Randall Kenneth Heier, 68, of Grinnell, died Monday, December 30, 2019. 
He was born November 26, 1951, in Oakley, KS, to Valentine and Anna Mary
 (Zimmerman) Heier. Randall enjoyed gardening, horticulture and 
socializing at the Grinnell Senior Center and grocery store.


He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Brice Leon Heier and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.


He is survived by his sister, Candy Percival and husband Loren, of 
Grinnell; nephew Mitch Percival, wife Nicole and their daughter Ava 
Percival and niece Lesley Percival and her daughter Koryn Ramsey. 


A Memorial Mass will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 11, 2020
 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Grinnell, with burial 
in the church cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Grinnell Senior 
Center or St. Jude’s and can be sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO 
Box 204, Oakley, KS 67748. For information or condolences visit 
www.baalmannmortuary.com 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578334732057.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Randall Kenneth Heier, 68, of Grinnell, died Monday, December 30, 2019. 
He was born November 26, 1951, in Oakley, KS, to Valentine and Anna Mary
 (Zimmerman) Heier. Randall enjoyed gardening, horticulture and 
socializing at the Grinnell Senior Center and grocery store.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Brice Leon Heier and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
He is survived by his sister, Candy Percival and husband Loren, of 
Grinnell; nephew Mitch Percival, wife Nicole and their daughter Ava 
Percival and niece Lesley Percival and her daughter Koryn Ramsey. 
A Memorial Mass will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 11, 2020
 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Grinnell, with burial 
in the church cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Grinnell Senior 
Center or St. Jude’s and can be sent in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO 
Box 204, Oakley, KS 67748. For information or condolences visit 
www.baalmannmortuary.com

Randall Kenneth Heier

The
Cottonwood Extension District is looking for new master gardeners to
fill the ranks of it’s community-based program.

“[Master gardener] is
an educational, volunteer community program sponsored by K-State Research and
Extension,” said Margie Hammerschmidt, master gardener. “Through this program volunteers
are trained and certified in horticulture and related areas.”

Those
individuals will then use their knowledge in the community through volunteer
work. &nbsp;

“You
get the benefit of learning about gardening and horticulture, but then [you] also
get to have fun and help your community,” said Lauren Fick, horticulture extension
agent.

The
programs will include 40 hours of classroom training from K-State professors
that travel to Hays to teach the courses.

The
program runs eight weeks with a full day of training every Wednesday, starting
Jan. 29.

“We
open the program up to anyone that wants to be a master gardener,” Fick said. “That’s
the beauty of this training, you get all of the knowledge to be a master
gardener.”



The
program draws interest from a diverse group in the community.

 “We have a wide range of folks that are in the
program,” Fick said and she encouraged anyone with an interest in gardening to
check out the program.

After
the volunteers complete their training, they apply those skills in community service projects,
with another 40 hours of volunteer work required to become certified.

“There’s
plenty in place. It’s not a problem finding projects to do,” Fick said.

After
the person completes the first year and becomes a certified master gardener,
they then must complete eight hours of horticulture-related training per year and volunteer 20 hours to remain certified.

Those
projects are chosen and completed by the gardener.

“It
really is their own group,” Fick said.

“There
is so much to learn, and giving back to the community doesn’t have to feel like
a chore,” Fick said. “Gardening is truly fun and therapeutic.”

One project is the demonstration gardens at the Ag Research Center. While
the program helps the community, it also helps the center to complete research
into a variety of areas related to horticulture.

“A
part of the master gardener, being a partner with K-State,&nbsp; is that you do get access to do the research,
or you get to help them with it," Fick said, "which might seem daunting to some people, but
honestly doing the research is fun, because it's created just for your
community.

“You get to test things out. You get to say, ‘We like
this,’ or ‘We don’t like this.’ You get to do the research and then you get to
start promoting that stuff to the community, telling them all about it.

That
research keeps master gardeners at the leading edge of the field.

“You
are the one that did the research, so, in my opinion, that’s super amazing. You
are the expert.”

K-State gives the gardener a lot of flexibility in picking a research area, and then they
assist the master gardener with the project.

Hammerschmidt pointed to a recent example of researching mulch use to help conserve water in
Hays.

