Some say the landscape in central and western Kansas looks like a barren, brown wasteland. Others believe that statement may be too kind.

What ever you see, and however you describe it – conditions remain dire in many regions of Kansas going into the final week of February.

In Lincoln County for example, it’s difficult, and nearly impossible, to see green anywhere. Wheat crops look brown like the previous year’s stubble or the fall residue. It doesn’t matter if you look at wheat in bottom land or on hill tops, the crop looks terrible.

“There’s no moisture on top,” says veteran farmer/stockman Steve Boor. “I’m at a loss to figure out what our wheat is running on.”

While there’s subsoil moisture approximately five inches below the surface, without surface moisture in the way of a heavy snow or rain, Boor says the crop is hanging on by a thread.

“If the weather stays dry like it has been, temperatures warm up and the wheat breaks dormancy and starts to grow, it will use what moisture it’s living on right now in a hurry,” the Lincoln County farmer/stockman says.

How long the wheat can hang on without measurable precipitation depends on how cool temperatures stay.

If nights continue cool and daytime temps only reach the 60s for a couple hours each day, the wheat still knows it’s winter, Boor says. However, if the nighttime temperatures begin to warm up into the mid-40s or low 50s, the wheat will wake up and begin growing.

The longer the wheat goes without moisture, the more stressed it becomes. Every day with continued dryness affects the yield.

“Most years this land out here would be a carpet of green,” Boor says. “Instead, it’s brown wherever you look.”

Turning and looking at the landscape in every direction, the Lincoln County farmer talks about the great start this wheat began with last fall. September rains provided the crop with abundant moisture to sprout.

The crop looked promising, but soon after it came up the moisture stopped. No measurable precipitation occurred all winter including a couple of skiffs of snow with little moisture.

Historically in this region of the state, little moisture falls during February and March. Weather prognosticators say moisture may set in about the time the wheat begins heading.

“I’d say if the crop doesn’t receive moisture before then, it won’t do much good,” Boor says. “The only green you see out here is the yucca plants. They’re doing well because all their competition has been wiped out.”

While conditions remain “tinder-box” dry throughout much of Kansas, the Lincoln County farmer believes the potential remains to harvest a crop. However, he also knows that every day without moisture the wheat weakens, and yield potential lessens.

“I’ve had this crop break my heart more than once,” Boor says. “If we could just receive a little moisture to nurse it along.”

Like wheat farmers who’ve planted the crop for generations, Boor remains determined to take the hand he’s been dealt and make the best of it.

The most difficult aspect of this continuing dry weather is the impact on inhabitants in and around Sylvan Grove where Boor lives – friends, family and neighbors. These inhabitants and the community depend on farming and ranching for their livelihood.

“When agriculture is hurting, our community hurts as well,” he says. “We all depend on crops and livestock for our survival. We need moisture and we need it now.”

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas.

Over 1,550 organizations across the United States and military-affiliated groups around the world are promoting personal savings and encouraging Americans to focus on their savings status this week as part of America Saves Week.

The Cottonwood Extension District, serving Barton and Ellis counties, is one of them. People hear many messages about spending, so it is critical to have times such as America Saves Week that focus on saving,
“The secret to saving successfully is surprisingly simple,” said Madeline Daniels, spokesperson for America Saves. “People with a plan to save are twice as likely to save successfully. Whether you are saving for a rainy day, your retirement, education, or another goal, America Saves Week is the perfect opportunity to set your savings goal, make a plan, and learn how to save the most effective way-automatically.”

America Saves Week is coordinated by America Saves and the American Savings Education Council. Started in 2007, America Saves Week is an annual opportunity for organizations to promote good savings behavior. Participating groups include military installations; nonprofit organizations; banks and credit unions; academic institutions; local, state, and federal government agencies; and employers.

Media messages and educational programs across the country this week will focus on themes such as:

•Save with a plan
•Save the easy way, automatically
•Save for rainy days
•Save to retire
•Save the extra
•Save as a family

Small steps in building a savings habit can make a big difference over time. During America Saves Week, national partners are encouraging people of all ages to develop and achieve their savings goals.

Here are two fun ways to focus on saving and have a chance to win prizes:

#ImSavingForSweepstakes
To celebrate America Saves Week, America Saves offers the #ImSavingForSweepstakes. It’s easy to enter. Start by creating a savings plan and taking the America Saves Pledge (https://americasaves.org/for-savers/pledge) for a chance to win $500 toward your goal. Then boost your potential prize by an additional $250 by sharing your savings goal, story, or tip on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. After pledging, you will receive an email to confirm your entry and instructions on how to enhance your entry by sharing on social media. The Sweepstakes ends at midnight on April 6, 2018. See the official rules at https://americasaves.org/imsavingforsweepstakes-official-rules.

Extension Index Card Contest
The university Extension service nationwide is celebrating America Saves Week with a chance to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards by sharing your favorite savings strategies. It’s easy, and you can enter up to six times. All you have to do is create and share an index card on Twitter or Facebook (use the hashtag #ASWSSIC) describing your favorite savings strategies and tips that fit the six themes of America Saves Week. You can create a graphic using the electronic index card image provided, or you can write your savings tip on an index card, snap a photo and share on social media. Get all the details at https://americasaves.org/extension-index-card-contest.

In a world that urges us to spend, spend, spend, America Saves Week focuses attention on saving instead.

Take some time this week to set a saving goal, make a plan and pledge to save.

Linda K. Beech is Cottonwood District Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.

It is that time of the year again! Tax season is upon us and with it comes a barrage of different types of scams and phishing techniques. There are three certainties in this world — death, taxes and data loss.

Between January and April 15, malicious people out there are trying to combine two of those certainties.
No. 1 on the list of these scams is the IRS contacting you for mistakes on your taxes. Like Microsoft, the IRS is too big to care about us little guys and they will never call you. The scammers are calling now through the next few months telling you that you didn’t pay all of your taxes or that they found out you cheated your taxes and you need to pay now — or else. If you ever receive a call from the IRS, hang up immediately because the next words out of that person’s mouth undoubtedly will be that you owe them money.

Phishing is the next item up on the popularity list amongst these malicious scammers. Phishing is form of scamming that takes place in your email. People will send out fake emails from fake addresses that appear real in an attempt to get you to reply with credentials or open a malicious attachment.

There are a lot this time of year “from the IRS” asking for a copy of your W-2 or for you to contact them. Again just delete these emails as they are just trying to steal personal information and or money from you.

This phishing scam is a popular one during the holidays, as well, with people posing as Fed-Ex or UPS and telling you that your shipment is held up and you need to open some malicious attachment.

If you would like further information on IRS scams, check out a full alert from the actual IRS at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts. If you have any questions or are wary of any received emails, give us a call at Eagle technology Solutions, and we will be able to let you know if the email is fake.