Fall brings many events, changes
Brian Rees
Originally published 09:28 a.m., November 17, 2007
Updated 09:28 a.m., November 17, 2007
November is here and it is finally feeling like fall. For the most part it appears harvest is wrapping up, and a great deal of fall field work has already been completed. If at all possible, it might be nice to get a good rain to recharge the soil profile and refill some of the stock ponds prior to the cold days of winter.
There are a number of items coming up on the calendar that are worthy of talking about. From 4:30 to 5:30 on November 27 in the evening in the back meeting room at the Extension Office, you are invited to a farewell party for Kelly Whitfield, our Family and Consumer Science Agent for the past 2 years. Kelly has recently started in a dietician position with Newman Regional Hospital. Kelly and her family are remaining in Emporia, and she hopes to be able to volunteer some time with 4-H and other Extension-related events. We appreciate everything Kelly has done in the past couple of years and look forward to working with her in a different role in the future.
The evening of November 28 brings another event to the forefront. If you have agricultural land that you rent out, or if you rent agricultural land from a landowner, you should plan on being at the American Legion in Emporia from 5:30 – 8:30 in the evening. Topics of discussion will include (but not be limited to): who is responsible for what; what is a fair and equitable lease rate; who has the hunting and fishing rights; who makes the land management decisions; is a lawyer needed; can a win-win agreement be reached; and sharing the responsibility of land conservation. There will be a $5 cost for the workshop, which includes supper. You may pay at the door, but those with reservations will eat first and food arrangements will be made based on the number of RSVP’s received! Be sure to make your reservations before Monday, November 26 by calling 620-341-2813, Ext-3 or e-mail Debbe.Schopper@ks.nacdnet.net.
After the meeting on the 28th, we will be moving. OK, maybe not that evening, but in the near future. Hopefully before next month’s column there will be a completed new home for K-State Research and Extension in Lyon County. Visibility and accessibility at our new home, 2632 W. Highway 50, will be outstanding. There will be an open house once the facility is completed and we are moved in. Please bear with us during the coming weeks, as we will be packing and unpacking offices, literature and equipment and still trying to provide research-based information to the residents of Lyon County.
There is one additional event that many livestock producers should plan on attending. On Jan. 16 and 17, 2008, K-State Research and Extension will be hosting Dr. Lynn Locatelli for a couple of workshops on low-stress livestock handling. Dr. Lynn is a veterinarian from Benkelman, Nebraska who has concentrated a great deal of her efforts on low-stress cattle handling education, consultation and training. She will be conducting an evening (16th) and a mid-morning workshop on the 17th (if numbers warrant) in Emporia prior to a session in Lawrence on the evening of the 17th. Thanks to some generous business sponsorships, there will only be a $25 per person charge for either session. At this time the plan is to have one session geared more toward the cow-calf and stocker producer, with the other one targeting the feedlot operator. Reservation deadlines and additional information will be out in early December as we finalize details.