Author: Thomas County Extension Office

July 2024 Volume: 192

Laurel Despain
4-H & Youth Development
ldespain@ksu.edu
Helen Giefer
Ag & Natural Resources
hpgiefer@ksu.edu
Joanna Johnson
Office Professional
joannajohnson@ksu.edu

THOMAS COUNTY FAIR!
Fair pre-entries for each 4-H family are due on Wednesday, July 10th. Entries will be completed online this year on the FairEntry website.
Fair Set-up will be July 25th at 6:00 pm &
Fair Clean-up will be August 3rd at 8:00 am
*50% of your club must be present at both to qualify for a Club Seal!*
The Thomas County Fair parade will be Tuesday, July 30th at 5:30 p.m.
Register for the fair parade here or contact the Colby Chamber Office at 785-460-3401.
4-H entries need to be entered on the FairEntry website. Go to thomas.fairentry.com to register! Open Class entries should use paper entry cards that can be found at the Extension Office in advance and at the 4-H Building during drop-off on Tuesday for judging.
Again this Fair Year
This year the Thomas County Extension Office will be closed Monday through Friday during fair week. This is a very busy week for us and we want to do a better job serving everyone at the fair. If we are needed we will be around the fairgrounds. Laurel, Joanna, Helen and Kirsten can be found around the 4-H building or near the livestock facilities to assist you. We apologize for any inconveniences this may bring to the community but we want to focus on the fair and give our community the fair it deserves.
Reminder!!!
There will not be an August newsletter as we will be busy with Thomas County Fair activities!

Upcoming Events

July
3rd--K-State Garden Hour: Success with Cacti and Succulents
Register here!
4th--Independence Day: Extension Office Closed
10th--KDA Animal Health Regional Workshop in Colby
Register here!
12th--First Friday e-Call: Moving In, Moving Out, Moving Over: The Future of Housing Supply
Register here!
13th--Thomas County Fair Open Class Horse Show
20th--Thomas County Fair 4-H and Open Class Agility & Rally Dog Shows
21st--Thomas County Fair 4-H and Open Class Showmanship & Obedience Dog Shows
24th-- Quarterly Local Food Virtual Town Hall
Register here!
29th-August 3rd--Thomas County Fair Week!!
For a detailed schedule of Fair Week events, see page 9
August
2nd--First Friday e-Call: The 7 Essentials
Register here!
5th & 6th--FSMA Produce Safety Grower Training- via Zoom
Register here!
6th--Soil Health Field Day in Bladen, NE sponsored by Green Cover Seed.
Register here!
7th--K-State Garden Hour: Establishing a More Environmentally Sustainable Lawn
Register here!
7th-8th--Beyond the Yield- This program is located in Kearney, NE and is brought to you by Regen Ag Lab and Soil Regen.
Register here!
9th--Soil Health Field Day in Bladen, NE sponsored by Green Cover Seed.
Register here!
13th-15th--Mixed Grass Grazing Academy in Claflin, KS
Register here!
19th-20th--Northwest Kansas Soil Health Bus Tour
Check here for updates and registration!
22nd-23rd--Bottom Line Conference- in Lakin, KS
Register here!

