Billingers and Marvel

Today we’ll hear the story of a modern marvel. When I say Marvel, I mean that literally - a horse named Marvel and her journey to rural Kansas. It’s a heartwarming story, and it’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Randy and Kristi Billinger of Wellsville, Kansas. Wellsville is a town of 1,678 people. Now, that’s rural. This rural setting is home to Marvel the horse. Marvel’s story is relayed to us by Patrice Scott of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at Kansas State University.

A few years ago, Randy and Kristi Billinger became interested in a breed of horses called Kiger Mustangs. Randy and Kristi bought two Kiger Mustangs, including a mare named Eleana, and brought them to their place near Wellsville.

By spring 2004, there was new excitement surrounding these horses. Eleana was due to give birth to her third foal. In order to keep close tabs on the pregnant mare, Randy moved her into the barn and installed a camera to watch her.

But on April 21, 2004, at 2 a.m., disaster struck. Randy heard a loud commotion and checked the TV monitor. What he saw made his heart drop: The mare was pinned down in the stall.

Randy rushed to the barn and, to his horror, found the mare’s leg was somehow pinned beneath the heavy-duty stall door. Eventually he freed the leg with a shovel, but the damage was done. A local veterinarian splinted the leg and advised them to take Eleana to the K-State Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital immediately.

At K-State, the x-rays showed what was called "catastrophic damage." Essentially, the knee was crushed, and Eleana was very heavy with foal.

The options were not good. One alternative, of course, was to destroy the horse. A second was to cast the leg long enough for the colt to be born, and then put the mare down. The third option was reconstructive surgery. The Billingers chose the surgery.

But this was no ordinary operation. Not only was the knee crushed, the mare was under extreme stress and close to foaling. Fortunately, the three-hour surgery was successful. The next question was, would the mare be able to have her baby – and would it survive?

The veterinarians monitored the mare closely. On May 3, Eleana gave birth to a healthy female foal. The little colt was named Eleana’s Marvel, or Marvel for short.

Marvel was a beautiful colt, but too weak to nurse. The veterinarians fed her through a tube for days and eventually taught Marvel to drink by filling pails with milk. But as the colt gained strength, her mother was losing it.

One doctor said of the older mare, "She would not take her concentration off Marvel - not even to eat. She had a fierce maternal instinct. She was going to do everything she could to get her foal through this crisis."

Marvel recovered, but Eleana the mare’s condition was deteriorating fast. Nothing more could be done. On May 13, Randy and Kristi said their tearful goodbyes to the mare. They buried Eleana on their place near Wellsville.

But along with death comes new life. Marvel was continuing to grow. On May 20 – one week to the day after laying Eleana to rest – they brought Marvel home to Wellsville also.

Still more work remained. The 17-day old colt needed feedings through the night, just like a human baby. Randy and Kristi camped out in their truck in the barn so as to make the feedings easier. Neighbors helped by feeding during the day while the Billingers went to work. By the late summer of 2004, Marvel was a typical frisky foal, frolicking in her rural home.

It’s time to end this story of a modern marvel. Indeed, the horse is named Marvel, and its entry into this world is something of a miracle in itself. We salute Randy and Kristi Billinger and all the staff and doctors of the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital for making a difference by using their skills and caring to help this horse. The result is truly marvelous.

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Terry Woodbury

Today let’s meet a builder in a Kansas community. But don’t look for a hard hat and tape measure, this is a different type of builder. He’s not dealing in bricks and mortar, but maybe something more important. He’s helping build the relationships which can help a community move forward together. So grab your toolbox for today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Terry Woodbury, this community builder. His specialty isn’t construction science, it’s people science.

Terry represents a fascinating blend of rural and urban. For example, he grew up in Wichita – no, not the city of Wichita, but in Wichita County. That’s a county in southwest Kansas with a total population of 2,725 people. Now, that’s rural.

So what about his urban experience? Terry lives in the inner city of Kansas City, where he was President of the United Way of Wyandotte County. Talk about a blend of urban and rural – the first half of each month, he and his wife spend out on the family ranch near Leoti, and the second half at their home in inner Kansas City.

