Fresh veggies day an opportunity to explore new foods

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University's Glen McNeil shares information about fresh veggies on National Fresh Veggie Day.
 
Transcript:
EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.
 
James Bell 
Fresh veggies day is an opportunity to explore fresh veggies for naysay universities. Glenn McNeil joins us to talk a little bit about that. And more on this episode of the Post Podcast.
 
Glen McNeil 
June 16. Every year is also national fresh batch.
 
James Bell 
That's probably a little healthier than well,
 
Glen McNeil 
very few people know that. Oh, because the first thing if you type in what is June 16, it comes up as national budget. Yeah, you know, nobody really looks any further.
 
James Bell 
Exactly. I got my excuse for the day. I'm gonna go eat some fudge and celebrate today.
 
Glen McNeil 
There's there's a few other things too. I'm not. Sometimes you so okay, I'm not a big fan. Butterscotch fudge. I like marshmallow fudge.
 
James Bell 
I like yeah, the creamy.
 
Glen McNeil 
Yeah, I don't really like nuts. A lot of people like nuts and fudge. And I do like to take fudge and take an old cheese shredder. Shredded real fine. Put it on ice cream, and put marshmallow cream on top of the ice cream. So yes, I do eat fudge. Okay, not a lot. I eat more fresh vegetables than I do fudge.
 
James Bell 
And that's what everybody should do. Yeah, more vegetables than more than more vegetables than fudge
 
Glen McNeil 
but nothing wrong with you know, eating some foods as we've always talking here. Moderation and all things you know, include a little bit of everything you like in your diet, in essence, what you eat, but at the same time, focus a little more on the more healthful items like vegetables and being national fresh vegetables. You know, that's the kicker in this is that encourage people to eat fresh vegetables. We have frozen, which are excellent quality, we have canned, which are very good quality. Okay, we have dehydrated vegetables these days, which are they fit well in soups and things like that, that you want to make that have a lot of liquid, but it's still pretty hard to beat the taste, the texture, the mouthfeel of fresh vegetables, you know, so So that's, that's a big one. When we look at it. There's four, there's lots of vegetables. I mean, the list, depending upon how you categorize things is huge. But there's four major types. When we look at vegetables, we've got root vegetables, okay, and root vegetable would be what's the root vegetable, always think of potatoes. Okay, potatoes is an example of a root vegetable, because what you're actually eating is part of the root. In most cases, you're eating the starch, which is the sugar the plant has stored for continued growth. So that's in so when it comes up the next year, it will come up so that root vegetables is basically it's the underground part of the plant that we consume. Okay, and many of them are I mean carrots is a standby that vegetable, beets if you if you like beets turnips,
 
James Bell 
I was I went to the farmers market the other day and talking with a couple of vendors, I know there and they had some beats. And I don't know that I've ever had them. They but they pushed him on me and said you got to take these home and try him because if you if the only thing you've ever experienced, it's like pickled beets, you might not be a fan, but there's so many other things you can do with them. Yes.
 
Glen McNeil 
Sweet beets. Excellent. Make in terms of pickled beets is not not that difficult to do. So you know, that's, that's what you you get with those onions fit into root vegetables you know, of course and so, so we get that root vegetables are okay, since they're a vegetable they are plant product. They do contain they're primarily starch, but they do contain a small amount of protein. But what's big today is red vegetables contain no gluten. So you'll see root vegetables advertised as a part of a healthy free gluten diet. Well, they never did contain gluten, they don't contain. So that's that's really not not a big deal. Red vegetables, overall good sources of vitamin A. Many of them are good sources of vitamin C. Of course, they're they're great sources of fiber, which can benefit all of us and many of them have high potassium value, which is good for the heart, okay and circulation and I mean muscle contraction, another group of things, okay. Then then we have what we call the cruciferous vegetables. Most people know the cruciferous vegetables as gas formers. Because when you eat a surface festivals, your body tends to produce a lot of gas. Okay, they're, they're a rather large groups are the diverse, most of most people think of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, okay, when they think of the cruciferous vegetables, which you've got kale, you've got bok choy, which both kale and bok choy can easily be purchased in grocery stores these days. And they're kales like a leafy product. But bok choy is a type of cabbage that is not quite as, say bitter as regular cabbages and it's more in the shape of celery than what we consider to be head of cabbage. It's really easy to work with brussel sprouts. Good Good what not too many people around here eat but when we lived in in Kentucky and when my son lived in Louisiana collards were big and you hear used to hear collard greens well, okay, they're also greens and they're also cruciferous vegetables. It's a it's a bitter type of leaf that you cook kind of long lines of spinach. Okay, and in terms that depends on what you do with it, watercress, things like that, and I did bring you since it is fresh vegetable today. I did bring you a cruciferous vegetable out of my garden. Okay, I'm not much of a garden out of my garden that I have been. We have been eating ready. And just to show you that it is oh wow festival. I picked it right before we came and I washed it
 
James Bell 
was washed so I can eat this wash. This is a good looking.
 
Glen McNeil 
It is a what
 
James Bell 
is it? Well, I think it's a radish, sir. Okay, it's already circular. To judge your radish. It
 
Glen McNeil 
always depends on it depends on how you plan them and when you pick up Yeah, as to how they grow.
 
James Bell 
Yeah, I've never had a fresh garden radish. I love radishes. I'm gonna try it. I'm gonna bite into our air.
 
Glen McNeil 
Now, everybody listening Did you hear that crunch when he brought it into it? Okay, that vegetables should be what we call crisp tender. They should have a Christmas and a crunch time. Now what do you think of my radish? That is a spicy radish. Yes it is. I like that. That's the good part about the variety that that I planted in. Anybody can go radishes I have a tub that is two feet by four feet. And I filled it with garden soil and I put roses in it and I've watered and I grow radishes in my little tub. As I go through and I pick out a row I just dropped more seeds in and then I pick out a row so I didn't have to fill up a whole bunch of the garden I got it in a spot that's full sun can water you know the watering can easy to groove so growing many root vegetables is not a difficult process. You simply have to have something deep enough that allows the root to to develop good carrots grown in my in my radish garden could only be about maybe two inches deeper than that. But yeah, so radishes are now these cruciferous vegetables are lots of different colors so they add variety to your diet in color. Okay, as you look at that thing and so many some of the root vegetables do this to cruciferous vegetables, good sources of both vitamins and minerals, especially one great mineral is white is folate, okay, which is good for ourselves is as we age, especially good for developing fetal cells, regeneration of cells, folate or folic acid. So the cruciferous vegetables are high in that there also many of them are good sources of vitamin K. Okay, which is the vitamin, you know, Vitamin K does a lot of different things in the body. The biggest thing that most people know is that it helps with blood clotting. Okay, so you know, we have that particular process. They've got vitamin C in them, they've got some vitamin A in them. They're also the group that's biggest in what we call the phytonutrients. And we've talked about phytonutrients and phytochemicals here before and these are, these are not nutrients like vitamins and minerals. They're chemical compounds. They're plant compounds that our body uses for its benefit. They give us some anti carcinogenic properties, they, they help deal with antioxidant, they help ourselves recover. So they're used in metabolism, but they're not vitamins and minerals. So it's kind of a different type of thing that we do. Many of the cruciferous vegetables can help lower inflammation. Okay, so you know, we find that and again, again, they're rich in fiber. Okay, so as you eat both root and cruciferous vegetables, they can help you feel fuller, consume less food overall. Right? And they have some natural sugars in them, but not not a lot. That is cruciferous vegetables are often called gasp producing vegetables. And what causes that and people and especially when you look at broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. All the time. I can't eat that good. Yes, me. Yes. Okay, well, that comes from a sugar, right? And it's a sugar called raffinose. Right? It is a sugar that not very sweet. We would really use it for anything else. But it's, it's part of the carbohydrate structure in the plant. Right the plant uses it stores it uses it for growth, we do not have the ability to convert raffinose and use it for energy by our body like we can sucrose or or table sugar or glucose, blood sugar, we can't do that. So what happens is the raffinose stage in your gut, right? And it goes pretty much kind of through the stomach, a little bit of activity in the stomach passes through the small intestine bacteria starts to operate on it gets into the large intestine. And what the bacteria in the large intestine does is it breaks everything else down and we get the last nutrients. Well this bacteria in this nice warm, moist environment feeds on raffinose and produces large amounts of gas Yes. So you have gas and you'll feel bloated. Now, most of the time, gas from these types of products is non odorous. Okay? And it's very difficult to control the release of the gas because it's like, Okay, here's a small pocket of raffinose going through the intestinal going through the large intestine. And this bacteria sees it jumps all over it, breaks it down and produces gas very quickly. Okay, so you feel bloated, and you got to release it. So I can't use to say, Grandma toots. My mother consumed a very high fiber diet, just health wise and Yes, Grandma, you know, achieve always left. So, you know, we find out and we see that so, you know, we read vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, then we have a big category called greens. Right? And greens are
 
