Gov. Brownback’s experiment has failed. It will take another generation (if we’re are lucky) before the sun is shining in KS. I’m a Republican, but I don’t vote party lines, and you don’t have too either. Brownback is on his way out. The most recent poll shows him the least popular governor in the country. 65% of those polled disapprove of Brownback’s job performance. His most recent quarterly report of the state’s economy didn’t match predictions of his “real life” experiment, hence he covered it up by canceling the report.

However, there is still work to do. Kansas voters need to vote out all of Brownback’s legislative fence sitters. That would be all his Republican cronies who vote the way he expects them to vote. Their head is elsewhere, where they can’t see the sun shining if it were shining. Vote Alex Herman for State Senate, District 40 and Eber Phelps, House of Representatives, 111th District. Kansas needs change and quickly.

And our Supreme Court Justices need to be retained. By not retaining them is part of Brownback’s agenda along with his legislators to consolidate the three branches of state government into a monarchy in which the governor reigns supreme and in which he and his policies are never questioned or challenged. Vote yes to retain these judges.

Tim Miller, Hays

I was born in Kansas, lived there for 25 years, went to college and graduated there, hunted and fished there and more. I have proud relatives everywhere in Kansas. I know Kansans are good honest people and this young man was bullied by the Animal Legal Defense League (deep pockets to sue whomever they want) and the phony little part-time animal no-kill shelter the Western Plains Animal Refuge. They deal with cats and dogs and not a huge volume of injured wildlife as the suit suggests. All of that is a lie. There was NO GAMBLING in any way in this event…that was a lie. The Kansas law is clear and easy to look up. It says;

The Kansas statute governing gambling in Kansas; 21-6403. Gambling; definitions. As used in K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 21-6403 through 21-6409, and amendments thereto:

“A bet does not include: offers of purses, prizes or premiums to the actual contestants in any bona fide contest for the determination of skill, speed, strength or endurance or to the bona fide owners of animals or vehicles entered in such a contest;”

The ALDF and the Western Plains Animal Refuge (WPAR) duped this unfortunate young man and are now bragging about it worldwide! It is all over the internet! They are trying to show how stupid Kansas is and are laughing at Kansas!

Come on, Kansas be proud! Fight back! Tell these misguided activists that THEY are NOT welcome to interfere with legal activities in Kansas and to be held responsible for lying to everyone. This small part time shelter needs to be shut down for lying to everyone too. DO NOT donate to them for any reason! Donate to this unfortunate young man to help him get his money back from the terrible settlement. It was not fair to him in any way! He did NOTHING wrong!

Please know that these activists groups want ALL HUNTING in America stopped and they are focusing on coyotes! You are being scammed by the Animal Legal Defense Fund and the little part time no kill shelter the Western Plains Animal Refuge. Someone needs to shut them down for lying! This is a serious matter for all of Kansas!

Jim Schmidt, Dragoon, Ariz.

In as much as America has become the greatest democracy in the history of mankind to date, you would think there would be some sanctity in our national election process. Nothing could be further from the truth as we are a few days away from electing the most powerful political figure in the world.

Our presidential election has turned into a cesspool. Our press, media, journalism, whatever you want to call it, has become the armpit of this presidential election. What is happening is beyond the pale and despicable. I refer to it as mainstream media or MSM.

It’s worse than dirty politics.

The first thing I will probably do following my submission of this writing to the editor is take a shower and stay there for an hour. That’s how bad politics has become as I see it. I feel like I’m down in the mud, maybe a sewer, writing about what is taking place right before our eyes.

Whose side is mainstream media on? Don’t vote if you don’t know the answer because chances are, you are totally uninformed or misinformed. You are not getting the straight scoop unless you tune in to alternative media. You are being sold a bill of goods by MSM. Call it propaganda and indoctrination.

MSM is in the tank for Hillary. Correction. It is always in the tank for a Democrat no matter who it is, and obsessed in taking out a Republican no matter who it is. Why? Media is liberal, progressive, secular, big government, socialist, etc. They are ideological, maybe we should say illogical when it comes to their blatant biased news reporting. Media plans to pick our next president, not you and me as voters.

