Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Home Blog Page 4460

Keeping Track

By
Editor
-
0

You know how each family has a member that gets or takes the job as historian. My mother loved researching and going through old photos, some dating back to 1901. When she passed the torch, I could see that this was going to be a huge undertaking. I became my family historian by default, as the sole survivor, but accepted the responsibility gladly.  My middle daughter, Jordan, is the one most interested in genealogy in her generation, although we have been known to give her a hard time, because she sometimes slants the facts to her liking.  She is a writer, though, so she only makes things more interesting!  My oldest granddaughter, Olivia, is taking the lead in her family.

The one tool that has helped me tremendously in the past is Q & A books that prompt you as you interview older family members.  When I first married, I was envious about the wealth of knowledge my husband’s family had in older folks.  I gave these out as presents to his grandparents, parents and aunts. I think some were used by that family and their generation’s historian, Nikki.

My oldest daughter and her whole family came up from Oklahoma this past weekend.  Between family parties, visits with their old friends and ice bucket challenges, I grabbed as much of their time as I could. My two youngest daughters and I met them in Wichita so we could all visit together.  Aubrae has put the law down about having me all to herself on visits.  Hard to believe that she thinks I get distracted when all three of my girls, my son-in-law and my three grandchildren all pile in to my one bedroom loft!

From the moment we hit my front door, Olivia was by my side.  There were some “firsts” for my place.  First molar lost.  First birthday cake frosting job, for her mother’s birthday later in the month.  Olivia completed both with ease.  These tasks inevitably led to a deep discussion with the birthday girl concerning her desire to blur the line on the year she was born.  The harder part of the entire history fact checking mission was trying to sort out my family tree, because Olivia never got the chance to meet any of those branches.  Every so often, in this in depth conversation, her face would just go blank – too much information.  By the time dinner was ready she suggested that I write a book so she could keep it all straight.

One of my greatest intentions, little one.

Good Sticks, Cow Poop and Sheds, Oh My!

By
Steve Gilliland
-
0

antler-shedWe had our grandson Jacob Friesen for the afternoon and night, and we always

try to plan some “in-the-woods” time when he’s here. We needed to bring our

deer-blind-trailer in for the summer, so the afternoon was planned around that

trip, and as unlikely as it was, hoping we could find an elusive dropped deer

antler, known as a “shed” as we tromped around through the woods. His dad

Dustin Friesen’s last instructions when dropping him off were “Find a good stick;

every boy needs a good stick”

He loves going to our deer-blind tower, so that was our first stop. The first hurdle

was talking him into leaving his Kindle electronic tablet in the truck, which

Grandma Joyce accomplished with her mix of wisdom, patience and suggestion.

For the next hour, we all went back to school. There are still cattle in the stalk

field around our tower blind, so the lessons began by discussing all the intricacies

of cow poop; the difference between fresh cow pies you don’t step on and the old

dry ones you can; why bugs were crawling around on them and why wild turkeys

would eventually visit them to pick undigested grain out of them. Next was a

lesson on the big cow tracks in the dust that he thought were deer tracks. The

farmer had just burned the pasture next door and cut a bunch of trees for

firewood in the process. We talked about and marveled at the huge thorns on the

locust trees he’d cut. We discussed why he had burned all the tall dead grass and

how it would soon grow back lush and green and make better feed for the cows.

To keep from walking through all the black ash from the burnt grass, we walked

down in the now-dry creek bed that wound and snaked its way through the

pasture. We talked about the distinct trail in the middle of the creek bed made by

all the various animals that used it as a convenient highway, making for easy

traveling and keeping them out of sight in the process. We made certain to dodge

all the “pokey things” that stuck out into the creek. We saw lots of neat stuff and

by that time had quite a collection of “good sticks,” but alas, no antlers, so Jacob

soon lost interest and back to the truck we went. After a picture of him on top of

the row of big round hay bales, we were off to collect the hunting trailer which

was parked on the other end of the property.

After quickly hooking up the trailer in the back corner of a hay field, I asked Jacob

to come along for a hike through the adjacent woods, but staying-in-the-truck-

with-the-Kindle tablet was winning out. At Grandma’s suggestion to try and find

her an antler, he reluctantly came along. We slid down into the creek bed and up

the other side into the woods and began walking. We had only gone a few yards

when there it was; lying along the creek gleaming in the sun like an ivory

colored… well, deer antler! After another quick lesson, he took off by himself like

a shot to try and find another.