James Bell 
everything else. Well, that's what like lettuce and I
 
Glen McNeil 
put they're called greens because they're, well, green primary. Yes, yeah. We're primarily grant make sense. Okay. So in in a way, you could say that radish has greens on cook those radish tops, we really wouldn't want to they're kind of bitter. You know, so we want to do that. But, you know, when we look at greens, it's, it's collard greens, which are also part of cruciferous for root vegetables. It's just eating the different parts of the vegetable. Okay, and that's where the Greens come from kale, mustard greens, chard, bok choy that the Chinese cabbage fits in that too. So because you eat different parts of it. Okay, so when you eat the top, you're eating the greens, when you eat the bottom, you're eating the right. And you can't do that with all vegetables. Okay, you can do that with some but you can't do that with all this. Okay, there's another product out that's been out round for years generations known as rocket and it's actually argument. Okay, and it is it's a leaf off of a product or a plant that how do I say this? It's got a mustard. If you ever mix mustard and pepper together and toss in a little tiny bit of white vinegar, it's kind of what it tastes like. So it's sweetened bitter at the same time. It's used as a topping for salads. We don't most people don't buy much of it. You probably have to go ask for it here and I don't know whether anybody would have okay from from that. And then you're good right now. Got in your yard field over there and pick some dandelion greens. I have
 
James Bell 
a friend he swears by dandelions he loves He says they're great for the soil. They're great for you. You can eat it all and he doesn't eat a lot of them I don't think anyway but but he loves growing them he will plant his yard with dandelions.
 
Glen McNeil 
You can harvest dandelion greens and that's fine you just got to be make sure if you're gonna go somewhere and pick him that nobody sprayed anything Yeah. Okay, so yeah, red vegetables cruciferous vegetables and greens. Okay, then we have the last and there are other categories these are the four major categories I like that it's a group called Nightshade. Okay and people have heard of nightshade vegetables and the most famous of all the nightshade vegetables and not even a vegetable Oh yeah. The most famous of all nightshade vegetables is not even a vegetable in in many and not I want to say Mideast What do you call it mid times you know back in the old days of castles and kings and fives. Okay, these were thought to be poisonous. They're red and color.
 
James Bell 
Radishes No I'm just kidding this tomatoes I know this one.
 
Glen McNeil 
But you know what? Tomato tomato is a fruit.
 
James Bell 
Okay, because the seeds are on the inside right since grow it
 
Glen McNeil 
comes from blossom. And it's different on how it comes from the blossom. Okay, it goes behind and the seeds the the meat of the product surrounds the seed. When that happens we actually have a fruit okay, that fits in that category. So we have fruits and vegetables that fit into the nightshade group. Okay, and the nightshade group has its its name because many of them are very flavorful. Okay and whatever they are, and they are products that tend to grow better overnight that they do during the day. So the name nightshade came around came around what because they thought there was some sort of an holy thing going on with this plant where it would grow overnight but would grow during the day like all the rest of the plants are growing right so became a Nightshade. That's, I mean, that's folklore. sure that when they do grow better at night, if you ever watch your check your tomatoes or anything, you get up in the morning and there's blossoms all over, you know or something like that. These products grow better as temperature cools down, and then they reserve their moisture for the day. Now nightshade vegetables eggplants an example of a nightshade vegetable potatoes are actually an example but it fits in many other categories. Probably the most recognized one today are peppers all the different varieties of peppers fit within the nightshade vegetables. Now there's also one that most people don't think about and that's tobacco. Okay, but oh yeah, we don't eat tobacco you can try
 
James Bell 
I'm curious now what tobacco actually tastes like if you're eat some well it's
 
