3 years ago
Triple-digit dryland wheat in northwest Kansas with only four inches of moisture this past summer seems impossible, but fifth-generation farmer Brett Oelke did just that — entering a plot of WestBred Grainfield near Hoxie that yielded 106.34 bushels per acre in the 2022 National Wheat Yield Contest. The entry earned him the top spot in ...

3 years ago
Kansas Farm Bureau has created the Rural Kansas Apprenticeship Program. According to the organization, the new program was developed via a grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Office of Registered Apprenticeship to help address workforce needs in rural communities across Kansas. “We’re excited about this partnership opportunity to offer a program where employers and employees grow ...

3 years ago
In anticipation of calving season, the Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry and K-State Research and Extension are planning a series of calving schools in January. The program will outline overall calving management that includes stages of the normal calving process as well as tips to handle difficult calving situations. K-State Research and ...

3 years ago
The Kansas Forest Service has opened orders for tree and shrub seedlings and other items for use in conservation plantings.  Officials say orders will be taken through May 1, 2023. Plantings may function as wildlife habitat, windbreaks, wood lots, timber plantations or educational and riparian (streambank) plantings. The seedlings typically vary in species, are low-cost, and ...

3 years ago
A popular educational series that provides training and updated information for corn producers in the Midwest is scheduled to kick off in January. K-State Research and Extension agronomist Ignacio Ciampitti said registration is now open for the 2023 Kansas Corn School, which will be held in four locations beginning Jan. 12. An online session is also ...

3 years ago
A well-balanced diet is a key to good health, and many know the importance of a multivitamin to keep deficiencies at bay. For cattle, vitamin A is one nutrient that producers need to manage to keep the cattle healthy, said the experts at Kansas State University’s Beef Cattle Institute on a recent Cattle Chat podcast. “Vitamin A is important ...

3 years ago
 Strawberry plants need time to gradually adjust to winter conditions and temperature drops to become cold resistant. Sudden changes in temperature can severely damage strawberry plants, said Kansas State University horticulture expert Ward Upham.  “Strawberry plants are better able to withstand colder temperatures in the middle of the winter than in the fall before they have ...

3 years ago
In Kansas, agriculture is the top economic activity, to the tune of $64 billion annually, and more than 250,000 jobs. The state is a national leader in producing wheat, grain sorghum and beef. “However,” said Rebecca McMahon, a horticulture food crops agent for K-State Research and Extension’s Sedgwick County office, “despite Kansas’ important role in agricultural ...

3 years ago
The Kansas Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications from producers to participate in the Kansas Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Program. The Kansas LFPA Program will strengthen the state’s local food system by providing expanded wholesale market access to Kansas’ food producers and increasing access to locally sourced food in rural and urban counties ...

3 years ago
 Tummy troubles can be miserable and if diarrhea is a symptom, it can lead to a serious illness in people and cattle, say the experts at the Kansas State University Beef Cattle Institute on a recent Cattle Chat podcast. “Newly weaned calves can show signs of coccidiosis, which is caused by a parasite that invades the lining of ...

3 years ago
Even as Thanksgiving draws near, it’s easy have a pessimistic perspective about the current state of the world. If you’re feeding a gathering of 10 people, a traditional turkey dinner will cost 20 percent more this year, according to an American Farm Bureau Federation survey. To be fair, wages are rising but at a much slower ...