Who do journalists give their campaign donations to? 95% goes to Democrats, that in itself should prove bias.

The playbook for lamestream media every election cycle is to dig up dirt on Republicans and ignore any misgivings by their chosen Democrat candidate. Forget the real issues. They always get down in the gutter, demonize, and destroy the Republican.

News reporting has become nothing but a tabloid totally obsessed with sexual innuendos, except when it comes to Bill Clinton. Mums the word when it comes to the most popular political Democrat figure in American history who is a sexual predator.

Bill gets a pass and Trump is crucified, even for something he said many moons ago.

Media Research Center found that the TV network evening newscasts were 91% negative when mentioning Trump.

National media is so very immoral and corrupt they would support Lucifer and try to destroy Jesus Christ, as America’s top radio host said the other day.

May I suggest readers do some research on Saul Alinsky. His book “Rules for Radicals” is dedicated to Lucifer and it’s used as a playbook by Obama, Hillary, and others.

It’s a known fact both Obama and Hillary thought Alinsky was the greatest. Those two were and still are disciples of Alinsky.

No, Trump is not a saint, nor is he the Devil, but the Devil’s work is sure taking place in our politics as we speak.

Would you believe! When Trump uttered some horrible lewd sexual remarks eleven years ago media spent over four hours on what he said. The bombshell WikiLeaks leaked emails got 30 minutes.

Those leaked emails are massive and are one bombshell after another. There are thousands upon thousands of emails (and thousands more to come) ignored by MSM that completely and totally exposes the corruption in the Democrat Party and collaboration with media to get Hillary in the White House. MSM is part of the Hillary campaign.

The emails are like a medical procedure where the doctors open up a patient and find a body totally consumed by cancer from side to side, and top to bottom – a nightmare.

The bombshells show schemes by Democrats to carry out voter fraud and even gimmick polls to show Trump is losing so voters stay home.

A Dem operative by the name of Creamer visited Obama at the White House over 40 times and his job is to pay thugs from Dem coffers to create chaos at Trump rallies and the emails show Hillary is part of the whole thing and obviously Obama is also part of the corruption.

One of the worst emails for Democrats exposes the scheme by Democrats, including Hillary, to change the Catholic Church by infiltrating it with far left radical groups with the word “Catholic” in the name of the organizations. In other words, let’s get the Church to change its stance on abortion, same sex marriage, and all of its other conservative beliefs. It’s a call to “revolutionize’ the Church.

It’s clear from the emails Hillary plans to infiltrate this country with Muslim refugees, a scheme to change the face of America, along with open borders by illegals who will get amnesty and vote Democrat. If that happens, the GOP might as well close up shop. We will forever be governed by one party.

It is clear from the emails that there was corruption galore in the Clinton Foundation and how the Clinton’s lined their pockets to the tune of $130 million when she was Secretary of State. Since when does a public servant get to become filthy rich as a public servant?

If Trump did one twentieth of the corruption occurring on the Democrat side, game over for Republican president and that’s no exaggeration. Media would take him out.

Hillary is for the little guy? That’s an insult to any informed voter. She gets a quarter of a million dollars to tell Wall Street in private what she will do for them as president but has a whole different agenda when she speaks publicly. The leaked emails prove it.

There is even more than the leaked emails that prove corruption. There are videos by Project Veritas, even FBI released documents. It is nothing short of insanity to put the most corrupt candidate to ever run for U.S. president back in the White House.

Let’s not forget, in spite of what media wants us to believe, most Americans believe we are headed in the wrong direction, that America is in decline, that Washington is broken, that most politicians are corrupt. That’s why Trump has millions of supporters and even many reputable and famous people that want him as our next president. Hillary wants the status quo.

If Hillary is rewarded by being our next president, after 40 years of a litany of scandals, corruption, criminal activity, and lies it is my opinion this country will never be the same when it comes to equality under the law. Common sense alone tells all of us it will only get worse since she knows she can get away with anything and everything.

I pray voters cast their ballots using their heads not the sensationalism of sex. We need to get back to the issues Americans care about. When you look at what Hillary wants for this country versus Trump it’s insanity to vote for her.