Glen McNeil 
it's not a fruit. It's not a vegetable. It's a nightshade plant. It grows better through the night. Okay, so but it fits I always thought that was interesting. I don't eat okay for that. Now the other thing about nightshade plants is that they contain most of the nightshade plants contain some form of what we call an alkaloid. Okay, and out alkaloid? How do I want to put this? There are chemicals similar to proteins but a little different? Okay, and they're high in nitrogen. Okay, well, that's the nitrogen composition. With everything else that's in this alkaloid that has an effect upon the human body. Okay. And, and what we find is they're kind of medicinal, we can make a lot of medicinal things out of Morphe is made from a nightshade alkaloid. As an example of what we fit in there. Quinine is another product that fits into that. So we, you know, we see this and so as this goes on, we find that some of these alkaloids also fit into the phytonutrients category, where they can give us some protective aspects against cancers. So it's, I mean, it's good for us and in terms of that, but it can also be bad for us. If you get too much they can cause headaches. They can cause bitter taste in foods and cause gastric upset, nausea, diarrhea, and in most cases, you can identify when a a dark colored plant gets this potatoes are famous for this. You pick up a potato and it's got green circle or green spots all over people who say Well, that's sunburn tomato. Oh, yeah, it's kind of a suppose. But what that is, is that contains because of the chemical interactions that have occurred, that contains an alcohol alkaloid called solid, the green part of the tomato, that's what can make you sick. Okay, so if you ate lots of green potatoes, now, you could peel that part of the skin into potato, lay and cut it away and use the rest of the potato and that's fine. Now, you're not going to get this from eating one or two green potatoes, okay, you'd have to eat quite a bit or you'd have to eat quite a bit of a of a vegetable that's showing this process. So those are our four main categories that we look at when we buy when we fix vegetables and so for this, okay, and I brought you a fresh vegetable from my garden. Okay to show you how much I appreciate you and also when I appreciate you so well thank you but I wanted somebody else to teach you one of my hot radishes. Yeah, it's good. So first first step in using fresh vegetables. Make sure once you buy or pick are not bruised or damaged. Look them over carefully. Now it always drives me nuts when you go in and people are feeling all the with all the different vegetables and everything but you know you don't want things that have soft spots in them and they should be firm all the way round. This color slices that type of thing. Don't buy him if they're bruised or damaged. Second thing is clean. Wash your hands with soap and water. Then wash your vegetables right your vegetables off with water. There's all these vegetable rinses and washes out there you can use what what most of the science tells us is there not a whole lot better than water. In terms what many of them are is they're really really heavily diluted bleach. Okay, so the even if you read some off of those, you still gotta rinse them off with water. So just make sure you rinse them off good. And actually a little vegetable brush like I pulled out of ground I get a little vegetable rush put it in some running water and brush it off and slice the top off at the bottom and it's ready to eat. Okay from from that process. So watch that. Alright Third, when you go through this process, when you shop, okay or when you go to the farmers market to buy, separate what you purchase. Here we get into also into the preparation. We've talked in here a number of times about cross contamination, keep fresh vegetables away from raw meats, raw poultry, raw anything, handle them separately. Go to the grocery store watching when they get their groceries they put the most of them are very careful about it. Sometimes they aren't. They put the chicken in the bottom and then dump in the fresh vegetables on top of it. I always say at what my meats in separate bags. I want my chicken in one bag, my beef and another bag. I don't want anything else in the bag with bags, things like that at the grocery store. keep them separate at home. Okay, don't use a cutting board for raw meats. And then put raw vegetables on your cutting board. Okay, and then serve. Just be safe you know, watch for the content elimination. Cooking is the same thing. Now cooking with vegetables. You want vegetables to be what we call all dented. Chris, tender, green, fresh green beans that are cooked until they're mushy and fall apart or overcooked. A lot of people like them that way but they're over cooked. Okay from that so boiling, steaming boiling, you know for a short period of time steaming, microwave, great way to go. Okay when you're cooking fresh vegetables if you're gonna cook, and many times cooking helps break down some of the raffinose Vegetable so it will help make cabbage less gas producing. It will, it will in many cases cooking vegetables creates milder flavors within the vegetables. If you've ever fresh broccoli and cooked fresh broccoli, there is a definite difference in the taste. Okay, of those two products, even if they're both annulled, right. Okay, step five, chill things. If you bring a bunch of vegetables in the garden from the garden, or bring them home from the store and you wash them off, put them in the refrigerator, bag them up, you know, wrap them in a towel bowl, with water out, whatever, put them back in your frigerator keep them chilled, just helps prevent any bacterial growth or anything that can occur around them. And most fresh vegetables that are chilled, still have good flavor. Some of the flavors get a little bit better as they warm up kind of like cheese. Okay, but some still still do that. And then I'm gonna go back to when in doubt, throw it out. If you're not sure how old it is, if it's sat out on the counter for a vegetable dip or something for a couple of hours, good idea to pitch it, you know, because of contamination you're dealing with a raw food product here. Okay, so you just want to do that. You know, if you've had something if you're not going to cook it if it's been in contact with raw if you're going to serve it Ron it's been in contact with Rami you messed up, well cook it don't kill the bacteria, okay, you cook it but be very careful. And we just tell people do that around around holiday time. Fresh vegetables cleaned, put in the refrigerator will keep for many will keep for a week and maintain their freshness. I always put my radishes in a bowl of water and set them in the refrigerator and they'll stay crisp and fresh for about six days. Okay, they don't last six days because I eat them all. Okay, but you know, in terms of like that, and I, I don't think you can beat the flavor of many of the fresh vegetables out there to take a green or a yellow pepper and just wash it, see it, slice it up and stack on it. Now for a lot of people that's a lot of spice, but I think that that makes a good taste. And then nothing better to me than ever daily onion, peeled cooldown peeled, sliced it nice big round pieces. And then you put a piece of sharp cheddar cheese on top of their daily onion and sharp cheddar cheese, or just eat an onion like an apple. People don't like that. lettuce leaves. You know, if you're looking for a way to lighten sandwich meals, lettuce leaves make great replacement for bread. Oh yeah, I love doing that. Cook a hamburger patty and put your hamburger patty between two lettuce leaves and, and whatever whatever else you want it and it really makes a nice little pocket and the same is true with camis leaves. So lots of fresh vegetables. They're coming into their own. You know I look my cucumbers. My cucumber plants have got little cucumbers on them about two inches long already. My tomato plants are covered in blooms but no, no tomatoes yet. By being planets are growing. It's early for beans I plant. I'm trying I've never planted beans before. So I played in pole beans this year. So I got these big pots scattered around the yard being planted poles sticking up and up. That's how I garden I don't really have it all in the ground, I think big pots and bends around. That works. Yeah. So it works but Grow Your Own go to the farmers market, buy them into grocery store. They're, they're great, you know, and he's right now you can go into grocery store, you can buy a platter of clean vegetables, you know fresh vegetables that you can snack on. And they make great snacks for people. Absolutely. I hope people enjoy them all summer long. You know, just be smart, be safe. Eat the ones you really like and occasionally buy one you've never had before. Look, look up how to prepare it. Okay, that's always important. Sometimes the vegetable preparation is not as standard as we think. And then sample it. You know, and if you don't like it raw, chop it up. Toss it in the skillet, a little olive oil on a top little onion with salt and pepper crack couple eggs in it. Sprinkle some cheddar cheese on it. And you got a nice little mix of vegetables you did like most with eggs and cheese you do like There you go. So have a great summer.

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On this episode of the Post Podcast, Fort Hays State University's Glen McNeil shares details of the benefits and risks of taking in some sun, on national May Ray Day.
 
Transcript:
EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.
 
James Bell 
As the weather gets warmer, more people are sure to be enjoying the sunshine. This May Ray Day, Glen McNeil from Fort Hays State University share some information about the health benefits of sunshine and some of the dangers on this episode of the Post Podcast.
 
Glen McNeil 
Devil's Food Cake. Yeah, I brought that up. I heard you talk about it.
 
James Bell 
I did. It's Devil's Food Cake day.
 
Glen McNeil 
Yeah. So I want to quiz you now. Because I know you read some things. You're looking at me?
 
James Bell 
I'm I'm nervous. Because all I know I know is it's made a choice. It's called Devil's Advocate. Well, that's a good one. I'm gonna say because it's not angels. fruitcake, it's the opposite. That's probably wrong. I'm sure.
 
Glen McNeil 
That may fit somewhere. But that's not the reason that goes along with that the food history. It was popularized in the 18th century. And at that point in time, deviled was a word used to describe foods in general, that were very dark, rich, spicy, and then had chocolate in them. Okay, very chocolatey food. So a chocolate cake like that people had referred to as a sinful cake. Well, then the food term came in and it became Devil's Food was a sinful cake because it was so rich and chocolatey. And people participate in it so the name became devil Devil's Food Cake became popular in the United States in the 1900s. Okay, moved moved, basically to Europe from here. And it's pretty stable now. And of course, now you can go out and buy a box of deviled foods cake and, and it's it's made from that. But they're, they're originally were two varieties that finit fit into that. Both of them are still with us today. One of them is the very chocolatey dark colored cake that we refer to as the devil's Devil's Food Cake. Can't quite get that out. The other one is a cake that a lot of people eat and that's red velvet cake. I love red velvet cake. Yeah, original cry. Okay, my aunt used to make red velvet cake for all the holiday events. And she would hide one toothpick in it. Okay, and whoever got the piece with a toothpick in it didn't make any difference. Whether it's kids or adults, they had to clear the table and do the dishes.
 