“We
learn during the process, then we go out and share that information with the
community,” Hammerschmidt said.

The
master gardeners work out of the extension office, 601 Main St.

The
application deadline for the program is Jan. 13. 

The
program cost is $110, including course materials and can be broken into three
payments.

For
more information about the program, or to sign up visit <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/MasterGardeners.html">https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/MasterGardeners.html</a>.
&nbsp;

Applications can also be filled out at
the extension office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577121015318.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe title="Kick your gardening up a notch with the master gardener program " height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/7qqeg-cc5de6?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&skin=3&btn-skin=101&auto=1&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1"></iframe></div>By JAMES BELL Hays PostThe
Cottonwood Extension District is looking for new master gardeners to
fill the ranks of it’s community-based program.“[Master gardener] is
an educational, volunteer community program sponsored by K-State Research and
Extension,” said Margie Hammerschmidt, master gardener. “Through this program volunteers
are trained and certified in horticulture and related areas.”Those
individuals will then use their knowledge in the community through volunteer
work. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577131035991.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Ellis County Master Gardeners" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Ellis County Master Gardeners</figcaption>
 </figure>“You
get the benefit of learning about gardening and horticulture, but then [you] also
get to have fun and help your community,” said Lauren Fick, horticulture extension
agent.The
programs will include 40 hours of classroom training from K-State professors
that travel to Hays to teach the courses.The
program runs eight weeks with a full day of training every Wednesday, starting
Jan. 29.“We
open the program up to anyone that wants to be a master gardener,” Fick said. “That’s
the beauty of this training, you get all of the knowledge to be a master
gardener.”

The
program draws interest from a diverse group in the community. “We have a wide range of folks that are in the
program,” Fick said and she encouraged anyone with an interest in gardening to
check out the program.After
the volunteers complete their training, they apply those skills in community service projects,
with another 40 hours of volunteer work required to become certified.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577131232286.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Ellis County Master Gardeners" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Ellis County Master Gardeners</figcaption>
 </figure>“There’s
plenty in place. It’s not a problem finding projects to do,” Fick said.After
the person completes the first year and becomes a certified master gardener,
they then must complete eight hours of horticulture-related training per year and volunteer 20 hours to remain certified.Those
projects are chosen and completed by the gardener.“It
really is their own group,” Fick said.“There
is so much to learn, and giving back to the community doesn’t have to feel like
a chore,” Fick said. “Gardening is truly fun and therapeutic.”One project is the demonstration gardens at the Ag Research Center. While
the program helps the community, it also helps the center to complete research
into a variety of areas related to horticulture.“A
part of the master gardener, being a partner with K-State,&nbsp; is that you do get access to do the research,
or you get to help them with it," Fick said, "which might seem daunting to some people, but
honestly doing the research is fun, because it's created just for your
community.“You get to test things out. You get to say, ‘We like
this,’ or ‘We don’t like this.’ You get to do the research and then you get to
start promoting that stuff to the community, telling them all about it.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577131302207.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Ellis County Master Gardeners" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Ellis County Master Gardeners</figcaption>
 </figure>That
research keeps master gardeners at the leading edge of the field.“You
are the one that did the research, so, in my opinion, that’s super amazing. You
are the expert.”K-State gives the gardener a lot of flexibility in picking a research area, and then they
assist the master gardener with the project.Hammerschmidt pointed to a recent example of researching mulch use to help conserve water in
Hays.“We
learn during the process, then we go out and share that information with the
community,” Hammerschmidt said.The
master gardeners work out of the extension office, 601 Main St.The
application deadline for the program is Jan. 13. The
program cost is $110, including course materials and can be broken into three
payments.For
more information about the program, or to sign up visit <a href="https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/MasterGardeners.html">https://cottonwood.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/MasterGardeners.html</a>.
&nbsp;Applications can also be filled out at
the extension office.

Applications open for master gardener training program

Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or an insert? If so, you might want to think about the species of wood you are burning and how efficient it is.

 Not all firewood is created equal. In fact, some species of trees are able to produce much more heat per cord of wood.&nbsp; A cord is the amount of wood in a well-stacked woodpile measuring 4 feet wide by 8 feet long by 4 feet high.

Following are heat values (in million BTUs) per cord for various species of tree.&nbsp; The higher the value, the better the wood.

