; As a result, soil water evaporation rates
will be significant in this thinner, shorter wheat stubble.&nbsp; 

Yes, cover
crops will use some soil moisture like any other living growing plant,
including weeds.&nbsp; But a cover crop, that
is properly designed with the right species in the mix, and planted and
terminated timely, can mitigate that moisture use by reducing soil water
evaporation, improving water infiltration and increasing organic matter.&nbsp; So, when the rains do come, we can capture
and store more water in the soil then we would of without the cover crop.&nbsp; 

I typically
like to get a cover crop established in wheat stubble within a day or two after
harvest.&nbsp; 

It’s been my experience that
there is typically enough moisture near the soil surface for the seeds to
germinate and emerge. &nbsp;But after losing
the canopy that the mature wheat provided the moisture evaporates quickly.&nbsp; 

This year may be the exception where there
simply is no soil moisture close to the surface to get anything to come
up.&nbsp; 

We may have to delay the cover crop
planting until we get some decent rain.&nbsp;
This would not necessarily be a bad thing.&nbsp; Likely there would then be a flush of weeds
and volunteer wheat that we could eliminate before planting the cover. 

I would
stick with predominately low water use species in the mix.&nbsp; 

Millets work well in this situation.&nbsp; They are shallow rooted and grow and mature
quickly and very drought tolerant once established.&nbsp; 

Seed costs are reasonable because the seed is
small and just a few pounds is all that is needed in a mix.&nbsp; 

Because of the small seed size planting depth
should be no more then about an inch deep.&nbsp;


I would also add a small amount deep rooted species like sunflowers
turnips or radishes.&nbsp; They can really
help with breaking compaction layers that almost all cropped fields have.&nbsp; &nbsp;Some
of these species can also be great habitat for beneficial insects and
pollinators.

&nbsp; Adding a legume, like sunn
hemp can also be beneficial in the mix if allowed to grow long enough the
nodulate and fix nitrogen.&nbsp; If the
planting is delayed until after early-August, oats could be added to the
mix.&nbsp; The oats really help feed the soil
biology that is critical to building and maintaining soil aggregates, which in
turn increases soil porosity.&nbsp; 

Most summer
planted cover mixes will frost terminate once temperatures get cold enough in
the fall.&nbsp; 

But if dry conditions persist
through late summer it may be appropriate to terminate the cover early so it
doesn’t continue to use moisture that may be needed for the next cash
crop.&nbsp; This is really a judgement call
based on current conditions at the time and long-term weather forecasts.&nbsp; 

If you used an
herbicide in the growing wheat herbicide carryover could be a concern.&nbsp; &nbsp;Many post
wheat herbicides provide long term residual weed control have long plant back restrictions.
&nbsp;These herbicides could inhibit the
germination and growth of many cover crop species.&nbsp; Always check your herbicide label and if in
doubt consult with your supplier or crop advisor. 

The Risk
Management Agency (RMA) has recently adjusted the crop insurance provisions
regarding cover crops and termination guidelines, easing many of the prior
restrictions.&nbsp; I would suggest that you
contact your crop insurance agent before planting the cover crop to make sure
you are meeting all the insurance requirements.

For more
information about cover crops or other soil health practices you can contact me
at <a href="mailto:dale.younker@usda.gov">dale.younker@usda.gov</a> or any local NRCS office.

