In some areas of western Kansas the winter wheat crop continues to show signs of stress. Constant windy conditions and a lack of snowfall or other moisture is turning the crop bluish brown in color.

Hamilton County crop and stockman Steven Hines says the winds have been terrible.

“Gusts from 40 to 60 miles per hour seem to sweep through our country nearly every other day,” Hines says. “Temperatures have been one roller coaster ride after another. For a few days its 50 or 60 degrees then we’ll experience a cold snap in the teens or near zero.”

How well the wheat stands up depends on how well the crop is rooted, Hines says. It could winter kill if it isn’t rooted firmly in the soil. The ground will heave until it pulls the roots lose and the wheat will die.

“Most of ours is pretty well rooted down with the moisture we received in August and September,” the southwestern Kansas farmer says. “That drink of water started our wheat crop with a bang.”

Unfortunately, the moisture ranging from 1 to 3 inches in August and one-half to 4 inches in September wasn’t enough to provide much needed subsoil moisture. Until more moisture arrives this year’s wheat crop is living on borrowed time.

February can be a really good month, if wet snows blanket the crop. The ground is generally thawed enough so the snow melts and the moisture insulates the wheat. On the other hand, if moisture continues to be scarce this does not bode well for the young crop.

Blowing soil has been another problem this winter. When this happens farmers chisel their ground in an attempt to keep their fields from blowing. Hines, his two brothers and nephew chiseled 240 acres of their winter wheat ground recently.

“There’s not enough cover on the ground to keep the soil from moving when it’s dry like this,” Hines explains. “We had to run pretty deep with the chisel to pull up any clods, but I feel good about what we accomplished.”

Certain regions of western Kansas have been in some degree of drought since 2007. The Hines family farm didn’t harvest any fall crops to speak of last year. The 2013 wheat crop was a total bust.

“We harvested 1246 bushels from 2,200 acres planted,” Hines says. “Last year was the first time in 40 years I had to buy wheat seed to plant back in the ground.”

Hines hopes February will bring snow and spring rains. He understands if his wheat receives moisture at the right time his region of the state can raise a tremendous crop on 10-12 inches of moisture – if temperatures don’t get too hot.

Because of the sparse fall harvest, the Hines family kept its entire milo crop to use for cattle feed. This grain shortfall hit them hard in the pocketbook.

The extended drought has also resulted in downsizing their momma cow herd.

“We’re down between 50-75 head,” Hines says. “Any cows that haven’t produced calves were sold and we haven’t replaced them.”

Other Kansas cattlemen have been forced to liquidate or down-size their herds as well. Hines fears cattlemen in his region will not restock their herds when, and if, better times return.

“A lot of the guys that sold their herds are older and some will retire or find it too difficult to take a chance with cattle again,” he says.

John Schlageck, a Hoxie native, is a leading commentator on agriculture and rural Kansas. He writes for the Kansas Farm Bureau.

Over the last several years, cattle producers have found spring oats to provide excellent spring pasture and hay. With the growing popularity of spring and fall oats, and thus supply and demand, oat seed may not be as inexpensive as it once was. Or as easy to find if you wait too long, none the less with reasonable fertilizer inputs, it can provide an excellent bridge for producers short on available pasture in the spring. Sure it has got to rain and we all know that is a gamble, but farmers and ranchers have to gamble or you wouldn’t be in the business.

Oat pasture should be treated the same as winter wheat pasture in terms of stocking rates and time to initiate grazing. Since grain production is not practical or recommended under grazing, producers should treat oat pasture as a graze-out program or remove it when ready for the next crop. Oats are easily controlled by a variety of herbicides, such as glyphosate and atrazine. The length of effective grazing is a function of stocking rate and weather. Rotational grazing may extend the window for effective pasture production. Oat pasture is also being used successfully in sheep production.

Properly stored, oat hay also provides a high-quality feed source. For hay, late boot to early heading is the optimal timing to balance quantity with quality considerations. Harvested at the dough stage, hay should have an approximate TDN of 56% with 10% protein, both on a dry basis. A nitrate test is recommended. Prussic acid levels should not be a concern.

Silage is another option for spring oats. Oats should be harvested for silage from late milk through early dough stages. Expect silage with a TDN of approximately 60% and 9% protein on a dry weight basis.

Cultural practices

Before planting oats, check the herbicide history of the desired field.  Oats are especially sensitive to triazine herbicides. If planting oats for pasture and are considering applying an herbicide for weed control, carefully check the pesticide label for grazing restrictions.