Ash, Green &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22.8 Cottonwood&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15.9 Elm, American&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19.8 Difficult to split Elm, Siberian &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20.9 Difficult to split Hackberry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 21.0 Honeylocust&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25.6 Locust, Black &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 28.3 Difficult to split Maple, Sugar &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24.0 Maple, Silver &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18.9 Mulberry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25.3 Oak, Red &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24.0 Oak, Bur&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24.9 Oak, Post&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25.6 Osage Orange&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 32.6 Sparks, do not use in open fireplace&nbsp; Sycamore&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19.5 Difficult to split Walnut, Black &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 21.8

The Kansas Forest Service has a publication titled “<a href="http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/mf773.pdf">Managing Your Woodland for Firewood</a>” that is quite helpful.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Remember to obtain firewood locally. Emerald Ash Borer is now in Kansas because of transported wood.

If you have questions, please contact your local Extension agent!

Lauren Fick is horticulture agent with&nbsp;K-State Research and Extension's Cottonwood District. <a href="http://lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576770510734.png" alt="A half cord of firewood." />
 <figcaption>A half cord of firewood.</figcaption>
 </figure>Do you have a wood-burning fireplace or an insert? If so, you might want to think about the species of wood you are burning and how efficient it is. Not all firewood is created equal. In fact, some species of trees are able to produce much more heat per cord of wood.&nbsp; A cord is the amount of wood in a well-stacked woodpile measuring 4 feet wide by 8 feet long by 4 feet high.Following are heat values (in million BTUs) per cord for various species of tree.&nbsp; The higher the value, the better the wood.Ash, Green &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 22.8 Cottonwood&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 15.9 Elm, American&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19.8 Difficult to split Elm, Siberian &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 20.9 Difficult to split Hackberry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 21.0 Honeylocust&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25.6 Locust, Black &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 28.3 Difficult to split Maple, Sugar &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24.0 Maple, Silver &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 18.9 Mulberry&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25.3 Oak, Red &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24.0 Oak, Bur&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 24.9 Oak, Post&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 25.6 Osage Orange&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 32.6 Sparks, do not use in open fireplace&nbsp; Sycamore&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 19.5 Difficult to split Walnut, Black &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; 21.8The Kansas Forest Service has a publication titled “<a href="http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/mf773.pdf">Managing Your Woodland for Firewood</a>” that is quite helpful.&nbsp;&nbsp;Remember to obtain firewood locally. Emerald Ash Borer is now in Kansas because of transported wood.If you have questions, please contact your local Extension agent!Lauren Fick is horticulture agent with&nbsp;K-State Research and Extension's Cottonwood District. <a href="http://lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>

FICK: Not all firewood is created equal

<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141404420.png">Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. Two and a half years ago, we received word from the Kansas Attorney General’s office that the Cottonwood Extension District #17 had been approved. Months of hard work by our Extension supporters preceded the formal announcement. Our board, consisting of four members from each county, has held monthly meetings to stay abreast of the business of running an Extension District. At the end of this month we will say good bye and thank you to two of our outgoing board members and welcome two new faces to the board in January.&nbsp; Rhiannon Corn from Ellis County and Steve Tustin from Barton County will both be stepping off the board and I want to publicly say “thank you” for your support and hard work on the board. Allen Roth, from Ellis County, and Kathie Rondeau, from Barton County, were re-elected to another term on the Executive board. Tatum Kimsey, from Ellis County, and Dick Dougherty, from Barton County, were elected on November 5th and will begin their 4 year terms in January 2020. Four additional board members will continue to serve through 2021. They include: Nathan Leiker and Ramie Wasinger, from Ellis County and Deanna Essmiller and Natalie Fullerton, from Barton County.&nbsp; The Cottonwood Extension District includes a staff of seven agents and two office professionals. Our goals include providing research based information to help improve the quality of life of the individuals we serve. I hope you have had an opportunity to utilize our services. Perhaps you have worked with one of our Agriculture agents, Alicia Boor or Stacy Campbell, to learn about wheat varieties that do well in our region or about details of the Farm Bill. If your family is involved in 4-H or after school programs, you have two experienced agents, Susan Schlichting and Michelle Beran, leading the youth development program in our district.&nbsp; Take time to introduce yourself to our Horticulture Agent, Lauren Fick. Lauren divides her time between the two counties and is excited to provide leadership to a successful Master Gardener program and answer yard, garden and tree questions you may have. And finally, Berny Unruh and I are committed to bringing Extension educational programming related to nutrition, health and wellness, food safety, family resource management, aging issues, and family life in general. I also want to mention our two experienced office professionals. Brenda Walton, in the Great Bend office, takes the lead with the finances for the district while Theresa Meis, in the Hays office, focuses on communicating our efforts through newsletters and our web site. Both Brenda and Theresa handle a multitude of other duties that keep our offices running smoothly. We’ve also appreciated having Kory Ridnour, our intern, help us&nbsp;with media and the marketing of our programs. It is great news that K-State Research and Extension has answers to many of lifes’ questions, typically at no or low cost. Unlike what you might find through a Google search, the answers we provide are research based and non-biased. I hope you will take a look at our Cottonwood web site. We have tried a different format for our newsletter that I think you will like. We hope to see you at some of our upcoming programs.&nbsp; Donna Krug is the District Director and Family &amp; Consumer Science Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. You may reach her at: (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Thanks to outgoing board members

