Chuck's Chat-Welcome to December 2021

Ah yes, December. The beginning of the cold months. And the cold and flu season months. And the rutting up the pasture feeding hay and cubes months. And the chopping ice and thawing waterers months. And the…..wait a minute. It’s not cold. It’s not wet. My cattle are still grazing out in the pastures. Nonetheless, I just flipped to the last page of the calendar, and it shows that its now December. Am I one of the few that still has a wall calendar in the office? And on the fridge? And on the pickup dash?

I see that December is National Egg Nog month. I can remember when I was a kid, once a year mom would bring home a quart of that liquid gold richness (non-alcoholic of course). It was such a treat compared to the gallon of whole milk that had been transported from the dairy barn milk tank to the house. Yes, we milked a few cows. And we had chickens that produced eggs. But I don’t ever recall making homemade egg nog. Some things that were store bought were just more special. Like egg nog.

December is also National Handwashing Awareness Month. It seems as though every month has been for the last two years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls hand washing "a do-it-yourself vaccine" and suggests remembering five easy steps: Wet, lather, scrub, rinse, dry. Endorsed by the American Medical Association and American Academy of Family Physicians, the four principles of hand awareness are: 1) Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating; 2) Do not cough into hands; 3) Do not sneeze into hands; and 4) Don't put your fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth. There ought to be a fifth hand awareness principle: When you point your finger at someone, remember there are three others pointing back at you. (stepping off soapbox now)

If you or someone you know is considering running for elected office (school board, county commission, state legislature, etc.) make sure Kansas Farm Bureau’s Campaign School is on their to-do list. This two-day program will be held Feb. 9-10, and registration fees for Farm Bureau members are only $250 ($300 for non-members). Space is limited to 20 participants so sign up quickly. Visit www.kfb.org/campaignschool for more information and to register.

Gonna close this month with a few words about a man I’ve not known for a long time, yet feel as though I’ve known him forever. Ron Betzen will be retiring after thirty-four years from his Kansas Farm Bureau District Three Administrator position at the end of this year. Ron has been a guiding light and a great advocate for Kansas agriculture, particularly in Southeast Kansas. I have leaned on him heavily the past few years, and he has never hesitated to offer advice, assistance, or a helping hand. A celebration of Ron’s career and selfless service will be held on December 11 from 2 to 4pm at the Iron Days Building (13092 Jade Road) in Fredonia. Congratulations from “The Mighty Third”!

Be smart. Be safe. Stay strong.

God Bless America

Chuck Voelker