U N R E CO G N I Z E D B E A U T Y BY H A N N A H BY R D
AUGUST
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F E AT U R E S
D E PA RT M E N T S
12 | Best in Class
4 |
Tabatha Rosproy, early education teacher from Winfield, Kansas, earned the 2020 National Teacher of the Year award for her work with the Little Vikes intergenerational preschool housed within the Cumbernauld Village.
14 | Manage Home Energy Use COVID-19 is affecting residential energy use as individuals increase their time spent at home. Learn to manage your usage.
19 | Preserve Garden Produce Extend the life of your bountiful summer garden harvest with various preservation techniques.
8 | 9 |
The Rural Kansas Photography Contest kicks off and, once again, Kansas Country Living is sponsoring the $100 grand-prize winning photograph.
22 | A Place of Discovery
A RO U N D K A N S A S
Local events, state parks part 2 CO M M E N TA RY
RUS loan refinancing benefits co-ops C RO S S W O R D P U Z Z L E
Courses of study
Test your education knowledge.
10 |
E N E RGY W I S E
Home air leak fixes
Seal air leaks in three simple steps.
16 |
20 | Get Snappin’ Shutterbugs Venture out into the world to learn about yourself and to find the most meaningful connections.
6 |
E D I TO R’S L E T T E R
Teachers instill life lessons
T H E P R E S I D E N T ’S P E N
Bridging the digital divide
Rural America thirsts for broadband.
18 |
YO U R P L AC E I N T H E G A R D E N
Pocket planters
Repurposing household items.
24 |
CO O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E
Fried, golden delicacies
Summer squash ripe for frying.
14
26 | 28 | 29 |
M A R K E T P L AC E
Barn builders, chicks, pond pellets SAFETY
Demonstrations save lives M O N T H LY R E C I P E S
Kids in the kitchen
Kid-friendly recipes entice helpers into the kitchen.
ANGELA NUSE
ON THE COVER
12
Winfield teacher Tabatha Rosproy named National Teacher of the Year. P H OTO BY K AY D E E R I G G S - J O H N S O N
AUGUST 2020
KANSA BEST IN N CL ASS Get Snapp in’
Shu
tte Rural Kans as Photograp rbugs hy celebrates Contest 15
AUGUS T
years Manage Ene rgy Costs Small adjus
2020 | BROUG HT TO YOU BY ROLLIN G
HILLS ELECTR IC
tmen earn big savin ts gs
CO-OP | WWW. KEC.CO
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
3
OP
E D I TO R’S L E T T E R
Teachers Build Confidence in Addition to Life Skills
(ISSN 0091-9586) AUGUST 2020 VOL. 70, NO. 8 ©KANSAS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES, INC., 2020 WWW.KEC.COOP
Lee Tafanelli
Chief Executive Officer
Vicki Estes
Director of Communications, Editor
Carrie Kimberlin
Manager of Creative Solutions
Shaylee Arpin
to your school days, I imagine you can recall a favorite teacher whose impact on your life still resonates. You may have several teachers who meet that criteria. I do. My first grade teacher, Sister Mary Laurette, kept in touch with me until her passing. She was the first to encourage my love of the English language and nudged me to compete in a spelling bee dominated by the eighth graders. I didn’t win, but I walked away with the confidence to take risks, risks that could be embarrassing (similar to writing for a magazine in which errors are public for everyone to spot.) Duane Shufelberger ignited my love for journalism and storytelling. Shuf, as we affectionately called him, taught high school journalism for decades. He rarely discouraged a story idea, which led to a prom parody in which my co-editor and I demonstrated how classmates could attend the expensive event on the cheap. The ride on the back of a trash truck complete with “footman” substituted for a limo ride. Probably not my best work. College introduced me to the legendary Charles Smith, a 40-year oil company public relations guru turned professor extraordinaire who purchased IF YOU THINK BACK
red ballpoint pens in bulk. The saying, “he bled all over my paper” most likely originated in his writing class. Promptness and accuracy were the expectations. You best not be late to class as he would shut the door when the bell rang and administer an extra-point quiz to those students who arrived on time. Those who didn’t drop the class, not only learned to write but to be on time in the work world. As we celebrate Kansan Tabatha Rosproy, 2020 National Teacher of the Year, and her innovative intergenerational program (Page 12), I invite readers to share memories of their favorite teachers, along with photos if available to editor@kansascountryliving.com. Teachers planning for the approaching school year face challenges and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19. Let’s share some positivity with them. KCL
VICKI ESTES, EDITOR
In July’s feature on ice cream, we misspelled and transposed the name of Paleteria Tarahumara in Garden City, and misspelled Paleteria Tropicana, of Kansas City and Wichita. We apologize for the errors and will work to improve our fact-checking process.
CORRECTION
Multimedia Communications Specialist
Brianna Magee
Communications Intern Officers Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.
Terry Hobbs
President
Teresa Miller Vice President
Kirk Thompson
Secretary/Treasurer
You receive Kansas C ountry Living as a service of the following electric co-ops as a cost-effective way to share important information about services, energy savings, electric safety, director elections, meetings and management decisions. It also contains legal notices that otherwise would be published in other media at greater cost: 4 Rivers, Lebo Alfalfa, Cherokee, OK Bluestem, Wamego Brown-Atchison, Horton Butler, El Dorado CMS, Meade Caney Valley, Cedar Vale Doniphan, Troy DS&O, Solomon Flint Hills, Council Grove FreeState, McLouth & Topeka Lane-Scott, Dighton Ninnescah, Pratt Pioneer, Ulysses Prairie Land, Norton Rolling Hills, Beloit Sedgwick County, Cheney Sumner-Cowley, Wellington Tri-County, Hooker, OK Twin Valley, Altamont Victory, Dodge City Western, WaKeeney Wheatland, Scott City Your co-op’s board of directors authorizes a subscription to Kansas Country Living on behalf of the membership at a cost of $5.58 per year. Individual non-member subscriptions are $10 per year (tax included).
Co-op Members: Please report address changes to your local electric co-op. Postmaster: Send returns to Kansas Country Living, P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267. Kansas Country Living is published monthly by Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc., P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604. Periodicals postage paid at Topeka, KS, and additional entry offices. Editorial offices: P.O. Box 4267, Topeka, KS 66604-0267; 785-478-4554. Advertising: Kansas Country Living is a member of American MainStreet Publications (www.amp.coop), collectively reaching an audited circulation of 9,378,177 monthly. Advertisers call 512-441-5200. Acceptance of advertising by Kansas Country Living does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Kansas’ electric cooperatives.
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THROUGH AUG. 2 Kansas Sporting Clays
Championship, Fall River. Competitions for small gauge 20/28/4.10/super sport/pump/SxS. Flint Oak, rural Fall River. AUG. 1 SRCA Drag Strip, Great Bend. Watch the cars
speed down the historical SRCA drag strip. SRCA Drag Strip.
AUG. 1 Sprint Nationals, Belleville. C hampionship race of the Belleville 305 Sprint Nationals on the Belleville High Banks. www.bellevillehighbanks.org. AUG. 1 Smoky Valley Classic Car Show, Lindsborg.
AUG. 14-15 SRCA Drag Strip, Great Bend. Watch the
cars speed down the historical SRCA drag strip. Test and tune on Aug. 14, NHRA Summit Points Race on Aug. 15. SRCA Drag Strip.
Come enjoy awards like the Police Chief and Sheriff’s Choice for most likely to be stopped by those agencies. Vendors, food and T-shirts available 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Swensson Park, visitlindsborg.com.
AUG. 15 National Geographic Photo Ark Exhibit,
AUG. 8 Party in the Park, Great Bend. Celebrate the end of the summer at Party in the Park! This annual event includes an obstacle mud run, mud volleyball, wet-dry parade, paint in the park, car show, kites, and a concert at end the night with fireworks! Fun for all ages, all day. Veterans Memorial Park.