James Bell 
Oh, I thought it was gonna be a pro. No, it was oh, it was not worth
 
Glen McNeil 
So people used to when she would cut the cake. Everybody's looking for the toothpick. And some people even got wise the adults got wise first and they would take a fork and they go through the pieces of cake before. Be sure they didn't take that one. But she always did that. That was always kind of fun. You know, at the holiday times for that. And when we look at it, red velvet cake and devils fruitcake very similar textures. Very similar cakes, except for the color. Okay, red. Devil's Food Cake uses cocoa powder, which is a process it's called Dutch cocoa powder. It's a process process by which they make a richer, less Outland chocolate. So it has a more natural flavor. A you know very smooth texture which red velvet cake. Those two. The main difference between the two if you were to make them at home or make them from a commercial recipe, is that red velvet cake has buttermilk in it. Okay, it tends to give it a little bit more acid flavor. In fact, he has some home recipes have you add buttermilk and then a small amount of vinegar to make it even Tangmere originally when they made the the difference between the two is they added how would you get the color in a red velvet cake. Couple 100 years ago what would you use feats beaches.
 
James Bell 
I knew that one Okay, cuz like because I you know, gross. You think it's gross, but it's actually comes out
 
Glen McNeil 
of beaches, actually, for many, many years was used as red food coloring for for lots of things. Of course, today we got commercial food colorings, it's cheaper. It's easy to use, but they use beet juice and the beet juice in the buttermilk or at that point in time, just the soured milk. That's where vinegar and milk came in to mix the two together give it that sour flavor. Well, the beet juice has soured milk is what makes the difference between red velvet cake and the devil's food cake. So go get your box. Make your cake or if you really want to. There are lots of very simple cake recipes over the internet that you can get are a lot of families have a favorite Devil's Food Cake or a favorite red velvet cake and in terms of that and probably the biggest thing I can tell people these days if you want to try making one from scratch, spend the extra money and get yourself a box of cake flour. Okay cake flour most most homes have are all purpose flour. chairs just as it says all purpose cake flour does not form as as hard to sell. Okay doesn't form as hard to sell it has different levels of of gluten in it and different levels of starch in it and say all purpose flour does. Or bread flour were bread flour has lots of natural gluten in it cake flour has very little. So you get a you get a very nice round soft, tender Aircel and your cake and that's where that sponginess comes from.
 
James Bell 
Interesting. I didn't even know cake flour was a thing, because big I've made cakes but well most
 
Glen McNeil 
people use all purpose flour and most recipes will tell you to sift your all purpose flour, but you can even buy pre sifted flour and by sifting your flour you and you incorporate more air to it and you break up the starch based on the flour a little bit more. So you get a finer granule cake flour is like a pre sifted lower lower protein flour that you can use. It comes in a smaller box, it's not as large but most homes have all purpose flour because you can just do anything with it. Right you know that you want. My other thing today is now that food and cake which just because I like cake, and you brought it up, he doesn't like it. I don't know if I've ever met anybody that doesn't like certain types of cake. Yes. And the other thing has a little bit to do more to do with health. All right. And we always kind of go about you know, what are the days today? What are the different types of things we can do? Do you know what today is healthwise? I do not okay, it's called today is called National. May Ray de may Ray de may Ray day. Yes. Okay. Okay. And national may Ray Day is a day that is designed to encourage people it's not a real widely known one. But it's out there and it's May 19. And it's it's a day to encourage people to go out and enjoy the sunshine. Oh, okay. Okay, makes sense. And also it comes in May and Ray is our names involved with the person who pushed and identify this day, but they call it national may rainy day. So the big thing today is benefits of being in the sun. Now being in the sun today, low caution, supposed to be really hot. Okay, and and we know you know, when you get out and really hot and you want to make sure you're well hydrated. So whether it's water or decaffeinated product that you're drinking, or what's popular with the kids these days are these no sugar, Gatorade, no sugar, all sport, no sugar, whatever, they drink them just just like water, but you know water, water is fine for the process. And what we see so you know, the idea is get out in the sun. Sunday sunshine, vitamin is di D, okay? Sunlight, ultraviolet UV lights to the Sun penetrate your skin, okay, the epithelial near the outside layer of your skin, they convert a form of cholesterol, because a form of cholesterol to change goes to liver and gets converted into vitamin D. Okay, and, and so you get then you get the benefits of vitamin D, good healthy bones, okay, good for all of us doesn't make any difference what their what their age, some association with vitamin D is helping in, in dealing with bacteria within the body on the skin, that type of thing. There's information out there that talks about good levels of vitamin D can help lower your risk for cancer. Now, this doesn't mean you go spend the day in the sun, you're not going to get cancer. That's, that's not it. Because we also know that spending too much in the sun, time in the sun can lead to certain types of melanoma skin cancers. So you gotta get a balance here. vitamin D helps to regulate blood pressure a little bit. And some people will tell you that it can improve your sleeping habits depending upon how much you get a lot of things about vitamin D that are really good benefits there. So that with the sun and the bright sun, you have to have about about 60% Well 40 About 40% of your skin exposed to direct sunlight to get the benefit. So you're wearing a pair shorts and a short sleeve shirt, you're fine. Okay, you're gonna get the sunlight that you need. Now also, depending upon the time of the year, you know, as the Earth tilts on its axis in the sun, the time of year during the summertime, we get a lot better benefit from sunlight vitamin D, than we do during the winter. And we can store vitamin D. So you get out in the sun, you build up your reserves of vitamin D and that helps you get through the winter. Okay for that process. Now, the other side of that is you want to be careful if you're in the sun, especially if you're fair skinned. As you age I mean all of these things we hear about all the time about this Be careful of sun, wear clothes, wear clothes that cover your arms and legs, okay, then that cuts down on your skin exposure, okay to the sun, but if you're very sensitive, you want to do that or you want to spend a limited amount of time in the sun to be able to get the true benefit from it. wide brimmed hat Good idea. Most people, you know, have a tendency to sunburn on their cheeks, sunburn on their ears. Okay, a wide brim hat protects that. And if, if you're like me, unlike you, the top of my head has reached a point where I need to wear a hat. You know, never I used to have a thick head of hair and I never wear a hat. Okay, but I've reached the point where I, I wear a hat. And so that wide brim hat face, face and ears gives you that protection, light colored clothing that will breathe fits into that, if you the recommendation for the last few years has been sunglasses is a good idea to help protect your eyes. Okay, something that can help block the UVA and UVB rays, sunscreen. You'll find various things and recommendations on sunscreen. So I'm going to hit the broad spectrum in this and say you should be at least you least using the sunscreen and 50 Sunscreen of 15 will protect you from around 90 to 92% of those ultraviolet rays up to a sunscreen of say 30 which blocks or higher which blocks up to 97% of those UVB rays. So you know, that gives you protection and sunscreen really is kind of a relatively modern thing when you look at that and, and use for protection. I don't know if you use it.
 
James Bell 
And do you might see I've got a little peeling still on my arms from being out on all weekend. Wish I had to use a little bit more but absolutely I used to not know I didn't either. But it's it's a necessity now.
 
