Kansas Wheat

"Wheat was and is the crop of first importance. It is the backbone of our economy and has made Kansas famous around the world." --Erich Freuhauf (KSHS Wheat in Kansas Lesson Plan)

The Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service reported today that 84 percent of the wheat acreage in our state had been cut before rains over the July 4th weekend shut down the harvest.

Besides the nickname, "The Sunflower State," Kansas is also known as "The Wheat State" or "The Breadbasket of the World." About 25 percent of the U.S. hard red winter wheat harvest is grown in Kansas.

"Nearly one-fifth of all wheat grown in the United States is grown in Kansas. Kansas ranks first in the nation in flour milling, wheat gluten production and wheat stored. Roughly one-third of Kansas' 63,000 farmers grow wheat. Normally, Kansas farmers produce about 400 million bushels of wheat a year, with a production value that hovers around $1 billion." [from: Kansas Dept. of Agriculture]

Wheat is a vital part of our economy, culture and history. Below are links to information on Kansas wheat provided by various state and federal agencies.

Kansas Wheat Commission
http://www.kswheat.com/
(The Kansas Wheat Commission is a grower-funded, grower-governed wheat products advocacy organization)
Their site includes:
--Educational Materials
--Information for Buyers and Processors
--Information for Consumers
--Information for Wheat Producers
--Just For Kids
--Kansas Bakeries Directory
--Kansas Wheat Blog
--News
--Online Videos
--Photo Gallery
--Recipes
--Straw Art
--Wheat Facts
--Wheat Mania: All About Wheat

Wheat Page
http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/wheatpage/
(Kansas State University Research and Extension)

Wheat People: Celebrating Kansas Harvest
http://www.kshs.org/exhibits/wheat/wheat.htm
(An online exhibit provided by the Kansas State Historical Society)

Kansas Memory: Wheat
http://www.kansasmemory.org/category/14
(Digitized primary sources provided by the Kansas State Historical Society)

Kansas Wheat History
http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Kansas/Publications/Crops/whthist.pdf (2009 publication by Kansas Agricultural Statistics cooperating with the Kansas Dept. of Agriculture)

Winter Wheat in the Golden Belt of Kansas
http://www.skyways.org/orgs/fordco/malin/
(A transcription of a 1944 history of wheat in Kansas agriculture written by James C. Malin)

Kansas Wheat (FaceBook)
http://www.facebook.com/kansaswheat
(A FaceBook page that promotes wheat growing and growers in the Sunflower State)

Article contact: Bill Sowers
(Check out recent additions to our collection)

Happy Halloween!

The end of October traditionally signals harvest festivals and Halloween. As you join in the festivities and accompany or greet young trick-or-treaters here are some helpful links on safety, events, crafts and history.

HALLOWEEN SAFETY

Safe Kids Kansas Provides Halloween Safety Tips
http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2007/10242007.htm
(Kansas Department of Health and Environment)

Halloween Safety
http://www.kansas.gov/kbi/info/docs/pdf/Halloween%20Safety.pdf
(Office of the Governor)

Enjoy Halloween Candy, But Skip Tummy Aches http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/sty/2003/halloween_candy101003.htm
(Kansas State University Research and Extension)

Safety Tips for Halloween
http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/kids/candyandtreats.html
(U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

KANSAS EVENTS

Neewolah Festival
http://www.neewollah.com/
(The Neewollah Festival (Halloween spelled backwards) began in 1919 as an effort to provide positive activities for kids of all ages in place of the typical Halloween pranks that occurred in the community of Independence, Kansas, and has grown into the largest annual festival in the Kansas.)

Trick or Treat at the "Booseum"
http://www.kshs.org/news/releases/pdfs/2009_kmh_haunted_history.pdf
(Events at the Kansas State Historical Society Museum of History on October 31st)

Search for Kansas Events
http://www.travelks.com/s/index.cfm?event
(Kansas Travel and Tourism)

HISTORY, FESTIVALS, FACTS & FUN

"Happy Halloween Fact"
http://www.kslib.info/sdc/
(Check out the Kansas Fact of the Month at the Kansas State Data Center)

Haunted Kansas
http://www.prairieghosts.com/hauntks.html
(Homes and haunts of the otherworldly in the Sunflower State)

Happy Halloween from the Library of Congress!
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/today/oct31.html

The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows
http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html
(The American Folklife Center)

Halloween Information
http://usasearch.gov/search?v%3Aproject=firstgov-web&query=halloween
(Provided by USAsearch.gov)

"Happy Halloween Fact"
http://www.kslib.info/sdc/
(Check out the Kansas Fact of the Month at the Kansas State Data Center)

Spooky Astronomy
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/27oct_halloween.htm
Spooky Space Sounds
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/features/halloween_sounds.html
(U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration - NASA)

The Kansas Halloween Flood of 1998
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ict/?n=halloweenfld98
(NOAA)

The Halloween Flood of 1998
http://www.ksn.com/weather/features/weatherlablinks/5171787.html
(KSN network)

CRAFTS AND FOOD

Wax Halloween Pumpkins to Make Them Last
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/news/sty/2002/pumpkins_carving101002.htm
(Kansas State University Research and Extension)

Halloweeen Fare that won't Scare Your Arteries
http://www.pcrm.org/health/recipes/halloween.html
(Recipes from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)

Pumpkin Recipes
http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/index.php?ing_term=pumpkin&mode=ing_search&Submit=Search
(U.S. Department of Agriculture)