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March 2004 |
www.ext.nodak.edu/county/richland |
CROPPING SYSTEMS
Dale L. Siebert
PRIVATE APPLICATOR CERTIFICATION
The Final Private Applicator Pesticide Certification meeting
was held in Colfax on March 2. A total of 89 private applicators were
re-certified this year. This number is smaller this year due to the three
year cycle of re-certification. Large numbers will again need
re-certification in the years of 2005-06. This year I emphasized soybean
aphid and soybean cyst nematode identification and control measures at the
meetings as these are two serious pests of our soybean crop in the area.
IDENTITY PRESERVED WORKSHOP
On March 5 an Identity Preserved Workshop was held in Fargo as
a part of my Multi-County responsibilities. I coordinated the program for
this workshop with Rudy Radke, Area Diversification Specialist with NDSU,
and John Kringler, Cass County Extension Agent. The program this year
emphasized marketing through producer groups. Speakers were present from
the Midwest Shippers Association and Farm Connect from Minnesota. IP
Tracking software and a presentation on Railrunner technology for shipping
containers was also part of the program. This was an excellent program,
but weather and road problems that day limited our attendance.
TILING WORKSHOP
On March 19 a Tiling Workshop was held in Fairmount. Larry
Luick, a farmer and tile installer from the area, helped arrange the
sponsors for this program which featured speakers on the subject from
Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. A good crowd of 65 farmers and
interested industry people attended that day to learn about tile drainage.
Tiling is an old practice that is being tried on a limited scale in the
area. The purpose of tiling is to improve the internal soil drainage and
as a result improve the productive capability of the soil. The most
limiting factor with tiling is the installation cost. As the practice
becomes better understood I am sure we will continue to see more interest
in the area.
GARDEN DAY
The fourth annual Garden Day was held in Wahpeton on March 20.
This year the event was held in conjunction with the Wahpeton Chamber of
Commerce. They promoted a home and garden show with booths and exhibitors
in the Activities Center at NDSCS. The master gardeners from Richland and
Wilkin, along with the Extension Services from the two counties planned an
educational program with 20 different workshops to complement the
exhibitors. This expanded format worked out for both parties and we were
pleased with the attendance at the workshops and the exhibits. I presented
a workshop on handsprayer use and calibration at the workshops and the
Extension Office also had a booth for the Master Gardeners to distribute
Extension information that day.
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE/4-H
Colleen M. Svingen
CONSUMER CHOICES
Richland 4-H Consumer Choices Contest was a success to due to
our competent 4-Her�s, leaders and support staff. This event is where our
4-H members learn decision making skills. This contest has become very
valuable in a world where technology seems to have both increased the
number of decisions that people must make and forced them to become more
skilled decision makers. Many of these participants will enjoy competing
this summer at the State Fair in Minot.
SPRING CONFERENCE
We attended our annual Spring Conference in Bismarck this
month. This in an experience in finding out: what you didn�t know, you
didn�t know. I always enjoy the updates and the challenges presented
to us at the conference, but this was an especially good conference. The
overall conference speakers had motivating messages and the updates on
food safety, fitness programs and low-carb diets were certainly timely.
PROGRAMMING
I enjoyed the opportunity of having dinner with our
agricultural audience and Governor Hoven at the Future of Ag
banquet at NDSCS. I had to excuse myself early in order to meet a
programming obligation in Hankinson. The St. Gerard�s Nursing Home
Auxiliary members were thrilled that they took priority over our state�s
governor! Please help me in letting the public know that I am available to
do educational outreach programs throughout our county.
HOME, AG AND GARDEN SHOW
Extension was able to have some displays at both the
Wahpeton/Breckenridge Home, Ag and Garden Show and at Imation�s Health
Fair. The public was very receptive to our programming, but I have found
that the biggest advantage of participating in these events is the
opportunity to network with other vendors. Our new parenting resource
coordinator, Rebecca Berge-Buss, joined me at the show. She is going to
take a couple of my radio spots in April to introduce herself and her
resources to our listening audience. As a result of attending these
events, I look forward to programming in extended locations with new
partners.
PARENTING LINKS
Exciting follow-up news to the literacy portion of our
Parenting Links website is that a book club in Grand Forks is reading
our first unit�s suggested adult book as result of reading the review on
our web-site. Bonnie McIver from the Leach Public Library here in Wahpeton
has now joined our literacy team. Quiet continued growth and support is
always rewarding of all the players on the team!
FNP
Pamela Leino-Mills
CNS
Melissa Hartness, a public health nurse in Richland County,
team taught with me at Circle of Nations school. We taught six health
classes. Melissa talked about diabetes and tested blood sugars on the
students who volunteered. I talked about the food guide pyramid and how it
can be used in meal and snack planning. I had vegetable snacks for the
students, which they enthusiastically consumed. I heard good things about
these lessons from several other teachers and staff on campus. I look
forward to more team teaching with Melissa.
NUTRITION EDUCATION
During March, I taught 39 classes for the Afterschool Program
in five Richland County schools, four classes for limited income students
at North Dakota State College of Science, and two classes for people
living in low income housing.
WIC
I spent a day in Hankinson with the WIC Director doing
individual nutrition education with her customers.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
On March 4th, I participated in a second Richland
County Advisory Council meeting. I continue to be impressed with the
quality of this council.
21st CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS
Adrian Biewer
PROGRAM FUNDING
The funding for our afterschool program from 21st Century ends
on May 30, 2004. The consortium board has made the decision to continue
the program for next year. I have just finished conducting parent meetings
with each of the five sites with over 70 parents in attendance. The
meeting was approximately an hour long and parents completed a survey
after the question and answer period. In the meeting, programming and a
fee schedule was discussed for summer 2004 and the school year 2004-2005
school year. I also sent parents who were not at the meeting a mail-in
survey. Preliminary survey results reveal that parents are willing to pay
for the program, but the full-time fees would be difficult to budget for
many families. I will report actual findings when the last of the surveys
are received.
SUMMER SCHEDULE
Summer program schedule will be available on April 26. We are
maintaining most of the activities that we sponsored last year. Summer
tutoring and the number of field trips will remain the same. We are
dropping the expensive activities such as Craft Camp. Parents will pay
fees that cover 75% of the cost of the activity. We will provide the other
25% and scholarships for income eligible.
AMERICORP
The afterschool program has applied in partnership with the
Griggs-Steele Afterschool Program for supplemental funding for staff.
Americorp provides grants to entities that provide jobs for adults 17
years old or older who are planning to continue their education. Americorp
will supply approximately 60-75% of wages plus a $1400 stipend to use for
college tuition. We hope to use this for our college and high school
employees.
PROJECT A+
We are collecting Tyson Food labels to earn money for the
afterschool program. Tyson Foods will pay $.24/label from Tyson products
with the Project A+ label. If our afterschool families collect an average
of 250 labels/family in the next year, it will earn $12,000 for the
program. Your school has a collection box with the elementary principals
coordinating the collection.
NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture
and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Duane
Hauck, Interim Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance
of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs
and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin,
religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual
orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer. This publication will
be made available in alternative format upon request to people with
disabilities (701) 231-7881. |
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