We ended the adventure with a great shed antler, the jawbone of a dead cow

complete with teeth, a dried Catalpa bean-pod shaped like a mustache and a

collection of “good” sticks. I can see in the future it’s going to be a challenge to

compete with technology for Jacob’s company in the woods, but as long as I still

have strength and breath, I’ll keep trying!

Steve can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Nutritional Guidelines Recommendations: Less Meat, More Veggies

By
K-State
-
0
Photo credit: Charles Smith

Two K-State specialists, focused on human nutrition and meat science respectively, weigh in on what the new recommendations mean for consumers.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Despite the ability to make personal food choices, many know the Dietary Guidelines for Americans as the “gold standard” model that focuses on the foods and beverages that help maintain a healthy weight and prevent chronic disease, such as obesity.

The guidelines are developed and published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) every five years. The current guidelines were introduced in 2010 and are currently under review and revision for 2015.

The guidelines recommendations for 2015 were developed and released recently by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. The recommendations include changes beyond the familiar “MyPlate” icon, used since 2010, that visually depicts the current guidelines and helps consumers see how to balance their food choices for good health.

Some of those changes for 2015 include recommending limited amounts of meat, particularly red and processed meat products, and more plant-based foods in a person’s diet. Currently, these are strictly recommendations to be reviewed by HHS and USDA, which will also take into account input from other agencies and the public before releasing the finalized guidelines.
What do these new dietary guidelines recommendations actually mean?

Although Americans make personal food choices, the guidelines are used to create menus and food standards for governmental programs, such as the school lunch program. The recommendations could affect all involved in food production to some degree, including but not limited to industries related to meat, poultry, dairy, seafood, grains, fruits and vegetables.

“As research continues to examine the role of diet in health, the dietary guidance evolves,” said Sandy Procter, human nutrition specialist for K-State Research and Extension. “While some might view the changing information as a concern, I believe we should be encouraged by the dietary guidance revisions reminding us that nutrition is a relatively young science supported by ongoing research.”

Travis O’Quinn, fresh meat specialist for K-State Research and Extension, said while he acknowledges the nutritional advantages of various foods, the proposed recommendations could affect the meat industry to a greater extent.

People should know that meat is a nutrient-dense product, he said, probably one of the most nutrient-dense food products available. At an appropriate serving size, it can be beneficial to a person’s diet.

For example, in a typical 3-ounce serving of lean beef, a person would eat more than 10 percent of his or her daily value for nine essential nutrients, including protein, zinc phosphorus, iron and many B-vitamins, O’Quinn said. That person would get these nutrients at most likely less than 200 calories in that serving.

Procter, who also is a registered dietitian, agrees that a 3-ounce portion provides great nutrition, but the issue for most Americans is that they seldom stop at 3 ounces.

“‘MyPlate’ currently shows about one-fourth of the plate as a protein source, which can certainly be lean red meat,” she said. “We work with consumers to consider the economic, nutrition and health benefits of a variety of protein foods, keeping an eye on portion size.”
Why do the recommendations change over time?

The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee includes many physicians, dietitians and nutritionists. According to HHS’s Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, these experts are nationally recognized in the field of nutrition and health and are charged with reviewing recent scientific literature related to human nutrition and discussing how to use the research to make recommendations for the next guidelines version.

It’s not uncommon for the guidelines to change somewhat every five years. For example, the guidelines have previously recommended Americans limit cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams per day—found in less than two eggs or about four pieces of fried chicken—for heart health. While the latest recommendations made by the committee said to restrict meat intake, they also said to scrap the cholesterol limit, based on evidence it “is not a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.”

“This again points to evolving science,” Procter said. “In the past, cholesterol was considered a factor in the development of heart disease particularly, and since eggs contain cholesterol, we were urged to avoid over-consumption of eggs. Now we know that dietary cholesterol from eggs and other foods has less effect than was thought on cholesterol formation in the body.”

“Couple that with the excellent nutritional benefits of eggs,” she continued. “They provide affordable protein packed with nutrients most people need more of—vitamin A, vitamin B12, choline, lutein, selenium and zinc. The benefits of eggs far outweigh the former concern.”