In March 2004, Terry left the United Way to pursue another passion: restoring community spirit in our state. Terry says, "We are attempting to revitalize the spirit and practice of community, one community at a time." Terry’s project is called Building and Rebuilding Community across Kansas.

Terry says, "A lot of forces are pulling apart our sense of community. My effort is to connect leaders in our communities and build partnerships and a spirit of collaboration. That’s basic to the survival of those communities."

He says, "The school board can’t do it alone. The city council can’t do it alone. The county commission can’t do it alone, and the same with others. All sectors need to come together."

The process starts when someone agrees to host such an effort in their community, and seed money is committed to support it.

Then Terry implements a four-step process in that community. First of all, he does extensive interviews with citizens of that community, and asks them to identify good people with good ideas that are future-oriented.

The second stage is a community conversation. This is a three-hour evening gathering, open to the community at large. Terry facilitates a discussion of the community’s assets, liabilities, and ideas for improvement. Then participants are asked to nominate people to participate in a vision retreat.

That vision retreat is step three. This is an eight-hour session where leaders look at the community in four sectors: Business, education, health and human services, and government. They work on a ten-year vision and translate that to immediate goals in terms of how those in each sector can collaborate. The fourth and final step is the implementation of those plans through action teams.

This initiative is new, but is already working in Tribune and Chanute. For example, the community conversation was held recently in Tribune. 166 people came, which represents one-tenth of the total population of the county! That’s impressive participation, and they generated 155 specific ideas. A month later at their Vision Retreat, 31 community leaders produced a 10-year vision and 7 goals to implement in the next 2 years.

Terry’s sponsors have included everyone from chambers of commerce to school boards to city councils to county commissions to the Kansas Health Foundation to banks to county Farm Bureaus. In fall 2005, Terry hopes to convene a hundred people from six to eight communities to have another conversation and share their successes.

Terry says, "I believe that two people having a deep conversation to understand each other can change the world." If you would like to learn more, call Terry at 620-214-0002. That number again is 620-214-0002.

It’s time to say goodbye to our Kansas builder. He’s not building structures, he’s building synergy. He’s not building rooms, he’s building relationships. He’s not building construction, he’s building collaboration. We salute Terry Woodbury for making a difference by rekindling community spirit across the state. While he doesn’t have a hard hat, he does have a happy heart.

Today I want to weave together a fascinating story for you, about an artisan in rural Kansas. We’re talking weaving – not weaving story lines or fabric, but weaving wheat. An innovative farmer’s wife is practicing this historic art in rural Kansas. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Cheryl Zumbrunn, owner of the Harvest Lark Company which specializes in wheat weaving and related products.

Cheryl was born and raised near Chapman, Kansas. After college, she married Dennis Zumbrunn who is also from near Chapman. They came back to the farm, where they are producing crops and livestock today. In fact, they are the third generation on the farm. The historic home they have restored is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Cheryl is always looking for ways to add value to their operation. She found there were couples who were interested in getting bags of wheat to throw at their wedding. Of course, we used to throw rice at weddings, but after all, this is wheat country. So Cheryl began cleaning, bagging, and selling wheat to throw at weddings.

Then she became exposed to another use for that wheat, and it wasn’t the grain: It was wheat weaving, where the stems of the wheat plant are woven into beautiful designs. Cheryl has a real appreciation for the history of wheat weaving.

Cheryl explains that wheat weaving was one of the oldest folk arts. She says, "Weaving has been around ever since grass has been grown."

In ancient society, the wheat weavings were an offering to thank the earth and spirits for a prosperous harvest and to ensure another harvest to come. In ancient England, it was the men who did the weaving, because it was considered so important. Women got into wheat weaving in later years for more practical reasons, when straw hats became popular.

But another element of the wheat weaving was the beautiful and intricate designs which could be crafted by a skilled weaver. In the 1950s, a huge wheat weaving was displayed at an exhibition in England. This spurred a resurgence of interest in the craft.

Cheryl learned about wheat weaving from some skilled artisans in Kansas. When she attended a business opportunity session with an ag economics specialist from K-State Research and Extension, she realized this could become a business.

