Kids, Kows & More 2013

Kids, Kows & More proved to be yet another success as approximately 200 Terry County fourth graders attended the fun and informative event. Students from Brownfield and Meadow gathered around presentations ranging from soil composition to dairy food nutrition.

The county extension agent ask that I incorporate drinking water into my presentation.  So I discussed the importance of water conservation with the students and then focused on needing to save water because of the important role water plays in our bodies.  We talked about all the different parts of our bodies that need water to work correctly and discussed how much water we need to consume each day!

Since there is no specific guidelines for kids and the amounted needed can range anywhere from 32-64 ounces, 

we focused on hitting the 48oz mark each day!

After a few questions & answers...  the kids "Aimed" to see if they could reach the 48 oz mark!

It was a fun activity, that really reiterated how much water they should try to "get in thier mouth" each day!

As a side note, if we do this activity again...I will definitely invest in a few baby pools to set each easel in. 

 The tarp did not do a great job of catching the water. 

I am really enjoying getting to know the kids in each district.  

These fourth graders are eager to learn & had a great time at KK&More this year!!

Birds, Bugs & Buffalo

We're Back! 

Lot of changes going on with the Co-op, so sorry for the lack of post the last few months! 

So we are going to play catch up! Starting at the end of September, we hit the ground running.  The annual Birds, Bugs, & Buffalo event was once again held in Brownfield and then in Meadow the following week.  The kids enjoyed a day in the classroom on Thursday with presentations about everything from water, bugs, weather & wildlife.  On Friday, the students went to the Buffalo Ranch outside of town.

The trip started with a talk with the Ranch foreman.  He told the kids all about the Buffalo!

The kids enjoyed watching the buffalo interact with each other.

One great addition this year, were backpacks for the kids donated by South Plains UWCD.  They came in so handy, allowing the students to be hand free from presentation to presentation.

After the buffalo talk, the kids divided up into groups.

The kids learned about branding and cattle.

and about all types of Birds.

The collected specimens from the field.

And learned the basics of soil.

All in all, the event was a huge success!  

It was a lot of fun to introduce the kids to a new experience! and help them learn about Birds, Bugs & Buffalo along the way!

How can you save water in the bathroom?

http://www.bathroomremodel.com/how-to-conserve-water-in-the-bathroom/#.UgObg5K1HEx

Shake, Rattle & Rainstick!

Last Friday I gave a presentation to the Martin County Library in Stanton. Being that we are still in a severe drought, I thought it might be good to make several rainsticks in hopes of receiving some rain. I think it might just work! Anyway, we talked about where rainsticks originate and how they have been passed down for generations. We read "The Rainstick, A Fable," and the kids really enjoyed it. After everyone learned what rainsticks were, we made our very own. Here are some pictures from the presentation. It was a blast!

The materials for the rainsticks: Duct tape, feathers, toilet paper holders, rubber bands and pinto beans.

Here are the ones I made. 

Everyone enjoyed personalizing their rainstick!

My favorite about this one is the "No Guys Allowed" sticker! haha. 

Why remember water this Fourth of July?

Remember this Fourth of July that water is in everything you eat and see! Whether you're eating watermelon or drinking lemonade, water made them delicious. Check out these three conservation tips:

1) When you're thawing meat for the big barbecue, pour the water used for thawing on a plant or tree outside.

2) Keeping drinks in a cooler for the picnic? Pour the ice and left over water on the lawn, rather than the sidewalk or street.

3) As you sit on the lawn for fireworks, know that every blade of grass took water to grow. 

Have a safe and happy fourth! 

SLUWCD & LEUWCD award $10,500 combined in scholarships

The Sandy Land UWCD and the Llano Estacado UWCD hosted their annual scholarship essay contest for high school seniors. As in many years past, the turnout and quality of submissions was exceptional. This year approximately 85 entries were submitted in total.

SLUWCD school districts include Denver City and Plains. Students from each school submitted entries in hopes of earning a scholarship. SLUWCD awarded $6,000 in scholarships.

Denver City High School

1) Kathryn English- recipient of $2,000 scholarship and attending West Texas A&M University
2) Jaci Zingerman- recipient of $1,000 scholarship and attending West Texas A&M University

Pictured (Left-right): Kathryn English (L), Jaci Zingerman (C) and Education Coordinator Adeline Fox (R).

Plains High School
1) Merrit Crump- recipient of $2,000 scholarship and attending Texas Tech University
2) Matthew Ramos- recipient of $1,000 scholarship and attending Texas Tech University

Adeline Fox and Merrit Crump 

Adeline Fox and Matthew Ramos

LEUWCD school districts include Loop, Seagraves and Seminole. Students from Loop and Seagraves submitted entries. Three scholarships were awarded to both of these school districts. Overall, LEUWCD awarded $4,500 in scholarships.

