September 21-27 2014 is BANNED BOOKS WEEK. This is a quote from one of our favorite banned or challenged books. Can you guess what it is?
“I wanted you to see what real courage is. Instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you are licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”
cover phot0 Kelly Sikkema
Since the school first opened Bierocks have been a tradition at St. Joseph Catholic School. Made with quality ground beef, cheese, fresh cabbage and spices all wrapped in a made from scratch dough. Visit the school website to order http://sjost.com
The bake will be on 10/4/2014 so don’t delay.
Questions can be directed to [email protected]
Cover photo credit http://sjost.com
2014 Fall Forestry Field Day focuses on dual-crop systems and stewardship.
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Often times a conservation practice can look great on paper but real-world implementation can be a struggle. Each piece of land is unique with it’s own set of problems that need to be addressed to meet it’s needs, which is why innovation is so important to managing woodlands.
Whether a landowners need some inspiration or just wants to witness forest and wildlife improvement projects first hand, they can find it all at the 20th Annual Fall Forestry Field Day on Oct. 16, 2014.
Alley-Cropping for Breakfast
Beginning at John and Karen Buchanan’s tree farm, located 3 miles southwest of Valley Falls, Kansas, participants can see for themselves why the Kansas Forestry Association has named them the Kansas 2014 Agroforestry Award winners.
“Buchanan’s Tree Farm exhibits one of the most successful agroforestry alley cropping practices in the state,” said Robert Atchison, rural forestry coordinator for the Kansas Forest Service (www.kansasforests.org). “The most common and traditional agroforestry practices in Kansas tend to be shelterbelts and riparian buffers.”
But the Buchanan’s operation stands out across the state. By establishing an alley cropping system they are able to harvest the native grass hay while simultaneously growing potentially high-value trees.
Atchison said the benefits from this practice are numerous. This alley-cropping system provides annual income from the hay crop, grows long-term potential income from the forest products, reduces soil erosion and non-point source pollution and creates a habitat for wildlife.
“What is so unique about the Buchanan’s Tree Farm is the level of detail and attention they have put into aspects such as site preparation, tree planting, fertilization and weed control,” said Atchison. “It’s these things and other follow-up maintenance practices that make alley-cropping successful.”
Throughout the morning, John Buchanan along with a variety of foresters, wildlife biologists and natural resource professionals will share more information about establishment, maintenance and benefits of alley-cropping systems.
Afternoon at the Lake
A catered lunch will be offered as part of the registration fee. Following lunch the field day will move to the US Army Corp of Engineer’s wildlife area on the northwest shores of Perry Lake.
Afternoon sessions will include topics on the issues of the sedimentation of Perry Lake and other reservoirs, water quality and quantity issues facing the state, activities of local watershed groups to address the problem, wildlife food plot establishment and quail habitat management.
The program will also include the presentation of the 2014 Forest Stewardship Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year Award to Frank Martin. Located in Leavenworth County, the Martin Tree Farm has been certified green by the American Tree Farm System for the past 35 years for its commitment to stewardship and sustainability.
Register Today
Registration may be accomplished by sending a $12 check to the Kansas Forest Service at 2610 Claflin Rd., Manhattan, KS 66502, and writing “Fall Forestry Field Day” in the memo line. A brochure of the event is available on the web at www.kansasforests.org/documents/news/calendar/FFD%20Brochure%202014pub.pdf.
Additional questions may be directed to Bob Atchison at 785-532-3310 or [email protected].
Story By: Kaitlin Morgan
By Doris Schroeder
If you, like me, are flabbergasted at the happenings going on in our world today, you are not alone. When I was young , I never would have dreamt that we could have so much chaos happening in our world at one time. The fact that it is occurring even in America, a country that was founded on the Word of God, is almost beyond comprehension.
Our youngest grandson, Mike, stopped in to see us this week and it was such a delight. He works in a Colorado mountain resort and has to relate to a lot of different personalities, some who become angry at times over situations he has no control over. He relates to them what can be done in a calm voice and soon they are back on the right track. Then later, he makes sure to thank them for their cooperation and they become friendly once again…it always makes for a “better situation.” This works well even in the secular world.
We discussed how that is what is wrong with the world in general. Everyone thinks it HAS to be done their way or not at all. We forget the Bible verse of instruction that was given to Christians in Ephesians 4:32: “And be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (KJ V). But of course, there are some times when you definitely have to stand your ground if it is based on the Word of God since that is the only instructions that have stood the test of time.
When Mike was in high school, for a while his ambition was to become the president of the United States and he was going to run in 2020. At that time, to me, it seemed possible and probable. The only thing was he wanted us to live in the Roosevelt Room at the White House and I really didn’t think we can live that long.