Dale Younker is the&nbsp;Soil Health Specialist at the&nbsp;Natural Resources Conservation Service&nbsp;in Jetmore.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593473623000.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DALE YOUNKER K-State Research &amp; ExtensionOne thing
about living in Kansas is if you don’t like to current weather, don’t worry,
because it will change to the other extreme on the pendulum.&nbsp; A year ago, we all struggled to get fall
crops planted and the wheat harvested due to the extremely wet conditions.&nbsp; This year it’s the opposite, where many of us
planted crops in a dry seedbed with the hope and a prayer that the rain in the
forecast happens.&nbsp; The majority of
western Kansas is in a moderate to extreme drought, with some counties in the
far southwest in exceptional drought.&nbsp;
Some forecast models are indicating that these conditions could persist
through the growing season.&nbsp; Given the
current dry conditions and the prospect that this may continue you may think
that the last thing I would be wanting to talk about is planting cover
crops.&nbsp; But cover crops can provide as
many benefits in dry periods as they can wet periods, especially in fallow
systems where there will not be a cash crop planted until next spring.&nbsp; Much of this year’s wheat crop will be
shorter and thinner due to the dry conditions. Some of the late spring freezes
also set the wheat back and reduced the number of tillers on the plant.&nbsp; As a result, soil water evaporation rates
will be significant in this thinner, shorter wheat stubble.&nbsp; Yes, cover
crops will use some soil moisture like any other living growing plant,
including weeds.&nbsp; But a cover crop, that
is properly designed with the right species in the mix, and planted and
terminated timely, can mitigate that moisture use by reducing soil water
evaporation, improving water infiltration and increasing organic matter.&nbsp; So, when the rains do come, we can capture
and store more water in the soil then we would of without the cover crop.&nbsp; I typically
like to get a cover crop established in wheat stubble within a day or two after
harvest.&nbsp; It’s been my experience that
there is typically enough moisture near the soil surface for the seeds to
germinate and emerge. &nbsp;But after losing
the canopy that the mature wheat provided the moisture evaporates quickly.&nbsp; This year may be the exception where there
simply is no soil moisture close to the surface to get anything to come
up.&nbsp; We may have to delay the cover crop
planting until we get some decent rain.&nbsp;
This would not necessarily be a bad thing.&nbsp; Likely there would then be a flush of weeds
and volunteer wheat that we could eliminate before planting the cover. I would
stick with predominately low water use species in the mix.&nbsp; Millets work well in this situation.&nbsp; They are shallow rooted and grow and mature
quickly and very drought tolerant once established.&nbsp; Seed costs are reasonable because the seed is
small and just a few pounds is all that is needed in a mix.&nbsp; Because of the small seed size planting depth
should be no more then about an inch deep.&nbsp;
I would also add a small amount deep rooted species like sunflowers
turnips or radishes.&nbsp; They can really
help with breaking compaction layers that almost all cropped fields have.&nbsp; &nbsp;Some
of these species can also be great habitat for beneficial insects and
pollinators.&nbsp; Adding a legume, like sunn
hemp can also be beneficial in the mix if allowed to grow long enough the
nodulate and fix nitrogen.&nbsp; If the
planting is delayed until after early-August, oats could be added to the
mix.&nbsp; The oats really help feed the soil
biology that is critical to building and maintaining soil aggregates, which in
turn increases soil porosity.&nbsp; Most summer
planted cover mixes will frost terminate once temperatures get cold enough in
the fall.&nbsp; But if dry conditions persist
through late summer it may be appropriate to terminate the cover early so it
doesn’t continue to use moisture that may be needed for the next cash
crop.&nbsp; This is really a judgement call
based on current conditions at the time and long-term weather forecasts.&nbsp; If you used an
herbicide in the growing wheat herbicide carryover could be a concern.&nbsp; &nbsp;Many post
wheat herbicides provide long term residual weed control have long plant back restrictions.
&nbsp;These herbicides could inhibit the
germination and growth of many cover crop species.&nbsp; Always check your herbicide label and if in
doubt consult with your supplier or crop advisor. The Risk
Management Agency (RMA) has recently adjusted the crop insurance provisions
regarding cover crops and termination guidelines, easing many of the prior
restrictions.&nbsp; I would suggest that you
contact your crop insurance agent before planting the cover crop to make sure
you are meeting all the insurance requirements.For more
information about cover crops or other soil health practices you can contact me
at <a href="mailto:dale.younker@usda.gov">dale.younker@usda.gov</a> or any local NRCS office.Dale Younker is the&nbsp;Soil Health Specialist at the&nbsp;Natural Resources Conservation Service&nbsp;in Jetmore.

YOUNKER: Planting a summer cover crop in wheat stubble  

July 4th&nbsp;marks our nation’s independence celebration and reminds us of our founding principles.&nbsp; It’s a celebration of fireworks and fun, but this year we find ourselves fraught with misgivings brought on by economic uncertainty, contagious disease and social unrest.&nbsp; We celebrate and honor our country; still we know we’re off track as a state and nation.

Imperfect and in need of transformation, public education is often criticized for not doing enough to help all students reach their full potential.&nbsp; Yet, schools may be the single driving force that can lead us to a better future.