Agriculture Focus

Meet the New Thomas Co. Ag Agent
My name is Helen Giefer. I grew up a few towns to the east in WaKeeney, Kansas. Involved in agriculture from the start, I helped on my family operation, the Giefer Ranch, where we primarily raised purebred Red Angus seedstock, registered Quarter Horses, and oat and sorghum hays while also having an assortment of chickens, dogs, and cats. I was exposed to a vast diversity of tasks, from feeding to media design, horse training to machinery operation, gardening to concrete construction, and always building a lot of fence!
To expand my industry knowledge, I spent the summer of 2021 as an intern at Pleasant Valley Farms, a large dairy farm in northern Vermont, where I was exposed to all aspects of dairy farming and gained a great appreciation for the industry.
In order to have more flexibility with a busy farm and ranch schedule, I was homeschooled along with my siblings Bernard, Sybil, and Wyndom until high school. We then attended Trego Community High School where we were involved in multiple clubs and sports, especially FFA and cross country/track and field.
I bleed purple! Much of my extended family, my dad, all three of my siblings, and I attended college at Kansas State University. There, I attained both my bachelor's and master's degrees in animal science. My undergraduate focus was in livestock nutrition, and in graduate school my efforts transitioned to rangeland management where I had the pleasure of working under Dr. KC Olson studying the effects of using late summer prescribed fire for control of invasive old-world bluestem in central Kansas.
I've been fortunate to travel extensively and experience many things, ag related and not; however, my roots are buried deep in Western Kansas, and my love of all things western Kansas, from the wide-open skies and rolling plains to the people, brought me back. I was extremely grateful to be selected as the new Thomas County Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent, a position which I started on June 10. Here, I will serve to keep you up-to-date on the latest research coming from Kansas State University and will be available to answer any ag-related questions, so please don't hesitate to reach out! If I don't know the answer to your question, I will find someone who does and make sure your needs are addressed.
I'm looking forward to getting to know you! Feel free to stop by the Thomas County Extension office to introduce yourself. You can also reach us at 785-460-4582 or email me at hpgiefer@ksu.edu.
Weed Control After Harvest
The 2024 wheat harvest is well underway, so it is time to think about weed control in wheat stubble. Weeds that have been suppressed by the canopy will grow rapidly once crop competition is removed. In addition, weeds that have emerged through the wheat canopy will be damaged during harvest and will quickly begin regrowth. Delaying control can result in lost soil moisture that could be used for crop production, as well as weed seed production which will cause difficulties in the future.
When thinking about weed control in wheat stubble, there are two priorities – controlling already emerged weeds and preventing later flushes. Making applications before weeds exceed 4 to 6 inches is necessary for good control of already emerged weeds. Residual herbicides are needed to reduce the number of herbicide applications required to control multiple flushes of weeds.
Despite a growing number of herbicide-resistant weeds, glyphosate plus 2,4-D LVE and/or dicamba remain important for weed control in wheat stubble. However, these herbicides alone are not likely to provide adequate control of pigweeds or kochia, especially when applied in the hot, dry conditions that are common after wheat harvest.
For more information on herbicide options, visit this article in the Agronomy eUpdates.

Family and Consumer Science News

Celebrate Summer with a Picnic!
It’s that time of year for harvest, family reunions, July 4th parties, camping and more! Don’t invite foodborne illness to your party! Here are some tips for a perfect picnic:
Plan ahead to bring essential items such as a food thermometer, cooler chest with ice, plenty of clean utensils, storage containers for leftovers, paper towels, and trash bags.
In preparation for your picnic, don’t thaw meat on the counter overnight—that’s not safe. Thaw food in the refrigerator or cook from the frozen state. Don’t partially cook meat and poultry ahead of time.
When you arrive at the picnic site, the first task is to wash your hands before preparing food. If running water is not available, use disposable wet wipes or hand sanitizer to clean your hands before and after touching food.
Don’t leave foods out in the sun. At the picnic, keep the cooler in the shade. Serve food quickly from the cooler and return it fast. In hot weather, above 90F, food shouldn’t sit out of the cooler over an hour.
Learn more at www.ksre.k-state.edu/foodsafety/topics/outdoor.html
Late Night Sweet Snacking
Do you enjoy a late night sweet snack? You are not alone!
In a survey of over 1,000 adults across the U.S., 38% choose late-night snacks because they are hungry, and 18% crave snacks. They state they get a sense of happiness or calm.
Of those aged 18-24, 58% enjoy their tasty snack in bed. The top three choices are cookies, ice cream and chips. Salty snacks are a popular choice. Many enjoy these snacks while watching a favorite show or movie.
Men are more likely to snack late at night than women. While many types of snacks are available, sweet snacks remain at the top.
Change up your snack choices to include more healthful choices such as popcorn, pretzels, crackers, fresh or dried fruit and nuts.
Source: Food Technology, June 2024
Sunflower Summer
Jordan Roemerman is marketing manager for Kansas Tourism, a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce. She has taken the lead on a new project called Sunflower Summer. This program offers Kansas families free tickets to more than 220 attractions across Kansas during the summer. The program runs from May 25th to August 11th and is targeted to Kansas families with children.
Kansans can visit the Sunflower Summer website (www.sunflowersummer.org) or use a downloadable app for Apple or Android. Once the family sets up an account, they can gain access to free one-time use tickets for various attractions. Tickets can be used by children ages pre-K to grade 12, plus up to two guardians.
This summer, the Kansas Tourism staff expanded the number of participating attractions by 120%. The participating attractions are located border to border and corner to corner of Kansas. They are located in urban and rural settings as well. Attractions are grouped into four categories: nature and animals, arts and sports, amusement and water parks, and museums and history.
Aside from helping children and parents to explore our state, the program hopes to help kids develop Kansas pride from an early age and be excited about our state. Roemerman said, “We want Kansas kids to get out, explore Kansas, have fun and eventually know there is a place for them here.”
Sunflower Summer is also helping to combat unfair negative perceptions that there is nothing to do in Kansas. In addition, some communities are using this program to attract businesses, which could lead to resident retainment in the future.
For more information, visit the Sunflower Summer website, download the app, or visit the KSRE website.