AUG. 15 Street Dance, Lindsborg. Bring the family to get your dance on! 100 block of North Street, visitlindsborg.com.
AUG. 8 Cruisin’ the Center, Smith Center.
in the city park and a fun cruise around Lake Scott State Park . VisitScottCity.com
Logan. Photo ark includes portraits of over 12,000 species including birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Free admission! Shari Buss 785-689-4846.
AUG. 15-16 Lake Scott Rod Run, Scott City. Car show
Registration 9-10 a.m. All vehicles welcome, 22 categories, judging and show 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Cruisin’ at 2 p.m. Kiwanis Lunch Stand. Smith Center Chamber of Commerce, 785-2823895, scchamber@smithcenterks.com.
AUG. 22 Demolition Derby, Fredonia. F or limited, bolt
AUG. 9 Afternoon Dances at the VFW, Fredonia. Featuring old time rock-n-roll. 2-5 p.m. every second and fourth Sunday through 2020. VFW Post #3018.
AUG. 23 Afternoon Dances at the VFW, Fredonia. Featuring old time rock-n-roll, 2-5 p.m. every second and fourth Sunday through 2020. VFW Post #3018.
AUG. 13 Outdoor Movie, Great Bend. Enjoy a free
AUG. 28-29 SRCA Drag Strip, Great Bend. Watch the
outdoor movie starting at dusk provided by the City of Great Bend and Waters Hardware. Jack Kilby Square. AUG. 14 “The Two Man Exhibit,” Ellsworth. The
Ellsworth Area Art Center features paintings from Chuck Bonner, Scott City, and Stan Detrixhe. Ellsworth Area Art Center, 223 N. Douglas Ave. AUG. 14-15 Cruise-In at the Crossroads, Belleville. Ride in style this weekend. Cruise into the fairgrounds Friday with a burger feed and live entertainment on the Midway. Parade Saturday at 11:30 a.m. Downtown, bellevilleks.org. AUG. 14-15 Community Celebration, Belleville. A
weekend of celebrations with a wine walk on Friday and fishing on Saturday. Live entertainment each evening. bellevillecommunitypride.com.
6
Please check prior to the scheduled date of an event to make sure it has not been canceled due to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) concerns.
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
AUGUST 2020
and chain, and figure eight, plus powerwheels beginning at 6 p.m. Wilson County Fairgrounds.
cars speed down the historical SRCA drag strip. Test and tune, gamblers race on Aug. 28, NHRA All Access Challenge Wally Race, JR Dragsters Challenge Wally Race, Summit Points Race on Aug. 29. SRCA Drag Strip. AUG. 28-29 Bust-a-Clay for Kids’ Sake, Fall River.
The 18th annual sporting clays event for the Outdoor Mentors program assists with funding to provide quality outdoor experiences for kids across Kansas. Breakfast and dinner included, plus an auction at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 28. Flint Oak, rural Fall River. KCL Kansas Country Living publishes events free as space allows. Send event information by the fifth of the month prior to publication to events@kansascountryliving.com. To guarantee placement of your event, contact advertising at 785-478-4554 or ckimberlin@kec.org.
Head to the Hills, Reservoirs and State Parks: Part 2
LOVEWELL – Reservoir is in watch status
for blue-green algae. Fireworks display scheduled for Sept. 5. Lovewell State Park in northcentral Kansas is a haven for outdoor lovers who look for variety in their vacations. Just 18 miles northeast of Mankato on US Hwy. 14, Lovewell offers camping, fishing, wildlife watching, and special events. MEADE – The park is open to all
outdoor recreational activities. All playgrounds are closed. L ocated 8 miles south and 5 miles west of Meade on K-23. The park rests in the high plains of southwest Kansas, just west of the Red Hills. Meade Lake has 80 acres of water and 440 surrounding acres of campsites and wildlife area. MILFORD – The state park is open.
Prairie View campground is now reservable. L ocated northwest of Junction City, west of K-77 on K-57. Milford State Park is located on the southeast shore of the state’s largest lake, 15,709 surface-acre Milford Reservoir. The park has a large variety of fish such as walleye, crappie, catfish and small, large and white bass. MUSHROOM ROCK – (No COVID-19 info available) Located on the Prairie Trail Scenic
T R AV E L K S .CO M
MILFORD STATE PARK
Byway northwest of Marquette about 5 miles north of Kanopolis Reservoir and State Park, 3 miles west of K-141 on Avenue K, a county road or south of K-140 from Caneiro on 25th Road. The park is only 5 acres but boasts some of the most unusual rock formations anywhere. PERRY – The park is open and all fees still apply. T wenty-five miles of horse trails and 20 miles of biking/hiking trails wind through the upland forest. Lake Perry also offers channel catfish fishing on 11,000 acres of Perry Reservoir with 160 miles of shoreline. Hike along the lakeshore and through the woods. POMONA – Park will remain open to provide recreational opportunities to visitors. L ocated 30 miles south of Topeka on the south shore of Pomona Reservoir, about 1 mile north of K-268 on K-368, north of E. 229 Street. This 490-acre park on the shore of 4,000-acre Pomona Reservoir features scenic beauty as well as an abundance of wildlife. PRAIRIE DOG – State park is open! G oing
from north to south, there is the Prairie Dog State Park, the Sebelius Reservoir and the Norton Wildlife Area. To get to the Prairie Dog State Park, from the east: take Highway 36 west out of Norton, then turn south on Highway 261. From the west: take Highway 36 east, turn south on Highway 261. PRAIRIE SPIRIT TRAIL – (No COVID-19 info available) This linear park is located along a former rail bed between Iola and Ottawa, a distance of 51 miles. Combined, the trails pass through 10 charming rural communities. SAND HILLS – The park is open for
camping year-round. Located north of Hutchinson, about one mile east of K-61 on either 56th Street or 69th St. Sand Hills State Park, a 1,123 acre natural area, has been preserved for its sand dunes, grasslands, wetlands and woodlands. SCOTT – (No COVID-19 info available) Located along the Western Vistas Historic
LITTLE JERUSALEM BADLANDS STATE PARK
T R AV E L K S .CO M
LITTLE JERUSALEM BADLANDS – The park is open. The 332-acre park encompasses 220 acres of badlands — fragile, but ruggedly spectacular geologic formations adjacent to the 17,290-acre Smoky Valley Ranch. The park is the largest expanse of exposed Niobrara Chalk formations in Kansas.
Byway about 11 miles north of Scott City, west of US-83 on K-95. Listed by National Geographic as one of the country’s 50 mustsee state park. Hidden in a canyon in the western Kansas prairie, this park is a stunning oasis of natural springs, deep wooded canyons, craggy bluffs and early American history. TUTTLE CREEK – The park is open. F our units (River Pond, Cedar Ridge, Fancy Creek and Randolph) make up the 1,200 acre park. Electric and water hookups, a swimming beach, boat ramps, courtesy docks and dump stations are available. WEBSTER – Park office is open to the public. Only three customers are allowed inside at one time. Shower houses and the fish cleaning station are open. L ocated about 8 miles west of Stockton south of US-24. Webster State Park is a 880-acre prairie setting of rolling hills and spacious skies. Visitors often see deer, turkeys, quail, pheasants, and many wildflowers. The 3,700 acres of open water offer great fishing in Webster Reservoir. The reservoir complements the picturesque Chalk Hills. WILSON – (No COVID-19 info available) L ocated along the Post Rock Scenic Byway about 5 miles north of I-70, west of K-232. Located in the heart of the Smoky Hills, Wilson State Park is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the state. Wilson Reservoir features a rugged shoreline punctuated by scenic cliffs and rocky outcrops. KCL
AUGUST 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
7
C O M M E N TA RY
Bipartisan Bill Would Aid in Stronger COVID-19 Recovery
Lee Tafanelli
Kansas’ electric cooperatives and their ratepayers would benefit significantly from loan repricing.