It certainly would have been worth a try! Hubby could have planted his vegetables in the Rose Garden and I could write a daily column in the Washington paper. We’d have to find out about the Farmer’s Market so we’d have a place to sell the produce. Or else…we could donate them to the needy. Our plans consisted of us baking a lot of healthy cookies with oatmeal and raisins for the Senior population. This, of course, was to encourage them voting and following some of his precepts.
As I remember our plans now, it probably would have been a great possibility. He could have talked to those in the world we don’t get along with too well and encouraged them to do better. But of course, it may have been too late.
You see, being around Mike for a couple hours already has me making plans of things we will probably never do…for a little while, at least, I could envision the possibilities.
His plans this week was to go to the big K-State & Auburn football game and cheer them on in Manhattan. He worked at a hotel in Manhattan when he went to college and got to know Coach Snyder pretty well. I know he has a lot of confidence in him as a coach and his desire to “stay focused.”
At any rate, grandson Mike and I sometimes disagree but we do it “agreeably.” He is one of the ones in this world I detect a “writer’s brain.” That, to me, means he is willing to discuss all the possibilities and “what ifs” of different situations.
Along with my hubby, the three of us decided we would try to go out of our way to try to encourage people along the path of life. This we will do, not to bring recognition to ourselves but help someone else to have a good day and be able to endure the trials that will come in this life. Of course, doing that will also make us feel we are doing our part to do what God wants of us…helping others, and that, of course, is a “better situation.”
I’d love to hear about your ideas!
Doris appreciates your comments and can be reached at [email protected]
Have you heard about the greatest moneymaking franchise since Nerds-To-Go? It’s called Rent-A-Chicken and it was started by Leslie Suitor six years ago in Michigan. Let me tell you, this Ms. Suitor is one very smart chick.
According to a news blurb in the ever-enjoyable Fence Post magazine, Leslie sells franchises who in turn rent out two laying hens, a portable coop and enough feed to last six months. And all for only $400! It sounds like a great way to teach your children about agriculture and the food they eat. Although the economics may not pencil out.
Let’s do the math. You keep the two hens for six months and at a purchase price of $400 that equals $66.66 per month. The article I read indicated that you’d get two eggs every day from your two hens but it was my awful experience in raising chickens in my youth that you don’t get an egg every day from a hen. Thank goodness for that because I hate eggs. So much so my mom accused me of purposely dropping the egg basket and breaking all the eggs in it on two dozen or so different occasions.
But let’s say you do get two eggs every day. That’s five dozen eggs per month which will end up costing $13.33 per dozen. Currently the store in town is selling a dozen Grade A eggs for $2.59. Hmm. According to my calculations, with costs of $67 per month your two hens would have to lay five eggs per day per chicken to make them equal the store price. Didn’t I say this was a great way to teach people about the real world realities of agriculture?
I would think that just one day of laying five eggs would kill any hen and I would hope there is not a penalty to pay for handing back two dead chickens at the end of the rental period. According to the story I read the rentee is also given a quick tutorial on raising chickens. Excuse me! I have a friend who spent eight years in college studying poultry and even he is often baffled by the ever-perplexing poultry.
I was amused at another comment made by one of the franchisees when he said that kids could play with the poultry, as if they were a poodle. I’ve raised way too many chickens in my life and I have to admit that I was never able to teach a single one to roll over or shake hands. They might “sit” or “stay” and they often look like they are “playing dead”. Actually, many times they really are. In that respect chickens are a lot like sheep in that they are looking for a place to die from the minute they are born.
I think Rent-A-Chicken is a brilliant concept and I’m surprised a poultry plucker thought of it. I’m afraid though, as with any great American idea, it won’t be long before the Chinese steal the idea and start renting out cheaper Chinese chickens. And why stop there? Next thing you know there will be Rent-A-Radish, Rent-A-Beet and Rent-A-Turnip franchises where urbanites will pay $50 for five seeds and when the tubers are ready they’ll take half of them. It’ll be Sharecropping for Dummies.
I’m not totally convinced that the education aspect of Rent-A-Chicken will be totally grasped either, especially by five year olds. “Hey mom, what’s that gross thing coming out of the chicken’s butt?”
“Shut up and eat your scrambled eggs.”
This is such a great concept that I’m surprised a smart dairyman didn’t think of it first. Because of the terrible drouth in the number one dairy state in the nation, I can envision dairymen in California who are tired of buying hay, renting out their Holsteins to gullible out-of-state folks with big back yards. But even this has the potential to turn from a good educational experience into a marketing nightmare.
Once again that same five year old looks at his mother milking the Rent-A-Cow and asks, “Yuck! What’s that stuff coming out of the cow’s belly?”
“Shut up and drink your milk. And eat those turnips!”
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