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SUMMER 2021 NEWSLETTER
Information You Can Trust
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From the Desk of the Director
New Coalition Established
In-Person to Virtual Nutrition Education
Preserving the Harvest
Farmer's Market Time
Extension Master Gardener Registration
Guide to Living in the Country
Low-Stress Trailer Loading
Celebrating Serving Better Together
Douglas County Fair In Full Swing
Upcoming Dates / Events
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FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR | |
A Familiar Hum
by: Marlin Bates
County Extension Director/Agent, Community Development
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Lawrence, KS - Thank you for taking a few minutes to visit this newsletter from all of us at K-State Research and Extension – Douglas County. We’ve been busy in a new, but familiar kind of way. And we hope that you’ll find a way to join us in our century-old adventure as we partner with you, the people of Douglas County, Kansas, to provide solutions for the challenges we all face.
Regardless of where you stand along the continuum of readiness to participate in social events, we are prepared to engage with you. Within this newsletter, you’ll find opportunities to gather virtually and in person; programs that will connect you with experts and fellow learners; and community conversations that are aimed at wicked problems that require your involvement. Our staff stands ready to assist you with the issues that you face, and we’re very excited to help the community address issues that affect us all. As we approach this work, we look forward to building community cohesion and uniting our efforts to move the needle on social and economic inequities more than we ever have before.
So please consider this invitation to participate. We know that you have something to offer and it’s our job to help you find a place to make that contribution. Certainly, along the way, you’ll bump into chaotic commotion – and we hope that you’ll embrace it as a signal that all is well.
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New Coalition Established
Creating a Robust Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
Douglas County
by: Marlin Bates
County Extension Director/Agent, Community Development
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Lawrence, KS - Our community recently gathered to discuss the assets and opportunities that make Douglas County a great place to start and grow a business. Entrepreneurs, support providers, and concerned citizens all came together to learn about a new organization dedicated to convening this conversation and framing the action that it will take to make a difference.
This organization is not a program of any particular agency or firm. It’s a collaborative space where individuals, organizations, founders, and funders can come together to learn from each other and incubate mutually reinforcing activities.
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Douglas County CORE is dedicated to creating a platform of sharing among members with the goal of developing an environment to help residents of Douglas County – particularly underserved audiences - achieve successful business ownership by collaboratively elevating ecosystem supports, creating awareness of opportunity, and promoting access to knowledge, resources, and connections for starting and expanding entrepreneurial businesses.
CORE strives to be an approachable, open, and inclusive network of practitioners capable of referring entrepreneurs to appropriate service providers that suit their needs to enhance their potential for success.
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*Click the image below to visit our website to see what your local
K-State Research and Extension office is doing!
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Food |Nutrition |Health |Food Safety | |
Transitioning from In-Person to Virtual
Nutrition Education During COVID-19
by: Cierra Smallwood
SNAP-Ed Nutrition Educator
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Lawrence, KS - Last year, many agencies ceased in-person programming, and Douglas County SNAP-Ed was no exception. SNAP-Ed is a state-wide program that empowers low-income Kansans to live healthy lives and reduce health disparities by implementing nutrition education and policy, systems, and environmental changes.
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Douglas County SNAP-Ed classes are best known for their interactive nature and capability to create meaningful behavior change. Once hosted in-person and at human services organizations, SNAP-Ed nutrition education programming moved to a virtual setting. However, throughout the pandemic, Douglas County SNAP-Ed has maintained its interactive nature and created positive health behavior change.
To read more about that change as well as eligibility for our program click below for the full article.
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Preserving the Harvest
by: Susan Farley
Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Sciences
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Lawrence, KS - Successful gardening can result in plenty of produce to enjoy fresh this summer and to preserve for later. Unfortunately, much misinformation about food preservation is available.
When you preserve food at home, especially by canning, you are a scientist. Food preservation isn’t the time to be creative. In addition, food preservation guidelines have changed through the years as scientists learn what is and isn’t safe. Plus, the vegetable varieties available today are not the same as those grown when grandma was canning. For example, tomato varieties have been bred to be less acidic. So, grandma’s famous canned tomato recipe could have dire results when using current tomato varieties.
Take it from one who has survived botulism. While Debbie Miller survived botulism, it was a long recovery. And all of it could have been prevented. Watch and learn from this Utah State University video about Debbie’s experience so this doesn’t happen to you!