Optimal planting date in northwest Kansas is from the first week of March through the end of March. For most of the state, planting is recommended from late February through mid-March.  However, adequate pasture is practical after the optimum planting date. To maximize pasture production potential, it is necessary to plant as early as possible. The flip side to that is the potential of some frost damage to oats in the spring as well.

A seeding rate of two bushels per acre is recommended. Under good soil moisture or irrigation, three bushels per acre may be preferable for grazing. When grown for hay or silage, fertility recommendations are similar to those for grain production; however oats can have a lodging problem with excessive fertility and precipitation, probably not a concern this year. This year a more conservative fertility approach is probably best, maybe around 30lbs/acre of N. If it starts to rain more might be broadcast later. As always, a soil test is recommended.

Oats may be successfully planted no-till, and conventional till when moisture is adequate. No-till is more successful in fields that have been under no-till for a period of years, and riskier in “opportunistic” no-till situations. In either case, a fine, firm seedbed is necessary for optimal production. Under adequate soil moisture conditions, a seeding depth of ½ to 1 inch is preferable. Oats may be planted at depths greater than one inch under dry conditions; however, oat seedlings are less vigorous than wheat and can experience difficulties emerging at deeper planting depths, especially after crusting rains.

To facilitate planting and maximize forage production, winter annual weeds should be controlled either mechanically or with a burndown herbicide prior to planting. Weed control is best achieved through a good stand with rapid growth.

If you need any further information on growing oats contact your local K-State Research and Extension Office.

Stacy Campbell is Ellis County agricultural agent with Kansas State Research and Extension.

There’s an old adage: “The only things certain in life are death and taxes.”  With a substantial part of our population not paying taxes, we can pretty much throw out half of this quote.

However, the other half of the adage, “death,” is something that every one of us will experience. When someone one passes away, you often hear the loved ones saying, “It was a blessing” or “It was his/her time.” Unfortunately, many other deaths are sudden and untimely.

In today’s world where drivers are frequently distracted (talking or texting on a cell phone, for instance), life could be gone in an instant. How many times have you read in your local paper, “Driver veers off the road, overcorrects, and overturns their vehicle?” Two drivers recently slammed into the backs of semis. (It would be hard to miss a semi-truck unless you didn’t have your eyes on the road). Each one of us has experienced this kind of tragedy or near- tragedy, or knows someone who has. And this is only one of many threats to our lives.

So the question becomes, if death is inevitable, and we don’t know when, why aren’t our families being protected?  Why are so many people passing away and leaving their loved ones with substantial financial issues? If assets have been accumulated, over time, this would be one way to make sure your family is taken care of.  But what if those assets have not been accumulated?

This problem can be solved in several different ways.  What is available to create substantial assets at exactly the time they’re needed? (At your death)  We can win the lottery, expect a large inheritance, or use a simple strategy called life insurance. Two of these choices are not likely to happen. But the choice of implementing protection with a life insurance policy is a choice each one of us has an opportunity to make. Most people never think that any kind of tragedy can happen to them, it’s always going to happen to someone else. The simple truth is that it can happen to anyone; it’s not always going to be the other guy.

There continues to be an ongoing debate on which kind of life insurance is better—term or permanent insurance. If term is implemented, it is normally cheaper than permanent insurance, in the beginning, and the idea is to invest the difference of term and a permanent contract, so that when the term of the policy runs out (e.g. 10, 20, or 30 years), your investments take the place of owning life insurance. (This does not address any of the tax issues that should be a very important part of each individual’s decision). It is very important that a discipline be put in place to invest the difference and keep it invested, if you choose this philosophy. Because if you “buy term and spend the rest”, not only will the life insurance term run out, but there may be no assets (e.g. IRA’s 401(k), mutual funds) to take care of your loved ones.

Permanent insurance has a level premium throughout your life and normally has some sort of cash accumulation within the contract. This can allow premiums to cease at some point or it can purchase additional life insurance coverage within the same contract. So an analogy to the different life policies would be the difference between renting and buying your home—one does not build equity and the other one does.  To avoid the big debate between the two, it is safe to say, the best kind of life insurance to own is the kind that is in place when you die.

Although accidents are going to happen, other ways to avoid a premature death would be to simply take better care of ourselves. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, we all will be forced to work on being healthier just for economical purposes, if for no other reason.

Many times people wait until they experience a death of a close family member or friend, before they decide it could happen to them. For the sake of your own loved ones, it would be good to realize death not only could, but will happen to all of us. How much are you worth to your loved ones, should you leave this world tomorrow?