BY L E E TA FA N E L L I
MEMBERS IN CONGRESS introduced a bipartisan bill first days of the pandemic as a result of a drop in in July that could potentially save Kansas electric electrical consumption because of sharp declines in cooperatives nearly $5 million per year, helping areas like agriculture, oil and gas, and tourism, and them to gain some flexibility in managing their an increase in unpaid bills from consumer-memcash flow and better cope with the economic chalbers who have suffered financial hardships from lenges of COVID-19. As I write this column, U.S. job loss and business closures. Rep. Roger Marshall has agreed to sign on as a coDespite those obstacles, electric cooperatives sponsor of the bill. have worked with their consumer-members on The Flexible Financing for Rural America Act extended payment plans, some have accelerated (S-4152/H.R. 7483) would allow electric co-ops cash back/capital credit programs, and others and small, rural telecommunications providers to expanded broadband access at no cost to ensure refinance existing USDA Rural Utilities Service everyone in their communities could access (RUS) loans at current market rates. The RUS school, work and health care resources online. Program offers essential financing to help electric The seventh cooperative principle — concern for cooperatives provide electricity in the poorest, community — means that co-ops work for the most rural parts of the country. Unlike most sustainable development of their communities. private debt, co-ops cannot refinance RUS loans This will be even more critical as communities without incurring significant penalties. This bill work to rebound from the ongoing public health would allow electric cooperatives to refinance these emergency. This essential legislation will give loans, giving co-ops significant interest savings to co-ops the flexibility to manage financial shorthelp them meet the immediate needs of the comfalls and focus on the long-term stability of the munities they serve and to be a part of the recovcommunities they serve. ery in the long run. Kansas electric cooperatives certainly appreciate Kansas’ electric cooperatives and their ratepaythose lawmakers agreeing to support the Flexers would benefit significantly from loan repricible Financing for Rural America Act, which will ing. Currently, having about $400 million in RUS give electric cooperatives more flexibility to meet and Federal Financing Bank debt, their estimated current economic challenges facing our communisavings would be $100 million based over the life ties as a result of COVID-19. KCL of the loans, resulting in annual savings of approximately $4.8 million. Repricing that amount of debt LEE TAFANELLI is Chief Executive Officer of Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. in Topeka. could have significant benefits and would be a step in the right direction in holding the line on electric rates in Kansas. From a national perspective, the National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association estimates, based on current interest rates, that co-ops nationwide could realize a net savings of $10.1 billion from repricing $42 billion of direct and guaranteed RUS loans held by approximately 500 electric co-ops. Rural electric cooperaThe National Rural Electric Cooperative Assocation has worked to ensure electric co-ops were included in the various COVID-19 relief packages that tives have struggled since the
federal lawmakers have approved in recent months.
8
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
AUGUST 2020
Education Crossword Across 1
City where the University of Kansas is based
5
Adds another candle to the cake
9
School for special training
11
Group of students
12
Minister’s title
13
Special ____
14
Professions
16
Resume in short form, abbreviation
17
Improve
19
Proceed Group that helps parents participate in school matters, abbreviation
22
23
Relating to knowledge
City where MOMA is, abbreviation
24
25 26
Little ‘un School website ending
Edgar ____ who painted dancers
28
30 32
Lacking color Day before a big day
33
Maximum number in a class, for example
34
Big books of maps
Down
6
Top student, 2 words
7
Female relative
8
Officially recognized as a school or course of study
18
Rule of personal conduct
20
Chosen by chance
21
Pictures Leonardo ____ Vinci
1
Absorb new material
10
Middling grade
27
2
Makes a basket, say
14
Courses of study
29
3
Levels out
15
Places for trophies
4
Shy
16
Topeka is Kansas’ ____
It crosses a street, abbreviation
31
Alien from another world, abbreviation
ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 26
E N E R GY W I S E
Sealing Air Leaks, Step by Step
BY PAT K E E G A N A N D B R A D T H I E S S E N
home, but it’s drafty and uncomfortable at times. What can I do to reduce drafts that won’t cost me an arm and a leg? – Cris D E AR C R I S: This is a common problem, particularly in older homes. In many homes, about half of the conditioned air leaks to the outside every hour. The good news, especially if you don’t want to spend a lot of money, or if you’re hesitant to invite contractors into your home right now, is that you can seal air leaks on your own with a little time and effort. Here are three steps to get you started. Keep in mind, there’s much more to learn about sealing your home than we can cover in this article, so consider researching trusted websites for additional tips and tutorials.
STEP 1: Find the Leaks
The first step is a thorough visual search of the interior and exterior of the home. Look for gaps and holes in exterior walls, flooring and the ceiling. These will often occur where different building materials meet, such as the top of cement
Electrical outlets on outside walls are a common source of air leaks and are easily patched.
MARCELA GARA, RESOURCE MEDIA
D E AR PAT AN D B R AD : I love my older
foundation walls or around windows and doors. Another common source of air leaks is where pipes or wiring penetrate a wall, floor or ceiling. Ductwork located in unheated crawl spaces or attics can also contain air leaks. Exterior doors and windows that open deserve your attention. Open each door or window and place a dollar bill between the door or window sash and the frame. If you can pull the bill out easily when the door or window is closed again, the seal is not tight enough. Also, a window that rattles when it’s closed or when it’s windy probably isn’t sealed sufficiently. The best way to find all air leaks is to hire an energy auditor to do a blower door test. The blower door is a large fan that is mounted in a doorway to depressurize the house. The auditor can then find the leaks and may even be able to recommend ways to seal them. It’s also possible to conduct your own wholehome pressure test. The Department of Energy provides detailed instructions at www.energy.gov/ energysaver/weatherize/air-sealing-your-home/ detecting-air-leaks.
S COT T VA N OS D O L
STEP 2: Gather the Materials You’ll Need Here’s a quick list of materials to get you started: f CAULK: You’ll need a caulk gun ($4+) and caulk ($4 to $10). We recommend indoor/outdoor waterproof silicone or latex caulk that is water-
Use caulk to seal gaps around non-moving parts of doors and windows.
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soluble until it cures and is paintable when dry. f EXPANDING SPRAY FOAM: One can
typically costs $4 to $6. This is an effective way to plug leaks, but keep in mind, it’s a messy job.
f WEATHER STRIPPING: Prices vary
depending on type and length of the materials, but there’s a wide variety of weather stripping options made of vinyl, metal and felt, or open-cell foam that works for most situations.
f PRE-CUT FOAM SOCKET SEALERS: You
can typically purchase a pack of 24 sealers for about $3.
f CHIMNEY PLUG BALLOON: Prices
range from $50 to $90. You may need a chimney plug balloon if your chimney flu doesn’t seal well. Buy a square or round one to match the shape of your chimney flu.
f ADHESIVE PLASTIC WINDOW INSULA-
Prices range from $2 to $14 depending on size. You may need insulation sheets later in the year for windows that can’t be sealed and don’t have storm windows.
TION SHEETS:
Custom Steel Buildings Built To Last
STEP 3: Do it!
If you are unfamiliar with how to apply any of these materials, we recommend watching online tutorial videos. Sealing air leaks is one of the best ways to boost your home’s energy efficiency. Whether you’re a do-it-yourself pro or novice, with a few simple steps (and low-cost materials), you’ll be well on your way to a sealed, more efficient home. KCL This column was co-written by PAT KEEGAN and BRAD THIESSEN of Collaborative Efficiency. For more information on surprise energy hogs, please visit: www. collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips.
