Chloride (Cl) is a highly mobile nutrient in soils and topdressing is typically a good time for application, especially in regions with sufficient precipitation or with coarse-textured soils are prone to leaching. One of the main benefits from good Cl nutrition is the improvement in overall disease resistance in wheat. Wheat response to Cl is usually expressed in improved color, suppression of fungal diseases, and increased yield. It is difficult to predict whether Cl would significantly increase wheat yields unless there has been a recent soil test analysis for this nutrient. Chloride fertilization based on soil testing is becoming more common in Kansas. Continue reading “Chloride as Top Dressing Nutrient for Wheat”
Warm Weather Food Safety Tips
The weather is getting warmer, which is wonderful, but that means we are going to be thinking about eating outside. Whether that is camping, a picnic, family get together, or whatever pulls your meal outside, we need to make sure we are following safe procedures to ensure our food stays safe. Here are a few tips:
- Use an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs to keep your picnic safe. Foods that need to be kept cold include raw meat, poultry and seafood; deli and luncheon meats or sandwiches, summer salads such as chicken or tuna salad; cut up fruit and vegetables, and perishable dairy products.
- Keep sack lunches and snacks safe by adding a frozen juice box or small ice pack to an insulated lunch box.
- Going out to eat? Consider planning ahead and bringing an insulated bag with an ice pack to safely carry home your leftovers.
- Summer grocery shopping can be challenging when temperatures are high. Pack your cold or frozen items together in an insulated bag for the ride home (be sure to separate raw meat from
National Nutrition Month
March is National Nutrition Month; which means I will be talking a little bit about how to better your health with a few simple steps.
Physical fitness is very important! Adults need 150 minutes a week, which seems like a lot, but really isn’t. Breaking that down it could be 21 minutes a day, 50 minutes 3 times a week or 30 minutes 5 times a week. To achieve the 150 minutes you can run, walk, bike, dance, strength training, Zumba, yoga or anything that gets your heart rate up for more than 10 minutes at a time. My favorite is to run and/or walk.
How do you start this habit? Well, Walk Kansas starts March 19th and it would be a great way to start making physical fitness a habit. Contact the office for more information about Walk Kansas!
Nutrition, eating well, eating better, and fresh are all terms used to describe how you should eat, the other part of living a healthier life style. Everyone should be following MyPlate from the USDA on what you should eat and how much of it. Half your plate should be fruits and vegetables every meal! Also we should eat a little less meat than we do. I love my beef and it is hard to eat less of it! For more information about portion sizes and how much you should be eating contact the office at 316-284-6930.
It really boils down to nutrition and physical fitness on how to lead a healthier life style. Start small and build as you become comfortable with your new habit. I believe everyone can live a healthier life style by just changing a few simple things.
Straw Bale Gardening
Have you ever thought about a new way to raise vegetables? On March 29 at10:00 AM you can learn how to grow in the program “Straw Bale Gardening”! Please RSVP by calling our office at (316) 284-6930.
Growing Vegetables in Cold Weather
What do Broccoli, Cauliflower, lettuce, potatoes, Radish, peas and spinach have in common? They can all be planted in cold temperatures! It is spring! How cold can they go?
Certain vegetables can withstand cold spring temperatures as long as they have been toughened up by gradually exposing them to sunlight and outdoor temperatures. This “hardening off” process usually takes about a week.
Reducing watering and temperature is the key to toughening up transplants. If possible, move transplants outside for a portion of each day. Start by placing them in a shady, protected location and gradually move them into a more exposed, sunny location as the week progresses. Hardened off cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and onions can withstand temperatures near 20 F without being killed. Lettuce plants are not quite as tough but will be okay if exposed to temperatures in the mid 20s.
Don’t hesitate to put these plants out now if extreme cold is not forecast.
Farming SUCCESSion Conference
Join us for The Key to Farming SUCCESSion Conference on March 20th from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM featuring Keynote Speaker, Roger McEowen!
Attendees will leave with new knowledge and strategies to grow their business and secure farm assets for future generations to come. $40 Registration Fee for First Individual, $30 Registration Fee for Additional Family Members or Students. Registration includes: Conference, Resource Notebook, Lunch, Refreshments. Registration is due ASAP. Payment is due to the McPherson County Extension Office at 600 W. Woodside, McPherson KS 67460 on or before March 20th.
Online Registration: https://tinyurl.com/KeyToFarmingSUCCESSion2018
(note: more information is at this link)
Walk Kansas Starts Next Week!
