As a daughter of a Kansas wheat farmer, I have many memories of crop disasters and appreciate the hardships faced by these families.  In those years, we didn’t have crop insurance and if the wheat died, it was a tough year.  I specifically remember years when hard hail took the wheat down at the peak of the growing period.  In my mind is an image of my Dad standing at the edge of an eighty acre field, crying after a total loss.

Well, Kansas weather has made the news this year with unpredictable dryness, wetness, wind, cold, and untimely snow and sleet.  We are experiencing the third year of drought.  Our wheat was happily growing with several inches of good rain and snow, but recently we have had three weeks of freezing temperature.  For those unfamiliar with wheat farming, wheat can be killed if the temperature goes too low at a time when the wheat grain stalk is maturing.

This week, experts hit the road in Kansas to diagnose how severe the crop loss was.  I found the photos and explanations very helpful in understanding their findings. Ag experts were in the fields looking for damage from two problems:  continuing drought as measured by the moisture available in the subsoil and 2) damage to the plant stems from freezing temperatures.

The measures taken seem fairly straight forward, if tedious.  They walk into fields all over the state and take random samples.  They test potential yield by counting the number of wheat stalks per foot and also pulling up plants to determine the depth of the plant roots, indicating soil moisture.

Plant damage from freezing was determined by examining the plant for damage.  I have provided photos to illustrate what happens when a plant freezes.

 
I haven’t heard the report of my own crop yet, but if it was damaged, it would have been from the freeze this week.  My county had abundant rain and the wheat was looking healthy.  Besides hoping for an income from the crop this year, I’d like to feel a little success as a farmer.  As we say here, it sure seems like it’s been a long dry spell for farmers.   

Ah, spring has brought back the farmers market, a little nice weather and has inspired me to cook some of my favorite fresh food recipes.  I picked up some early spinach that inspired a smothered chicken breast on a nest of fresh spinach, topped with a nice guacamole.   

The recipe gives me an opportunity to use some of my frozen chile as well, so this evening while the chicken cooked I whipped it all together and did my taste test.  “Ay Chihuahua!” Talk about an afterburn! I realized this was the chile I had frozen from the draught year – too little water often will produce a chile that is hot as blazes, even when it is a known mild variety.

Well, I saved the meal by adding an extra avocado and an extra tomato and as usual the combination was delicious, BUT, it did remind me as I planted this year to choose a mild variety of chile and to make sure I planted where sufficient water would be available.  I will look forward to the pungent smell of chiles roasting on the grill as I prepare them for freezing.

It is still cold here in Wichita and I haven’t even planted the lettuce. I plan to do that tomorrow after cleaning my beds out but we will have at least three days below freezing this week, so I don’t see a reason to rush it. 

Isn’t that what gardening is all about?  You work with the weather gods and plant when you know it’s right.  Maybe this year when I whip up the guacamole, “ Ay Chihuahua” will be for the surprisingly good taste, not the heat!

Took a little trip to watch the cranes in Nebraska and it gave me an opportunity to talk about game birds with my brother-in-law while in the car.

I like to think I am a reasonable person about hunting in general, becoming mildly obsessive only if I think it foolish or wasteful.  I eat venison, for example, but deer practically knock on the farm house door.  I don’t however, allow bird hunting.  I think it is wasteful and unfair to my endangered birds.

So, on this trip, I brought up the subject of turkey hunting, which this particular week seemed to coincide with the breeding season.  It didn’t seem fair to me to shoot turkey at that time.

So, I asked my brother-in-law, we’ll call him Charles, why would the state allow a hunt during that time.

"Well, he answered, “it’s only the males we’re allowed to shoot.”

I cast my eyes upon him with a look of incredulous doubt.  “I think that’s my point,” I responded.  “They’re MATING.  It’s not right to shoot them.”

He gave me a sheepish grin.  “Ah, you don’t need to worry.  We only shoot them after they have mated.”