Public schools are the cradle of public life, bringing together all races, cultures and economic classes across children’s formative years.&nbsp; Public education is the only government entity where the presence of every child is compulsory for 12 consecutive years.&nbsp; With this kind of platform, schools are uniquely positioned to build civil society back better.&nbsp;

The first recorded school appeared in 1635 in Boston.&nbsp; Though the concept of public education does not appear in the Declaration of Independence or the U. S. Constitution, schools sprang up informally across the 13 original states with the goal of creating a literate citizenry to participate in the new republic.

The role of schools expanded with the growth of the nation. Modern goals include a broad curriculum, personal development and career preparation as well as fostering citizenship.&nbsp;&nbsp;

So far, no cut in state funding for schools has been announced and, while we don’t know exactly the additional costs, Kansas schools plan to reopen this fall with new provisions for the health and safety of students and educators.&nbsp; It’s the third challenge—life in a post-George Floyd world—that may be the most momentous test for schools and one that brings us back to public education’s original and most important goal--the development of citizenship.&nbsp;

How can schools ensure respect for all students, create a culture of responsible citizenship and advance anti-racism?&nbsp; One way is to return to the emphasis on civics education that has declined in recent years.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Standardized testing increased significantly over the past decade and many claim this emphasis as a major reason for the decline in citizenship instruction.&nbsp; Supporting teachers with more time and resources for embedding citizenship practices across the curriculum in social studies courses in the early grades followed by Kansas history, United States history and government would be a step in the right direction.

Students benefit from learning the characteristics of a responsible citizen then applying those to everyday life.&nbsp; It is important to understand fundamentals like the three branches of government; however, students also need to learn how to work toward equity in society and civility in personal and political interactions.&nbsp;

Many options are available for teaching civics across the curriculum for elementary through high school age groups.&nbsp; Founded by retired U. S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner, “iCivics” is one program that’s been used effectively in multiple Kansas schools including Topeka.&nbsp; Moreover, iCivics ties its activities to specific state standards and its activities are free online.&nbsp;

Schools alone cannot change the state’s trajectory, and no one knows what the future will bring.&nbsp; But given the opportunity, Kansas teachers can prepare the next generation for civic responsibility, which historically, is the original goal of public education and the most critical component of democracy that we face currently.

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>July 4th&nbsp;marks our nation’s independence celebration and reminds us of our founding principles.&nbsp; It’s a celebration of fireworks and fun, but this year we find ourselves fraught with misgivings brought on by economic uncertainty, contagious disease and social unrest.&nbsp; We celebrate and honor our country; still we know we’re off track as a state and nation.Imperfect and in need of transformation, public education is often criticized for not doing enough to help all students reach their full potential.&nbsp; Yet, schools may be the single driving force that can lead us to a better future.Public schools are the cradle of public life, bringing together all races, cultures and economic classes across children’s formative years.&nbsp; Public education is the only government entity where the presence of every child is compulsory for 12 consecutive years.&nbsp; With this kind of platform, schools are uniquely positioned to build civil society back better.&nbsp;The first recorded school appeared in 1635 in Boston.&nbsp; Though the concept of public education does not appear in the Declaration of Independence or the U. S. Constitution, schools sprang up informally across the 13 original states with the goal of creating a literate citizenry to participate in the new republic.The role of schools expanded with the growth of the nation. Modern goals include a broad curriculum, personal development and career preparation as well as fostering citizenship.&nbsp;&nbsp;So far, no cut in state funding for schools has been announced and, while we don’t know exactly the additional costs, Kansas schools plan to reopen this fall with new provisions for the health and safety of students and educators.&nbsp; It’s the third challenge—life in a post-George Floyd world—that may be the most momentous test for schools and one that brings us back to public education’s original and most important goal--the development of citizenship.&nbsp;How can schools ensure respect for all students, create a culture of responsible citizenship and advance anti-racism?&nbsp; One way is to return to the emphasis on civics education that has declined in recent years.&nbsp;&nbsp;Standardized testing increased significantly over the past decade and many claim this emphasis as a major reason for the decline in citizenship instruction.&nbsp; Supporting teachers with more time and resources for embedding citizenship practices across the curriculum in social studies courses in the early grades followed by Kansas history, United States history and government would be a step in the right direction.Students benefit from learning the characteristics of a responsible citizen then applying those to everyday life.&nbsp; It is important to understand fundamentals like the three branches of government; however, students also need to learn how to work toward equity in society and civility in personal and political interactions.&nbsp;Many options are available for teaching civics across the curriculum for elementary through high school age groups.&nbsp; Founded by retired U. S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Conner, “iCivics” is one program that’s been used effectively in multiple Kansas schools including Topeka.&nbsp; Moreover, iCivics ties its activities to specific state standards and its activities are free online.&nbsp;Schools alone cannot change the state’s trajectory, and no one knows what the future will bring.&nbsp; But given the opportunity, Kansas teachers can prepare the next generation for civic responsibility, which historically, is the original goal of public education and the most critical component of democracy that we face currently.Sharon Hartin Iorio is Dean Emerita Wichita State University College of Education.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Schools and what it means to be a citizen