4-H Tidbits

YQCA
The Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA) certification training will be required for 4-H members ages 8-18 to be able to show and sell their livestock this year for fair. All certificates of completion are due to the office by July 8th.
Entry Deadline
All entries (with the exception of horticulture) are due on FairEntry on July 10th.
Horticulture Entries
Our office understands that some horticulture items may not be ready until the fair. Final Entries for horticulture will be due on FairEntry on Friday, July 26th.
Fair Packets & Rule Changes
There have been many important fair changes for 2024. All of these changes will be outlined in a document within your fair packet. It is critical that you read through your family packets thoroughly so you are aware of the fair changes as well as what rules apply to your projects. Fair packets have been available in the office since June 17th.
Buyer’s packets
If you have not delivered the Buyer’s Packets that you picked up, please deliver them now. We would like all potential livestock buyers to have advanced notice of the sale. If you can think of someone you would like to invite, please call the Office. We have extra packets available. Please try to deliver these in person. This help’s 4-H members with their public speaking skills and shows the buyers they would like them to be present at the sale. The office will start randomly calling businesses on Friday, July 19th to make sure packets are being delivered.
Livestock Entry Limits
Each exhibitor may only show 2 market animals per species and 2 breeding animals per species. Only 1 market animal per species may be sold in the livestock sale, per exhibitor.
Consignment Fees
All consignment forms with completed waivers must be turned in to the present fair board member at their table at weigh-in by 1:00pm on the day of fair weigh-in (Monday, July 29th). Consignment fees for the 2024 Thomas County Fair have been so graciously covered by Adams Bank & Trust. This does not include late fees. We want to extend a HUGE thank you to them for their continued support of the 4-H Program. There will be no substitutions once the consignment form is turned in except for grand/reserve champions. If your paperwork is not turned in by the deadline, you will not sell at the premium sale. Consignment forms can be found at the Extension Office or picked up at the fair board table at weigh-in.
After-Fair Locker Information
Many of you may already be aware that area lockers are continuing to stay busy. Therefore, if you know a potential livestock auction buyer, please tell them to schedule a processing appointment as soon as possible. Available processing dates are moving further in the future. ZD Meats in Oakley has saved Thomas County Fair animals 13 slots to be filled, this will also be announced during the sale. These slots can be filled through the duration of the sale if a locker slot has not already been made by the buyers. Animals designated to ZD Meats will need to be transported to the locker on the evening of August 6th or morning of August 7th.