Glen McNeil 
Yes, it is. And especially with young children, and I put it on my ears and my nose and my cheeks. I think my arms may be past that point, you know, and my legs are white all the time. That doesn't matter. But I have a son who's very, like very light skinned. And so he puts it on all all the time and I have a son who's dark skinned, I don't even knows what it is, you know, he just walks outside and turns brown standpoint. So various difference that goes in those. And if you're going to be outside for a long period of time, you're gonna go watch kids baseball game or soccer game wide brim hat sunscreens Fine. Get a sun umbrella, take an umbrella with you. Outside of the fact that gives you shade when the wind blows through that small amount of shade. You may feel cooler, you know, but there's some benefits to do that. So and then the other part of it is which I think is great this time of year. The irises are in bloom. Peonies are in bloom everything else. So you get out and you look what the sun gives us. You mentioned the green grass, everything greens that comes up and it's really beautiful. So may Ray day for your health. Get out enjoy the sun but enjoy it in a positive healthy manner and it gets you outside. So you know, I don't know what else to say go on a picnic. Plant, plant flowers, plant flowers, plant flowers, I like flowers.
 
James Bell 
Trees. Yeah, and some trees trees are good
 
Glen McNeil 
too. My wife and I don't necessarily agree on what flowers should be. But you know, I've learned so long as we can get lots of colors I'm okay with planning whatever there is and, and already I didn't do it too much. I started really got into it about five, six years ago, you know and I put out a few garden plants and had these things scattered all over the yard and it gives me about an hour to two hours of work every day to 10 my flowers, my three tomato plants to cucumber plants. I mean those things and get outside but again Outside, enjoy it. So go enjoy

Center for Life Experiences director retiring; search for replacement underway

On this episode of the Post Podcast, Center for Life Experiences executive director Ann Leiker and board treasurer Alan Scheurman share information about the search for a new executive director.
Transcript:
EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.
James Bell 
Center for Life Experiences Executive Director Ann Leikder is ready to pass the baton to a new executive director. She talks to us a little bit about that, along with board of directors treasurer, Alan Scheurman on this episode of the Post Podcast.
 
 
I am looking to retire after well, 20 some years with the Center for life experience as their Executive Director, 30, semi 30 Some years as a social worker in this community, and in a variety of different ways. But yes, I'm looking to take take a little take some time. And so I also bring in some new leadership to the my position. So at the Center for life experience. So that's what Alan is here to talk about today. And, and how someone who might be interested in my position and apply for that, and those kinds of things.
 
James Bell 
Okay, well, Elena, and I do want to talk to that talk to talk to you about that. And we want to get there here in just a minute. But first, before we talk about that, I wonder if you want to kind of maybe talk about what like a day to day operation, you kind of don't know the right word, but you know what I mean? Like, what do you do every day?
 
 
Well, I am I am responsible for the day to day operations of the Center for life experience, and facilitating this different support groups and groups that we have healing after loss for loss of an adults in your life, healing after loss of suicide for families and people who have lost someone to suicide, Healing Hearts for families who have lost a child, and then healing kids hearts, which we had just at the end of March for children from seven to 12 years old. So I'm responsible for kind of coordinating and facilitating all those kinds of things as long as well as making sure we get our bills paid and making sure we welcome people and talk to people. And we will be continuing our support groups. We have Hughley Gutierrez, who's going to be continuing with our to facilitate the support groups for this summer, and she has been doing a super job and with me, and we're and she graduates and will be moot be in doing that, like I said, for the summer as we are as the board is searching to fill my position. So and it's not my position, but it's exciting. It's helping people to cope. The main mission mission is helping people to cope with grief and loss, and the challenges, life challenges that go with that, because there are a lot of them. So and so we'll be continuing in full operation all through the summer. And I'm presuming I'm going to be around now and then helping through the transition. But going to, to AG, I'm turning the big seven zero this year. And so time to take a little time to travel and do some things from just for the fun of it. And for myself and volunteer some in the community and just keep active.
 
James Bell 
Yeah, I'm sure I'm sure there's no slowing you down. Even in retirement, you're gonna be just as busy as ever, but, and I take this opportunity to thank you for everything you've done. I know that so many people in the community have been helped by your services and, and everything that you guys do at the Center for life experiences. And thank you so much for all of that. And, you know, as you're moving into retirement, I told you off air to hopefully you pop in once in a while and keep us caught up on what's going on. Oh,
 
 
I you know, I have loved every minute and been so honored to meet and walk with the people that that the center has reached out to and and it's so wonderful to see the center also have having grown and welcoming more people. And you know how work the community is learning that grief and loss is a normal part of life. But there are some challenges with it. And we need to know, people need to know they're not alone. They have other people to help them walk through that and and to grow and to move forward with their life not move on but move forward and not forgetting. But you know, honoring their loved ones.
 
James Bell 
Absolutely. So I'm curious and again when Oh, how does this search go? For somebody that's been in that position as long as an ima Ajit, it's probably going to be a challenge to find somebody to replace.
 
 
We don't know how that's gonna work out, and has just done an incredible job in this community, helping people and helping start and continue the growth of this organization. She's just done an incredible job for us. She's so empathetic towards people, and continued to provide her expertise and skill level along with her past life experiences as well. So we're so thankful for her leadership, when we move forward in this as well. And we hope that she can continue to help guide us somewhat off and on, we'll see how that all works out at this point in time, we're actually looking for to replace her and I know that's an impossibility, but we'll see what we can do, we hope that someone will step up and possibly take on responsibilities that her passion that she had towards this type of an organization, she has done an incredible job for us. And that's what we're looking for, for some of this passionate, has the skill level and life experience that might go along with that to help lead this group because we obviously we need someone who's dedicated and passionate about doing this type of work.
 
James Bell 
Absolutely. You know, in a practical way, I imagine it's probably a social worker background is what we're looking for. Right?
 
 
Absolutely. And I think that's, that has to be a portion of the requirements so that we can move forward with it. One of the things when we do if you have any kind of that type of background, please send your resume and cover letter to emily@cflc.com. If Ellie, hope hope.org.org, sorry. But yeah, we need that type of leadership. And we look forward to anyone that has that type of passion towards the groups that we have currently in operation. And we're not afraid to expand, but we need someone that's willing to take on that type of organization, that type of passion that goes along with it. Sure, sure.
 
James Bell 
Yeah, imagine that, again, it's probably a pretty specialized skill set that you would want to lead these groups, I would imagine, because it is kind of a delicate topic, sometimes
 
 
as trauma base. And many times it's people don't understand until you've gone through that process. And everyone will go through that process sooner or later live, if you live long enough. That's interesting. Interestingly enough, I mean, it's a it's an interesting topic to cover. And I've been fortunate enough to have been a member of this group in a couple of different ways. And I've been very thankful for that I've been very blessed to have been part of this group. And so I appreciate it every day, which brought me to the border eventually. And I'm thankful that they still want to keep me on the board.
 
 
Very cool, we have a really good board of directors to work with. And I really appreciate all of them, and want to encourage anyone and I think even social work psychology, anything in the human services area that that has some education with it, is what the board is hoping to look for. So social work is a nice fit, because of our skill set. But there are a lot of other there are some other areas too, that the that person can have their education and and have that capacity to, to understand, especially life experience is is helpful.
 