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development

From pitches to plants. From hardballs to hibiscus. From the strike zone to the root zone. Those phrases are a way of describing the transition made by a Major League Baseball player who, with his daughter, has developed one of the leading plant nurseries in the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lyndsi Oestman is vice president of Loma Vista Nursery in Ottawa, Kansas. She shared this remarkable story.

Lyndsi’s dad, Mark Clear, grew up in California where he worked at his best friend’s family’s avocado ranch. Mark enjoyed tree pruning and avocado picking. He also enjoyed baseball. In fact, he was such a good player that he was drafted into Major League Baseball as a pitcher.

While being developed in the minor leagues, he was playing in Des Moines when he met the young woman who would become his wife. He went on to a 17-year major-league career, serving as a two-time all-star relief pitcher for the California Angels, Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.

One year, Mark bought a tree nursery in California with his childhood friend from the avocado ranch. He played baseball during the season and worked at the nursery during the offseason.

One of his buddies on the Red Sox was traded to the Kansas City Royals. When Mark came for a visit, he found he loved the hunting and fishing in the KC area. In fact, he liked it so well that he moved his family to Olathe after retiring from baseball. He also sold his share of the partnership in California and bought a home with a tree nursery in Olathe. He called it Loma Vista Nursery.

“That was the place I grew up in,” Lyndsi said. “My brother and I drove tractors and planted trees.” The company became one of the first wholesale suppliers in the Kansas City area.

Lyndsi went to Kansas State University and studied marketing and business. She met and married her husband and entered corporate work after graduation, but found it wasn’t the same as a family business.

As Loma Vista Nursery continued to grow and evolve, Lyndsi came back to work at the nursery. She worked in every department and became vice president of the company, which is now headquartered in Ottawa, Kansas.

Today, Loma Vista Nursery is one of the nation’s leading wholesale suppliers of plants, trees and shrubs for independent garden centers, landscape contractors, and wholesale distributors in the Midwest. The operation consists of 300 acres of containerized production at Ottawa plus a 600-acre tree farm in the Willow Springs area of Douglas County. Willow Springs is a rural township with a population of 1,409 people. Now, that’s rural.

Loma Vista Nursery offers various varieties of pot-in-pot trees, shrubs, roses, grasses, perennials and groundcovers. The tree farm produces field-grown shade and ornamental trees, upright junipers and spruce, as well as many other deciduous and evergreen varieties. Loma Vista serves customers from Denver to Indianapolis.&nbsp;

“We’re focused on being the best grower we can be,” Lyndsi said. Loma Vista was a pioneer in the adoption of what is called SANC: Systems Approach to Nursery Certification, developed in partnership with regulatory agencies and the industry. In simplest terms, SANC takes a holistic approach to the processes and protocols necessary to assure plant health. “We are super proud of that,” Lyndsi said. “Our SANC handbook has become one of the national models.”

In 2019, Loma Vista Nursery won the national sustainability award from Greenhouse Grower magazine. “We want to do the right thing for our plants, our people, and our customers,” Lyndsi said.

Loma Vista employs 100 people and is home to more than 1 million propagated plants and more than 2 million containerized plants. “The team we have right now is awesome, and we’re very proud to be part of the Ottawa community,” Lyndsi said.&nbsp;

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lomavistanursery.com/">www.lomavistanursery.com</a>.