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Farmers Market Time!
by: Tom Buller
County Extension Agent, Horticulture
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Lawrence KS - In Douglas County, the number of ways to access local produce is growing. In addition to local grocery stores and restaurants that have carried local farm products for years, many farms added online ordering to their availability last year to help deal with COVID-19. While all those options still exist, my favorite place to find local produce is still at farmers’ markets.
This is the perfect time of year to shop at farmers' markets as many of the summer favorites are available- tomatoes, potatoes, sweet corn, to go along with the year-round supply of meats, eggs, and baked goods. Douglas County has many options for farmer's markets. One easy reference is to visit the Farmer's Markets of Kaw Valley page on the Unmistakably Lawrence website that lists some of the options.
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Tuesday, Lawrence Farmers Market
4:00 – 6:30 PM - May - October South Park
Wednesday, The Farmers Market at Clinton Parkway Nursery
4:30 – 6:30 PM- First Wednesday after Mother’s Day through September 4900 Clinton Parkway, Lawrence
Thursday, Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market *Year-round
4:00 – 6:30 PM - Year-round – the market moves inside October -April 1837 Massachusetts St., Lawrence (parking lot off Rhode Island St.)
Friday, Perry-Lecompton Farmers Market
4:00 – 6:30 PM - June - October | Bernie’s/Cenex parking lot,
2115 Ferguson Rd. (Hwy 24 & Ferguson Rd.) Perry
Saturday, Lawrence Farmers Market
7:00 – 11:00 AM - April - August, 8:00 AM – noon,
September - November | Public parking lot at 824 New Hampshire.
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Douglas County Extension Master Gardner Training Program Registration is Open!
by: Sharon Ashworth
Horticulture Program Assistant
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Lawrence, KS - Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) are volunteers trained in all aspects of horticulture. Our mission is to share research-based, horticultural information with residents of Douglas County, in partnership with K-State Research and Extension.
The EMGs help Douglas County residents grow and care for plants, whether they be in your home, in a pot on your porch, or in a garden. Approximately 150 Master Gardeners donate about 8,000 hours of volunteer time each year.
Click below to find out more about what Extension Master Gardeners do!
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Come join us!
We love plants and enjoy sharing that love with others.
2021 Training Dates:
September 2 - December 16 each Thursday from 1pm-4pm (online portion).
Class will not meet 11/11 or 11/25.
Additional dates for in-person training:
8/31: 4-6 PM - 9/25 (9-12pm) - 10/5 (4-6pm) - 10/19 (4-6pm) -
11/2 (4-6pm) - 11/9 (2-4pm)
In Person Location
2110 Harper St.
Lawrence, KS 66046
Registration & Payment Deadline: August 27, 2020
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Master Gardeners Social Media | |
Living Outside City Limits – Guide to Living in the Country
After having to be cooped up most of 2020, living in the country with more space became very enticing. Owning a home in the country can be much different than owning one within city limits. Check out K-State Research and Extensions guide to Living in the Country.
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Low-Stress Trailer Loading
Summer is here, which means cattle are out to summer pasture. Knowing how to herd cattle in a low-stress way onto the trailer in different settings can make your move to fall/winter pasture a breeze for both you and your cattle. Check out Drovers article explaining “Low-Stress Trailer Loading”.
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Celebrating Serving Better Together
by: Kaitlyn Peine
County Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development
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Lawrence KS, Over the past two months, our 4-H community club program has shifted to meeting in person. As we have set aside our laptops and started meeting in person, our 4-H program has focused on giving back to the Douglas County community. In March, the Douglas County 4-H Youth Development program kicked off a three-month-long service-learning campaign called, Serving Better Together. The goals of the campaign included getting 4-H’ers together in person while hosting community service projects.
The Serving Better Together service-learning campaign included a grant opportunity for county-wide 4-H programs and 4-H community clubs. The grant included pledges from the Douglas County 4-H Foundation and the Douglas County 4-H Council. Originally the total budget for the grant pool was $3,000. By the end of April, the demand for the grants had exceeded the $3,000 budget. Thanks to additional support from the local 4-H Council, the grant selection committee awarded $4,717.53 in Serving Better Together grants.
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Douglas County Fair in Full Swing
by: Nickie Harding
4-H Youth Development Program Assistant
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Lawrence, KS - The county fair is a time of new experiences, friendship building, fun, and learning opportunities abound. Exhibitors and spectators can look forward to a public fair experience for 2021. Events such as livestock exhibits, livestock shows, and static exhibits (non-livestock exhibits) will be on full display beginning July 27.
