By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

It is just about time for the Kansas State Fair! The State Fair will kick off on Friday, September 6th, and run through Sunday, September 15th.

We had 42 4-H youth in Barton County qualify to take an entry to the State Fair. From those 42, we have over 80 entries!

I always say this day of delivering 4-H exhibits to the Kansas State Fair is one of the scariest driving days that I experience all year. Fragile visual arts projects, entomology and geology boxes, small woodworking projects, and cakes, pies, and cookies – Oh My!

Several 4-H youth will take part in contests such as modeling for Fashion Revue, participating with a photography judging team, or presenting a demonstration or illustrated talk.

As a ten-year 4-H member, I lived too far from Hutchinson to ever see my State Fair exhibits on display so I encourage all of our 4-H members to check out the 4-H exhibits!

If you attend the State Fair on a weekend, be sure to stop in Centennial Hall and listen to a few demonstrations or project talks. These youth are working hard to improve their communication skills and it is fun to see their ideas. Over 1200 4-H photographs will be on display as well as a wealth of rockets, sewing, quilting, and horticulture exhibits.

In case you are wondering, the foods entries are judged on Thursday, September 5th, and only a small number of samples are kept on display due to space constraints. The other portion of the foods entry is placed in a bake sale which benefits the International Foreign Youth Exchange (IFYE) program so be sure to check this out if you happen to be in Hutchinson on the afternoon of September 5th.

Come visit the Kansas State Fair and step off the midway for a while to see the wide variety of talents and skills on display by 4-H members across our state!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668179445671.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension DistrictIt is just about time for the Kansas State Fair! The State Fair will kick off on Friday, September 6th, and run through Sunday, September 15th.We had 42 4-H youth in Barton County qualify to take an entry to the State Fair. From those 42, we have over 80 entries!I always say this day of delivering 4-H exhibits to the Kansas State Fair is one of the scariest driving days that I experience all year. Fragile visual arts projects, entomology and geology boxes, small woodworking projects, and cakes, pies, and cookies – Oh My!Several 4-H youth will take part in contests such as modeling for Fashion Revue, participating with a photography judging team, or presenting a demonstration or illustrated talk.As a ten-year 4-H member, I lived too far from Hutchinson to ever see my State Fair exhibits on display so I encourage all of our 4-H members to check out the 4-H exhibits!If you attend the State Fair on a weekend, be sure to stop in Centennial Hall and listen to a few demonstrations or project talks. These youth are working hard to improve their communication skills and it is fun to see their ideas. Over 1200 4-H photographs will be on display as well as a wealth of rockets, sewing, quilting, and horticulture exhibits.In case you are wondering, the foods entries are judged on Thursday, September 5th, and only a small number of samples are kept on display due to space constraints. The other portion of the foods entry is placed in a bake sale which benefits the International Foreign Youth Exchange (IFYE) program so be sure to check this out if you happen to be in Hutchinson on the afternoon of September 5th.Come visit the Kansas State Fair and step off the midway for a while to see the wide variety of talents and skills on display by 4-H members across our state!Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: Kansas State Fair time

By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension District

As temperatures rise and the time between rains decreases, many homeowners begin to increase the frequency of watering their outdoor plants, and when a whole community of folks engage in watering it can impact both the amount and quality of water available, said Sedgwick County extension horticulture agent Matthew McKernan.

“July, August and September are the peak months for outdoor water use and in a lot of places, up to 40% or more of the municipal water is used for landscaping and irrigation purposes,” McKernan said.

Keeping that in mind and recognizing that water demands are increasing, McKernan added: “Much of Kansas has experienced drought over the last few years and it can have a big impact on our community lakes, ponds and waterways that cannot be refilled with water in just one or two rainfall events.

“As surface water decreases, people turn to groundwater for lawns and gardens and that can lead to water quality issues because water is being pulled from the ground faster than it can recharge.”

To best manage this limited resource, McKernan offers tips on ways that homeowners can use water efficiently when caring for outdoor plants.

“One simple thing that people can do is grouping more drought-tolerant plants together in the landscape so that the irrigation system can water more efficiently,” McKernan said. “A lot of native plants are naturally going to be more drought tolerant.”

For a list of drought-tolerant plants and trees, McKernan recommended people check out these two handouts, which are available online: Water Wise Plant List for South Central Kansas and Drought Tolerant Trees of South Central Kansas.

“When we irrigate, we want to water slowly, deeply and infrequently,” McKernan said. “It is best to use irrigation systems that deliver water directly to the soil so that the water doesn’t blow away in the wind or evaporate off the leaves. The best time of day to water is the morning.”

He recommends using a drip irrigation system with pressure-regulated emitters so that every hole in the system is sending out the same amount of water, which is different than soaker hoses that tend to put out more water at the beginning of the line than the end.

“Another irrigation option to consider is a smart irrigation system that adjusts the water that is applied based on the needs of the plant and the conditions outside, rather than a set schedule,” McKernan said.

Regarding the frequency of the watering, he recommends limiting it to one to two times/week to enhance root growth.

“By encouraging periods of mini drought, the plants will grow their roots deeper into the ground allowing them to naturally withstand longer periods of drought,” McKernan said.

The pace of the water absorption will vary depending on the soil type.

“Most of the water waste in irrigation occurs when we are watering too much and the water is running off the surface because the soil can only absorb so much water in a given amount of time,” he said.

To keep this water waste from happening, he recommends watering in zones for shorter periods of time and then rotating back through once the water has been absorbed.

