Mary Rintoul
The Hutchinson News Managing Editor

Kansas Common Sense

On Wednesday morning, I had an opportunity to question U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis about her Department’s proposal to ban youth under the age of 16 from participating in many common farm-related activities during a Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.

Wheat and More….or Less

My dad is one of nine children born to my grandparents.  I used to kid my grandma that at supper time, she must have put a feed bag on dad, given a bottle to the baby and thrown the rest in a trough for everyone else to fight over.  Certainly, that supper was usually hard-earned by the kids.  Nine “child laborers” came in handy back in the day on a dairy farm.

But, the chores usually extended beyond the family farm.  A son or two might be sent to help an uncle put up hay on one day, while some daughters may have gone to help an aunt clean some chickens on another.  If a neighbor should get laid up by illness, all would rush to their aid whether finishing harvest or milking the cows.  This kind of community kindness would now be considered illegal for anyone younger than 16 under rules proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Tales of a Kansas Farmer

Authors note: Much of this is my recap of the 2012 No Till on the Plains Winter Conference. I went into the conference wanting to wrap my mind around utilizing cover crops in no till better. I still have many questions, but they might be best answered from experimenting.

Implementing cover crops in no till cropping systems has been a concept introduced to me at the No Till on the Plains winter conference a couple of years ago. Cover crops are plants seeded and grown between cash crops. These plants can be legumes that takes nitrogen from the air for the plant to use, brassica's that are deep rooted that help break compacted layers of soil and trap nitrogen, or grasses that hold soil and take up nutrients.

Depending on when I can find a internet connection to send this e-mail, it could be a Wednesday or Thursday update.  We have taken our show on the road, covering four villages in four days.  Tuesday and Wednesday night (tonight, when I am typing this), we have been staying in different hotels, before finally returning to Kaolack tomorrow after another valuable session of educating farmers on soil fertility.

KAOLACK, Senegal -- There is not much new today, went and talked to another village about soil fertility.  Similar experience as yesterday.  Ne common theme is questions about gardening.  There is also a parasite in the soil that they refer to as “striger”  I think it is similar to a nematode if not a nematode. 

KAOLACK, Senegal -- Just to get it out of the way first: I am safe and sound here in Kaolack, and for now it looks like the political protesting will remain in Dakar and not travel to my region.  Furthermore, the NCBA has several contingency plans in place should the need arise for me to leave.  For now, I am safe and continue to spread the word about soil fertility.

KAOLACK, Senegal -- Today we made the 3 hour drive from Dakar to Kaolack.  I got time to rest in the Hotel mid-day then spent late afternoon meeting the field office staff and starting to learn some of the basics about what I will be dealing with over here. 

Ever been to Atwood, Kansas?  This little community is located in the northwest corner of Kansas - and the community is determined to thrive.  Many small, rural communities are shrinking, but Atwood experienced a slight growth in their last census.  So, what is going on in Atwood -- well, lots!

Monday, January 30

I will be traveling on a volunteer mission trip to Senegal January 28 through Feb 11th.  From what I can gather it is a organic soil fertility mission, which organic or not, these areas which I will be visiting are so poor that they couldn’t afford conventional fertilizers even if they were available.

On Monday, December 19, 2011 a deadly winter storm pounded the Midwest with hazardous conditions. In the midst of it, a family living in the western Kansas town of Scott City witnessed its own deadly storm. But the God who brought the Savior into the world to make a Way for mankind, also smoothed the way for this family that night.

By John Schlageck
Kansas Farm Bureau    

It’s the new year and like so many, I have vowed to shed those extra pounds. Losing weight is no easy task. Expectations often exceed the will to lose the weight gradually during an extended period of time.

For years, through successive governors and legislatures, Kansas state government has virtually ignored the water problem staring everyone in the face. Even as yearly measurements showed western Kansas' Ogallala Aquifer steadily declining, projecting it to dry up within time, Kansas did nothing about water policy that overappropriated water rights and encouraged consumption.