4-H Tidbits

Sheep & Goat Showmanship Practice
Sheep and goat showmanship practice on July 10th at the Thomas County Fairgrounds Show Arena starting at 7:30 PM. Open to all Thomas County youth, it is encouraged that you bring your animals. Logan Despain (CCC Livestock Judging Coach) will be there to help with any showmanship tips wanted. RSVP to our office by 5 PM on July 10th as pizza will be served.
Poultry Testing
Per the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA), Kansas is a pullorum-typhoid-free state. Routine surveillance testing will be performed for each county a minimum of once every 5 years, as designated by KDA. Thomas County is scheduled for testing in 2024. The Thomas County Poultry Testing date is set for July 16th at the Thomas County Fairgrounds from 4 PM—5:30 PM. All poultry (except waterfowl) are required to show proof of being P-T clean in order to exhibit at the Thomas County Fair as well as the Kansas State Fair. If this date does not work for you, you need to call the Extension Office ASAP.
Fashion Revue Clinic
We are hosting a fashion revue clinic on Thursday, July 11th from 1-3 PM at the 4-H Building. Topics include skin & hair care, modeling practice, and general project education. Light snacks will be provided, and we will have speakers presenting. We would love to see your faces there, everyone is invited! We ask that you please call the Extension Office to RSVP by Tuesday, July 9th.
Fashion Revue
Cost-Per-Wear forms and Fashion Revue Descriptions are due to the Extension Office by Tuesday, July 16th. Please note: Senior Cost-Per-Wear forms are different this year.
Photography Judging
The Photography Judging that is listed for Tuesday, July 23rd at Celebration Community Church, is the Photography Judging Skills Contest Kit. This is similar to the Life Skills Judging Kit that we use for County Club Day but using photos. Photos taken and entered into the Fair by a 4-H member will be judged on Monday, July 29th in the 4-H Building. Open Class photos will be entered and judged on Tuesday, July 30th.
Sewing Construction Judging
Don’t forget that sewing construction entries (clothing and non-wearable) are judged late morning, following the buymanship judging, on Tuesday, July 23rd at Celebration Community Church. Constructed clothing will be modeled and judged followed by the judging of sewn items. This includes patchwork and quilts.
Visual Art Hangers
To assist volunteers who hang art work, please be sure the hanger is above the art work (see illustration.) Remember to mat or frame the art work so the art doesn’t roll up while hanging. Also, be sure the hangers are secure (tape tends to loosen up very easily.) These three points will make hanging/displaying art work faster and less frustrating. Also, pop tabs are no longer to be used as a hanger. Thank you.

4-H Tidbits

2023-2024 Club Assignments
Buyers Meal (July 2023) Gem 4-H
Putt-Putt Golf (July 2023) Abilene Hustlers
There will be no club assignments for Sale Ring Set-Up and Tear-Down. Rather we have created another sign up sheet where 2 families from each club MUST fill the spots in order to set-up and tear down the sale ring.
Sign-Up Sheets
Don’t forget to sign-up for a time to work a Putt-Putt or Security Watch time slot. We still have several shifts open. We also have sign-up sheets for Superintendent and Junior Superintendent volunteers. Our Fair cannot run without your help! Please let us know if you are willing to help. We also have a sign-up sheet for large and mini booths if you would like to decorate one for the Fair.
Fair Superintendent Meeting
Fair Superintendent meeting will be on Thursday, July 25th at 5:15 p.m. under the gazebo by the grand stands before setup.
Exhibit Building Set-up
Fair set-up will be held Thursday, July 25th at 6:00 p.m. Please meet at the 4-H building should there be some last minute directions and to sign the attendance sheet. We need families to help move and clean the display cabinets, being careful to not break the glass.
Livestock Sale Weight Limits
The Thomas County Fair Board has established weight criteria for market animals for the 2023 Fair. Please be aware, as some of them have changed from 2022. The weight limits are as follows:
·Beef- 1000-1800 ·Sheep-100-160 ·Swine- 225-350 ·Goats- 50-125
All over and underweight animals regardless of species, will show in Heavyweight or Prospect classes.
Officer Notebooks
Club notebooks for Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter and Historian are to be turned in with Project Record Books, NOT at the Fair. This judging will occur in late-September/early-October. We want the entire 4-H year to be included in these books when they are judged.
Pee-Wee Livestock
If you know of a Thomas County youth under 7 years old who would like to show in the Pee-Wee Livestock classes, please let us know at the Extension Office. We would like to add these participants to the livestock programs that are printed and distributed at the shows. You can also sign up on the day of the show as well.
Shooting Sports
Shotgun– Fair Shoot/State Qualifier will be held on August 3rd at the Colby Trap Club. Please contact Jeff or Dave for more information.
Archery– Fair Shoot/State Qualifier will be held on August 10th at the Colby Baseball Diamonds. Please contact Jared for more information.
Allison Zimmerman represented at the National Shooting Sports competition on the Kansas Air Pistol Team. Her team was 5th in Rapid Fire, 10th in Silhouettes, 4th in Slow Fire, and 4th place overall out of 40 teams and 76 competitors. Congratulations on an outstanding accomplishment, Allison!