"Ahhh,” I nodded with understanding.  “And how do you know if they’ve mated?”

He grinned again.  “Not to worry,” he said, shaking his head negatively.   “If there’s any doubt, we only shoot the old bachelors.”

We keep him in the family only because we've grown so attached to him.

You might expect me to be sitting by the fireside during these recent Kansas snowstorms, but I’m using the time more productively to prepare for one of my favorite volunteer efforts – creating a love of nature in three to five year old children.

As a Kansas master naturalist, I enjoy working in the local gardens and nature centers and as a lifelong educator, I am dedicated to the idea of kids loving nature too.  At Great Plains Nature Center, one of my favorite activities is a weekly group for preschoolers called “Little Nature Lovers.” 

As you might expect, the attention span for this age group is short, so we have found a switch of activity about every 12 minutes works fairly well with parent help.  My group does one fiction and one non-fiction book on a nature topic followed by a simple craft for them to take home.

The selection of the literature is extremely important.  If your public library is like mine, it has thousands of books for children, but I look for books with particular qualities. 

First, for both fiction and nonfiction, I look for books that reflect animals and life forms that are “real” and not personified.  Sometimes I find a quality story that might have an animal talking, but I always point out to the children that “we” know that animals can’t really talk and that it is just a story.  An example of this might be Owl Babies by Martin Waddel, wherein the baby owls do speak, but say what we might imagine any baby saying that was left alone.  The book’s redeeming value is in introducing what owls eat and the hunting practices of owls.  Still another example might be some of the books by Eric Carle, such as The Very Quiet Cricket, where speech is used, but characteristics of crickets can be found in the illustrations.

Second, I look for books that either have excellent and realistic illustrations, or photos. These are becoming much more available with the new national standards emphasizing nonfiction comprehension.  I particularly like the books written by Jim Arnosky because the illustrations are full and beautiful and worthy of discussion as a picture book.  I also like the Lerner “Pull Ahead” books that have photographs and excellent text.  I am developing this week’s lesson on the eastern cottontail rabbit and chose Rabbits & Raindrops by Jim Arnosky and Cottontail Rabbits by Kristi Gallagher.  The latter is a Lerner publication.

Finally, I look for good content that is accurate and appropriate for the preschool age. I like the Lerner publications for this reason as well.  The pictures and text go well together and allow children to respond with their own prior knowledge.  Sometimes I select books with great pictures and select the best of the information to avoid overload.

Many families are joining the effort to introduce their children to nature as well.  If you are interested in pursuing the effort, I would recommend the “Children and Nature Network” for ideas and links.  The website is at www.childrenandnature.org.    

Twelve degrees this morning in my little spot in Kansas.  It is the first true week of winter we’ve had this year, and still very little snow or rain.  The forecast is for warm days and no moisture for the next 14 days.  No wonder people say all Kansas farmers do is talk about the weather!  

This is the time of year the traditional farmer kicks back and waits for the crops to come up.  My family men fed and watered cattle and other stock, took the opportunity to tear down a tractor or two, and in the afternoon, stoked up the wood stove, stretched out in the Lazy Boy and took a bit of a nap.

Not a bad life, this country life.  As for me, I’m trying to get some water and food out for the urban wildlife.  The birds are not as plentiful this year – being smart sort of fellers, they are migrating around looking for more water than the Midwest has to offer.  Nevertheless, we are seeing a few hardy souls.

My household critters and I are just enjoying the days.  The cats help me keep watch for things needing to be done and if a little rain should fall, we’ll be seeing the birds again soon.  In the meantime, I’ll just keep the tradition, light the gas fireplace and read my new seed catalogs.  A girl has to dream.

This morning I opened the garage door and stepped out on a thin layer of snow to fetch the paper.  It was cold at 14 degrees and a gray day as we are socked in by clouds.  I stood quietly for a minute as small snowflakes fell on my head.  I could hear the Canada geese warming up their honkers as they assembled for the morning food run.  A grackle screeched from a nearby tree.  “Ah,” I thought, “a little moment of nature before coffee.”