Tim Schumacher represents Strategic Financial Partners in Hays. [email protected]

Dear Dave,
I’ve heard you say many times you shouldn’t buy a brand-new car unless you have a net worth of $1 million. What’s so special about a million dollars?
Angela

Dear Angela,
In all honesty, there’s nothing particularly special about a million dollars. A brand-new car will lose about 60 percent of its value in the first four years. So, if you’re going to turn a $30,000 investment into $12,000, you’ve got to have a bunch of money. You’ve got to be in pretty great financial shape in order to absorb the blow.

If your entire net worth is $100,000, and you put $30,000 of it into a vehicle that will lose 60 percent of its value, you’re just being financially and mathematically stupid. Your income is your largest and most powerful wealth-building tool. If you’re buying things that go the wrong way in terms of value, you’re not gaining wealth; you’re losing wealth.

There’s really nothing special about $1 million. I could have said $2 million or $900,000, but $1 million is easy to remember. Plus, it’s nothing to sneeze at in terms of an individual’s net worth. When you lose a lot, and it’s a small percentage of a lot, you don’t have to worry so much. But when you lose a lot and you didn’t have much to begin with, that’s a recipe for financial disaster!
—Dave

Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He’s authored four New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover and EntreLeadership. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 6 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.

You have to wonder, sometimes, where these ideas come from that become bills printed up for the Kansas Legislature to consider this election-year session.

That’s part of the wonder of the building, seeing ideas, good or bad or just surprising, that show up.

Like the one that gives property owners the first right of refusal of deer antlers seized from illegal hunting on their property.

Or the one that would allow podiatrists, who are, of course, foot doctors, to also treat problems in the ankle. Which is probably a little like farming on some health care professional’s property.

Or one that would exempt motorcycles from Turnpike tolls.

And, of course, the bill that would prohibit re-ticketing of an illegally parked car more than once each four hours.

If there’s one relatively charming thing about the Kansas Legislature, it may be that its members come up with ideas for — or maybe to end a grocery store aisle conversation with a constituent — some relatively novel legislation.

Now, of course, there are serious bills introduced, lawmakers have to approve a budget and deal with criminal activities and protect the children and the poor and such, but then, there are those bills that legislators who are paid $88.66 per day introduce.

But part of the fun of the Legislature — for those who aren’t all fussy about lawmakers just dealing with earth-moving ideas, cutting taxes, paring expenditures and guaranteeing enough rain for the crops—are those little bills that probably aren’t going anywhere but are fun to listen to for a little while.

And remember that most folks who don’t live in the Statehouse have little reason to know details about the wide range of issues that are brought to the Statehouse for decision, or at least consideration. Why would a downtown legislator know about agricultural fence law, or a rural legislator have much background about urban zoning technicalities?

The melting pot of backgrounds and specialties, the regional differences, the level of education — remember, you don’t quiz out for a seat in the Legislature, you just get elected — probably means on most issues that common sense prevails — as long as it isn’t a campaign contribution killer.

Somewhere, in even the bills that sound a little flaky, there’s an attempt to accomplish something.

If illegal hunters don’t get to keep the deer antlers, maybe they’ll make sure they have legal permission to hunt on some farmer’s land, or maybe it’s not quite right for an illegal parker to get a new ticket based on how fast parking police can circle the block and discover…that car is still there.

Still wondering about the toll-free Turnpike for motorcyclists, but we’re getting an idea of why no one has come up with a bill that would authorize distinctive license plates for members of the Kansas Legislature.

Syndicated by Hawver News Co. of Topeka, Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report. To learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit www.hawvernews.com.

By LUCIA BAIN
Hays Public Library

February is here and that means I’m excited about celebrating one of my favorite holidays — Presidents’ Day.

It seems to me everyone has a favorite and least-favorite president and an opinion about the current president, but whatever your sentiments – I think you’d be hard pressed to find an American who didn’t admit that there’s something interesting about the men who’ve held the Oval Office.

This February and March, the Hays Public Library will be hosting an exhibit organized by the National Constitution Center and the American Library Association entitled “Lincoln: The Constitution and The Civil War,” which is made possible by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This exhibit will examine how President Lincoln used the Constitution to confront three intertwined crises of the Civil War – the secession of Southern states, slavery and wartime civil liberties. We will be hosting a grand opening for the exhibit on Friday, Feb. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. The Hays Area Chamber of Commerce will do a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m., and a Lincoln impersonator will arrive at 6 p.m. to recite the Gettysburg Address.

Live music from the Civil War era will be played throughout the opening by a quartet from Fort Hays State University and light refreshments will be served. All are invited so please be sure to drop by and support this national exhibit and your public library.