Mainstream media is tabloid and only belongs in the news stands of all grocery stores throughout the country where shoppers stand in line to be checked out.

Les Knoll lives in Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

If you’ve never heard of pulses you are not alone. The United Nations declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses as a way to increase public awareness of the nutrition benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production.

So what is a pulse?

Pulses are part of the legume family– nitrogen-fixing plants like peas and beans, soybeans, peanuts, alfalfa and clover. The term “pulse” refers only to the edible dried seeds of some legume plants. Dried peas, edible beans, lentils, and chickpeas are some of the most common varieties of pulses.

Every serving of pulses packs a surprising array of nutrients, including antioxidants, folate, iron and potassium. They are naturally low in fat and sodium. And they are an especially good source of protein and both soluble and insoluble fiber. These attributes not only help boost fullness and satiety which can enhance weight loss, but higher pulse consumption has also been linked to better blood sugar regulation, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels and reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

In addition to being nutritious, pulses are an easily sustainable crop to feed populations worldwide. They serve as a natural fertilizer by enriching the soil where they’re grown and can withstand drought and frost. They are an inexpensive protein option which can be stored and transported easily.

The 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming 1.5 cups of dried beans, peas and lentils (pulses) per week for a 2,000-calorie eating pattern. This includes cooked-from-dry or canned items such as kidney beans, white beans, black beans, red beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, edamame (green soybeans), and pinto beans. It does not include green beans or green peas.

Ways to increase dried beans and peas in everyday eating:

• Add dried beans to soup. Think beyond the traditional bean soup and chili and add to vegetable- and tomato-based soups. Try new soup recipes that include dried beans.
• Experiment with beans you have never eaten and learn more about cooking dried beans. They can easily be cooked in a pressure cooker, slow cooker or on the stovetop, and some varieties don’t need presoaking.
• Add beans to salads. They are delicious added to any vegetable-based salad such as a tossed salads and pasta salads.
• Add to any taco/Mexican dishes, casseroles, and even egg dishes.
• Be adventurous. Check out the recipe section of the International Year of Pulses website from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization at www.fao.org/pulses-2016/recipes/en/. It includes a variety of interesting and exotic bean recipes from around the world.

Several friends recently gathered for supper. One thing led to another once our stomachs were full of home-cooked food, and childhood recollections soon had us laughing aloud. We discovered that rural Texans and Kansans share similar tales, with those growing up in the country contributing more than one outhouse story. These memories triggered mention of the fancy Brooks Lake Campground outhouse, which, it just so happens, thrives in the care of a Kansas couple.

The term “fancy outhouse” generates several mental images. If I hadn’t seen this facility already, I’d envision the multi-level crapper at the Encampment, Wyoming, museum. Designers constructed that particular two-holer to accommodate DEEP snow. Designers built one toilet a floor above the other so that summer users accessed the lower level while winter patrons crossed towering snowdrifts to the now reachable second floor. I’m not sure how functional this was, but it was enterprising.

Brooks Lake’s fancy US Forest Service pit toilet began as a standard single seater with the expected signage you’d find at any campground. These rectangular government postings instruct you to close the lid following use or explain how to avoid bear conflicts. Typically, camp hosts clean these sites and stock toilet paper and hand sanitizer. However, the responsible parties at Brooks Lake exercised originality to make their facility unique.

When we fish the nearby lake and stream, we encourage newcomers to take a camera along when nature calls. While our friends shake their heads in confusion before they open the privy door, no one leaves without snapping a photo to share with loved ones back home.

So what makes this potty stop without running water, heating or cooling devices, and only the most basic of paper products special? Initially, you note a cozy rug softening your entry. Then bright posters identifying local wildflowers and birds catch your eye. These lighten the mood of the imposing bear warning posters that intensify any outdoor experience in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including a visit to the loo.

Finally, guests find themselves examining a table displaying a wilderness lending library stocked with popular mysteries, romances, adventures, and science fiction along with magazines. Fellow campers add to this collection as they finish books and periodicals brought from home.

