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Kansas State Fair Agriculture Challenge

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

Agriculture is an important piece of our past and a critical part of our future. According to the Kansas Department of Agriculture, there are more than 60,000 farms in Kansas which generate more than $18.5 billion in Agriculture output. On average, Kansas is the largest wheat producing state, producing 333,600,000 bushels of wheat in 2017. Nearly one-fifth of all wheat grown in the United States is grown in Kansas. Additionally, one 60-pound bushel of wheat provides about 42 pounds of white flour, enough for about 70, one pound loaves of white bread.

The Kansas State Fair wants to encourage students to learn more about Kansas agriculture. Farmers feed and clothe the world. Farmers today are raising more food with fewer resources. It is estimated that by 2050, we’ll need to feed two billion more people. Understanding how and where your food comes from is important. The Fair wants to help students connect with the people who grow their food.

There are 12 agriculture adventure stops listed at this link https://www.kansasstatefair.com/p.aspx?pID=fair/education/669& . You choose 6 of these stops to visit between May 1 and August 15, 2018. You can mail, email or bring your completed adventure sheet to the Kansas State Fair. All adventure sheets turned in by August 15 will receive a KSF Agriculture Fun Pack. Your name will also be put into a drawing for a free Kids Club ticket package to attend the 2018 Kansas State Fair.

Summer Fun Activities

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

School is almost over and that means you have to find something for your children to do. If they can go to camps and/or day care that is great, but not everyone can do that. If you have to leave them at home while you work, there are a few things you can do to keep them busy.

  • Make a chore chart for them based on their ages. Older kids can do a lot of things to help you around the house and younger kids can do simple tasks like folding laundry.
  • Find some free camps for them to go to, to help break up the summer.
  • Plan some fun activities that will take them a few days to complete. Pinterest has a ton of STEM activities for children to do.
  • Our local libraries have activities going on this summer, might be a fun way to make new friends.
  • Boredom. Sounds weird, but it can be a good thing for kids to experience.
  • Make a bucket list for the summer!

These are just a few, but be creative!

Sunny Days

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

Waking up to the sun shining brings happiness to me and an eagerness to soak up as much of the sun’s rays as possible.  Now that Spring has arrived, I’m sure bright sunshiny days are in my future.  When the weather is nice it provides the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors.  Although I spend a great deal of time outside, I am aware of the fact that I need to protect myself against too much sun exposure.

Did you know that as little as 15 minutes of unprotected ultraviolet UV exposure can be harmful to your body?   Eye damage, premature wrinkles, and sun burns are results of overexposure to the sun.  If you experience just one bad sunburn as a child it doubles your risk of skin cancer later in life.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year nearly 5 million people in the United States are treated for skin cancer.  The American Cancer Society identifies Ultraviolet rays, from the sun and/or tanning beds, as the #1 cause of skin cancer. Continue reading “Sunny Days” →

Children’s Book Day

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

April 2nd is International Children’s Book Day and is also Hans Christian Anderson’s Birthday. Each year a different country sponsors the event and picks a theme for that day. Last year was Russia and the theme was “Let Us Grow with the Book”.

I think this is a great day to not only read to your children, but to teach them about different cultures. You could explain that Russia is sponsoring this event and give some brief insight to who Russia even is and where they are.

Bringing culture into your growing child helps their prospective of the world broaden and for them to be more aware of different people/things. By doing this your child can grow as a person and when older they will be able respect the people that are different than themselves.

Also reading to your child is a great thing! Sometimes it takes a while, but that is how picture books are set up. They are set up to let your child look at the pictures and use their imagination while you are reading; hence all the questions they ask as you are reading. As they get older and read books with fewer pictures, they use their imagination in a different way and actually picture the pictures! It is amazing isn’t it?

So remember Sunday April 2nd, read to your child for International Children’s Book Day! It will not only let you bond with your child, but it will help them grow!

Teen Leadership Groups

Posted on by Harvey County K-State Research and Extension

What is your definition of a leader? Harvey County 4-H gives youth a unique opportunity to discover what leadership means to them. Youth ages 13-18 have the opportunity to be a part of two leadership based 4-H groups in Harvey County, Junior Leaders and 4-H Ambassadors. Continue reading “Teen Leadership Groups” →