O’Quinn said the latest recommendations regarding meat stemmed a lot from protecting the environment and sustainability—a term coined in some form more than 200 times in the recommendations document.

“(The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee) is a group of medical and nutritional experts tasked with evaluating the nutritional effects of the dietary guidelines,” O’Quinn said. “However, the committee discussed not just nutritional recommendations but also made some statements about environmental sustainability.”

He said the term “sustainability” is being used more frequently in animal food production, but it is a concept that is still developing.

“Probably in the next few years we will see defined legal terminology for sustainability and sustainable,” O’Quinn said. “Currently, if we look at sustainability as the ability to produce food products from the same resources over a stretch of time, many U.S. beef producers and other animal agriculturalists have been producing animals on the same plot of land for more than 100 years.”
More information

The first Dietary Guidelines for Americans was released in 1980, and the committee was implemented in 1985. Those who wish to voice their opinions about the most current recommended guidelines should visit health.gov for more information. Members of the public can submit comments in writing by April 8 or have the opportunity to attend a public meeting and provide oral comments.

Photo credit: Charles Smith

I Pledge…….

By
Editor
-
0

I Pledge…….

_________________________________________

 
My Head to clearer thinking,
My Heart to greater loyalty,
My Hands to larger service, and,
My Health for better living,
for My Club, my Community, my Country, and my World.

Rural life and 4-H go hand-in-hand.  4-H is a nationwide program led by state land-grant universities in cooperation with local county district extension councils.  In Kansas, 4-H is the largest youth educational program, aside from public schools.  4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills.

 

The four H’s represent:
Head-critical thinking, problem solving.
Heart-self-discipline, integrity, communication.
Hands-serving others.
Health-choosing healthy lifestyles.

To not include a chapter on 4-H would be tantamount to not including the family.  Mac and Mary did what was right with their children and most rural families owe a great deal of debt to the organization that fosters their young.

Most individuals will agree that skills learned in   4-H last a lifetime.  Each child is taught to achieve  a positive self-concept, to have an inquiring mind,  exercise a concern for the community, foster healthy interpersonal relationships, and attain sound decision making skills.

Mary included many articles about 4H activities in her household.  The following are excerpts:

            It was no problem to get country kids to take a midweek bath if they were going to the 4-H achievement dinner.  Younger members who had never been to a dinner before hung around the edge of the crowd until they spied some of the other members of their club.  These older boys and girls crossed the lobby with confidence.  They had attended such dinners before.  How much poise experience gives us.

            These future framers may not even remember to thank the Chamber of Commerce for the hospitality.  The sparkle of their eyes must, in a sense, have repaid Emporia businessmen.  Friendliness promotes understanding, always.  Mutual understanding surely will bring a better day for town and farm.

            Every day something is called to our attention which strengthens our faith in the youth of today.  A group of 4-H youngsters down this way went camping over the weekend.  It was a splendid opportunity to skip Sunday school.  Instead they invited the pastor and congregation to worship with them.  An outdoor service on the creek bank turns one’s mind to the psalmist of old testament times.  My faith in tomorrow is strengthened.  The coming generation will find the way.

 ****************

            The 4-H fair last week was an achievement for every exhibitor.  It was the summation of the year’s projects.  By comparison farm youngsters are learning better quality and improved standards of agricultural and homemaking activities.  Some boy or girl who may not have received any prizes this year will return next August and carry off the ribbon.  Such is the inspiration received at the fair.

            Girls on the judging team in baking are now unconsciously judging every baked product they see and comparing it with the score card for quality products.  Likewise the clothing girls are securitizing hems and seams and the becomingness of color and design.  They should be better buyers of clothing than those of us who have not had such training.

            All parents and friends of 4-H boys and girls are grateful to the Chamber of Commerce for their magnificent co-operation with the county agent for the fair’s success.  Not only the monetary contribution which was given so freely.  More valuable than that was the interested visitors who came and looked and admired.

