2 years ago
Everyone can make small talk about the weather, whether it has been too wet, too dry, too windy, too hot, too cold or too something else.  But what about space weather?  While it seems irrelevant, space weather and solar activity should be a topic of conversation since it can disrupt technology used in agriculture, said Rebecca Bishop, ...

2 years ago
Fall harvest is in full swing on our central Kansas farm. Despite the smattering of golden triangles fluttering in my yard, there’s still plenty of green leaves shimmering from the cottonwoods in my neighborhood. Normally by mid-October these giant trees have shed the majority of their leaves and the ones left have turned a pale yellow. ...

2 years ago
The flurry of fall fieldwork season makes October a fitting month to recognize the cooperatives that help supply Kansas wheat producers with grain storage, marketing, field recommendations, inputs and patronage. Cooperatives have existed nearly as long as farmers have been farming as producers learned how to pool resources and expertise to support each other’s operations. ...

2 years ago
Trisha Cash, whose 39-year career with the Kansas 4-H Foundation includes planning programs that benefitted millions of youth and fundraising support that netted millions of dollars for the organization, was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame on Oct. 9. Cash was among 13 inductees honored during the ceremony in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvannia. “Zeal and passion are rarely understood unless one ...

2 years ago
Construction is underway on a new seed distribution and research facility near Salina.  Beck's, the industry's third-largest seed brand and largest family-owned retail seed company, is planning the facility on a 140-acre property in Saline County. Plans for the new site include a 96,000-squarefoot distribution building and 100 acres dedicated to Practical Farm Research studies which ...

2 years ago
Kansas author Glenn Ediger left no threshing stone unturned as he embarked on a historical treasure hunt for the tools used by the Mennonites who settled in and around central Kansas. From his own front yard to Threshing Days in Goessel, he uncovered the unique set of events that brought some of the most innovative ...

2 years ago
Research updates are the cornerstone of Kansas State University’s annual Swine Day, planned for Thursday, Nov. 16. “Swine Day is a major highlight of our year. We share all the swine research conducted at K-State within the last year including the latest information on nutrition, pig livability and other industry issues. The opportunities to share, learn ...

2 years ago
A former U.S. ambassador who helped to negotiate an iconic agricultural trade agreement with China said that America’s farmers have a bright future if the industry can capitalize on available opportunities for exports, technology and value-added products. But Gregg Doud – currently the president and Chief Executive Officer of the National Milk Producer’s Federation – said each has ...

2 years ago
Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus is a devastating disease in Kansas, and volunteer wheat in your field and all surrounding fields must be removed prior to planting. As farmers are currently drilling winter wheat across the state, be a good neighbor and control volunteer wheat.  An infected field can impact thousands of acres in immediate proximity, ...

2 years ago
Fall harvest is in full swing on our central Kansas farm. Do you live to work or work to live? This question of mindset and philosophy has been a source of intergenerational tension for a while now. Baby boomers see working hard to provide for their families and millennials work to support a great life outside ...

2 years ago
Producing safe, canned foods at home is a science. For those who do it on a larger scale – especially when canning acidified foods for sale to the public – the amount of detail needed to produce safe foods is even greater. “If a business is producing an acidified food product, it must go through what is ...