&nbsp;<img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141354634.png">Even though gardening season is over, gardeners themselves never stop learning, growing and giving.&nbsp;This is the essence of what it means to be a Master Gardener.&nbsp;If you enjoy learning and giving back as a volunteer, consider becoming a Master Gardener in 2020. Now is the time to apply and reserve your spot for the 2020 training course.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Master Gardener basic training classes will be held at the Hays Extension office beging January 29, 2020 and run Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through March 18th.&nbsp;Topics covered include: basic botany, soil fertility, insects, diseases, tree and shrub care, vegetables, fruit gardening, turf management, wildlife, landscape design and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Who are Master Gardeners?Master Gardeners are K-State Research &amp; Extension volunteers who enjoy cultivating their own plants and gardens while sharing their skills and knowledge with the community around them to help others grow.&nbsp;Master Gardening is a wonderful way to enrich your life and the lives of others.&nbsp;Why become a Master Gardener?The decision to become a Master Gardener can be very rewarding.&nbsp;It is a decision to take your horticulture knowledge to the next level, and it is also a commitment to find creative ways to make a difference in our community while sharing that knowledge with the people and places around you. Training is just one great benefit.&nbsp;Master Gardeners receive a 40-hour-plus horticulture training course from K-State Extension specialists and county Extension agents.&nbsp;The basic training provides a great starting point for those new to gardening, but is also in depth enough to apply to gardeners of any skill level.&nbsp;Other benefits of being a Master Gardener include the camaraderie of people who share similar passions, receiving ongoing horticulture support through K-State Research and Extension, and occasional visits to horticultural places of interest.&nbsp;What about volunteering?&nbsp;Once training is complete, Master Gardeners take their knowledge out to the community to share it with others in unique and meaningful ways.&nbsp;First year Master Gardeners volunteer 40 hours of time and during succeeding years have a commitment of just 20 hours to remain active.&nbsp;Master Gardeners are encouraged to find their creativity in looking for ways to impact the community.&nbsp;A few activities many Master Gardeners enjoy volunteering on include:&nbsp;the demonstration garden, county fairs, educational garden tours and events, and booths at public events.&nbsp;Use these two questions to help determine if the Master Gardener program is right for you: • Are you available for about 40 hours of daytime classes on Wednesdays from February through March?•&nbsp;Do you have the interest and the time to attend monthly Master Gardener meetings and donate 40 hours of horticultural service to our community during the first year?&nbsp;If you are interested in joining the program or have questions regarding any of this information call the K-State Research &amp; Extension office.&nbsp;We need notification of interest as soon as possible as space is limited.&nbsp;Applications can be filled out or downloaded online at&nbsp;cottonwood.k-state.edu&nbsp;or picked up at the Extension office and are due by January 8, 2020.&nbsp;The Great Bend office can be contacted at 620-793-1910 and the Ellis county office is 785-628-9430.&nbsp;We look forward to hearing from you! 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 email at <a href="mailto:aboor@ksu.edu" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">aboor@ksu.edu</a> or calling 620-793-1910