Along with the exhibit the library is hosting several Lincoln-related humanities programs that are being funded through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Kansas Humanities Council. On Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 5:30 p.m. the library will be hosting a very special Read 2 Reel for “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin.

This nonfiction work not only examines Lincoln’s presidency, but analyzes the men in his cabinet and the genius behind putting a group of political competitors together to lead the nation through the Civil War. Dr. Cheryl Duffy, an English professor at FHSU, will be leading the half-hour discussion of the book. The book discussion will be followed by a screening of the 2012 Oscar-winning movie Lincoln. Whether or not you’ve read the book, feel free to attend this event which will be sure to stimulate and inform anyone interested in history, politics and Abraham Lincoln.

The second Lincoln-related humanities event will be held on Sunday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. in the Schmidt Gallery. Dr. Brian Craig Miller, a professor of History at Emporia State University, will be giving a presentation called “The Tattered Lincoln Album: Lincoln’s Likeness and Image in American History and Memory.” Dr. Miller’s presentation includes over fifty images of Abraham Lincoln during different episodes of his life and gives the audience the opportunity to reflect on how public memory affects the way we see historical figures. This historically rich presentation should fascinate people from all walks of life. Please remember, all of these events are free to attend.

As for non-Lincoln related programs, I’ll be hosting another line dancing class on February 18th at 6 PM for all those interested in learning some new dance steps. Also, on Saturday, Feb. 22 I’ll be hosting a team trivia night. We’ll have ten rounds of trivia with ten questions in each round on a variety of topics. Teens and adults are encouraged to participate. There will be free pizza for all those who attend.

Finally, the Hays Public Library Trust is back up and running and looking for a new board member. If you are interested in learning more about the Trust or would like to know more about being a board member, please contact me at [email protected] or Eric Norris at [email protected].

The Kansas Room is located in the basement of the Hays Public Library and is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and by request.

Lucia Bain is Kansas Room librarian at Hays Public Library.

“Look to the left. Look to the right. One of you will not be here at the end of the semester.” That is the urban legend about the hard old professor who warns students on the first day of class that many will fail.

However, with the start of this spring semester, some Kansas professors could tell their freshman classes:  “Look to the left. Look to the right. Oh, there is no one sitting in one of those seats. They are on the class roster. But they aren’t here.”

At Kansas universities, some students enroll but don’t come to classes very often—sometimes not at all.

The serious university student should be concerned. Students who don’t show up soak up state tuition support. Kansas is a state with limited resources. Students who do not attend class waste money that could support the genuinely hard-working college students of Kansas.

Today, for every dollar a student pays in tuition at a public university, Kansas is putting in 92 cents to support the instructional costs.

In the 1980s, barely 40 percent of Kansas high school graduates went to college. Kansas paid about two dollars for every dollar in student tuition. Today, nearly three-fourths of Kansas high school graduates go to tertiary institutions. If you nearly double the students going to school, then the state support per student will be roughly cut in half.

Tuition at public universities has risen over the last two decades for many reasons. But that empty seat in classrooms is one part of that problem. Whether they received their high school diploma based on inflated grades, or have failed to develop the work ethic to show up, they are not “college-able.”

University professors who teach freshman courses can help solve this problem. In most schools, there is provision for “faculty-initiated student withdrawal.” Simply, don’t show up and the professor can drop you from class. Unfortunately, this authority is rarely used.

Some teachers may object that it is not their responsibility to take attendance and treat college students like they are still in high school. But if professors “wash” absentee students from their rosters, the state subsidy could be a little greater for the remaining good students.

But with state universities being pushed to increase their admission, retention and graduation rates, the “system” is working against responsible higher education. In some cases, weak students are advised into easy courses just to keep students in school to keep the retention rate high.

This simple-minded drive to send every high school graduate to college ignores the fact that some students are better served in technical school, a point that President Obama just emphasized in his State of the Union address. And some students just need some time out in the real world to grow up and get serious about life.

When a Kansas college student graduates and walks across that stage to receive his or her diploma, if professors have not culled the college-unable and succumb to the retain-everyone push, that Kansas student will find the degree they earned by hard work has less meaning when the next student to cross the stage receives the same degree but did half the work and showed up half the time.

John Richard Schrock is a professor at Emporia State University. [email protected]

Dear Dave,
I’m a little worried about investing in the market due to volatility. Are there safer investments?
Matt

Dear Matt,
You’re right; the market is volatile. It’s not a volatile as some things, but you have to remember that anywhere there’s money to be made—including long-term investing—there are ups and downs.

For instance, I like real estate. It’s not as volatile as the stock market, but there are no guarantees. We experienced that big dip over the last few years, and it was probably one of largest dips ever in the real estate market, except for the Great Depression.