For fun, these clever camp hosts included an old rotary dial phone in their display. I suspect youngsters visiting this latrine have no idea what this is, but the older generation chuckles when they spy this out-of-place décor. One clever camper commented, tongue in cheek, on his USFS evaluation that the phone didn’t work.

I once chatted with the caretaker of this loobrary and asked what inspired his clever efforts. This fellow Kansan couldn’t recall the initial motivation, but he mentioned the result was that users kept the facility astonishingly clean. Ultimately, this made an unpleasant job easier as well as more interesting because these custodians never know what books, magazines, kitschy doodads, or funny comments they might discover tucked amongst their own contributions.

As a writer and former English teacher, I seek life truths in every day experiences. The veritas in this story is that anyone can positively affect another’s day, even while cleaning toilets. Who doesn’t love finding surprises in unexpected places?

Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.

The Kansas House Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources made history in 2015 when the committee leaders were all female. However, the choice of leadership was based on experience, not gender.

Sue Boldra has managed her families’ central Kansas farm for years and outs her experience to work as vice-chairwoman of this committee. Agriculture is an important part of our Ellis County economy. Representative Bolder has been endorsed by the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Livestock Association. In addition, Sue has experience running her own retail store for years so she knows the ups and downs that retail store owners face.

We’re fortunate to have a leader with Rep. Boldra’s wide ranging experience representing us in Topeka.

I urge you to vote for Representative Sue Boldra on November 8th.

Errol Wuertz
Hays

Judicial merit selection was first adopted right here, in this part of the country. Will its death begin here as well, in this year’s Kansas judicial retention elections?

Merit selection is just a shorthand. The plan Kansas and many other states use is officially called the Missouri Nonpartisan Court Plan. While the details vary from state to state, the essential characteristics are these: when new judge must be appointed, a panel of attorneys chosen by peers will recommend a list of candidates—usually 3—to the governor. For higher court appointments, these candidates usually have several years of experience serving in district or circuit courts. The governor then selects one of these candidates and that person begins serving. Periodically, voters decide whether or not to retain each judge in office, and these votes, called retention elections, are staggered so that not all judges are on the ballot in the same year. Judges are almost always retained. Kansans have never rejected a judge since the state began adopting merit selection in 1958.

The Missouri Plan’s name traces back to Kansas City’s “Boss Tom” Pendergast, whose Prohibition-defying, concrete-laying, Mafia-connected political machine once controlled Missouri politics and even reached into Kansas (particularly Wyandotte County). Finally fed up, in 1940 Missouri voters used the petition initiative, making the Show Me State the nation’s first to adopt merit selection. Many other states followed suit shortly afterward.

Here in Kansas, merit selection followed Governor Fred Hall’s infamous “Triple Play.” After being defeated in the Republican primary for re-election in 1956, Hall resigned the governorship. Upon assuming the governorship, Hall’s lieutenant governor promptly appointed Hall as chief justice of the state supreme court. Kansas does not have a petition initiative, but the state legislature reacted promptly. While they could not recall Hall, they did institute merit selection starting in 1958. It later spread to the appellate courts, and most district courts as well.

In 2013, the Legislature passed, and Brownback signed, legislation to remove the state appellate court from merit selection. Now, appellate judges are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate, just like the federal system that so often freezes in gridlock– including right now, over President Obama’s unconfirmed Supreme Court designee Merrick Garland. Brownback then filled a new appellate court slot with his ally Caleb Stegall, who had no previous experience as a judge. Stegall served one year before securing a Supreme Court appointment, via merit selection, from Brownback.

This year, conservative activists are working hard to make judicial retention elections a major battleground. “Reject Activist Judges” and “Reject All But Stegall” signs and mailers are popping up around the state. While the ostensible reason for this involves the notorious “Carr brothers” murder case, the Governor and legislators are also peeved at the court’s long string of rulings on school funding, and some also mention recent rulings finding an anti-abortion law to be overly broad.

The state supreme court simply ordered the Carr brothers to be re-sentenced. The Carrs will never see a day outside of jail and may yet face the death penalty. Instead, if non-retention passes, the real legacy of this vote will be to undermine judicial independence. Merit selection was created based upon the same principles once laid out by Alexander Hamilton– to hold the courts above politics, and insure that judges do not have to please voters or repay favors. Will judicial independence survive Kansas politics in 2016?

