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October 2003 |
www.ext.nodak.edu/county/richland |
CROPPING SYSTEMS
Dale L. Siebert
HARVEST
October was an excellent harvest month with area farmers
completing sugar beet, soybean and corn harvest during the month. Yields
and quality were good for sugar beets and corn with below average yields
reported for soybeans. Yields were reduced due to the hot dry weather in
July and August of 2003.
AGRATAINMENT
I had the opportunity to tour the Enger Family Farm near
Hatton, North Dakota, prior to our Annual Extension Conference in Fargo.
The Enger�s provide family entertainment on their farm during October with
an agriculture theme. Visitors learn about agriculture through a corn
maze, play miniature golf on a course emphasizing agricultural products
grown in North Dakota or children learn about wheat production as they are
allowed to play in a wagon load of wheat on the farm. The business
provides income for the family through sales of pumpkins and other
products as well as providing an educational opportunity for youth to
learn about agriculture through school tours. They reported having over
3,000 visitors the weekend before our visit which tells me there is a
demand for this type of agratainment.
EXTENSION CONFERENCE
During October I attended the Annual Extension Conference in
Fargo. Sessions I attended during the conference focused on the future of
North Dakota Extension, biotechnology, intensive wheat production and
sessions to improve communication skills. During conference Director
Sharon Anderson was also honored for her contributions to the organization
as she prepares to retire at the end of this year.
YIELD CONTEST ENTRIES
During October I measured yield contest entries for the
National Corn Growers Contest. This is also a chance to get a first hand
look at the yield and quality of the crop. Yield contest entries need to
be measured and verified by an independent party such as myself to be
entered in the national contest. Entries from this area normally do quite
well in their division and we will know later this fall how the entries
from this area compared.
FAMILY AND CONSUMER SCIENCE/4-H
Colleen M. Svingen
NATIONAL 4-H WEEK
Richland County 4-H clubs recognized National 4-H Week the
first week in October. We celebrated the week with a 4-H Appreciation
Picnic in Mooreton. Our afternoon was highlighted by the special guests in
attendance. Extension Director, Dr. Sharon Anderson was honored with an
Alumni Achievement Award. Sharon started her extension experience here
as a 4-H�er in Richland County and went on to be a specialist and district
director, eventually serving as our state�s director. Sharon will be
retiring from North Dakota Extension at the end of this year, but will
continue to share her leadership skills with 4-H on the national level.
We also honored the Sisters of St Francis with the Friends Of 4-H
Award. The sisters hosted our Achievement Days in Hankinson last
August and were a big part of our successful Achievement Days.
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The Extension Leadership Team chose three staff members to
attend the North Central National Leadership Development program. I was
chosen to attend the 2004 session. Participants attend four, four day
seminars located across the nation. The seminars are designed to develop
leadership skills in their participants. The expenses of this experience
are covered on the state level. I will begin this training in January at
Arizona.
Our Parenting Links web site is up and running! This has taken a long
time to execute, but we feel we have a quality, custom designed product
for our county residents. Many people have contributed to the development
of this site and I am very thankful for all of their contributions! But,
without the support of Deb Evenson, our Administrative Assistant, this
site would not be possible. Deb was been both willing and able to take on
the site of managing an interactive web-site. This is a huge job
and it is great to have her skills and dependability!!
The other group I need to spotlight here are 21st CCLC school
librarians. They are: Barb Blilie, Richland Elementary; Bonnie Bubach,
Lidgerwood; Jean Hoerer, Richland High School; Mary Schradick, Fairmount;
Brenda Tamlyn, Wyndmere. These ladies came in cold to a abstract project
and developed a product that will be modeled by other sites! It was a
pleasure to witness their commitment to youth and good literature. All of
the featured books can be found in the 21st Century Schools libraries or
in their public libraries. Library books were purchased from the 21st
Century Project dollars.
Again, many collaborators made this website a reality and we would all
appreciate your help in promoting the site. Please help encourage our
county residents to use the site to look for meal suggestions, family
fitness activities, fun reads and parenting tips. Richland County
residents will be eligible for prizes by filling out the survey and doing
on-line book reviews.
ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE
Our annual fall conference was also in October. Annual
Conference is the time designated for us to network with campus staff and
our peers, update our skills and recharge our batteries. I have been an
educator my entire career and prior to my extension work was seldom given
"work time" to develop my skills. The employee enrichment opportunities
provided by Extension enable agents to provide fresh ideas and current
research to the people we serve.
FNP
Pamela Leino-Mills
PROFESSOR POPCORN
Professor Popcorn is a big hit among children in the Richland
County Afterschool Program. This month I conducted 32 nutrition/physical
activity classes in the five participating schools. The enthusiasm and
positive attitudes of these children never fails to give me a rush of
energy and joy as I leave for home. The adult classes offered once per
month at 5:30 PM in each of the schools have not been well attended.
Parents are busy harvesting, or with other work. The adult class in
Hankinson was attended this month. It was a lively group, full of
insightful questions. I was included in the site coordinators monthly
meeting to plan nutrition class dates for November and December 2003.
NUTRITION CLASSES
Circle of Nations School invited me to teach six health classes
this month. The students were attentive and interactive. They were
captivated by the subject matter and enjoyed seeing a power point
presentation. I gave the same presentation to Headstart parents, who were
also obviously interested in the information I presented. Believe it or
not, the topic was food safety - Seven Highly Effective Habits for Home
Food Safety.
I conducted three interactive classes at NDSCS, directed primarily
toward students/parents living in student housing.
RADIO
This month I had an opportunity to educate through the air
waves on KBMW. I always enjoy feedback and inquiries that come to me as a
result of these few minutes on the radio.
AGING COALITION
I continue to serve on the Aging Coalition subcommittee which
facilitates commodity food distribution.
21st CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS
Adrian Biewer
September and October narratives were combined last month. |
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