James Bell 
Yeah, I would imagine I give you just Alan, as you say, if you haven't had that experience, it's probably hard to lead someone else through it. It
 
 
really is. But I think there are people that have that commitment and ability, I think there a lot of their education and their background leads them towards that type of a group setting and being able to work with people. And I think that's the main emphasis when we look at people what they can or cannot do, they need to have that type of passion towards that type of work. Okay,
 
 
one of the advantages to my position is that there is some flexibility in the hours that my position can work. And so if you have children in school, or whatever, and there are a few times during the week, when we have our support groups into the early evening, and so, you know, then you adjust your schedule, and we have a terrific office manager assistant who helps with all the other Emily and who does a great job with other things. So it's a it's a great organization to be a part of, and doing well.
 
James Bell 
Very good. And when you know, I wonder if you want to talk a little bit about timelines, are you accepting applications now?
 
 
Absolutely. We'll be happy to take any applications that are said to us, we'll review them. Our board is actively sending out feelers at this point in time, both to the university here in town and to Other places to provide us with possible interested parties.
 
James Bell 
Okay, so no real set time on when you want somebody to be in the position just going to look until you find the right person,
 
 
we hope to find the right person. And I think that's the most important part. I think, yeah, we could set timelines, but we need to be reasonable about it. We need to make sure that whoever takes his position that fits the agenda and the operation that we're currently leading and see if they want to proceed forward and expand upon. So very
 
James Bell 
good. More information on the website
 
 
at WWW dot c, f L II hope i'll lowercase that org.
 
James Bell 
Okay. Now, before we go, we got we got talking about this as the organization continues on, there's always more work to do. And you're you got an event coming up here a little bit later on this month, right?
 
 
Yes, for after 20. Some years, we're still continuing during the memorial day time to do the avenue of pinwheels in honor of children who have died and this is held at Mount Allen cemetery in the children's area. We've also been putting pinwheels in the area of the St. Joseph's cemetery, the children's area as well and at mandolin it's in the children's area. We put anyone is anyone in the communities Welcome to bring to come, we will have pinwheels. And then they can will have a tag that you can put on that pinwheel to say who the pinwheels in honor of. And that stays up through Memorial Day. And so you'll see we've had up to 7580 or more pinwheels in honor of children in our community who have passed, and we do a little dedication ceremony. We all get together. About seven o'clock at Mount Allen on we're going to try for the 24th Tuesday the 24th because we always seem to get into a heck of a hate hailstorm. The one we try this at the first day. So we've said we'll do it the 24th at seven o'clock. And if there's bad weather we're going to try for Thursday the 26th. So and you can call our office for more information at 785-259-6859. Well, we do with like I said, we will have pinwheels, the the group members will be there. It's a way to acknowledge a child of any age that a family has lost and it's and then we get together for some homemade treats as well at the center or right across the street. Very cool. So I want to encourage anybody to come and you don't have to be quote unquote, a member or anything. It's open to anyone in the community.
 
James Bell 
Okay, again, that's may 24, seven o'clock, right. Okay. Well, as long as the weather cooperates.
 
 
Hopefully no, nothing dropping down from the sky. Other than good if it's it might be rain, and we'll take that

Sunflower Senior Solutions works to help find various insurance products

On this episode of the Post Podcast Sunflower Senior Solutions owner Courtney Dale shares information about their services.
Transcript:
EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.
James Bell 
There's never a bad time to have your Medicare coverage evaluated Sunflower Senior Solutions owner Courtney Dale joins us to talk to us a little bit about that and more on this episode of the post podcast.
 
Courtney Dale 
So just a brief rundown of some of our Senior Solutions and what we do and who we are, we are an independent insurance brokerage. And when we started this out about seven or eight years ago, I think it's eight, I say, seven or eight, but I need to go back and double time flies. Time flies when you're having fun. What we do is specialize in Medicare. And so that's how we started and that is still our main focus of products. And so what that means is when somebody is going on to Medicare, we help with the education process, we show them where to go and what to do to enroll in their Part A and B. And then aside from that, we kind of take it from there and help them enrolling all of their supplemental insurance plans, which would be plan G's Plan F, Medicare Advantage Prescription plans, which is the Part D, dental, vision and hearing. So we take it from the point of once they enroll in their A and B we can help someone with every single plant they would need beyond that. What we've done over the years is diversified the products that we offer, and we it's basically just been on a demand basis. So if somebody asked, Hey, do you do this? Or can you help my wife with this? Or can you help my cousin with this? The more questions we get asked about certain products, we go out and we find a solution. So we've added on the Affordable Care Act plans and short term medical plans that sometimes is a huge thing to help someone bridge the gap with a spouse, if one is aging into Medicare, and one is not yet. So we do those. So we we do help people with health insurance that are under the age of 65 as well. We also in the last year have added on long term care. That has been something we've been asked about so many times over the years. And it's a huge growing need. Everyone wants to secure their space, if you will, as far as how am I going to pay for long term care expenses, there are really I'm not going to say inexpensive because that type of insurance is not cheap, but it's not as crazy as it once was. So we do offer some long term care solutions. We also have several different options for life insurance. And that means anything from an annuity to term life insurance to final expense, we offer all of those things. So basically, anything related to health and life insurance we can offer.
 
James Bell 
Wow, that's awesome. You know, I think when businesses like yours develop you, you've really had to Yeah, I think you kind of alluded to this, but you really had to do kind of grasp onto those things because people were asking and needing them. So those services, right?
 
Courtney Dale 
Right, right. So if somebody says, Hey, can you be and we're constantly adding on contracts, that's the beauty of being a broker. So we don't work for just one company, we work for all of the insurance companies. So if somebody says, Hey, why'd we we kept getting asked about long term care. So what we did is we went out and shopped and compared and found out who has the best long term care, and we contracted with those companies and added that product line on we also offer, we can we can get someone coverage in all 50 states, we are not contracted in all 50 states. But if somebody has this has happened, actually quite often. But if somebody has a, let's say, aunt, uncle, cousin sister that lives in Iowa, we can do one of two things. We have a huge network of agents that we can refer someone to we can find someone in that state or two, we simply just go out and get contracted in that state and write the business ourselves. So we do have solutions for pretty much everything. We work really hard at never having to tell someone, no, or I'm sorry, we can't help you. And we we are very, very, very rarely does it happen that we can't help someone with something.
 
James Bell 
That's awesome. That's awesome. And speaking of helping people, you know, we talked about this pretty regularly. When you know this time of year, you're there's not a lot of changes you can do to your regular plan. But if you have a supplemental plan, you can have that analyzed anytime. And you guys do that. Right?
 
