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Tough week--Kids Ag DayBy Richard C. Snell Barton County Extension Agent, agriculture Kansas Two days of this week were not fun. I had what we typically call the flu. I guess it could have been some sort of food poisoning, but I am guessing the flu, because both secretaries in our office had it right before I did. Thus, I missed our annual Barton County Kids Ag Day, where every year we have fourth grade students from all the schools come out to the farm to learn about agriculture. Over the years, I have really been blessed when it comes to getting the stomach flu. I am not saying that sarcastically either. I just rarely ever get it, even if everyone else in the house gets it. Now when it comes to the common cold, I get them at the drop of a hat. When I say a cold, I am talking about either respiratory congestion, coughing, sneezing, wheezing or breathing related. Actually, if you talk to the medical people, it is these respiratory ailments that are flu symptoms and not the stomach viruses. Both can leave you with headaches, feeling weak, aches all over your body, stomach cramps and having it come out both ends with vomiting and diarrhea. On top of that, I couldn't tell if I was hot or cold. I had a fever the first 18 to 24 hours, sweating everything through and at the same time seemed to get chills. God knows how much I hate to "throw up" so over the years I rarely have. It had probably been five years since I vomited. So much for the gory details that all of you have gone through at one point or another. There is never a good time to be sick, but I was disappointed. This year's Kids Ag Day was different. It rained most of the day Aug. 26 and for fear it might rain more overnight, they moved it to the Expo Complex west of Great Bend so they could drive on concrete with the trailers. This is the first year we didn't have it on "the farm." The farm, being either Kevin Mauler's or Ron Koelsch's. Even though I wasn't there to tell about it, I want to thank David Leroy, the chairman and Ron Koelsch, the host for this year, for making it happen. Thanks to all the speakers, tractor drivers and other volunteers who took time out of their busy schedules to make it a successful event for the students and teachers. Thanks to the schools for working with the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee who sponsors the event. Husker Harvest Days Husker Harvest Days, one of the best farm shows in America, will be held near Grand Island, Neb., on Sept. 9 to 11. Exhibits are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 9 and 10. On Sept. 11, the show will be open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. I am not driving to Husker Harvest Days this year, but there are opportunities. I know one of our local banks is offering a trip up and back for $47. That includes your gate ticket which is $7. Gas isn't cheap these days and to drive it at the 50 cents a mile that it would cost you and for all costs that could be at least $200. If you haven't seen the field demonstrations they have, you should. They have sprayers, combines, balers, swathers and planters all running. You will be able to see cattle handling demonstrations with various brands of squeeze chutes and strip tillage demonstrations. They also have test plots of all the fall crops surrounding the grounds. Fall tree orders I love to plant trees in the fall, provided they are containerized trees or balled and burlap. We have really good soil moisture this fall and that should help. The Kansas Forest Service has expanded its species that it offers for fall distribution. This year's fall sales are going on right now at your county Extension office and will continue through the second week of October. However, you need to hurry in because they don't have as large of inventory in the fall and one species has already run out. In the past, we have offered only eastern red cedar, southwestern white pine, Ponderosa pine and Austrian pine. This fall, the following broadleaf species will be offered: eastern redbud, lacebark elm, bur oak, sawtooth oak, English oak, black walnut, pecan and fragrant sumac. These trees are about 2 feet tall. They have reduced the size of the bundles from 50 to 25. They run $50 per bundle of 25 trees. The trees do have to be all one species. Reducing the bundle size allows the person with only an acre or so to create a privacy screening, songbird planting, windbreak or shade area. Stop by at the corner of 12th and Baker Streets in Great Bend to place your order. Sept. 16 deadline for crop insurance buy-in This is a heads up for farmers who may have uninsured crops that they want to keep eligible for disaster programs. You must sign-up by Sept. 16 at your Farm Service Agency. The recently enacted farm bill legislates 2008 disaster programs covering losses to crops, trees/vines/bushes, forage and other losses due to adverse weather. These programs require that you have been covered by federal crop insurance or FSA's Non-insured Disaster Assistance Program. All of your crops must be covered, not only those acres that suffered losses. Due to the late passage of the farm bill, you are being given a chance to buy-in by paying the $100/crop catastrophic crop insurance or NAP fee. 9/8/08 Date: 9/11/08
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