4-H Tidbits

Open Class Entries
Open class entry will continue to be on Tuesday of Fair week (July 30th). Exhibits will need paper entry cards to be completed and attached to them for entry. Cards can be found at the Extension Office. 4-H members may drop off completed Open Class entries during the 4-H entry time on Monday, July 29th if they would like to do so.
Fair Camp Ground Reservations
Don’t forget to contact Lynette Koon to reserve your spot on the fairgrounds during fair week at 785-460-4593. To have a camper on the fairgrounds it is $30/night. Please have your deposit ready when you reserve your spot.
4-H Livestock Sweepstakes
All Kansas 4-H'ers are invited to participate in this livestock learning and competition experience. The Kansas 4-H Livestock Sweepstakes includes the state 4-H livestock judging contest, meat judging contest, livestock skillathon, and livestock quiz bowl in one action-packed weekend. 4-H members can test their knowledge and display their expertise in a variety of livestock-related events. Held at the K-State Campus in Manhattan August 17-18th. More information can be found here.
County-Wide 4-H Pool Party
4-H Council would like to invite Thomas County 4-H Members to join in on a county-wide pool party on August 11th from 7:30 pm-9:30 pm at the Colby Aquatic Center.
Film Opportunity with Cool Careers
New Boston Creative Group with Cool Careers will be in Colby towards the end of July or first week of August to film an episode featuring a rural Doctor. They are looking for a boy or girl 12-16 years old who would be charismatic, good at talking with adults and able to memorize lines. It's a paid gig of $250. You can find the casting call link here to schedule an audition.
Previously, Jude Horinek had filmed an episode with them featuring McCarty Dairy. Check out the episode here, it’s really neat!
48 Hours of 4-H
Join us this fall in seeing just how much we can give back to our communities! The weekend after National 4-H Week is the perfect opportunity to setup a service project and join the 48 Hours of 4-H Service Challenge, October 12-13, 2024.
By starting to discuss and plan now, you can find the perfect project for your group and help engage important partners!
Ribbons
The color of a ribbon represents four levels of skill. White– the minimum standards of quality have not been met; Red– the minimum standards have been met but improvements are needed; Blue– exceeds the minimum standard but there might be some minor flaws where improvements can be made; Purple– outstanding on all standards. The purple level should be a prized achievement, one sought because it is difficult to obtain and represents a skill learned with careful and persistent effort.