Courtney Dale 
Right. So the thing that people don't realize, because there's such a huge emphasis and so much media about open enrollment and Annual Election Period, which is October 15 through December 7. Everyone thinks that that's the only time of year that you can change your plan that only applies to prescription plans, and Part C Medicare Advantage. But if you have a traditional Medicare Supplement whether that's the plan G or a Plan F, you can have that compared and you can actually change it at any time during the year. There are a couple of qualifications that you have to meet as far as health qualifications, but they are, you know, what you think is a major health issue to an insurance company probably isn't. So it is we do recommend that if you've had some rate increases, or you simply want to just save money on your monthly recurring payments that are going out, especially health insurance as a huge expense for pretty much everyone. Let us compare it costs nothing, there's no obligation. And like I said, you can switch those supplements around at any time during the year. A lot of things that people one thing that a lot of people do not understand about Medicare supplemental plans is that they are standardized coverage. So one insurance company can't offer more or better coverage. Plan G is Plan G is Plan G, it doesn't matter if you're with company ABC or company XYZ. If you have a Plan G, you all have the same coverage. So the deductibles the same coverage is the same. They're all accepted everywhere that Medicare is accepted. However, price varies greatly between the carriers and of course service. And we only want to work with companies that offer great service. But there's a good chance. I mean, we do this all the time. We switch people around all year long. And people save anywhere from 2030 bucks a month, we've saved people upwards of $100 a month, but you never know until you have it compared. Yeah,
 
James Bell  
absolutely. And you guys do that pretty regularly. And not only do you compare those plans, but you do workshops, so people can learn more about this, right?
 
Courtney Dale 
Right we have if you are in the listening area, there's a workshop near you. So get on our website. And check out our listing of events, dates, times locations, sunflower senior.com is going to have a full list of that. You can also schedule an appointment on our website. Again, that's sunflower senior.com. Or you can call our office 785301 to 716. Perfect,
 
James Bell 
Courtney, any other last thoughts or anything else you want to hit on before we go?
 
Courtney Dale 
Nope, I think that's it. James, of course. You know, everything we do is complimentary. We do not charge fees. I think everyone who listens to us on a regular basis knows that but just in case you're new, we do not charge anything and there's no obligation to have your plans looked at and compared.
 
James Bell 
Absolutely take advantage of it. Why not? Right. Right. Courtney, thanks. So
 
Courtney Dale 
normally, saving money is something we all want to do right now.
 
James Bell 
Absolutely. Absolutely. prices going up. Let's let's trim from the other side. Right

Warmer outdoor temperatures brings fire danger

On this episode of the Post Podcast Hays Fire Department chief Ryan Hagans shares tips on staying safe during spring and summer.
Transcript:
EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.
 
James Bell 
As summer approaches new fire dangers also pop up paced Fire Department Chief Ryan Hagen's stops by to share with us some ways to stay safe this spring and summer as well as share updates from the department on this episode of the post podcast that we hit on this a little bit last month the fire hydrant testing was going on. I think that's still kind of wrapping up in it.
 
Ryan Hagans 
Yeah, it's still going on, we usually start that the first part of March because he knows well as I do. Springtime in western Kansas, flip a coin on the weather conditions. It's either gonna be nice, or it's gonna we're gonna have some cold weather. So we we just kind of picked march to get started on that so we can get it wrapped up before water restrictions kick in place. We're probably about three quarters away done. So we go around and pressure flow test every hydrant in town to make sure that they're working properly and kind of helps out to our water resources department by getting water quality back where it should be.
 
James Bell 
You know, I It's funny, you mentioned that you guys were over in my neighborhood the other day and did it and the the water went from it had kind of a murky gun, a fishy taste to that super chlorinated taste, is there backfill in the lines? And then now Yeah, absolutely. There's quite a bit better than a headache. And even really,
 
Ryan Hagans 
it's just the water moving throughout the town. Yeah, it definitely improves the quality.
 
James Bell 
And it's always good to have those ready and know that they work. If you're in an emergency. That's not the time you want to find out, hey, we don't have the proper pressure here.
 
Ryan Hagans 
Right. And so we want to make sure that the hydrants themselves are in good, good condition.
 
James Bell 
Yeah. Speaking of being prepared for emergencies, you guys recently conducted your the FFA Turner FAA. Yes, fire training.
 
Ryan Hagans 
On April 20. We conducted our annual our live burn requirements which are for AR f f, which is airport rescue and firefighting. That is training as mandated, like I said, by the FAA, and several years ago, we partnered up with the DoD City Fire Department and they they'll send anywhere between eight and 12 other staff up to join us as well. So that's a it's a good time it's an all day event but it's it's good training hot
 
James Bell 
that's what I went out there one year maybe not this last one but went out there one year to photography you guys working out there and holy smokes the the that simulated airplane fire you can feel it from so far away. And I can even imagine and all that gear, how hot that is. Even on a nice day.
 
Ryan Hagans 
You get the gear on then you go inside the plane and all that heats just trapped in its little warm.
 
James Bell 
Yeah. Let's see what else you also did some. What is this fact training?
 
Ryan Hagans 
Yeah, that was put on by Fort Hays State. And yes, and Debbie K. Fact was dead for a first responder art, collaboration and training. It was a four day event and what it does, it was a good interaction between how do how to interact with people with some cognitive disability. So we really enjoyed that. All of our guys have went down narratives and all that we had so much fun with the DSM Debbie Kay clients, for Hey, students, it was a good time.
 
James Bell 
Very cool, very cool. I know you guys really love to be out in the community and make your or be a positive presence in the community. And you got some events coming up to that kind of a center on that day idea as well. Right, right.
 
Ryan Hagans 
Earlier this week, Lieutenant Tim de tree, was invited to speak with the Hays High School jag class, which that jag J G stands for jobs available for graduates. He did an excellent job, I was up there with him and watched him do his thing. And just did an outstanding job and I think he is going to try and go back again next week.
 
James Bell 
Very cool. You know, I remember as a kid, I had a desire to be a fire firefighter. I think a lot of kids do and it's really cool that you can go in there and interact with them and maybe help keep that dream alive a little bit.
 
Ryan Hagans 
You know, was one thing that was interesting. When they were getting this all planned out, you know, they got it. How do how do you get involved in the fire service and Lieutenant d3 That gave a chance to tell his story you know, and what what led him into it? And it was it was it was good to hear it I got to witness his journey also but it was as good hearing his side of it. And as the kids I think really appreciated him sharing his story.
 
James Bell 
Absolutely. And as picking up kiddos bringing back the front door Fridays we were talking a little bit before we got on here I got to bring in my four year old down there check out the trucks because what a cool way to interact with the department
 
Ryan Hagans 
Yeah, every starting in May through October the third Friday of every month 7pm to 9pm we'll be down in the apparatus Bay down there station one 1507 main doors will be up stop on by this for a quick drop into are we be glad to have anyone everyone come by.
 
James Bell 
Yeah love that. and it is that time of year that you know, the weather's getting nicer school is coming to an end those kiddos is going to be out more and more, aren't they?
 
Ryan Hagans 
Oh, yeah, we just want to monitor but just be paying a little bit more attention. Obviously the weather's turning Nice. Kids are going to be outside riding bikes running down the sidewalks out in the parks. Yeah, we can get to some days the winds not blown, though beyond about even more. This one reminder, buddy, it's that time here. Let's be on the lookout. And it's a crazy thought. But here we are about to wrap up another school year. You know, just be prepared. Once again, graduations are coming up. So we'll see an increase in traffic throughout the community.
 
James Bell 
Absolutely. And you know, with the weather warming up to people will be out celebrating cooking barbecues and parties and all that as well. Right? That's
 
Ryan Hagans 
right. You know, this is if you haven't already, but a good reminder to make sure that that barbecue grills in good clean working order. Gas Grill, you have no leaks and everything. Just reminded Don't, don't try barbecuing in the garage unless you got some really good ventilation, but it still can build up carbon monoxide. So we want to just want everybody to be safe and have a good time.
 
James Bell 
Absolutely. And if you're on a road trip, right, you need to be maintained on that vehicle.
 
