Category: April 2020

At Home Exercises

  • The National Institute on Aging has fantastic low impact at home exercises perfect for beginners, older adults, or for anyone looking to add more movement into their day! Check out their videos here: https://go4life.nia.nih.gov/workout-videos/
  • If you’re at home with kids, I encourage you to check out gonoodle.com. These free, fun and interactive videos inspire kids to be active by offering a wide range of videos which appeal to different ages, skills, and abilities.
  • Walk Kansas fitness videos covering a variety of short exercises using free weights, resistance bands, and the balance ball are available here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0443E5C6D241AC2F

By: Ashley Svaty

Stop Trouble with Bubbles: Wash Your Hands

Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community.

Wash hands:

  • Before, during, and after preparing food
  • Before eating food
  • Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea
  • Before and after treating a cut or wound
  • After using the toilet
  • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
  • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste
  • After handling pet food or pet treats
  • After touching garbage

Follow these five steps every time.

  1. Wetyour hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
  2. Latheryour hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
  3. Scrubyour hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
  4. Rinseyour hands well under clean, running water.
  5. Dryyour hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and K-State Research and Extension Rapid Response Center

By: Ashley Svaty

Planting Strawberries

New strawberry plantings should be set early in the growing season so that mother plants become established while the weather is still cool. The mother plants develop a strong root system during this cool period when soil temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees F. The most appropriate planting time is late March to mid-April in the northern areas of the state.  Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.

Later in the season, runners and daughter plants develop. The earlier the mother plants are set, the sooner the first daughter plant will be formed and take root. These first daughter plants will be the largest daughter plants at the end of the growing season and will bear more berries per plant the following spring.  When planting is done later, the higher temperatures stress the mother plants resulting in reduced growth, weaker mother plants and delays in daughter plant formation.  Fewer and smaller daughter plants produce fewer berries, resulting in a smaller crop.

Remove all flowers during the first year. New plants have limited energy reserves that need to go toward establishing the mother plants and making runners rather than making fruit. If fruit is allowed to develop the first year, the amount of fruit produced the second year is drastically reduced due to smaller, weaker daughter plants.

Keep row width at 12 to 18 inches as strawberries bear most on the edges of the row rather than the center.  A rototiller or hoe can be used to keep the row at the recommended width.

4-H Program Internship – Local Job Opportunity

The Post Rock District 4-H Program Internships are responsible for assisting with the planning and implementation of the Post Rock District 4-H Youth Development Program. We are looking to hire student professionals to serve through this unique role in paid summer positions. One position will be located in Beloit and the other in Lincoln. Visit postrock.ksu.edu for responsibilities, qualifications and application procedure. Positions are open until filled. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.By: Nora Rhoades