Other traditional events and activities such as a hay bale throwing contest, turtles races, demolition derby, carnival rides, music, food, and so much more will be in full swing July 26 – July 31. County fair season is especially meaningful to 4-H youth.
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This week of fun is a time 4-H’ers spend with their friends and an opportunity for members to showcase what they have learned and demonstrate what they have accomplished through their 4-H project work. 4-H project work is how 4-H’ers acquire subject matter which is significant and of interest to them.
Projects are a way for youth to learn, set goals, and gain other valuable life skills through hands-on learning experiences at their own pace and skill level. From showing animals and demonstrating to the judge what they have learned, to exhibiting products, produce, art, and collections.
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4-H of Douglas County Social Media | |
UPDATES & IMPORTANT EVENTS | |
Click image below to visit Our Store Front to see what we have to offer or pick-up:
| Soil Tests | Food Preservation Text| More...|
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*Be sure to mark your calendars for the dates that are relevant to you! | |
First Friday e-Calls:
Inspire Entrepreneurship In-State
A free online series offered by K-State Research and Extension on the first Friday of each month provides an important connection between small businesses in Kansas and an array of state resources that are available to help them succeed.
The First Friday e-Call is designed to inspire entrepreneurship across the state, said Nancy Daniels, a community vitality specialist and the program’s coordinator since its inception in 2016.
“The purpose of these calls is to increase the community’s knowledge about the experts, education and economic resources available to help small businesses and entrepreneurs and the towns that love them,” Daniels said.
“Our topics connect the assets of state and federal agencies – like the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center and others – to the people who need them at the local level. People are nearly always one of the community’s most important assets, so when extension helps connect them with state and federal assets, we are building the capacity of people across Kansas.”
“Our state partners covet the connector role that K-State Research and Extension plays,” Daniels said. “Small businesses are responsible for 65% of net, new private-sector jobs. Kansas has many state resources designed to help small businesses succeed and grow, but if people don’t know about them, the state’s resources are wasted.
“The First Friday e-Call fills this connector role.”
June’s session outlined resources to help communities increase access to childcare. Future sessions include discussion on housing, supporting farm entrepreneurs, broadband opportunities, and a business-development course for emerging leaders.
Learn more and sign up for future sessions online.
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| JULY 1 - Northeast Kansas District#5 Horse Show
- Hayleigh Wempe 4-H Mentoring Nomination Deadline | | July 13 - Triple Up Day - Lawrence Farmers Market in South Park- | | July 15 - Triple Up Day - Cottin's Farmer's Market | | JULY 17 - 7:00 - 9:30AM Poultry Pullorum Testing
- Triple Up Day - Lawrence Farmer's Market Downtown | | JULY 19 - 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM PHOTO MOUNTING @ EXTENSION OFFICE | | July 20th - 11:59 PM Open Class Online Registration Deadline | | July 27 - 5:00-6:30 PM Douglas County CORE Inaugural Event Series in Eudora | | JULY 28 - 12:00 - 2:OO PM: Douglas County Fair Reading Contest | | July 26 - 31: Douglas County Fair: More Douglas County Fair Dates | | |
| August 11 - 2:00 - 3:00 PM - Virtual Eating Smart and Moving More Class Starts | | August 12 - Triple Up Day - Cottin's Farmer's Market | | August 14 - Triple Up Day - Lawrence Farmer's Market Downtown | | August 17 - Triple Up Day - Lawrence Farmer's Market in South Park | | August 18 - 2:00 - 3:00 PM - Virtual Eating Smart and Moving More Class | | August 25 - 2:00 - 3:00 PM - Virtual Eating Smart and Moving More Class | | August 26 - 7:00 - 8:30 PM - Douglas County CORE Inaugural Event Series : Baldwin City | | August 27 - Extension Master Gardener Training Program Deadline | | August 31 - 4:00 - 6:00 PM - In Person Extension Master Gardener Training | | |
Kansas State University is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision, or hearing disability, contact K-State Research and Extension Douglas County, 785-843-7058. Notify staff of accommodation needs as early as possible. Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. | |
K-State Research and Extension Douglas County Social Media | |
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Douglas County K-State Research and Extension
(785) 843-7058
2110 Harper Street
Lawrence, KS 66046
|Monday - Friday | 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
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