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AY M -A O AY M EE HL AS
Best
Kansas early childhood educator named 2020 National Teacher of the Year has changed many things in the course of the 2020 school year, but it hasn’t stopped Tabatha Rosproy, preschool teacher from Winfield, Kansas, from inspiring her students and those around her. After all, she was named the 2020 National Teacher of the Year for the passion she brings to her vocation, which is palpable even during a “virtual” interview. Rosproy won the award not just for her devotion to teaching young minds and her dedication to her students, but for her work with the intergenerational program, officially known as the Winfield Early Learning Center, (WELC) she helped develop. Little Vikes, as it is known at the Cumbernauld Village in Winfield, is a social-emotional and intergenerational program started two years ago where resident volunteers of the retirement community work and play with the children. It was the first public preschool to be housed inside of a retirement community in Kansas and modeled off a similar kindergarten class in Coffeyville, Kansas. Rosproy, who has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the nearby Southwestern College and taught undergraduate classes in the college’s educational division, has been teaching overall for 10 years, two of those with the intergenerational program. “Both the preschoolers and the elderly in our community are two populations that have always held big places in my heart,” Rosproy said.
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THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
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Tabatha Rosproy teaches preschool for Winfield Early Learning Center (WELC). Housed in Cumbernauld Village, a retirement community and nursing home, her classroom is an intergenerational program that provides preschoolers and residents with daily interactions and serves special education and typically developing preschoolers.
in Class BY B R I A N N A M A G E E , I N T E R N
Building Relationships Beyond the Classroom
The children in the program have benefited academically and socially. Rosproy said her students at the end of last year were on grade level or above with their phonemic awareness (individual sounds in a spoken language), which she said is a first in her decade of teaching. “We don’t just have benefits academically, but we also have a class that has more empathy and kindness and the ability to build relationships with people, unlike any other class I’ve ever had,” Rosproy said. “Just their respect and their treatment of people with differing abilities are way beyond their years.” The relationships between the residents and the preschoolers go beyond the classroom as Rosproy said she hears the children tell stories of “Grandpa Jess or Grandpa Clyde” out in the community at church or even the grocery store. “We all know that kids need support when they become an adult,” Rosproy said. “I had some incredible, positive adults in my life, but not every kid has that.” Rosproy said this relationshipbuilding gives the children another person to
AUGUST 2020
AM AD
Preschoolers in Tabatha Rosproy’s Little Vikes program form strong bonds with resident volunteers, or “grandparents” as the children call them, of Cumbernauld Village in Winfield.
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Continued on page 17
IS
This classroom concept was promoted by the Early Childhood Readiness Coalition of which Rosproy is a member. She wanted to start the program after the community recognized the need for a full-day preschool but needed the space to make it happen. “For me, it really was building social capital in our community and I’m always looking for ways to connect my students to the community that we are in,” Rosproy said. Rosproy and those involved in the concept development initially contemplated how they could capitalize on available resources and how the students could benefit from those resources, while also giving back to the community. Since many of the educational buildings/ schools are older and not as functional for modern-day teaching, Rosproy said if it were not for the partnership with Cumbernauld Village the incredible opportunity of the program would not have been possible. The classroom was built and paid for by Cumbernauld while WELC and Rosproy supplied classroom materials. WELC also received a grant to build the playground. “It was a two-year process to get it going,” Rosproy said. “It was never one that felt like a chore. Everyone was so excited and just so thrilled to get it going so everyone sort of bent over backward to make sure that it happened.” Rosproy and several early childhood educators collaborated with the architect on design factors such as the height of the furniture and shelves and other considerations important to the safety of the resident volunteers and students. “So the teacher’s voice was really elevated in this process and that has been missing from the design of a lot of our schools,” Rosproy said.
CR
Building Social Capital in the Community
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Home MANAGING
Energy Use T H RO U G H A S U M M E R O F
S COT T VA N OS D O L
IF YOU WANT TO MAKE the best use of your efforts to save money on your energy bill, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) can show you where to start. Nearly half of the electricity Americans use in their homes, 43%, goes to heating and cooling air and water. Nearly a third of our electric use, 31%,
Even though many of us are spending more time at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Energy Information Administration projects that 2020 residential energy use will decline by 1.3%. But those projections may change depending on how quickly businesses reopen and Americans get back to work. If you’re looking to reduce energy use, monitor how you cool and heat your home, which is where the biggest potential for saving energy lies.
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BY PA U L WESSLUND
S O C I A L D I STA N C I N G
goes to running our heating and air conditioning systems. Another 12% powers our water heaters. In second place for residential electricity use is a grab bag of appliances and lighting. One-fifth of the electricity we use in our homes goes to refrigeration (6%), lighting (5%), clothes drying (4%), and TV and video games (4%). That means if you want to get the quickest and biggest return on energy savings, focus on how you use your heating and cooling system, and your water heater. That’s according to Keith Dennis, VP of consumer-member engagement for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). “Turning off an LED lightbulb may come to mind when you think about saving energy,” he said. “But in the grand scheme of things, looking at EIA’s numbers, it’s adjusting your thermostat that’s going to make the biggest difference.” Other appliances and devices consume even smaller shares of our total energy use. Eight percent of residential electricity use comes from a combination of computers, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers and cooking appliances. Other home energy users include a range of devices like small appliances, exterior lights, outdoor grills and spa heaters.
How COVID-19 is Impacting Energy Use Even with the recent disruptions to daily life during the COVID-19 pandemic, the advice to
focus on heating and cooling to save energy holds up. EIA has started revising its energy use predictions for 2020, and because of business closures and social distancing, they project that electricity sales to commercial and industrial customers will decline 6.5%. With more people staying home, you might expect residential sales to increase, and they will, but not enough to overcome the weather. Even with more people staying home and using more heating and air conditioning, the weather is expected to be mild enough that EIA projects a 1.3% decline in residential electric sales this year. However, those predictions could well be adjusted depending on how quickly businesses reopen, and whether they adopt new ways of operating. With so many unknowns in 2020 patterns of energy use, EIA’s forecast tried to imagine what’s going on inside our homes in order to make their projections for the year. Their May 2020 Short Term Energy Outlook said that as a result of the actions to control the spread of COVID-19, use of household electronic equipment will increase, and other uses of electricity, such as cooking or water heating, may also increase. Residential air conditioning use during summer months is also likely to increase.
Small Adjustments for Significant Savings During summer months, setting your thermostat a few degrees higher than normal can make a significant difference in energy use. The Department of Energy recommends setting your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when possible. Consumers can achieve additional energy savings by investing in a smart or programmable thermostat. In addition to monitoring your thermostat, Dennis suggests keeping an eye on another significant energy user, your water heater. According to the Department of Energy, lowering your water heater temperature to 120 degrees is an easy way to save energy, and for every 10 degrees reduced, consumers can save 3% to 5% on water heating costs. Dennis also recommends replacing an older, less efficient water heater with a
The Energy Information Administration’s May 2020 Short-Term Energy Outlook projects that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, common uses of electricity like cooking will likely increase.
newer, energy efficient model, which could pay for itself in the long run. For persistently high energy bills, Dennis recommends contacting your local electric co-op for a more thorough evaluation of your home and how you use energy. Consumers can also find a wide range of additional ways to save energy at www. energystar.gov. Small changes to energy use habits, like turning off lights when you leave a room or unplugging devices when not in use, can help you save. But to make the biggest difference in energy use — even during a global pandemic — pay attention to how you heat and cool your home. That’s where the biggest potential for saving energy lies. KCL writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 local electric cooperatives. From growing suburbs to remote farming communities, electric co-ops serve as engines of economic development for 42 million Americans across 56% of the nation’s landscape.
PAUL WESSLUND
Nearly half of the electricity Americans use in their homes, 43%, goes to heating and cooling air and water. AUGUST 2020
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THE PRESIDENT ’S PEN
Bridging the Digital Divide I’d probably tell you some of the best people in the world live right here in Kansas and the Midwest. Our central region has long been known as the breadbasket of the world. Hard-working, dedicated, perseverant people, committed to family and God. People creating and building a quality of life unsurpassed anywhere else on earth. Beginning in the early part of the last century unbeknownst to most, mechanization began creeping into jobs and productivity. Results in volume and speed started changing. By the 1930s, although the rural population had a strong density, and small towns were thriving, the population slowly started to decline. Farms and ranches started to get larger. Traffic on Main Street in our towns slowed down. School districts that vowed they’d never play anything but 11-man football, moved their goal posts closer together and are now playing eight-man. Fast forward to today. Kansas is still the greatest place to live, work and raise a family. Rural areas are thirsty for revitalization. Large metro areas are becoming burdened with urban sprawl and over population. This creates a tremendous strain on schools, medical facilities, law enforcement and infrastructure. That brings us to broadband. A bridge that spans that abstract distance from rural America IF YOU’D ASK ME,
Terry Hobbs
To me, access to the internet means I can live in Kansas and be connected to the world.