From baseball fields to fields of plants, Mark Clear successfully made the adjustment.&nbsp;&nbsp;We commend Mark Clear, Lyndsi Oestman, and all the people of Loma Vista Nursery for making a difference with commitment, horticultural knowledge, and entrepreneurship. They’ve gone from major league to major landscape.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589981083710.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural DevelopmentFrom pitches to plants. From hardballs to hibiscus. From the strike zone to the root zone. Those phrases are a way of describing the transition made by a Major League Baseball player who, with his daughter, has developed one of the leading plant nurseries in the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;Lyndsi Oestman is vice president of Loma Vista Nursery in Ottawa, Kansas. She shared this remarkable story.Lyndsi’s dad, Mark Clear, grew up in California where he worked at his best friend’s family’s avocado ranch. Mark enjoyed tree pruning and avocado picking. He also enjoyed baseball. In fact, he was such a good player that he was drafted into Major League Baseball as a pitcher.While being developed in the minor leagues, he was playing in Des Moines when he met the young woman who would become his wife. He went on to a 17-year major-league career, serving as a two-time all-star relief pitcher for the California Angels, Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.One year, Mark bought a tree nursery in California with his childhood friend from the avocado ranch. He played baseball during the season and worked at the nursery during the offseason.One of his buddies on the Red Sox was traded to the Kansas City Royals. When Mark came for a visit, he found he loved the hunting and fishing in the KC area. In fact, he liked it so well that he moved his family to Olathe after retiring from baseball. He also sold his share of the partnership in California and bought a home with a tree nursery in Olathe. He called it Loma Vista Nursery.“That was the place I grew up in,” Lyndsi said. “My brother and I drove tractors and planted trees.” The company became one of the first wholesale suppliers in the Kansas City area.Lyndsi went to Kansas State University and studied marketing and business. She met and married her husband and entered corporate work after graduation, but found it wasn’t the same as a family business.As Loma Vista Nursery continued to grow and evolve, Lyndsi came back to work at the nursery. She worked in every department and became vice president of the company, which is now headquartered in Ottawa, Kansas.Today, Loma Vista Nursery is one of the nation’s leading wholesale suppliers of plants, trees and shrubs for independent garden centers, landscape contractors, and wholesale distributors in the Midwest. The operation consists of 300 acres of containerized production at Ottawa plus a 600-acre tree farm in the Willow Springs area of Douglas County. Willow Springs is a rural township with a population of 1,409 people. Now, that’s rural.Loma Vista Nursery offers various varieties of pot-in-pot trees, shrubs, roses, grasses, perennials and groundcovers. The tree farm produces field-grown shade and ornamental trees, upright junipers and spruce, as well as many other deciduous and evergreen varieties. Loma Vista serves customers from Denver to Indianapolis.&nbsp;“We’re focused on being the best grower we can be,” Lyndsi said. Loma Vista was a pioneer in the adoption of what is called SANC: Systems Approach to Nursery Certification, developed in partnership with regulatory agencies and the industry. In simplest terms, SANC takes a holistic approach to the processes and protocols necessary to assure plant health. “We are super proud of that,” Lyndsi said. “Our SANC handbook has become one of the national models.”In 2019, Loma Vista Nursery won the national sustainability award from Greenhouse Grower magazine. “We want to do the right thing for our plants, our people, and our customers,” Lyndsi said.Loma Vista employs 100 people and is home to more than 1 million propagated plants and more than 2 million containerized plants. “The team we have right now is awesome, and we’re very proud to be part of the Ottawa community,” Lyndsi said.&nbsp;For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.lomavistanursery.com/">www.lomavistanursery.com</a>.From baseball fields to fields of plants, Mark Clear successfully made the adjustment.&nbsp;&nbsp;We commend Mark Clear, Lyndsi Oestman, and all the people of Loma Vista Nursery for making a difference with commitment, horticultural knowledge, and entrepreneurship. They’ve gone from major league to major landscape.