 ****************

            Perhaps you are aware that a District 4-H model meeting contest was held in the high school auditorium last Saturday.  Five counties competed.  The audience was small.  Mostly it was composed of contestants and proud parents.  The chests of the latter swelled a bit as the curtains parted showing their particular group.  They frowned or bowed their heads if a slight mistake was made.  However there were few mistakes.  In 30 minutes each club conducted a business meeting which would put any group of elders to shame.  Tabled motions were brought out.  An amendment to an amendment of the original motion was dealt with.  In addition to the business meeting an initiation or installation, music appreciation and group singing, a demonstration and recreation was worked into the 30 minute period.

    Perhaps the demonstration which interested us most was that on correct table manners.  If there is one way of distinguishing a farmer aside from his shoes, it is his discomfit at trying to eat in style.  To see that farm boy seat his girl companion, unfold his napkin and know which was the soup spoon was indeed a joy.  That boy will not have to be worked over by older fraternity brothers in regard to table etiquette when he gets to college.

 

 

What’s That Smell? (Best Of)

By
Editor
-
0
lee pitts

 

I must be going crazy! The dairy boys are having a tough year and I’ve heard rumors about another whole herd dairy buyout. Quite frankly, who doesn’t want to be paid for going out of business? So I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life: I bought some Holstein cows. Well, actually they were only half Holstein… and half crazy.

The auctioneer said they’d milk good, were bred to exotic beef bulls and they were cheap! Only $2,000 apiece! I can remember when I could buy four real cows for that.

After buying the Holsteins I immediately started acting funny. I have the urge to wear hip boots all the time, to rub bag balm on my hands and to get up at three thirty every morning.

Two days after I got the cows home the first one gave birth to “Squirt”, so named for reasons that will become painfully obvious later. As we do everyday during calving season, my wife checks the cows to see if there are any problems. When she got within binocular distance of Squirt and his mother, the paranoid calf raised its head, saw my wife, got frightened and took off. Much to our surprise, the cow could have cared less about her runaway calf. It seems that motherhood is a lost art amongst Holsteins. The auctioneer failed to tell me that after generations of robbing them of their babies at birth, we have bred the maternal traits right out of these cows. Squirt’s mother just wanted to hang around with her fellow Holsteins and talk about studly bulls, production records and heavy handed milkers.

Squirt ran through fences faster than a jackrabbit, which he very much resembled in appearance. Unfortunately, it was foggy that night and the calf was no where to be seen. So after a sleepless night I rose early, saddled up Gentleman and went to  find the wayward calf. After searching for three hours I finally found Squirt about 75 miles from his last known address. Upon seeing me Squirt took off again but I grabbed my rope and prepared to throw a loop. Then I remembered that I can’t rope. So I got off my trusty steed and took after that calf on a dead run.

I caught Squirt a half hour later and proceeded to sling him across my saddle like you see in all those Western pictures on greeting cards. It was then I discovered one thing that those Leaning Tree® cards don’t portray.  Less than five minutes into the ride Squirt literally did! All over my saddle, Gentleman and me. This had never happened to Gentleman before and he responded by depositing me and the calf on the ground and running back to the house to clean up.

So I hogtied the calf, left him in a place I could remember and walked back to get the truck. Upon my return I made a fatal mistake. Instead of putting Squirt in the back of the truck I placed him on the floorboard for a more comfortable ride. Remember now that this is just a two day old calf. I was half way home when the calf loosened its ropes, jumped up on the seat with me and started butting his head against the window. Then from his rear mounted dispensing machine Squirt again lived up to his name. I now had a two toned interior and there were reminders of this episode deposited all over the dashboard, on the door handle, across the windows, my seatcovers, in the glove box and down the heater vents. I am reminded of this experience every time I turn on the heater.

I spent the remainder of the day scouring the inside of the truck, hosing off my horse, saddle soaping my saddle and reuniting Squirt with his mother, who seemed to vaguely remember him.

To this day I have to drive with the windows rolled down and even hitchhikers refuse to ride with me. Squirt is doing well no thanks to his mother and he no longer runs away at the sight of my horse. Instead, Gentleman runs away from the distinctive smell of Squirt. Meanwhile, I am barely holding on, waiting for the next buyout so I can get rid of these poor excuses for cows.

wwwLeePittsbooks.com

 

1...4,4594,4604,461...4,788Page 4,460 of 4,788

Kansas News, Auctions & Classifieds

Trending

Categories

© Rural Messenger