“This independence of the judges is equally requisite to guard the constitution and the rights of individuals from the effects of those ill humors which the arts of designing men, or the influence of particular conjunctures, sometimes disseminate among the people themselves, and which, though they speedily give place to better information and more deliberate reflection, have a tendency, in the mean time, to occasion dangerous innovations in the government, and serious oppressions of the minor party in the community.”                                                                                                       –Alexander Hamilton, Federalist #78 (archaic spelling in original)

Michael A. Smith is a professor of political science at Emporia State University.

Now, whether you are a fan of Democratic former Kansas Gov. John Carlin or not, he last week provided a little common-sense campaign advice that you have to hope all candidates for the Legislature are taking seriously.

Because while it is important for Democrats, it is probably more important for Republicans, especially those seeking seats in the House.

His advice: Tell the voters you make your pitch to for a vote for House or Senate that the state’s budget/tax/education problems aren’t going to be solved in just one or two sessions of the Legislature.

That’s from a guy who has experience running a state as governor (1979-1987), as a House member (1970-1979) and running the Kansas House of Representatives as its Speaker for two of those years. Oh, and he’s been politically tumble-dried a time or two so he is also very practical. He knows government from the inside and outside.

His advice to candidates—especially for the House—is that all of them, presumably Democratic first, but also Republicans (though he obviously favors the moderate Republicans who vote along with Democrats on occasion) tell voters that the state’s fiscal and other problems aren’t going to be fixed in two years, and that voters ought to realize that there are going to be some uncomfortable votes ahead.

He’s undoubtedly right. The budget shortfalls, the taxation of Kansans, providing adequate state aid for public schools, providing health care for poor Kansans and their children—these aren’t issues that can be wrapped up quickly. Not during one two-year House term, and probably not in the first three, or maybe even four, years of a State Senate term.

So, the newly elected lawmakers do their best, changes tax rates that thousands of Kansans (those LLCs, farmers and the self-employed) are going to wince about—but know need to be raised or at least imposed—and get voted out of office after one term?

That’s a possibility, and one that Carlin thought that candidates ought to explain to their voters.

Now, let’s see what needs to be done.

The tax experiment that Gov. Sam Brownback supported apparently hasn’t worked. The state didn’t see a dramatic economic boost through exempting more than 300,000 of us from state income tax. The school finance issue has essentially frozen spending on educating the kids. The highways…well, they’re apparently third-best in the nation, but it’s hard to know how long that is going to last. And, health care for the state’s poor is going downstream, and hospitals in western Kansas are in financial jeopardy.

Lots to fix, and there’s probably more, but the fixes aren’t going to be easy or politically popular when for most Kansans and probably most Americans politicians get graded on what the tax bill adds up to.

The focus will, of course, be on those two-year House terms, because about the time the state starts seeing fiscal/governmental daylight, those newly elected members will stand for re-election.

Anyone figure that we’re going to see bumper stickers in 2018 reading “I’m nearly done raising your taxes, so re-elect me to the House”? Probably not.

But it’s clear that fixing a government that has been rolling downhill for the past four years isn’t going to be done quickly; there are going to be good decisions and bad decisions and anyone expecting a two-year fix is probably over-optimistic.

So, how does this work out? Hard to say whether voters now are ready to see that their newly elected House and Senate members are going to inconvenience them for at least two years and ought to get second terms.

After all, when’s the last time you asked for two dates?

Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com.

Proponents of organic, labor-intensive farming contend we should go back to the days when every family owned 40 acres, farmed with hay burners (horses) and applied no chemicals.

You remember the good ole’ days when people were self-sufficient, owned a couple milk cows, tilled a garden and butchered 40 or 50 fryers each spring.

Some of these zealots propose each nation should also strive for self-sufficiency. No imports. No exports.

Should such events occur, you may want to prepare yourself for milking each morning instead of that piping hot mug of coffee. Forget about sliced bananas on your bowl of corn flakes. These goodies we import into this country, and a lot more, won’t be on the kitchen table any more. Count on it.