Deadliest Safety Catch #catch it change it
BY T E R RY H O B B S
to high technology. Kind of like “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel. Broadband is really a form of an internet connection using a wider frequency for sending and receiving an unimaginable amount of data in tiny fractions of a second. This is how millions of people can be on Facebook and Twitter at the same time, sharing opinions and recipes. I’ve observed a couple of things during this pandemic. Lots of people have worked from home or remotely utilizing high-speed internet. Some say they are more productive working remotely. At any rate, a change is coming. To me, access to the internet means I can live in Kansas and be connected to the world. Another observation I’ve made is the Facebook group Shop Kansas Farms. I was amazed how many people in Kansas have produce and goods for sale. Eggs, cheese, meat, jelly, and cinnamon rolls, all local and wholesome — and all folks working from home. Broadband is the bridge. It connects jobs to rural America. Currently broadband is not available in about a third of the country. Just as at one time we made sure every home had electricity we must see that broadband is available to all. KCL TERRY HOBBS is the board president for Kansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. He is also a member of Western Cooperative Electric’s Board of Trustees in WaKeeney.
STA CK
EL B A RE C T RE AW HA OU IC A YB ND AL RE O AL C H ES TH HAZ F SA A N E F AR FEL G AR DS YA E M. WA I T YF RO M PO WE RL INE S
Brought to you by the electric cooperatives of Kansas.
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Best in Class Continued from page 13
count on and provide support during life’s milestones like graduations, team sporting events and when the children need advice or help learning a skill their parents may not have. “I think that every kid deserves champions of all sorts and these grandmas and grandpas — what we call them at Cumbernauld Village — are really an extension of that family for my students,” Rosproy said. “And the relationships have continued in the last two years and it is something that is really strong.” Ed Foster, a resident at Cumbernauld and volunteer for the Little Vikes program is grateful for the program’s positive impact on everyone at the retirement home. He taught for over 40 years, from kindergarten classes to college curriculum, spending the last 24 years as a professor emeritus at Southwestern College in Winfield. Foster’s volunteer duties include reading to the kids once a week and telling them stories of his colorful past. In one of his storytelling sessions, Foster brought in a photo of a World War II battleship he served on at age 17, which had been bombed in Pearl Harbor. Foster laughed while recalling a time when he asked the students what they thought of the photo. One boy replied, “Grandpa Ed, were you killed in the war?” Foster said the special relationships with the children are what he cherishes most. “I’ll always remember the children when they would want to sit on your lap and were always very loving,” Foster said. “Some of us didn’t get to see our grandchildren grow up so we really appreciate it and it’s something I’ll never forget.” Rosproy said everyone involved with the program, including her students, enjoy learn-
ing the history and stories of the volunteers, like Grandpa Ed. “It’s just like this untapped resource and these stories that might have never been heard again,” Rosproy said. “There’s new life being breathed in with my students, which is so magical.” Parents have watched their children grow personally as a result of the intergenerational classroom. McKinzie Tucker described her son, Knox, as “a whole different kid” as a result of the program. She said he’s transformed from a quiet and sometimes anxious child to being outgoing and having a lot of respect for the elderly people around him. “Kids don’t learn if they don’t feel safe in their environment,” Tucker said. “And they [the residents] always made them feel safe and loved.” Parents interested in enrolling their children in the program, enter a 16-place “lottery” in which the participants are selected at random. Knox, an original participant of the program, keeps in touch with the Cumbernauld grandmas and grandpas, still visiting from time to time to play bingo, go fishing and to chat.
Some of us didn’t get to see our grandchildren grow up so we appreciate it ... something I’ll never forget.
Most Memorable Moment
Rosproy’s favorite memories in the short time the program has been in existence are many, but one in particular, she holds close. She described a student who was struggling to learn how to count Continued on page 23
RENEE JUNE
The resident volunteers of Cumbernauld Village join the Little Vikes intergenerational program preschoolers in a variety of activities, including playground playtime. The resident volunteers cherish the relationships they build with the children as some missed watching their grandchildren grow up.
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YO U R P L A C E I N T H E G A R D E N
Pocket Planters Perfect for Seed Starting
BY C Y N T H I A D O M E N G H I N I , P H . D .
Cynthia Domenghini, Ph.D.
Repurposing household items into the garden enlists our creativity adding a level of enjoyment to sometimes mundane tasks.
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GARDENING IN AUGUST can be exhausting. The for planting the seeds. The soil should be monisummer heat is intense and the garden requires a tored daily to ensure it does not dry out. The soil variety of tasks that can lead to gardener burnout. in mesh pockets will dry more quickly because it On top of it all, it’s about time to start seeding is exposed to air. Be careful not to overwater the those fall crops. Approaching seed starting in a soil if you have a planter with plastic pockets. The different way can add a spark of excitement and plastic will hold in water more efficiently and can a boost of endurance to enjoy the remaining cause the seeds to rot. growing season. As your plants grow you can decide if they Repurposing household items into the garden need to be transplanted into a larger container or if enlists our creativity adding a level of enjoyment to you can enjoy them in the pocket planter. Annual sometimes mundane tasks. Hanging shoe orgaflowers can also grow well in the pockets and will nizers can be a perfect addition to the garden, make a colorful vertical garden to adorn the fence. particularly for seed starting. An added bonus is The low maintenance and ease of monitorthat it is mobile allowing you to move the plants ing a pocket garden makes it a fun family project. to provide more or less sun as needed as well as Experiment with different plant varieties and make protection from heavy rains. a note of the results. Encourage your children to Begin with a new or used hanging shoe orgaexplore their questions with this trial and error nizer. These are the kind that are meant to hang approach. It is a memorable way to learn and grow over a closet rod with many individual pockets, in the garden. KCL intended for shoes. Organizers with mesh pockets work well for seed starting because they allow for CYNTHIA DOMENGHINI is an instructor and coordinator for K-State’s horticultural therapy online drainage. However, plastic pockets can work too if certificate program. you poke holes at the base. Select your fall seeds. Varieties that will grow well in the pocket planter are those that remain small at maturity. Many leafy greens can grow well in the pockets as they have shallow root systems. Root vegetables may not perform as well in the pocket planter since the soil space is limited. Though seeds can be started in the pocket planter and later transplanted into larger containers or into the ground, it is typically not advisable to transplant root vegetables. Ensure the pockets have holes for adequate drainage when watered. Select a location to hang the planter. It is best to have a wall or fence behind the planter to prevent it from blowing in the wind and to provide support. You may choose to secure the top corners of the planter to the wall to keep the edges from drooping as the weight of water is added. Fill each pocket with moist potting The leafy greens and parsley grew well in this pocket planter. The strawberries and beans benefit from more space to spread. soil and then follow the instructions
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
AUGUST 2020
Preserve
Your Garden Produce for Delicious Winter Meals BY M E L I N D A M Y E R S
is paying off with a bountiful harvest. Fresh produce is filling your garden, countertops, and refrigerator while the garden keeps producing more. Preserve some of your harvest to enjoy throughout the winter with some tried-and-true or updated variations of food preservation techniques. Hanging bundles of herbs to dry is a longtime practice that works. Harvest herbs in the morning just after the dew has dried off the leaves. Rinse, allow them to dry, and remove any damaged or dried leaves. Gather the dry herbs into small bundles and secure with a rubber band. Use a springtype clothespin to hang the bundles from a clothesline or hanger in a warm, dry, airy place out of direct sunlight. A modern twist on this tradition is the space-saving Stack!t Herb Drying Rack (gardeners.com) hung from the ceiling. You will be able to dry large quantities of herbs in any narrow, out-of-the-way space. Extend the life, flavor, and nutritional value
G A R D E N E R S S U P P LY C O M PA N Y
ALL YOUR HARD WORK
