If you are growing some awesome flowers or vegetables this summer, consider bringing them to your local county fair! For more information on presenting in Open class or 4-H entries, watch the video below.
By: Cassie Homan
Category: 2022
Make the Most of Your Summer
With summer vacation in full swing, kids are faced with the question: “What am I going to do today?” Here are some things you can suggest to kids over the upcoming summer months to avoid the dreaded “I’m bored.”
- Enjoy the Outdoors – With spending most of the school year indoors studying, watching television and playing video games, it’s time to get outside. There are many things to do that require little or no money or planning like riding bikes, hiking in the local park, skateboarding or just sitting under a tree reading a book.
- Have a Water Fight – You do not need a pool to keep cool in the summer months. Round up some friends, equip themselves with water guns, water balloons and hoses, and find an open area.
- Earn Money Doing Seasonal Work – Mowing lawns and washing cars in the neighborhood is a great way to earn money while helping out the neighbors.
- Have a Yard Sale – Need extra fun money? They can make it selling toys, clothes and other possessions they no longer need and you can reclaim some storage space.
- Host a Cookout – Have them plan a cookout. Tell them to invite friends or neighbors over so you can barbecue for them.
- Observe Nature – Set up a tent in the backyard so they can enjoy some time in the outdoors. Check out the stars and moon in the sky.
By: Brenda Langdon
Storing Fresh Produce
Eating fresh local produce is always a treat and one of the best things about summer! Here are a few tips on maintaining the quality and safety until you are ready to eat it.
Store in the Refrigerator: Apples (>7 days), apricots, berries, cherries, cut fruits, grapes, herbs, mushrooms, green beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cut veggies, leafy greens, summer squash, sweet corn
Ripen on the counter, then store in the refrigerator: Peaches and pears
Store at room temperature: Apples (<7 days), bananas, citrus fruits, watermelon, muskmelon, basil (in water), *cucumbers, *eggplant, **garlic, **onions, *peppers, **potatoes, pumpkins, **sweet potatoes, tomatoes, winter squash.
*Cucumbers, eggplant and peppers can be kept refrigerated 1-3 days if they are used soon after removal from the refrigerator.
**Store garlic, onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes in a well-ventilated area in the pantry.
Physiological Leaf Curl in Tomatoes
Every year we have calls from gardeners who have tomato plants with leaves that curl up. When tomato plants grow vigorously in mild, spring weather the top growth often exceeds the root development. When the first few days of warm, dry summer weather hit, the plant ‘realizes’ that it has a problem and needs to increase its root development. The plant tries to reduce its leaf area by rolling leaves. The leaves curl along the length of the leaf (leaflet) in an upward fashion. It is often accompanied by a thickening of the leaf giving it a leathery texture. Interestingly, leaf roll is worse on some varieties than others.
Though rolling usually occurs during the spring to summer shift period, it may also occur after a heavy cultivating or hoeing, a hard rain, waterlogged soil or any sudden change in weather. This leaf roll is a temporary condition that goes away after a week or so when the plant has a chance to acclimate, recover from injury, or the soil has a chance to dry out.
By: Cassie Homan
Best Wishes Ashley!
Our Post Rock District team wishes Ashley Svaty joy, blessings, and success as she takes on new challenges in a different role with K-State Research and Extension as the Northwest regional specialist for Family and Consumer Sciences! Go do great things, Ashley! We cheer you on!
Please help us congratulate Ashley. If you would like to send Ashley a card, please mail it to our Lincoln Office and we will forward it to her for you.
Mail to:
Post Rock Extension District
Attn: Ashley Svaty
PO Box 8
Lincoln, KS 67455
By: Nora Rhoades
988 – Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
In 2020, Congress designated the new 988 dialing code to operate through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Moving to a 3-digit dialing code is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to strengthen and expand the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
The 988 dialing code will be available nationwide for call (multiple languages), text or chat (English only) on July 16, 2022. Until then those experiencing a mental health or suicide-related crisis, or those helping a loved one through a crisis, should continue to reach the Lifeline at its current number, 1-800-273-8255. This number will not go away.
Moving to 988 will not replace the Lifeline, rather it will be an easier way to access a strengthened and expanded network of crisis call centers.
Many Americans are experiencing suicide and mental health crisis without the support and care they need. In 2020 alone, the US had one death by suicide about every 11 minutes – and for people aged 10-34 years, suicide is a leading cause of death.
Moving to an easy-to-remember 3 digit dialing code will provide greater access to life-saving services.
By: Brenda Langdon
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
Worldwide, 55 million people are living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease. It is an overall term that describes a group of symptoms. Alzheimer’s is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. If you notice any of them, don’t ignore them. Schedule an appointment with your doctor.
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life
- Challenges in planning or solving problems
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks
- Confusion with time or place
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
- New problems with words in speaking or writing
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
- Decreased or poor judgement
- Withdrawal from work or social activities
- Changes in mood and personality
Signs of Alzheimer’s and Dementia may be poor judgment and decision-making, inability to manage a budget, losing track of the date or the season, difficulty having a conversation, or misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them. These signs differ from typical age-related changes such as making a bad decision once in a while, missing a monthly payment, forgetting which day it is and remembering it later, sometimes forgetting which word to use, or losing things from time to time.
By: Brenda Langdon