God forbid we adopt these policies. If we cave in to those who spread hysteria about unsafe food and giant farms, be prepared to do without the services of all the non-agricultural types. This includes carpenters, painters, nurses, doctors, teachers, writers, musicians, etc. In case you haven’t heard, labor-intensive farming doesn’t permit time for many other pursuits. Neither does production agriculture.

Farmers run non-stop, from early morning to late at night, planting and harvesting crops, tilling the soil, feeding and caring for livestock. Their work seldom ends. It’s foolish to assume everyone would want to leave his or her jobs in the city to move to the farm. It ain’t all “Green Acres” out there folks.

And who’s to say all these people from other professions would become productive farmers?

A city friend remarked to me that he does not want to be a farmer. He contends he couldn’t feed himself, much less the rest of the country or world.

“I’d starve to death and so would the rest of us,” he told me. “If you want to till the soil, go for it. But that doesn’t mean the rest of us want to, thank you.”

If we return to a system where everyone farms, brace yourself for even more uncertain economic times. Manual labor and animal power could spell the return of food shortages and famine. A nation of farmers translates to a nation even more vulnerable to depressions and hunger. A drought, plague of insects or disease could trigger such tragedies because we’d have no chemicals to fight them with.

Today’s mechanized farmer provides us with the safest, most abundant food in the world. He works closely with crop consultants when applying herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers. He has cut his uses significantly in recent years — up to 50 percent in some cases.

Farmers work years to leave a legacy of beneficial soil practices. Most of the farmers I know would give up farming rather than ruin their land. They are proud of the crops they grow and the land they work.

Farmers continue to work to conserve water, plug abandoned wells, watch their grassland grazing and continue to adopt sound techniques that will ensure preservation of the land. Urban residents should also look at new ways to protect the environment where they live.

There’s an old saying that rings true today: “Don’t look back.”

Yes, we can never return to the good ole’ days. Besides, were they really all that good?

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

As far back as Casey Fitzgerald can remember, his dad Haskell Pack Jr. was always fishing, hunting, trapping, camping or otherwise enjoying some outdoor activity. Casey remembers his first hunting trip with his dad; he was about 6 years old, and it was a pheasant hunt with his dad and uncle. Casey was so small that he was actually lost in a big patch of tall weeds for a long time before they found him.

By contrast, he remembers his dad’s last hunt ever; it was a goose hunt with Casey and some other family members. By then his dad was so sick and weak that he kept falling down, but he wouldn’t give up until the hunt was over. Haskell Pack Jr. passed away shortly after that hunt.

Deer hunters brag about the size of their buck’s antlers, fishermen brag about the weight of their fish and pheasant hunters brag about the length of their pheasant’s tail feathers. Five years ago in conversation with some friends, someone tossed out the idea of starting a “longest tail feather” contest in Haskell’s name to honor his long commitment and enjoyment of the outdoors. Casey ran with the idea, and this year, in conjunction with the Hodgeman Co. Economic Development Council, they are celebrating the fifth year of the Haskell Pack Jr. Memorial Longest Tail Feather Contest.

Here’s how the contest works. It begins the opening day of KS pheasant season, November 12, 2016 and ends the last day of pheasant season, January 31, 2017. There are four drop-off points where the entire pheasant with all feathers still intact must be taken. Those locations are Pawnee Valley Lodge in Jetmore, CPS Crop Production also in Jetmore, Horse Thief Reservoir 9 miles west of Jetmore and at Pride AG in Hanston. At the drop off point, a volunteer will fill out a form with the hunter’s contact information, then the hunter will pull out what they consider to be the longest tail feather on their bird and deposit it into a container with their contact info.

Hunters over 16 years old must show their hunting license when they register their feather. New this year will be a youth category for hunters 11 through 17 years old, and hunters under 16 must present proof of hunter’s education when registering their feathers. When the season ends, all entered feathers will be judged against each other by Casey himself to determine the winner in both categories. The adult winner will be awarded a new Mossberg 500 shotgun, and the youth winner will receive a lifetime hunting license.

