October 2026
October has always been one of my favorite times of the year in Kansas. Harvest is underway, the fields begin to change, and we start to see the results of decisions and hard work that began months earlier.
But October isn't just about harvesting what we planted this year. It is also about planning and planting for next year.
Across Kansas, wheat producers are preparing fields and planting wheat that will lie dormant through the winter before beginning to grow again in the spring. The seed goes into the ground knowing that the harvest is still many months away.
I think Extension is a lot like farming. We plant seeds throughout the year. Sometimes those seeds are a workshop, a farm visit, a 4-H experience, a Master Gardener project, a conversation with a community leader or a new partnership. We don't always know exactly what those seeds will produce, but we know that growth takes time.
October is also the beginning of a new 4-H year, with enrollment opening October 1. Just as wheat is planted now with next summer's harvest in mind, 4-H members begin another year of learning, growing, trying new things and developing skills that will serve them well beyond the current year.
As I look across the Cottonwood District, I see a lot of Extension “harvest” taking place, but I also see people planting seeds for the future.
We harvest knowledge. Someone learns something that helps them make a better decision on their farm, in their garden, with their finances or in their family.
We harvest leaders. A young person gains confidence through 4-H. A volunteer steps forward to lead. A community member decides to get involved and help make their community better.
We harvest partnerships. Some of our best work happens when Extension connects with schools, businesses, health organizations, nonprofits, local governments and other community partners. Together, we can accomplish much more than any one of us could do alone.
And ultimately, we harvest stronger communities.
That's what I believe makes Extension special. Our impact isn't just the number of programs we hold or people we reach. It's what happens afterward, when someone takes what they learned and puts it into action.
As I look back on another year, I'm proud of the seeds our Extension team, volunteers and community partners have planted across Barton and Ellis counties. Some seeds are producing a harvest today. Others are just being planted.
And that's okay. That's how growing works, and that's how Extension works.
District Director's Corner - The Harvest of Extension