of squash with proper harvesting and storage. Only store blemish- and damage-free fruits and vegetables to reduce the risk of mold and decay developing during storage. Harvest zucchini when the fruit is 6 to 8 inches long and scalloped squash when 3 to 6 inches in diameter. Store these in a plastic bag inside the vegetable crisper drawer in your refrigerator for several days. Wait to harvest winter squash when the fruit is full-sized, and the rinds are firm and glossy. The portion touching the ground turns from cream to orange when the fruit is ripe. Use a pruner to harvest the fruit, leaving a one-inch stem on each fruit. Cure all winter squash, except for acorn, in a warm, humid location. Then move to a cool, dry, well-ventilated area to store for several months. In the past, gardeners stored these, potatoes, onions, and fruit in wooden racks that maximized storage space and allowed air to reach each layer of produce. An updated version, Gardener’s Supply Orchard Rack, adds convenient drawers to this traditional storage system. Boost your cabbage harvest with this trick. Remove firm full-sized heads but leave the lower ring of leaves and roots intact. The plant will form several smaller heads. Harvest cucumbers based on how you plan to use them. Pick the fruit when it is 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches long if you plan on making sweet pickles. Allow the cucumbers to grow a bit bigger, 3 to 4 inches, if dill pickles are on the menu. Harvest those for slicing when the skin is firm, bright green and the fruit is 6 to 9 inches long. Turn a portion of your harvest into something delicious. Fermentation is a relatively easy preservation technique used for thou-
sands of years. Preserve some of your cucumbers as pickles, cabbage as sauerkraut, and berries as preserves with fermentation. Store fermented fruits and vegetables in a cool, dark place or extend their shelf life by canning the finished product. For most projects, you just need the fruit or vegetables, water, salt, and spices. The desired ingredients are placed in a covered vessel, like Gardener’s Supply Fermentation Crock. Weights are used to keep the fruit and vegetables submerged in water throughout the fermentation process. If your garden is still producing when frost is in the forecast, extend the harvest season. Cold frames and cloches are tried-and-true techniques used for extending the growing season. A modern method employs floating row covers. These spun fabrics allow air, light, and water through while protecting plants from frosty conditions. Cover the plantings and anchor the fabric in place. Lift to harvest and enjoy several more weeks and even months of garden-fresh produce. Select the storage and preservation methods that work best for your garden produce, growing location, and lifestyle. Once you enjoy homegrown produce in winter meals, you will start growing more produce to eat fresh, share and preserve. KCL is the author of numerous gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV and radio segments. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardeners Supply for her expertise to write this article. Her website is www. MelindaMyers.com.
MELINDA MYERS
AUGUST 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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Get Snappin’
Shutterbugs IT’S TIME AGAIN for Kansas shutterbugs to show the beauty of their
Tow Mater
home state captured through the eye of a lens.
Submissions for the 15th Annual Rural Kansas Photography Contest will be accepted Sept. 1 through Oct. 19, 2020. The contest is open to Kansas residents and individuals who work in Kansas ages 18 and older. “This year is an extra special year, as we celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Rural Kansas Photography Contest,” said Jenifer Yuza, marketing and resource manager for Rural Health Education and Services. “Since 2006, more than 1,000 amateur and professional photographers have submitted over 6,000 photos that show what life is like in Kansas. We are proud to use these wonderful photos to showcase
by Claiborn Schmidt
Dragonfly Deep
Fly Over State
by Karla Grimmett
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
our beautiful and unique state.” In addition to a new 15th anniversary contest category “Kansas in Black and White,” Kansas Country Living magazine is excited to be a contest partner again this year. The Kansas Country Living editorial team will select, from all of the entries, a $100 grand-prize winning photograph that will be featured on the January 2021 cover of the magazine. Rural Health Education and Services awards a first- and secondplace cash prize in each category. Winners are voted on by public vote. Complete contest rules, prizes, and a link to the online submission form are available at www. ruralhealth.kumc.edu. KCL
by Kristy Bellinger
AUGUST 2020
2021 Contest Categories
Fall Morning Reflections by Collin Forrest
� LIVE IN KANSAS: HOMETOWN KANSAS
Show us the beauty, hustle and bustle, highlights, landmarks, or people that make up your favorite Kansas town, hometown, or county.
� WORK IN HEALTHCARE: HEALTHCARE HEROES
Focus on a healthcare hero in your community. Grab your camera and shoot a portrait or casual shot and provide a few sentences on why this healthcare hero has earned his/her cape (individuals or a group of any healthcare providers or first responders). � WORK IN HEALTHCARE: HEALTHCARE FACILITIES
Showcase your photography skills by turning the spotlight on your community’s healthcare facility. � PLAY IN THE WILD: WILDLIFE AND CRITTERS
This beloved category highlights all the fuzzy, furry, creepy and crawly friends that call Kansas home. � 15 YEAR CELEBRATION: KANSAS IN BLACK AND WHITE
We asked our past photographers to share what new category they’d like to see for the 15th annual contest and the winner was Black and White. Wow us with remarkable Kansas-themed photographic work that shows the dynamic relationship between light, dark and all the tones in between.
Friends
by Tom Soetaert
Sun Lover
by Susan Radovich
AUGUST 2020
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Discovery STATUS QUO NOT A PLACE OF
BY D R . T Y F R E D E R I C K S O N
especially when we understand that doing so makes us stronger, more resilient, more unified. Although we know that change, generally in the form of disruption, can be daunting because it means a departure from our current certainty, the opportunity to redefine who we are and what we are becoming is even more exhilarating than the fear of letting go. And when we know that our foundations are strong enough to support this disruption to our status quo, the freedom of discovery is that much sweeter. To be sure, the timeline of our land is characterized by change. From the settlements of First Nations people thousands of years ago through the 16th century when Coronado first arrived in the region, followed by European emigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the establishment of the Santa Fe Trail through Kansas in 1821, our official joining of the Union as a free state in 1861, and even the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which designated separate educational facilities as inherently unequal, Kansans are national leaders in new beginnings. As a Kansan and an educational leader, I am an advocate for, and practitioner of, change. And while Kansas history is well-known for the dramatic events that have altered its trajectory, some of the most vital disruptions are those in our personal lives that allow us to discover our own identities. As a classroom educator for 20 years, I know that meaningful growth does not happen without this disruption. After all, without being disrupted, stagnation occurs.
KANSANS EMBRACE CHANGE,
Best friends search for a remote camping spot along the perimeter of a lake.
Over the Independence Day holiday, my oldest son and my nephew decided to take the afternoon to go on a little adventure to locate an ideal, remote camping area somewhere on the perimeter of our lake. Both of these boys are currently experiencing dramatic change: My son, at 16, is moving into late adolescence and has clearly identified athletic and academic goals for post-secondary school. My nephew at 18, is on the cusp of a major move to university in September and immersed in the joys of early adulthood. They are cousins, but they are also lifelong friends. There is no doubt that they are well-aware of the inevitable disruptions in their respective lives and to their friendship in the months and years ahead. So, our talk of going camping and fishing in the weeks to come turned to the idea of locating that campsite now. I suspect that they, perhaps like myself, felt the urge to solidify plans before we let too many days pass and the opportunity slip away. Change is coming; it has to. And while the changes ahead, in our country, in our state, and in our lives are understandably uncomfortable, imagine how scary it would be without change. The status quo is not a place of discovery. Rather, to venture out into the world is to really learn about ourselves. Take the time to connect with those most meaningful to you, perhaps those who helped inspire you forward in order to ensure your foundation is strong. A camping trip, a trail hike, or even a rock skipping competition with family and friends can be rejuvenating. Laura Ingalls Wilder, a native Kansan, wrote that “it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all.” These are the “simple things of life” Wilder was talking about, and they are found everywhere in our beautiful state. It would do us well to embrace them so that our individual and collective move forward is characterized by strength and unity. Stay safe. Be well. See you in the country. KCL grew up in Kansas and Australia. He is a graduate of Emporia State University, Wichita State University, and Wilkes University where he is an assistant professor. He is a FreeState Electric Cooperative member and a U.S. Navy veteran.
