This issue’s cover features ripening mid-summer blackberries at the Depot Market’s pick-your-own patch. Tom Parker captured the photo in Courtland during the “Thinking Outside the Box” North Central Kansas Farm Tour.
Dan Kuhn’s family once had 30 acres of u-pick apples: “We actually did pretty well on apples in the eighties and nineties, but culture changes. We used to sell bazillions of pick-your-own apples to people who put up big amounts of applesauce. Nobody does that anymore.”
Check out all the photos from the tour on KFU’s FLICKR.
Photo credit: Tom Parker
View the Winter 2019 Kontact on ISSUU.
Download a PDF of the Winter 2019 Kontact (2.3 MB)
STATEHOUSE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
By SEAN GATEWOOD General Legislature and Governor: This year is the first year with the new Governor, now we have a divided government. It is unclear at this point what exactly that will mean but most think there will be some degree of gridlock until there is some sort of bargain between the legislative leaders and the Governor. School funding, taxes, KPERS, and Medicaid expansion are all going to be hotly [...]
Northeast Kansas Chapter Launches
Kansas Farmers Union chartered its first multi-county chapter in more than a decade this fall. Awareness of KFU in this region of the state has grown as we have helped organize and host multiple events, from a series of farm tours and workshops targeted to military veterans to a statewide symposium on regional food systems. Last summer, through the Farmers First Mondays events, we brought together longtime KFU members [...]
American healthcare getting more expensive, less effective
By Tom Parker When Walter Cronkite spoke, America listened. His unbiased reporting on events from Vietnam, President Kennedy’s assassination and Watergate earned him the title of “the most trusted man in America.” Cronkite’s words carried weight, and though he strictly adhered to the standards of objective journalism, he still managed to make his opinions known. For instance, his disdain for the health care system needed no elaboration when [...]
Climate Changes: NFU president assesses the uncertain farm economy
The 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law on December 20, 2018. Read NFU President Roger Johnson's statement on the passage here. By Tom Parker The National Farmers Union, while admittedly leaning left of center on the political spectrum, has always been staunchly nonpartisan on issues facing America’s farmers and ranchers, NFU President Roger Johnson told assembled members of the Kansas Farmers Union during their annual convention. Under [...]
Convention Delegates Adopt 2019 KFU Policy Priorities
Delegates to the 2018 State Convention adopted seven Special Orders of Business during policy debate. The orders address a wide range of concerns, from healthcare and mental health services to the rural economy and beginning farmer support. New orders include: On the rural economy, members connect grain surpluses from over-production and high crop yields to historically new low levels of the parity ratio and call for a program of [...]
Forrest Buhler and Char Henton Receive KFU’s 2018 Ruth Hirsh Awards
KFU proudly honors the legacy of Ruth Hirsh through its award in her name which is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to agriculture and the efforts of the Farmers Union. Hirsh was a strong advocate for a viable education program in Farmers Union; not only for the children, but also for the general public. She felt if all Americans recognized the challenges that [...]