December 1, 2019
Information You Can Trust
Community Development
A Case for the Collective Impact Framework
Understanding the forces at play that determine our social, economic and environmental realities may seem like an impossible task. These complexities are neither easily characterized nor simply manipulated toward a more desirable reality. Fully wrapping one’s hands around complicated issues like community engagement, healthy food access or leadership succession for example may take a lifetime to accomplish given the multitude of factors influencing them. Let this not dissuade you from intervention, though.
Health-Nutrition-Food Safety
Consider a Mediterranean Diet
When we refer to the Mediterranean “diet”, it is not a weight loss diet, but rather an eating plan designed for good health, and based upon eating traditions dating back nearly 4,000 years. According to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, in addition to MyPlate, two additional eating patterns are supported: the Healthy Vegetarian and the Healthy Mediterranean Eating Patterns.

Meal Kits Light Up
Food Pantry Shelves
In recent years, meal delivery services, grocery pick-up, ordering food online, and subscription services for meal planning have grown in popularity. With the busy and fast-paced lifestyle of most Americans, it's no wonder this trend is growing! We hardly have time to shop at the grocery store, let alone prep and cook a homemade meal. We all want more convenience and ease in our everyday lives. It’s the little things that count.
It’s essential for all people to have access to healthy food but also the resources to cook that food and feed it to their families. Our goal is to create meal kits that include seasonal produce, ingredients available at food pantries, and meals that are packed with flavor. This meal kit initiative has the potential to give food pantries an edge and help them move more food out of the pantry and into kitchens.
Lawn and Garden
Taking Care of Your Garden's Soil
Fall is generally the time of year people think about cleaning up in the garden, but it is also a great time to start to get the soil ready for next year. Also, get your soil tested, add organic matter and cover bare soil with a layer of mulch.
Crops and Livestock
The Importance of Forage Testing

Guessing or using the previous year’s nutrient values can be costly due to the possibility of developing rations that underfeed or overfeed their stock.

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Why Does Egg Production Lower in Winter?

If you have laying hens, you’ve noticed a decrease in the number of eggs found in your coop each day. Many think this is because of the colder weather; however, it has to do with the amount of light your hens receive each day.

Need help getting a handle on your farm finances?
K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County can help you learn more about managing the finances on your farm’s operations this coming winter.

For women, we will be offering a special program called Farm Financial Skills for Kansas Women in Agriculture. For more information and to register go here. For questions contact Mallory Meek at 785-843-7058 or mgmeek@k-state.edu


4-H Youth In Action
4-H Community Conversations: Youth Citizen Open Forum  

Middle school and high school aged youth are invited to strengthen their leadership and communication skills. This teen led program is a great opportunity for youth to deliberate in an open forum with their peers to make choices with others about ways to approach difficult issues and have tough conversations to work toward creating reasoned public judgment for the common good. On January 12 students from Douglas County and surrounding counties will gather to experience the 4-H Community Conversations Program.
Registration for the program will close on Thursday, January 9. There is no registration fee and 4-H membership is not required. Questions? Contact Kaitlyn Peine at 785-843-7058 or kpeine@ksu.edu Sign up today at: www.tinyurl.com/4Hcommunityconversations 
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Tis the Season for Volunteering
The holiday season is here! The winter months often involve family gatherings and gift sharing. This time of year is also a great opportunity to pause and teach young people about the importance of giving back to our community. Our 4-H community club program creates opportunities for youth ages 5-18 to engage in community service learning. Annually over 2.5 million 4-H community service projects take place nationally, many of those projects happen locally in our community.  

Events - Important Dates
December:

8 Bromelsick Christmas Party, 2pm, Royal
Crest Lanes
Catholic Charities, 1525 W 6th St, Lawrence 11am-12:30pm

January:

15 Essential Living Skills Class Promotion, 10am-11am, Catholic Charities, 1525 W 6th St, Lawrence
15 Strategic Growth Initiative-Agriculture Economic Development Priority Town Hall
19 County-wide Poultry Clinic, 2pm, Dreher
Family 4-H Building, Fairgrounds
21 Just Food Meal Kits Available, Just Food, 1000 E 11th St, Lawrence. 9am-11am
22 Farm Financial Skills for KS Women in Ag
22 Senors Eating Well Class, Babcock Place, 1700 Massachusetts St, Lawrence 1pm-2pm
23 Strategic Growth Initiative-Agriculture Economic Development Priority Town Hall
29 Farm Financial Skills for KS Women in Ag
29 Seniors Eating Well Class, Babcock Place, 1700 Massachusetts St, Lawrence 1pm-2pm
February:

4 Just Food Meal Kits Available, Just Food 1000 E 1th St, Lawrence, 9am-11am
5 Farm Financial Skills for KS Women in Ag
5 Essential Living Skills Class, 10am-11am, Catholic Charities, 1525 W 6th St, Lawrence
21 Regional Farmers' Market Workshop



March:
7 County Club Day, Douglas County
Fairgrounds
15 Walk Kansas Begins (March 15-May 9)
28 Garden Visions, Gardening for a Sustainable Future-Extension Master Gardener Spring Garden Show, 9am - 3pm, Douglas County Fairgrounds


Dining with Diabetes TBA (Spring 2020)
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.