By Rick Snell

Barton County Extension Agent

At the risk of sounding like stores and businesses that send you an advertising flyer nearly everyday to tell you things are on sale, I am offering you a special that will last just one more week.

If you send in your registration money for the upcoming ag technology and sprayer school by Feb. 4, it will save you $5. Advance fee is only $20 and that includes the lunch, the refreshment breaks and the early-bird mountain oyster fry the evening before. You won't find a better deal.

As I wrote to you last week, the action really starts at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, with a weed identification class and the mountain oyster fry. Most of our exhibitors will be set-up by then so you can talk to them. Now I know a lot of you can't make it both days so if you can attend just part of the program, that will be great, you'll still get your money's worth.

On Feb. 8, we will coffee and rolls from 8 to 9 a.m., and then start the speakers part of the program at 9 a.m. Drift control, nozzle selection and sprayer calibration will be the topics early that morning. Following a break time and visit with the commercial exhibitors, Sal Attanasio form the Kansas Department of Agriculture will discuss rules and regulations of storing pesticides on the farm.

Crosby's Barbeque will serve the lunch. Following lunch, we will have our featured speaker, Gene Millard, talk about "New Changes in Farming Operations." Gene is from St. Joseph, Mo., and is host of the Saturday morning Agri-Shop radio program, heard on stations through out the plains, including KVGB-1590AM, Great Bend.

We will finish with door prizes at 3 p.m. I hope that farmers from throughout Kansas and adjoining states will attend.

For information or to get a registration form and brochure call me at 620-793-1910 or call Charles Atkinson at 620-792-3346, ext. 36.

Swine profitability conference

Things have finally turned the corner the past year in the pork sector and those that were tough enough to survive after several years of dismal prices are making money again. To help this process along, each year I take what few pig producers we have left to two swine-related events at K-State.

Once again I hope to take a carload of people when Kansas State University hosts the annual Swine Profitability Conference at the Forum Hall in the K-State Student Union in Manhattan. The conference will be held on Feb. 1, from 9:15 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anybody in the Golden Belt area tied to swine production should plan to attend and ride up with me. It should be well worth the $50 registration fee at the door. Even though we are past the early deadline, if you call by Jan. 31, they might even let you in for the $25 advance fee, although I won't guarantee that.

The featured speaker this year is Mitch Holthaus, former K-State sports announcer and currently the radio voice of the Kansas City Chiefs. He will talk about how to put together a winning team. Some of the same things apply to both sports and agriculture when it comes to personnel and strategy. Also giving presentations will be several swine consultants, veterinarians and producers from out of state. Kevin Dhuyvetter, K-State ag economist will also be on the program.

If you would like a ride up to Manhattan or would just like to register, give me a call at 316-793-1910.

Did you know

Conservation trees are now on sale at the county extension office through K-State Extension Forestry. We have a wide assortment of deciduous (broadleaf) trees as well as evergreens. There are also many shrubs. Stop by the office at 1800 12th Street in Great Bend and we will fix you up with an order form.

The Mid-America Alfalfa Expo will be held on Feb. 1 and 2 at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings, Neb. You can see the latest alfalfa management technology at the equipment and trade show and hear speakers as well. They will have an auction of exhibitor consigned items at 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 1. They have websites at www.alfalfaexpo.com and also at www.nebraska-alfalfa.com.

Cover Your Acres, a northwest Kansas no-till conference, is slated for Oberlin on Feb. 3. Call 785-462-6281 for details

An ag profitability conference will be held on Feb. 7 in Salina. Some of the topics include passing on the family farm, the economics of soil testing. K-State economists will talk on subjects relating to making you money. Call 785-309-5850 for details.

The annual meeting of the Barton County Conservation District will be held Feb. 12 at Barton County Community College beginning at 6:30 p.m. All Barton County landowners and farm operators are invited. Make reservations by calling Pam Tucker at 792-3346.

We now have all of the K-State crop variety yield performance tests available at the extension office. This includes grain sorghum, soybeans and corn. These are free just for the asking so stop by and pick yours up today.

Date: 1/27/05

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