Page 7 - Annual meeting edition

Harper County Farm Bureau- Environmental Award

The Harper County Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) have been active for five years. This
year they were recognized by Harper County Farm Bureau for their work with monarch but-
terfly habitat and pollinator surveys in Harper County.

The EMGS took on the task of developing Monarch butterfly habitat. They utilized native
perennials and other annuals to create a monarch campground.
Their thinking was if we build it they will come. The milkweed was a hit as well as the cone-
flower and the cannas, as a host site for the chrysalis.

The monarchs have been plentiful in their small space for the last three years. The EMG’s
shared their success and tips in newspaper articles and on social media as an encouragement
for others to build habitat. Many of the EMG’s also implemented the practices in their own
gardens.

Along with the monarchs the EMG’s have been working with Entomologists from K-State Re-
search and Extension to survey the presence and variety of pollinators in Harper County.
This included weekly visits to our site to inventory plants and pollinators that were present.

The EMG’s continue to implement and educate the general public on best practices for gar-
dening in Harper County.
Current EMG’s are Cheryl
Adelhardt, Dollie Mathes,
Bonnie Alldritt, Inga
Alldritt, Karen Befort,
Kathy Stewart, Linda
McIntire, Kathy Lamb,
Harvey Spencer, Carol
Spencer, Beth Young, Linda
Robbins and Jenni Carr.

USDA provides voluntary, in-
DOZERS, BACKHOES, SCRAPERS, LOADERS,
centive-based conservation to
GRADERS, SEMI-LOWBOYS, TRENCHERS, WINCHES, landowners through local field
offices in nearly every county
VAC-U-VATOR TRANSFERS of the nation. USDA helped
YOUNG CONSTRUCTION landowners develop conserva-
tion plans and enrolled a record
644 SE 140 AVE., CHENEY, KANSAS 67045 number of acres of private
working lands in conservation
For All Your Farm 316-542-3210 programs, working with more
Needs than 500,000 farmers and
ranchers to implement conser-
vation practices that clean the
Albin…Argonia North & South 501 W. Main air we breathe, conserve and
clean the water we drink, pre-
Bluff City...Danville…Mayfield… PO Box 151 vent soil erosion and create and
protect wildlife habitat. USDA
Metcalf…New Haven…Newport Anthony, KS 67003 support - leveraged with histor-
ic outside investments - helped
Oxford…Rome…South Haven Toll Free: (800)862-4759 support producer incomes and
“Delivering the Right reward them for their good
Wellington North & South Solution Fax: (620)842-5441 work.