Air March 15, 2000

Thank you Mark, and good morning everyone. This is severe storm awareness week in Kansas. A few thoughts on that in a moment. We’ve had several new bulletins arrive in the Extension Office recently. We have all the crop insect control guides updated for 2000. Not a lot of new products, but lots of good information so stop by and pick one up for each crop you are growing. I’ve had more questions about growing sunflowers this winter. Flowers are a bit of a different crop so stop by and pick up our information on this before you get the seed in the ground. Cattle producers - K-State Cattleman's day was a couple weeks ago. As always it was a good program and the Cattleman's Day report had a lot of good information. If you want a copy of that report, give me a call. And finally, we have a new bulletin on soybean hulls and using them in beef and dairy rations.

As I said earlier, and as you have heard, this is severe storm awareness week. We see dozens of thunderstorms in any given year roll through our area. We tend to become complacent and say, oh, another thunderstorm watch or another tornado watch and then go about our business like nothing has happened. So it simply goes back to the fact that to best survive severe weather, you need to stay aware. Listen to a local weather forecast several times a day, and that means local to the Junction City area, not Topeka or Wichita or Salina. If you see a bunch of storm clouds gathering up, listen to your local radio stations, such as KJCK, to find out if there are weather watches out. Weather radios are helpful, and by the end of the summer we’ll have excellent national weather service weather radio coverage in Geray county. Avoid the rush and buy a weather radio now so you’re ready. Be aware that tornadoes aren’t the only killer that comes from thunderstorms. Lightning is present in every single thunderstorm and lightning can kill and injure. If you can see lightning or hear thunder, you are at risk. Don’t think it can’t happen to you. Everyone who has ever been injured or killed didn’t think it could happen to them. There’ll always be tomorrow to finish that round of golf or that garden, yard or field work. But if you get struck by lightning will you be around tomorrow? Be aware, have plans prepared before severe weather arrives and then make sure your entire family knows what to do... Just in case!

This is Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook 2000.

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