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/2023/10/1698682262753.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By ALICIA BOOR Cottonwood Extension DistrictAs temperatures rise and the time between rains decreases, many homeowners begin to increase the frequency of watering their outdoor plants, and when a whole community of folks engage in watering it can impact both the amount and quality of water available, said Sedgwick County extension horticulture agent Matthew McKernan.“July, August and September are the peak months for outdoor water use and in a lot of places, up to 40% or more of the municipal water is used for landscaping and irrigation purposes,” McKernan said.Keeping that in mind and recognizing that water demands are increasing, McKernan added: “Much of Kansas has experienced drought over the last few years and it can have a big impact on our community lakes, ponds and waterways that cannot be refilled with water in just one or two rainfall events.“As surface water decreases, people turn to groundwater for lawns and gardens and that can lead to water quality issues because water is being pulled from the ground faster than it can recharge.”To best manage this limited resource, McKernan offers tips on ways that homeowners can use water efficiently when caring for outdoor plants.“One simple thing that people can do is grouping more drought-tolerant plants together in the landscape so that the irrigation system can water more efficiently,” McKernan said. “A lot of native plants are naturally going to be more drought tolerant.”For a list of drought-tolerant plants and trees, McKernan recommended people check out these two handouts, which are available online: Water Wise Plant List for South Central Kansas and Drought Tolerant Trees of South Central Kansas.He also had advice on watering.“When we irrigate, we want to water slowly, deeply and infrequently,” McKernan said. “It is best to use irrigation systems that deliver water directly to the soil so that the water doesn’t blow away in the wind or evaporate off the leaves. The best time of day to water is the morning.”He recommends using a drip irrigation system with pressure-regulated emitters so that every hole in the system is sending out the same amount of water, which is different than soaker hoses that tend to put out more water at the beginning of the line than the end.“Another irrigation option to consider is a smart irrigation system that adjusts the water that is applied based on the needs of the plant and the conditions outside, rather than a set schedule,” McKernan said.Regarding the frequency of the watering, he recommends limiting it to one to two times/week to enhance root growth.“By encouraging periods of mini drought, the plants will grow their roots deeper into the ground allowing them to naturally withstand longer periods of drought,” McKernan said.The pace of the water absorption will vary depending on the soil type.“Most of the water waste in irrigation occurs when we are watering too much and the water is running off the surface because the soil can only absorb so much water in a given amount of time,” he said.To keep this water waste from happening, he recommends watering in zones for shorter periods of time and then rotating back through once the water has been absorbed.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: Watering landscapes

Fair Entry is open and ready for you to enter your projects for judging at the 2024 Ellis County Fair! You will enter your projects online at 2024 Ellis County Fair - FairEntry.com. The fair is not just for 4-H members but for those of the community as well. Entries for those not in 4-H will go in the Open Class Division of the fair. There are many different project areas to choose from, including but not limited to needlework, arts and crafts, fine arts, horticulture, and photography. There are certain rules entries must follow, find them in the open class fairbook at 2024-open-class-fair-book (ellisco.net).

Be sure to participate in our coloring contest sponsored by Nutrien Ag. All coloring pages will be on display during the fair and the first three places of each age division will be awarded prizes.

The Ellis County Fair is July 12 – 20, 2024. Besides the judging of entries, there is a great lineup of Grandstand events including races, rodeo, and a monster truck show. You can purchase a single pass for one low price of $35. Besides the Grandstand events, there are many free events on the midway for the family. Enjoy music, the petting zoo, pedal pull, Big Rigs and Little Kids, and face painting to name a few. There will be a Lego Bricks Building Contest open to the public as well. Food vendors will be lined up on the midway and livestock shows will be in the show arena. The inflatable carnival and games will be open Tuesday, July 16 through Saturday, July 20.

We invite the community to come support our hard working 4-H youth of Ellis County. View their livestock, or stroll through the air-conditioned Schenk building looking at entries. Our commercial vendors will be located in our building in the midway this year.

Closing out the fair will be the 4-H livestock auction. This is your chance to purchase some homegrown meat to fill your freezer. For more information, visit us at https://ellisco.net under Government, follow us on Facebook, or contact the Cottonwood Extension District or a Fairboard member.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593190326422.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedFair Entry is open and ready for you to enter your projects for judging at the 2024 Ellis County Fair! You will enter your projects online at 2024 Ellis County Fair - FairEntry.com. The fair is not just for 4-H members but for those of the community as well. Entries for those not in 4-H will go in the Open Class Division of the fair. There are many different project areas to choose from, including but not limited to needlework, arts and crafts, fine arts, horticulture, and photography. There are certain rules entries must follow, find them in the open class fairbook at 2024-open-class-fair-book (ellisco.net).Be sure to participate in our coloring contest sponsored by Nutrien Ag. All coloring pages will be on display during the fair and the first three places of each age division will be awarded prizes.The Ellis County Fair is July 12 – 20, 2024. Besides the judging of entries, there is a great lineup of Grandstand events including races, rodeo, and a monster truck show. You can purchase a single pass for one low price of $35. Besides the Grandstand events, there are many free events on the midway for the family. Enjoy music, the petting zoo, pedal pull, Big Rigs and Little Kids, and face painting to name a few. There will be a Lego Bricks Building Contest open to the public as well. Food vendors will be lined up on the midway and livestock shows will be in the show arena. The inflatable carnival and games will be open Tuesday, July 16 through Saturday, July 20.We invite the community to come support our hard working 4-H youth of Ellis County. View their livestock, or stroll through the air-conditioned Schenk building looking at entries. Our commercial vendors will be located in our building in the midway this year.Closing out the fair will be the 4-H livestock auction. This is your chance to purchase some homegrown meat to fill your freezer. For more information, visit us at https://ellisco.net under Government, follow us on Facebook, or contact the Cottonwood Extension District or a Fairboard member.We hope to see you at the fair!