DR. TY FREDERICKSON
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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Best in Class Continued from page 17
TA B AT H A R O S P R O Y
Tabatha Rosproy and her class take field trips to experience and learn about their community around them.
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Rosproy recalls she was both excited and confused to learn she was selected as Kansas Teacher of the Year in November 2019 and then named one of four finalists for National Teacher of the Year. “I really thought they were confused or that they were calling to tell me something different,” Rosproy said. As a national finalist, Rosproy flew to Washington, D.C., where she met the other three finalists at the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). Rosproy prepared and presented a keynote speech in front of representatives from 17 different U.S.-based educational organizations. Finalists also completed mock and real press interviews, and rotating interviews with each other.
N
Becoming National Teacher of the Year
Rosproy did not expect to learn the results immediately, but at the end of February she received a call saying she had been selected for the national honor. “I was shocked and I was by myself when I found out the news,” Rosproy said. “I really couldn’t believe it because there are so many incredible educators in Kansas and all over the country and I was just humbled and excited to represent them.” Since winning the award, Rosproy has taken a break from her regular teaching duties to travel and speak Tabatha Rosproy, here with a with others about the program and few preschoolers and resident pursue relationship-building through volunteer Clyde Vasey, is the first early childhood educator her position as National Teacher of the to be named National Teacher Year. While traveling mostly virtually, of the Year. Rosproy estimates she will complete around 150 speaking engagements with groups across the country. “I’ll get to talk about what’s important to me and my platforms as National Teacher of the Year and I’ll also get to do some advocacy work on behalf of teachers and on behalf of students,” Rosproy said. Despite the pandemic affecting many of Rosproy’s duties as a teacher and as National Teacher of the Year, she believes right now the teacher’s voice is more important than ever. “We need an advocate for what kids and teachers need,” Rosproy said. “And I think I am the right person for that job.” RE
and one of the grandma volunteers took notice. The grandma asked Rosproy if she could help the student during her free time while the other students were completing activities with Rosproy. The grandma brought in a huge purse filled with pennies and counted them with the student for five to 10 minutes a day. “I just saw an incredible amount of growth in that little girl because someone was able to provide focused attention, and there are countless stories like that,” Rosproy said. “Just the evidence of what one-on-one interaction can do for a child.”
The Little Vikes program has temporarily moved from Cumbernauld Village until fall 2021 to ensure the safety of the preschoolers and the retirement home residents. KCL
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C O O K I N G M Y WAY H O M E
High-Frying Act: To Every Skillet — Turn, Turn, Turn
BY R E B E C C A H O WA R D
no beer or seltzer batters, no dips in buttermilk or egg. The simplicity of the dredge expressed her perfectly; it was pure and it was right. Then into the depths of a skillet — cast iron, nonstick, or both — sometimes an electric model plugged into an outlet on the countertop. She mostly used oil, but in early days (and even after, for the best crunch), she sometimes used mounds of Crisco shortening that dwindled like melting icebergs. Rebecca Howard The end result: Plates lined with grease-soaked paper towels, piled with golden-coated delicacies that we gathered around and munched in wordless appreciation. The okra, my dad’s pride and joy that he insisted on planting every year, ended in crunchy little crusted wheels, a slightly charred taste, and seeds that popped exquisitely in your mouth. The tomatoes (my mom’s favorite), pinkish-green and slightly deflated from their turn in the hot skillet, took on a unique sweet-sour flavor, flaking with the clinging remains of a salty dredge. It was the yellow summer squash, littlenecks bowed, that made me weak-kneed. To this day, just the thought of them makes my mouth water like no other food, fried or otherwise. Sliced into This “recipe” for frying yellow summer squash is more a “mode” or set of thin rounds to cook, their frying aroma instructions, but will result in golden, buttery, crisp slices of delight that wafted with the allure of movie-theater will leave you wanting more. If you’re going to fire up the skillet, be sure popcorn, and they ended up a delectaand make plenty! ble mix of melt-in-your-mouth buttery, f Light cooking oil (canola recommended) f Seasoning salt nutty and salty. The squash exemplif 3 to 4 small to medium yellow f 1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour fied what the word “golden” tasted like. summer squash, cut into 1/8f 1-1/2 tsp. salt I would eat until my little hand hit a inch slices, horizontally f 1 tsp. black pepper paper towel. In a large skillet (non-stick or cast iron) heat about 1-inch depth of cooking oil over mediumThat a turn in hot grease could transhigh heat. form a vegetable into something akin to a potato chip was an added bonus. In a large bowl or pan, sprinkle both sides of the squash with seasoning salt (you can season each batch as you go — if you salt them too far in advance, they will become watery), and The frying appeal was even almost dredge the seasoned slices (about 8 to 10 slices, depending on the size of your skillet) in the good enough to disguise a range of flour mixture, making sure they are completely coated. mystery meats to a finicky young girl. Test the oil by sprinkling a little flour in the pan (if it bubbles, the oil is hot enough). Carefully But no amount of crunchy coating could place flour-coated slices of squash in the oil (do not overcrowd the pan), and cook 3 to 4 enthuse me for much more than a bite minutes per side, until golden brown. Remove cooked squash to a heat-resistant platter lined of fried turtle (“tastes like chicken”). with paper towels. You can keep the squash warm in the oven at low temperature while you The kitchen, on a high-fry day, was fry the rest. 20 degrees hotter than the rest of the Serve the squash warm, seasoning with additional salt and pepper, if desired. un-air-conditioned house, the sink and that warm summer months have me thinking of hot skillets popping with grease and the platters of crispy morsels that emerged from them. But in the Southern-fried kitchen in which I was reared, summer was the season for high frying. The skillets, sometimes several going at once, held the bounty of the warm months — fried green tomatoes, fried okra, fried yellow squash, a mess of fried fish (if we were lucky), fried chicken (if we were luckier) and even frog legs (memorable, but a rarity). My dad would laugh and say that “anything that’ll hold flour” was a potential quarry for the frying game. And flour was the key to my mother’s pre-fry preparation, which was extremely simple and almost always the same: a good sprinkling of seasoned salt, then a dusting in a mix of flour, salt, and pepper, usually contained in a flat pan or aluminum pie tin. No crumbs or cornmeal,
IT MAY SEEM ODD
Flour-Fried Yellow Summer Squash à la Nancy
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KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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That a turn in hot grease could transform a vegetable into something akin to a potato chip was an added bonus.
counters were covered with sliced vegetables and fish or chicken in various stages of cleansing, cutting and flour dredging. At the stove, my mother’s hands caked white with her special coating, held a table fork (for almost everything except the okra) poised over hot snapping skillets, instinctively knowing the right moment to spear and turn, when to cover the pan of chicken, when to retrieve the squash before it got too brown. The frying conditions were no picnic, the skillets had to be monitored and tended nonstop, so no escaping to a cooler spot. My mother was sweaty and vigilant in shorts and a loose sleeveless T-shirt. In order to communicate in the kitchen, made deafening from the noise of crackling skillets and roaring box fans, we had to yell to each other as if we were on a busy airfield. My mom took on the frying challenge with hardy gusto, even honoring requests, such as my nephew asking for a Sunday dinner of fried fish, fried potatoes, fried green tomatoes and fried okra for him and his girlfriend on a 90-plus degree day. I will be the first to say, my mom was made of far sturdier stuff than I. My own frying episodes are met with reluctant infrequency. If I’m going to fry, it will be for a special occasion (like fresh summer squash), and I’ll tend one single skillet and do my best to diffuse the lingering heavy greasy odors the day after with open windows and aromatherapy. But while it’s sometimes easier — and healthier — to shred zucchini, grill squash, and stew okra, I will occasionally relent and return to my roots and fry ... “anything that’ll hold flour.” And the process will remain the same: the sea-
soned salt, the pan of flour, the watching and waiting (and a little sweating) with a fork held aloft, ready to plunge into a shimmering hot pan of memories and crisping summer squash. KCL REBECCA HOWARD grew up in Kansas and has written for the Los Angeles Daily News, the Los Angeles Times and LA Parent Magazine, and currently writes the food blog, “A Woman Sconed.”
