K-State Research and Extension

search

Category: January 2021

Make a Meal with What’s on Hand

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

Cooking Basics: Make a Meal from What’s on Hand is available for free online, guiding home chefs through creative ways to use the foods they have on hand to make many of their favorite dishes.

When supplies are low in the pantry, common recipes can be used as “road maps” for making meals. Just as there are alternate roads on a map to arrive at a specific destination, there are alternate options to complete that recipe.

The publication promotes the concept of grouping ingredients into categories:

  • Proteins, including various meats, eggs, fish, seafood, nuts and legume-type beans.
  • Vegetables, fresh, frozen or canned.
  • Starch, including pasta, rice and potatoes.
  • Liquid, including broths, tomato juice and milk.
  • Sauce, including various soups, diced tomatoes with juice and gravy made with corn starch and water.
  • Flavors, which could be combinations of chopped vegetables, dried or fresh herbs, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and salt and pepper.

With those groupings, it’s much easier to combine ingredients to make stir fry, skillet meals, casseroles, soups, salad, pizza and more.

Have fun making new and original favorite recipes for you and your family!

By: Ashley Svaty

Horticulture Resources

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

Want to learn more about caring for your garden and landscape?

K-State Research and Extension has excellent resources. Throughout 2020 the horticulture team presented several informational webinars. They have been recorded and can be accessed on the HNR Website. https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/k-state-garden-hour-webinar-series/k_state_garden_hour.html

By: Cassie Homan

Job Opportunity – Financial Operations Office Professional

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

K-State Research and Extension Post Rock District is taking applications for a full time Financial Operations Office Professional to be located in the Post Rock District’s Osborne Office.

The professional manages business-related functions of the local extension unit such as accounting, payroll and human resource functions. Additionally, the professional provides general administrative support to the local extension unit’s educational program.

Position is open until filled. View the full position description and application procedure at https://www.postrock.k-state.edu/.

K-State Research and Extension Post Rock District is an equal opportunity provider and employer. A criminal background check is required.

By: Nora Rhoades

Managing Family Stress During COVID-19

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

How can you manage family stress? Engaging in three critical areas – communicate, ground yourself in common beliefs, and create new routines and structure – will help you and  your family move through this difficult time.

Ground Yourself in Common Beliefs

Families may grow stronger when they feel connected. A shared understanding of “how we live together as a family” is important.

Reach out every day to your family members who live in other places by phone or video calls.

  • Have children read a book to someone over the phone (grandparents or someone isolated).
  • Start a journal that you write something in daily about what you are thankful for.
  • Watch a favorite movie or look at photos with your children and share stories about why they are so meaningful to you.

Create new routines and structure

The uncertainty of these challenging times makes us anxious, and we share that anxiety with our families. While change can produce anxiety, it can also bring an opportunity for experiencing life in a different, perhaps healthier and more satisfying way.

  • Connect with nature – take walks and exercise alone or with your family. Exercise helps to manage emotions.
  • Take time to do things you’ve been wanting to try. That might be cooking a different dinner, reading a book or calling a friend you haven’t talked to in a while.
  • Connect safely (from 6 feet) with someone new in your community. To stay six feet apart, imagine there is a full-size couch between you.
  • Keep some of your family rules in place, especially mealtime and bedtime for children. For you, getting up and going to bed at familiar times is also important.

 

By: Brenda Langdon

Now is a Great Time to Design Your Landscape

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

 

You might not be thinking about your yard in the middle of winter, but January is a great time to design your landscape! Take some time to draw out your existing flower beds, trees, and shrubs. Then decide what you would like to change or add. K-State Research and Extension has some great resource to help with the planning process.

Information on plants recommended for Kansas can be found at:

http://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/recommended-plants/index.html

Follow this link for publications on landscaping in Kansas:

https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/publications/landscaping.html

By: Cassie Homan

 

Bohnert Family Recognized for Extension Contributions

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

The K-State Research and Extension Appreciation Award is a special award selected by the Post Rock District Executive Board to recognize volunteers who help us extend the Extension mission into our communities. Post Rock District presented the 2020 Appreciation Award to Calvin and Peggy Bohnert of Jewell to honor their outstanding contributions to Extension programs.

The Bohnerts volunteer their time and acreage in support of local wheat demonstration test plots. Calvin Bohnert began cooperating with Extension to provide Jewell County demonstration plots around 1977 because he said, “to get local [wheat performance] information, the only thing we had was Belleville and Hays. I did it so I could get some local information on varieties. Belleville’s rainfall totals can be quite a bit different than here, and Hays can be way different.”

Jim Dooley, Post Rock Extension District Chairman, said local producers “attending the annual tours take notes and I’m sure a lot of them took that back home and made seed selections off of that” information.  Mr. Dooley, Nora Rhoades, District Director, and Sandra Wick, Crop Production Agent, presented the Appreciation Award to the Bohnerts on their farm just outside of Jewell. We thank the Bohnerts for helping our area producers make informed wheat seed decisions based on the reliable and local data Post Rock Extension District test plots provide. K-State Research and Extension works in the community and with the community to help make better lives for all people.

By: Nora Rhoades

Forcing Bulbs in Winter

Posted on by mjsaxton@ksu.edu

Bulbs made to flower at other than normal times are said to be forced. The practice of forcing is commonly used to flower daffodils, hyacinths, tulips, crocus and other spring bulbs during the winter. This is a fun activity to do in the winter, to create beautiful blooms in your home over the cold months ahead.

 

 

 

To learn more, watch our YouTube Video:

By: Cassie Homan