Ryan Hagans 
Oh, that's that's for sure, too. We don't want to have anybody break down alongside the road. So if you got a good family vacation planned, now's a good time to make sure that vehicle is go get checked over. That way you know your road ready? Absolutely.
 
James Bell 
Already, sir. Well, we've got just about a minute or so left. Any last thoughts where we go?
 
Ryan Hagans 
Yeah, we still have a funny smoke alarms to give away. If you're interested in that program, and to see the qualifications for that. This give us a call at the office at 628730 glad to help you out.

Extension districts plan tractor safety course

On this episode of the Post Podcast Cottonwood Extension District agent Stacy Campbell shares information about upcoming events.
 
Transcript:
EDITORS NOTE: Transcripts are provided by an automated service and are not verified for accuracy.
 
James Bell 
The area extension districts are getting ready for wheat feel the plot days cottonwood extension district agent Stacy Campbell stops by to talk to us about that and much more on this episode of the post podcast going on. But we want to talk about this first. We've been talking about this here on the go morning show for the last few weeks. This is the tractor farm safety course. Now this week, we haven't been talking about it because the deadline had come. Yeah, but you say there's a few spots left. You're gonna squeak some more kids. Oh, yeah.
 
Stacy Campbell 
Yeah, we can squeak some more kids in right. We put the deadline was last Friday. But you know, you kind of gotta have a deadline. I mean, we will still take more kids. Yeah. For that we actually call it hazardous occupation, safety training and agriculture. The acronym is hosta. But basically, yeah, tractor farm safety course that extension service offers every year around the state. For youth that are 14 to 15 years of age, if they're going to be working for somebody on a farm, especially other than their parents, or even if their parents I believe are in like a corporation or partnership. by federal law, if they're 14 or 15 years old. They're supposed to take this tractor farm safety course we have at this Saturday in Hill city, I'm going to be going, I am going there to to teach so I can gladly haul any kids that still need to get signed up and go to that. Very cool. And it was if I remember, right, it's like $10. Yeah, it's just $10. Right? In the end, yeah, I actually people's state bank, out of Hoxie is one of our sponsors, so that with them sponsoring, it's help reduce the cost. And then there's a manual that the kids get, actually, it's a big manual on loan that will take back, but they could still get registered, we just encourage them to do that today. Tomorrow, they can call the extension office at 6289430. For that tractor farm safety course this Saturday in Hill city, it is an all day event. And like I say, I'm gonna go so I can gladly haul any kids that that need to go. Very cool. Very cool.
 
James Bell 
But that's just one of the many things you've got going on down there this time of year, right?
 
Stacy Campbell 
Well, yeah, it's kind of always there's always, it's always busy. There's always something going on. Of course, we'll have the fair coming up this summer. And that's already on our books. And we're working on it getting the last of our judges and superintendents and you know, working all the details out on that. But also, we plot field days will be coming up here in May. Our first one is in Barton County on Monday, May the 23rd, starting at 830 in the morning, and the 23rd is a Monday, that's not a good time to be having a field day first thing Monday morning, but that our specialists have those all over the state. So they're quite busy. So I worked with them this year and said, Sure, I'll take Monday, I'll take the the bad day to kind of have a field day on Monday morning. But in Barton County, it's going to be Monday, May 23, at 830. And you know if which of course, I'm sitting here talking to Ellis County, folks, so they're probably not too interested in that one. But the next one is in Ellis County, and it's going to be on Wednesday, June the first. So that's Wednesday, June, the first will be our annual Ellis County wheat demonstration or wheat variety plot field day, it's going to be in the evening at 6pm. We do have it at a different location. It's south and little west of Hayes at mangiare and 230th Avenue. And we're going to kind of do the same thing. We'll have a meal afterwards. So we do ask that you RSVP that's appreciated by Tuesday, May 31. For our wheat Demonstration Field Day on Wednesday, June the first and then our number is 6289430.
 
James Bell 
Very cool. Very cool. You know what those wheat field days I imagine a lot of the folks are listening probably either they're their producers, and they already know these events are happening and they're going or they're not. I'm curious, you know, is there is there any benefit for those that aren't maybe producers to check this? So
 
Stacy Campbell 
I mean, it's a good question. Actually. Sometimes we have a landlord's you know, they're not farming the ground and they have it rented out, but sometimes they'd like to come and listen and hear what's going on and, and just kind of visit with other farmers and stuff they know, in all oftentimes, you know, landlords may be in what's called a crop share leasing arrangement with their tenant to where they actually get a percentage of the crop. So it is good for them to try to you know, stay up on things and understand about diseases and insects and, and the new varieties and things like that. So yes, we welcome anybody to come to those to our wheat demonstration plot field days and yeah, sometimes we have landlords come to those. Very cool. Yep. Well,
 
James Bell 
what else could have going on? Well, one of the things I
 
Stacy Campbell 
might mention is just kind of did a newspaper article about it. But unfortunately, since we're, we've been dry and looks like we may continue to stay that away. So quite a few of our farm ponds are getting pretty dry, if not already dried up. So this is a good opportunity to if you need to clean that farm pond out to do that. If it's leaking. I would advise you After you've cleaned it out, or maybe before you clean it out, you could take some soil course around on the pond area about zero to four to six inches down and you can bring those into the extension office, we can send them off to get a soil texture test. And that soil texture test will tell how much clay is in the soil. So if your ponds been leaking, I would advise you to do that. Because if it comes back and it's got close to 30% clay content or higher, you can alter I mean, you can take care of that leaking problem after you've cleaned that pond out by just really really packing it well with what's called a sheep's foot roller. I mean, that's really what needs to happen. So if you've got enough clay in the soil, but the pond is leaking, take a soil texture test, bring it into the extension office, give us a call, we might be able to help you there in that, you know, maybe it's just the deal where you really need to pack it really, really well while it's dry. And then that may take care of any leaking problems. And you don't have to go and try to dig a new pond. And then there's some products you can use to put into the soil, but they get kind of expensive. So that's why I encourage folks to clean out their farm ponds. And then if they're leaking to do a soil texture test, also when you're cleaning them out, sometimes people don't think about that it's very advisable to put that dirt that you're taken out on the backside of the of the dam. Because sometimes you see of just they clean it out and they put it all kind of around the pond. Well, where's it going to ultimately go down the road? Yeah, it's gonna go back in we hard rains and the cattle and stuff. So put it on the back of the dam, okay. Plus your dam usually needs a little extra work and some in some, you know, dirt work and things like that to shore it up. So anyway, if you if you want some more information about that soil texture test for your leaking pond, give us a call at the extension office 6289430 We can gladly send that soil land and do that just recently had somebody do that. It was leaking. We discovered that it had I think exactly 30% CLAY So it was dry. So they got that sheep's foot roller on it and packed it really good. So I'm anxious to see once it fills up if it won't leak anymore. I suspect it won't. Yeah, very cool. Yeah. Yeah.
 
James Bell 
Well already, sir. Well, we got less than a minute left. Any
 
Stacy Campbell 
other last thoughts where we go? I think that's it. Yeah, the tractor farm safety courses this Saturday and Hill city. If you got a kid that's 1415 years old got to be working on a farm they need to take the course they can still get signed up. Just give us a call today at the extension office 6289430 We'll get him signed up. I'm going to it so I'll gladly take any kiddos with

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