Urban wildlife was a subject of discussion with my holiday guests this last week, so I thought it interesting that I had two birds identified in the first minute of the day.  Just a few days ago, family members decided they needed exercise, so I shared some of my walking paths with them.  My son, an avid hunter and fisherman, commented on the abundance of bird and animal life.  He also indicated that he didn’t normally see wildlife in his home city neighborhood.

Unfortunately, too often urban wildlife is not seen as it is camouflaged by people hurling through their lives.  Web MD “Health News” reports adults are spending 25% less time in nature this year than in 1987 and the time is declining by 1% yearly.  Research reported by the New York Times indicates Americans take fewer steps daily than any other country in the study – walking only half as much as the next country in the study.  Average distance walked?  Less than a mile. 

While the backyards of our homes do not supply walking distances needed to maintain our needed exercise, they can certainly be a good place to start to observe wildlife.  Watching and feeding birds is a good way to get started and can provide hours of nature education.  Birdwatching can also be the stimulus needed for a bit of gardening or landscaping as one provides a better habitat for food and protection.  With habitat comes wildlife.

In my own neighborhood, I have found that if I spend more time specifically looking for wildlife, I find others are doing the same and are willing to share.  A neighbor half a street down has become a friend “over the fence.” She has the tree that the Mississippi Kites nest in and was able to help me identify the birds that glide the skies.  Another neighbor I came to know on one of my walking trails shared the location of an owls’ nest in a nearby hundred year elm.  Raccoons, rabbits and possums are the subjects of conversations all along my street. 

Just a day ago the family went to a science museum with my grandson.  As we loaded into the car, someone said, “Oh, look, there’s a rabbit in the bushes,” and we all stopped to watch.  “No, there are two rabbits,” my grandson observed, “and a bird.” We waited and watched for five minutes and that led to a discussion of “urban” wildlife.

Even if you live in the largest city, there is wildlife.  It just takes a bit of slowing down and looking for it.  We need to look no further than our own backyard.         

I have been writing for the past two years about the difficulties of dry-land farming in Kansas during an long-term and continuing drought.  This has been the worst drought for the state since 1965. It has, of course, affected our gardens.  Insect invasion – especially grasshoppers - has been a challenge as the hoppers move to the only source of moisture available – gardens.

Our gardens were only an early indication of the stress on the environment.  Pastureland yield was only half of the normal hay harvest and farmers were feeding hay as early as August and September.  Although the wheat crop was adequate with spring rains, milo and soy bean crops were poor.  As farmers planted wheat this fall, lack of rainfall prevented sprouting and that which did sprout has died back from lack of moisture. 

In this second year of drought, we now find that wildlife in the area has suffered.  Game reports indicate drought has resulted in high die-off of the deer population and poor fawning.  Populations of quail and pheasant are low. 

USA Today reported in August that many cities are by necessity preparing for climate change as increased heat and decreased moisture has killed off large ornamental trees and grasses.   Major cities have begun preparation through better planting planning to include native trees and grasses.  Programs have been established to increase composting and water conservation. 

I cannot think of a better time to encourage agricultural and environmental awareness at all levels.  Our children are going to face a different world than we have known.  Climate change is a reality and the effects are real.  We need every single person to help us preserve this precious earth.

As I packed a Christmas box headed for my son’s house this week, I threw in an old bumper sticker I found in the garage.  It said “No farms, no food.”  Never has the message been more important.  We must all do more to learn the best way to protect and nurture our environment – for food and for life itself. 

I know that readers of this blog are already on board, and are educating friends and family.  As I see my own environment struggle, it motivates me to make just a little more effort to spread the message.  Not only is it sad to see environmental abundance decline, it is frightening to think that that slogan is true – “No farms, no food.”