Jacob Weber
Horticulture
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early sixty area growers attended the 2019 Southeast Kansas Regional Farmer’s Market Workshop in Parsons on February 2, 2019. These participants heard from various specialists and growers discussing marketing, food safety, Double-Up Bucks program, state sales tax collection, and morel mushroom identification. A grower’s panel gave tips on pest management, soil improvement and cover crops. Local producers also took advantage of the free scale certification while attending the workshop. This workshop was the result of hours of collaborative work by agents and specialists from K-State Research and Extension, and folks from the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
Coming up in March is a new gardening program that I have put together with the help of my fellow Wildcat District agents and staff. This program, the 4-H Gardening Institute, is designed to encourage the love of food gardening in youngsters. I along with Jeri Geren, James Coover and will present lessons on composting, soil improvement, pest management and gardening practices. The Wildcat District 4-H agents Katie Townsend, Will Morris, and Cheri Nelsen will also be hosting a pumpkin growing contest which should get the kids excited! This event is not just for 4-H; all kids are invited to participate. We’ve scheduled this event during spring break to avoid conflicts with school and school related activities. The two-hour program will be presented in each of the four counties in the Wildcat District: Monday, March 11 – Fredonia at the courthouse meeting room; Tuesday, March 12 – Parsons at the Southeast Area Extension and Research Center; Wednesday, March 13 – Independence at the Montgomery County Agriculture Center meeting room; Thursday, March 14 – Girard at the Extension Office meeting room.
Please listen in on Coffeyville radio station KGGF 690 AM every Wednesday morning at 7:40 a.m. when I along with other Wildcat District agents discuss current topics of interest and updates on upcoming Extension events. We also have pre-recorded Extension Minutes and Ag News Reports that air throughout the week on KGGF, KLKC and KKOW (860 AM) radio stations. As always, I am available to help you with your gardening problems; please give me a call at any of the Wildcat District offices.