Loop High School
1st) Emily Whitfield- recipient of $1,000 scholarship and attending South Plains College
2nd) Kallee Foster- recipient of $750 scholarship and attending South Plains College
3rd) Veronika Conde- recipient of $500 scholarship and attending Midland College

Pictured: Veronika Conde (L), Kallee Foster (C) and Emily Whitfield (R)

Seagraves High School
1) Justine Negrete- recipient of $1,000 scholarship and attending South Plains College
2) Seth Barron- recipient of $750 scholarship and attending Evangel University
3) Gypsy Lovington- recipient of $500 scholarship and attending South Plains College

 Pictured: Gypsy Lovington (L), Seth Barron (C) and Justine Negrete (R)

 Congratulations to all of our winners!

Sandy Land UWCD & South Plains UWCD 2014 Calendar Winners

Check out these animated videos of the winning artwork for both water conservation calendars.

Sandy Land UWCD
Approximately 250 students submitted entries for the contest and here are the top 13.

South Plains UWCD
Approximately 345 students from Brownfield, Meadow & Wellman-Union submitted entries for the contest, and here are the top 13.

A Barrel Full of Information

The Permian Basin Underground Water Conservation District hosted their first Rainwater Harvesting Demonstration Thursday, May 16. Sixteen residents of Howard and Martin Counties attended the hour long informational session to receive a barrel full of information.

Howard County Master Gardener, Julie Coats, gave listeners information on everything from the basics of catching rain to the complex installations of having a large system. A demonstration followed that simulated rainfall on different types of ground cover. The demonstration showed runoff effects in rangeland grasses, exposed soil, turf grass and a solid surface. Most of the runoff occurred on the solid surface, making rain barrels even more useful to prevent the wasted water runoff.

Overall, the event was informative and provided great awareness about a practice that works well in West Texas. Now all we must do is pray for rain. Below are some pictures of the event. Enjoy! 

Title slide.

The display for the demonstration contained each type of ground cover.
From left to right: native rangeland, exposed soil, turf grass and a solid surface.

A broader look at the display. 

Master Gardener, Julie Coats, gives the rainwater harvesting presentation.

Pouring water into the containers created the rain simulation.

An explanation of the runoff effects.

Come & join us for a Rainwater Harvesting Demonstration in Stanton this Thursday!

Water in your body- How everything works better with water.

This schematic illustrates exactly how vital water is to our bodies. It is very important to stay hydrated at all times because every single part of our body relies on water to function. Check it out!

Photo credit: http://totallytots.blogspot.com/2009/03/did-you-know-water.html

Catch some Rain Knowledge with the South Plains UWCD

How can rainwater be harvested and used for your yard? This was one of the many topics covered at last night's Rainwater Harvesting Workshop hosted by the South Plains Underground Water Conservation District. Local residents gathered in the Terry County Show Barn to learn about conserving water outdoors and capturing rainwater from their roofs.

Following the brief presentation given by SPUWCD Education Coordinator, Adeline Fox, participants selected the rain barrel they liked. All who attended received a complimentary rain barrel, water timer and a rain chain. Rain chains act as a "chain gutter" directing water to a designated spot. In this case, the rain chain can direct water into the rain barrel. Guests had the option of spray painting minor details or simply leaving their rain barrel as is.

Practicing rainwater harvesting is beneficial in dry and arid climates. One inch of rainfall can fill a 60 gallon barrel easily. With a continued drought and summer on its way, it is also important to keep outdoor water conservation in mind. Increased temperatures cause higher rates of evaporation and watering at the right time of the day is critical during the summer months. Always remember to use water wisely.

In summation, the program was a success. Guests of all ages attended and had fun making the rain barrel their own. For more information on rainwater harvesting, visit the South Plains UWCD website at spuwcd.org. Here are some pictures from the event. Enjoy!

A total of 16 guests attended.

The rain chain and water timer work great for outdoor water use.

Starting to learn rainwater harvesting young!

He knew how to use the rain chain before I even gave the presentation!

Painting her last name on the pretty gray barrel.  

Very creative for the textured barrel.

The kids' art was on the back! :) Smart mom.

Stencil close up

This was my favorite design of the night! It looks rustic.

Water Conservation Day at the Capitol a great success

The Southern Ogallala Conservation and Outreach Program hosted a water conservation artwork contest in early January. Winners of the contest were awarded an all-expense paid trip to Austin in celebration of Texas Water Day at the Capitol. SOCOP took two high school students to Austin last week. One student from Plains and one from Brownfield traveled to Austin to tour the Capitol and meet their state representatives. Below are some pictures from the trip. We had a great time!

Angela Sanchez, Brownfield High School senior and winner 

for the South Plains UWCD, displays her winning artwork.

The whole group pictured in the House Gallery.

We were able to go on a dome tour. 

We eventually made it all the way to that Texas star at the top!

Representative Charles Perry and the group.

Polina Tolstova, a Russian foreign exchange student  currently attending 

Plains High School, was the winner for the Sandy Land UWCD.