Now That’s Rural: Lyndsi Oestman, Loma Vista Nursery

In the last 3 to 4 years now, there have been problems with chinch bugs coming out of mature wheat fields and feeding on the small sorghum plants, and this year is no exception.&nbsp;

The overwintered adults emerge in early spring and fly into small grains where they mate and produce the first generation. Most problems in milo or feed occur when large groups of the immature, wingless nymphs migrate from maturing wheat fields and invade adjacent sorghum or sorghum/sudan hay fields where they attempt to complete development. They typically do not infest the entire field but can take out several rows of milo next to the wheat. &nbsp;

Problems with this insect were historically confined to eastern and central Kansas, with damage beginning in May or June, but in recent years, chinch bugs have become more of a problem further west in the state.&nbsp;

Chinch bugs puncture vascular tissues to extract plant juices and secrete digestive enzymes that cause the breakdown of surrounding plant tissues. Feeding punctures also can allow pathogens to enter the plant.&nbsp; Consequently, damaged plants present a variety of symptoms including stunting, yellowing, wilting, and necrotic lesions. The effect nymphal feeding has on plants depends to a large degree on the size, health and nutritional status of the plants. Growth stage and water balance are critical because small or drought-stressed plants have less ability to tolerate or recover from chinch bug feeding damage.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574181994278.png" alt="Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District" />
 <figcaption>Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in the Cottonwood District</figcaption>
 </figure>In the last 3 to 4 years now, there have been problems with chinch bugs coming out of mature wheat fields and feeding on the small sorghum plants, and this year is no exception.&nbsp;The overwintered adults emerge in early spring and fly into small grains where they mate and produce the first generation. Most problems in milo or feed occur when large groups of the immature, wingless nymphs migrate from maturing wheat fields and invade adjacent sorghum or sorghum/sudan hay fields where they attempt to complete development. They typically do not infest the entire field but can take out several rows of milo next to the wheat. &nbsp;Problems with this insect were historically confined to eastern and central Kansas, with damage beginning in May or June, but in recent years, chinch bugs have become more of a problem further west in the state.&nbsp;Chinch bugs puncture vascular tissues to extract plant juices and secrete digestive enzymes that cause the breakdown of surrounding plant tissues. Feeding punctures also can allow pathogens to enter the plant.&nbsp; Consequently, damaged plants present a variety of symptoms including stunting, yellowing, wilting, and necrotic lesions. The effect nymphal feeding has on plants depends to a large degree on the size, health and nutritional status of the plants. Growth stage and water balance are critical because small or drought-stressed plants have less ability to tolerate or recover from chinch bug feeding damage.&nbsp;Using seed treatments: clothianidin (Poncho), imidacloprid (numerous products) and thiamethoxam (Cruiser) at planting can potentially decrease chinch bug damage and may protect plants for up to 3 weeks, unless the migration is heavy. Growers can use follow-up sprays on border rows if protection wears off before the end of chinch bug migration.&nbsp;Most often the damage is noticed only after several rows of sorghum or feed have been severely stunted or killed. Ideally treating promptly as migrations begin and before significant numbers of bugs enter the field and small plants are affected is best.An insecticide spray can be used over the affected rows and approximately an additional 100 feet beyond. Also, spraying about 100 feet into the wheat stubble is advisable if chinch bugs are still coming out of the wheat field.Most currently approved insecticides have good efficacy against chinch bugs, if three factors are considered. First, it is important to use the full recommended rate of the selected insecticide, preferably applied in 20 to 40 gallons of water per acre. High gallonage ensures good plant coverage and enhances the movement of material into protected plant parts such as leaf sheaths, which increases the probability of contact with bugs. Second, the material should be applied with properly adjusted and calibrated equipment. Cone nozzles designed for high-pressure use will create smaller droplets and improve coverage. Third, the timing of the insecticide application is critical. Early morning applications are preferred because winds are calm (reducing drift), temperatures are cool (reducing volatilization of chemicals), and a large proportion of the chinch bug population will be on the plants and exposed to the application. None of the materials currently registered for use against chinch bugs has long residual efficacy and plants can outgrow the protection. Because peak migrations may continue for 10 days or more, monitoring is required to determine if additional applications to border rows are necessary.&nbsp;There are several insecticides labeled for the control of chinch bugs listed in the K-State Research &amp; Extension publication “Sorghum Insect Management” which can be found on our web site at <a href="http://www.cottonwood.ksu.edu">www.cottonwood.ksu.edu</a>If you have any questions or need further information, contact me at the Cottonwood District Extension Office in Hays.&nbsp;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.

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