4-H Tidbits

2024 Thomas County Fair
Fair Theme:

Monday, July 8
YQCA Certificates due to Extension Office
4-H Dog Project Pre-Entries due on FairEntry
Wednesday, July 10
All 4-H Pre-Entries (except Horticulture) due on FairEntry!!
Saturday, July 13
8:30 am– Open Class Horse show
Tuesday, July 16
4 pm - 5:30 pm - Poultry Testing
Saturday, July 20
9 am– 4-H/Open Class Dog Agility & Rally (registration/vet check at 8:30am)
@ Colby Ball Diamonds
Sunday, July 21
1 pm– 4-H Dog Show @ Heartland Christian School
3:30 pm– Open Class Dog Show
Monday, July 22
5:30 pm– 4-H Fashion Revue Practice
@ Celebration Community Church
Tuesday, July 23
9 am– 4-H Buymanship Judging @ Celebration Community Church
Following Buymanship– 4-H Clothing Construction Modeling & Judging
7:30 pm– 4-H Public Fashion Review
Thursday, July 25
9 am– 4-H Visual Arts Judging
1:30 pm– Demonstrations, Illustrated Talks & Public Speaking
5:15 pm– Superintendent meeting
6 pm– Fair Set-up
Friday, July 26
4-H Horticulture entries due on FairEntry
Saturday, July 27
9 am– 4-H Horse show
Sunday, July 28
11 am—5 pm– 4-H Booth Construction
Monday, July 29
7:30 am—11 am– 4-H/FFA & Open Class Livestock Weigh-in/Vet Check
7:30 am—11 am– 4-H Exhibits accepted (non-livestock)
11:15 am– Judging of non-livestock 4-H exhibits starts
1 pm– All Consignment forms and payment due to Fair Board (no late fee)
3 pm– 4-H/FFA & Open Class Cat, Rabbit, Hand Pet, & Poultry show
7:30 pm- KPRA Rodeo
Tuesday, July 30
7:30 am—1:00 pm– Open Class exhibits accepted
(non-livestock)
8 am– 4-H/FFA & Open Class Swine Show
9 am—Noon– Tallest Corn Plant Contest- Sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions
1 pm- Judging of non-livestock Open Class exhibits starts
5:30 pm- PARADE– Starts at Fike Park, down Franklin to Fairgrounds
7:30 pm- KPRA Rodeo
Wednesday, July 31
8:30 am– 4-H/FFA & Open Class Sheep and Goat Shows
11 am- Antique Tractor show
4 pm- Registration for Pedal Tractor Pull
5 pm- Pedal Tractor Pull, Sponsored by Thomas County Farm Bureau Association
5:30 pm- Free BBQ Dinner
Thursday, August 1
7:30 am--10 am- Thomas Co Community Found. Breakfast
8:30 am– 4-H/FFA & Open Class Beef Show
5:30 pm– 4-H/FFA Livestock Sale
Buyer’s appreciation BBQ after the sale
Friday, August 2
9 am– 4-H/FFA Round Robin
1-3 pm– Release of Livestock going to lockers
4-8 pm– Release of Livestock & horse entries going home
7:30 pm– Car Race-Thomas County Speedway
Saturday, August 3
6 am - Release of livestock for resale
8 am - 4-H Fair clean-up
8 am - 9:30 am– Release of all non-livestock entries
(4-H and Open Class)
7:30 pm - Demo Derby

July 2024
Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
	1 / AH—Meeting- Club Tour 6pm	2	3 / K-State Garden Hour	4 / Independence Day / Office Closed	5	6
7	8 / YQCA Certificates due to Ext. Office / GEM—Meeting @ Gem Comm. Bldg. 7pm	9	10 / Entries due on FairEntry (except horticulture) / Sheep & Goat Showmanship Practice / KDA Animal Health Workshop	11 / Fashion Revue Clinic / Fairboard Mtg. @ 8pm	12 / First Friday e-Call	13 / Open Class Horse Show
14 / BPG—Meeting @ Pool 3pm / SV— Meeting @ 4-H Bldg. 3pm	15	16 / Cost-Per-Wear & Fashion Revue descriptions due / Poultry / Testing	17	18	19	20 / Dog Show- Agility & Rally
21 / Dog Show- Obedience & Showmanship	22 / Fashion Revue Practice / NO 4-H Council Mtg.	23 / Judging for Shopping in Style & Sewing & Textiles / Photography Skills Kit Judging / Public Fashion Revue	24 / Quarterly Local Food Virtual Town Hall	25 / Visual Arts Judging / Demos/Illus. Talks / Fair Set-Up	26 / Horticulture entries due on FairEntry	27 / 4-H Horse Show
28 / FAIR WEEK!!!	29 / Livestock / Weigh-In / 4-H Bldg. Entry / Cat/Rabbit/Poultry / Hand Pet Show	30 / Swine Show / Open Class Entry / Fair Parade	31 / Sheep & Goat Shows	August 1 / Beef Show / Livestock Auction	2 / Round Robin / First Friday e-Call	3 / Fair Clean-Up
					PP = Pawsome Paws / SS = Shooting Sports / AH = Abilene Hustlers	BPG = Brewster Prairie Gem / Gem = Gem 4-H / SV = Solomon Valley

Thomas County Office Complex
350 South Range Ave. Suite 16
Colby, Kansas 67701

Bookmark our website for quick reference to educational and informational resources as well as contact information for all of your questions:
http://www.thomas.k-state.edu

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K-State Research and Extension Thomas County 4-H
K-State Research and Extension is committed to providing equal opportunity for participation in all programs, services and activities. Program information may be available in languages other than English. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, including alternative means of communication (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape, and American Sign Language) may be requested by contacting the event contact two weeks prior to the start of the event. Requests received after this date will be honored when it is feasible to do so. Language access services, such as interpretation or translation of vital information, will be provided free of charge to limited English proficient individuals upon request.