Besides celebrating his dad’s love of hunting with the longest tail feather contest in his name, Casey strives to honor his dad’s love of the outdoors by keeping his family involved in the outdoors as well. His oldest son Alex, who’s 14, hunted pheasants with Casey for the first time last year. Casen who’s 11 and John who’s 10 both enjoy shooting, camping and fishing and will follow Casey into the field soon enough. Casey’s wife Susan has taken hunters ed. and hunted deer once, and enjoys fishing and camping. Three years ago Casey also started and maintains an outdoor page on facebook called “Family Outdoor Recreation.” It’s a page open to the public where all things outdoors can be promoted and discussed.

What a great way to pay tribute to someone’s commitment to the outdoors, even better when that someone is your father! My son and grandson both like the outdoors and both like to fish, but not hunt. My LACK of fishing prowess is legendary, so I doubt anyone will ever, in good conscience be able to pay tribute to me as a fisherman. I do hope though that after I’m gone I’ll leave a legacy as someone who loved the outdoors and who loved all of God’s Creation. And as I’ve said before, it all boils down to our kids!…Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at [email protected].

Canning…. it’s not just for Grandma anymore. A 2011 survey by Jarden Home Brands found that the fastest-growing population of new home canners are ages 40 years and younger and live in suburban areas.

Nationally and in Kansas, interest in locally-grown foods and home food preservation is on the rise. Those who preserve food at home often get the foods from their own gardens or at local farmers markets. In Kansas, farmers markets have grown from 26 to 1987 to more than 108 in 2016, and that number is expected to continue to rise.

According to the National Gardening Association (2014), the number of US households participating in food gardening increased by 17% in the 5 years from 2008 to 2013. A survey released in June 2016 by Jarden Home Brands found that 77% of gardeners– 33% of whom are Millennials– preserve food at home because they want to eat foods at their seasonal peak freshness year round.

Despite the interest in preserving fresh, local food for their families, young home canners of the “internet generation” may be misled by unreliable canning information found online. In an age when anyone can post anything, it is important to learn safe canning procedures from a reliable source, because canning mistakes can be deadly.
The Ellis County Extension Office will host a Basic Canning workshop on Monday, November 7, 5:30-9:00 p.m., at the Hays High School FCS room. This hands-on workshop will teach the proper procedures for safely canning vegetables in a pressure canner and fruit in a boiling water bath canner.

The $10 registration fee includes a simple supper and door prizes. Participants will take home a jar of each product at the conclusion of the class. Instructors are Extension agents Linda Beech, Ellis County, Karen Shepard, Graham County, and Anna Schremmer, Phillips-Rooks District.

A minimum of 10 and maximum of 21 participants are allowed in the Basic Canning Class, so pre-register and pay fees at the Ellis County Extension Office, 785-628-9430, 601 Main Street in Hays. Registration is considered complete when fees are paid.

Food science experts at K-State Research and Extension offer these additional tips for safe home canning:

* Follow a recipe from a reliable source. Canning instructions from USDA, Extension or university sources are tested and trustworthy. Recipes from manufacturers of canning products have been tested by food science professionals who understand how ingredients in canning recipes interact. Be cautious of online canning information from sites where recipes are posted by individuals and not verified for accuracy or safety. Just because a canning recipe is printed somewhere does not guarantee safety.

* Follow tested canning recipes precisely. Variables such as ingredient proportions, cooking time, jar size and other factors impact food safety and these cannot be changed without risking an unsafe final product.

* Seal all canned products with proper processing in a boiling water bath canner or pressure canner as required for the type of food. Old-fashioned treatments such as inverting jars, oven canning or sealing in the sun do not stand up to modern food safety testing and are not recommended.

* Adjust processing at higher altitudes. Foods preserved above sea level require longer processing in the boiling water bath canner and higher pressure in the pressure canner to ensure safety. Since most Ellis County locations are at an elevation of about 2000 ft, make sure your recipe includes canning instructions for higher altitude adjustments.

For more information on safe and reliable home canning or to register for the Basic Canning workshop on November 7, contact the Ellis County Extension Office at 601 Main Street in Hays, 785-628-9430.

Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.