Aside from real estate, I also like mutual funds. When it comes to these, one way to smooth out the volatility of the market is through diversification. That means you spread your money around instead of investing in one or two things. That’s how I handle my mutual funds, and I recommend others do the same. Spread your investments across these four types of mutual funds: growth, growth and income, aggressive growth and international.

I can’t say it enough, Matt. There are no guarantees when it comes to long-term investing. But diversification can help make the ride a little bit smoother!
—Dave

Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He’s authored four New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover and EntreLeadership. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 6 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.

Friday was a special day — Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day. It is a day to help spread the word about money that workers may have already earned but may not know to claim.

The earned income tax credit is a federal tax credit for certain people who work, but don’t earn high incomes. People who earn a moderate income from wages, self-employment or farming may be eligible for the EITC.

A tax credit usually means more money in your pocket. Taxpayers who qualify and claim the credit could pay less federal tax, pay no tax or even receive money back as a refund.

According to the IRS, about 80 percent of eligible taxpayers claim the EITC. But that means 20 percent – or one in five taxpayers – still miss out! This is money that can make a difference.

Last year, the credit returned over $63 billion to more than 27 million workers across the country.  In Kansas alone last year, 213 thousand claims returned $475 million to eligible taxpayers, or an average of about $2,115.

There are millions of workers who miss out on the benefits of EITC each year either because they are newly qualified or don’t otherwise need to file a tax return.  One of the most common EITC errors was among people who were not eligible in the past, but may have had a change in job or family situation which made them eligible without them realizing it.  Could that be you and your family?  Family changes such as job loss, reduction in income, or the birth of a child are things that might change EITC eligibility status.

Workers who qualify for EITC could receive larger refunds. It can mean up to $475 in tax credit for people without children, and up to $5,891 for those with three or more qualifying children. The earned income tax credit varies by income, family size and filing status, so explore your eligibility or ask your tax preparer.

With the exception of some disability income, people must work to qualify for the EITC. There are special EITC rules for members of the military, ministers, other members of the clergy, and those impacted by disasters.

The earned income tax credit is a valuable, but complex, tax break for working families. Details about eligibility for EITC and other refundable tax credits is available at www.eitc.irs.gov or ask your tax preparer for help.

When filing for the EITC, avoid the four most common errors:

1.  Claiming a child who does not meet the criteria as a qualifying child
2.  Married taxpayers who incorrectly file as single or head of household
3.  Misreporting income
4.  Incorrect Social Security numbers

The earned income tax credit is a financial boost for working people and their families, and it returns money to the local economy.  It is money that can make lives a little easier. Check out whether you qualify for the EITC this tax season.

Linda K. Beech is Ellis County Extension agent for family and consumer sciences.

Gov. Sam Brownback’s letter to Don Ashe, director of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, dated Jan. 30, 2014

Dear Director Ashe:

The state of Kansas has much at stake in the Service’s decision regarding the lesser prairie chicken. The listing of the lesser prairie chicken as a threatened species is not justified at this time, and doing so would negatively impact the state’s agriculture and energy sectors in ways that can be avoided consistent with the interests of conservation and protection of the species. For those reasons, Kansas will be a strong advocate for independent judicial review of any decision to list the lesser prairie chicken.

Over half of the lesser prairie chicken population is typically located in Kansas, which also provides half of the occupied range of the species. Indeed, as recently as 2006, the Kansas population was at optimal levels. As is well known, Kansas and the other four states that are home to the lesser prairie chicken have experienced three consecutive years of severe drought. The recent decline in bird numbers is no doubt directly linked to this unique weather event.

With continued abatement of the drought, bird numbers are likely to recover. In addition, Kansas and the other states in the range have developed a multi-state Range-wide Conservation Plan, which facilitates recovery strategies as a substitute to the listing of the species. Additional Kansas stakeholder groups have proposed further strategies such as the Habitat Exchange Program, and multiple voluntary strategies and options like these will promote species recovery.

In short, the recent drought conditions should not serve as a basis for species listing. A return to normal weather and precipitation conditions, along with the ongoing and proposed conservation efforts, should mitigate any perceived need to list the species. In contrast, listing of the species and the accompanying protections would directly impact and jeopardize Kansas’ largest industries — agriculture and energy. The interests of conservation and protection of the species can be furthered without the heavy-handed measures that could accompany a federal listing.

While I am hopeful that you will agree that the criteria for listing are not satisfied here, Kansas stands ready to make the case in judicial review proceedings to oppose and challenge any listing. Thank you for your consideration.

Sam Brownback
Governor of the state of Kansas