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for puzzle on Page 9
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SAFETY
Electrical Safety Demonstrations Educate, Save Lives
BY B R I A N N A M A G E E , I N T E R N
IT’S EASY TO BECOME COMPLACENT around electricity and its potential dangers as we go about our everyday activities. When moving a ladder from the shed, do you look up for power lines? Do your children climb trees that may be in reach of power lines? These are just some of the reasons why Kansas electric cooperatives invest staff time and resources in safety demonstration trailers and tabletop displays. Educating co-op consumer-members about the dangers of electricity and how to avoid injury or even death, addresses Cooperative Principle No. 5 – Education and Training. Lyle Mathis, vice president of engineering and operations at Tri-County Electric Cooperative (TCEC), that serves the extreme southwest part of Kansas, was demonstrating electrical safety at a fire department in Guymon, Oklahoma, when a fireman approached him with a testament to the importance of public safety training. The fireman told Mathis he previously saw the co-op’s safety demonstration. He went on to explain how he and his wife had gotten into a vehicle accident while pulling a camper. The fireman recalled how power lines had come down onto their truck and told Mathis, “If I had not seen [the demonstration], I would’ve died.” These safety demonstrations are presented at a variety of locations like rural fire and police stations, townships, schools, ag/farm shows, or at larger gatherings by request. The presentations are typically around an hour long, and free, and each demonstration is tailored to the specific audience. In presentations aimed at kids, props and different layouts are used to be more understandable. TCEC uses their tabletop display, “Safe City,” along with “Lightning Liz” and “Neon Leon,” glass dolls that light up a neon orange color when in contact with electricity. “It’s [Safe City] got a miniature power line and we layout different scenarios where they make contact,” Mathis said. “We got these little doll things that are actually lightbulbs, but they’re shaped like little people and when they make contact with a kite string, it actually lights up the little doll.” The co-ops strive to educate audiences whose
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Using a simulated farm tabletop display, Bob McCoy, journeyman lineman at Western Cooperative Electric in WaKeeney, demonstrates the danger lurking below the soil when a model backhoe makes contact with underground electrical service.
everyday work requires electrical safety awareness, such as the agricultural community that works long hours during harvest maneuvering heavy machinery around potential hazards. “Over the years, we have taken our demo to the farm shows and places like that,” Paul Norris, director of operations at Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative, of Girard, said. “Our biggest goal is to try to reach the ag community.” The unsafe scenarios demonstrated will vary depending on the co-op presenting and the group they present to. Travis Griffin, member services manager at Flint Hills Electric Cooperative, Council Grove, said their co-op staff explains to audiences what to do when there are downed power lines, such as in a car wreck, or when electricity involves water and docks and understanding that although you cannot see electricity, you must be aware of its harmful effects. Griffin said one of the biggest challenges when it comes to the safety demos is simply getting the word out to organizations that they are available. “Once they see it, we usually come back every year, and it doesn’t have to be a [co-op] member for us to do the demonstrations,” Griffin said. “We are here to serve our community.” KCL
AUGUST 2020
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Whole Wheat Spaghetti Pizza
Kids Watermelon Sandwich Cookies
KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, AUGUST 2020
Pizza night just got a whole lot more fun! Trade out your traditional pizza for a spaghetti crust and let the kids top it.
KANS AS COUNTRY LIVING, AUGUST 2020
Cookies for breakfast? Who could say no? Get the kids involved and have them skewer their own sandwich cookies!
Chicken and Broccoli Mac and Cheese
Blueberry Apple Galette
KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, AU GU ST 2020
Bon appétit, but make it kid-friendly. Mac and cheese is a kid favorite, but you’ll love it too with broccoli and chicken.
KAN S AS COU N T RY L IVIN G, AU GU ST 2020
Grab the kids to make an easy pie! Forget the difficulty of pie crust and make a galette instead. Simply fill and fold.
Filling f 1 cup blueberries f 1 cup peeled and sliced apples f 1/3 cup sugar
Blueberry Apple Galette Pastry f 1 1/3 cups soy-flour blend
f 1 1/3 cup margarine f ¼ tsp. salt f 3-4 Tbs. ice-cold water f 2 Tbs. soy-flour blend
f ½ tsp. cinnamon f 1 Tbs. sliced almonds f 2 Tbs. soy milk
decorator sugar
f 1 tsp. coarse or
In a large mixing bowl, combine soy-flour blend, margarine and salt with pastry-blender or fork until mixture is crumbly. Add ice-cold water, and mix to make soft pastry dough. Roll dough 1/8-inch thick into a 10-inch circle. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. In medium mixing bowl, combine blueberries, apples, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons soy-flour blend and cinnamon for the filling. Place fruit mixture in center of pastry circle; leaving about a 2-inch edge. Sprinkle with almonds. Fold the edges of the pastry over the fruit filling; leave about a 6-inch opening. Using pastry brush, brush soy milk on top of pastry dough and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 F for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Serves six. COURTESY KANS AS SOYBE AN ASSOCIATION
f 1/2 cup cracker crumbs
f 2 whole roasted chicken breasts (about 1 cup), skin removed and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
Chicken and Broccoli Mac and Cheese f Nonstick cooking spray
fully-cooked macaroni and cheese
f 2 packages (12 ounces each) classic f 1 cup frozen broccoli
Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat 6-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add macaroni and cheese, broccoli and chicken, stirring to combine until well incorporated. Top with cracker crumbs. Bake 20 minutes, or until heated through.
COURTESY FAMILY FE ATURES
f 6 seedless watermelon slices (2/3inch thick, 3-inch round), drained to remove excess moisture
Kids Watermelon Sandwich Cookies f 12 blueberry pancakes (3-inch round), cooled to room temperature f 1/2 cup white frosting
Evenly frost bottom of each pancake with white frosting. Arrange six pancakes frosting side up on serving platter. Place one slice watermelon on each frosted pancake.
f Sliced pepperoni
f Chopped green pepper
f Drained sliced ripe olives
Toppings (optional) f Drained sliced mushrooms
COURTESY FAMI LY FE ATUR ES
Top each with remaining pancakes, frosting side down. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
skim mozzarella cheese
f 1 cup shredded, part-
f 2 cups spaghetti sauce
f 1 egg, beaten
f 1/2 cup skim milk
Whole-Wheat Spaghetti Pizza For the Pizza f 1/2 pound lean ground turkey, beef or pork peeled and minced
f 1 medium clove garlic,
wheat spaghetti
f 6 ounces uncooked whole-
Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 12 to 14-inch pizza pan with cooking spray. Do not choose a pizza pan with holes designed for a crisp crust. In a small skillet, brown meat with minced garlic; drain.
Break spaghetti into 3-inch pieces. Cook according to package directions; drain thoroughly.
In large bowl, combine milk and egg. Stir in thoroughly drained spaghetti. Pour into prepared pan.
Top with sauce, meat, cheese, and your choice of toppings: drained sliced mushrooms, drained sliced ripe olives, chopped green pepper and sliced pepperoni.
Bake 25-30 minutes or until spaghetti crust is firm and cheese melts. Serve immediately.
COURTESY E AT WHE AT.ORG
AUGUST 2020
KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING
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