These beautiful designs are perfect as gifts or decorations for weddings or other special occasions. The website offers wheat arrangements, potpourri, bouquets, recipes, and more.

There is a special section for those interested in doing wheat weaving. Here they can purchase fine Kansas wheat straw for their weaving projects. Cheryl says, "People who weave with our Kansas wheat think they make the most beautiful pieces." The wheat varieties offered by Harvest Lark include Scout, Larned, and the historic Turkey Red, which Cheryl says makes long, soft silky strands – perfect for wheat weaving.

Is there demand for such a product? Yes. Cheryl’s products have gone from California to Florida to Pennsylvania and more – all the way from her family farm near Chapman, Kansas, population 1,352 people. Now, that’s rural.

How exciting that this young farm wife and entrepreneur has found a way to utilize her family’s agricultural products and her natural talent, and connect with a world marketplace through the Internet. And Cheryl is working on other ideas for adding value to grain. Be listening for more on that later.

Today we’ve been weaving together this story for you, about a young farm wife who is adding value to their wheat crop by utilizing it in new ways. She is marketing beautiful works of art, such as wheat weavings and native grass bouquets, and the wheat straw to make them. We salute Cheryl Zumbrunn, her co-workers, and family for making a difference by being entrepreneurs and artists. She has managed to weave the family farm, art, history and business all together.

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Charlie Trayer

There’s got to be a better way. Have you ever said that? I have – usually after some disaster. Today, we’ll meet a Flint Hills rancher who had that thought, and it launched him on a road to an invaluable discovery. It led him to a special breed of working cattle dog, and now he’s become one of the nation’s leading breeders and trainers of this breed. It’s a canine edition of Kansas Profile.

Meet Charlie Trayer, a rancher from Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. Charlie has been managing the Cottonwood Ranch for some 37 years. He says, "I’ve always had cattle dogs, but I never had really good ones." A lot of us can relate to that. A good dog can help gather cattle, but they’re all too rare.

For Charlie Trayer, the turning point came when intensive grazing programs were implemented in the Flint Hills. Those programs require frequently moving large numbers of cattle. That’s good for the pastures, but hard on the ranch managers.

Charlie Trayer was having trouble getting the cattle gathered so frequently, and he thought to himself: There’s got to be a better way. He wondered if some cowdogs could help gather the cattle more quickly and efficiently.

Then Charlie came across a new breed called Hangin’ Tree Cowdogs. The breed took its name from the Hangin’ Tree Ranch in Idaho, where they were first developed by a guy named Gary Ericsson.

Gary Ericsson was seeking a better herding dog, so he started crossbreeding. He wanted the herding instinct of the border collie and Australian Shepherd, the endurance of the Australian Kelpie, and the toughness of a Louisiana breed called the Catahoula leopard dog.

When he bred these together, he developed a kind of dog that was exceptional as a working cattle dog: Hangin’ Tree Cowdogs. Charlie says, "When I found the Hangin’ Tree Cowdogs, I knew I had found what I needed."

Charlie says, "The object of the breed is an all-around dog that brings the most desirable traits of each." These dogs are shorthaired, which is best when working in heat or mud and to shed burrs. They are retrieving-type dogs, whose natural instinct is gather cattle and herd them. They are medium-sized but big-boned, agile and tough, with the guts to stand up to a cow and make it mind.

Charlie says, "They have the instinct to trail cattle and can follow a scent through rough country. They are intelligent, very trainable, and have a good disposition." And from what I’ve seen, they have an amazing instinct to herd and a desire to work. With a voice command or whistle from Charlie, they will follow his commands perfectly and help gather or load cattle.

Charlie put those dogs to use on his ranch in the Flint Hills, and was so impressed he started breeding and training the dogs himself. Now this has turned into a rural-based business, as he is demonstrating Hangin’ Tree dogs skills and selling dogs all over the country. He sells an instructional book and video and has a website, www.trayerscowdogs.com. That’s t-r-a-y-e-r-s-cowdogs.com.

Charlie contracts with Purina Mills to have his dogs do herding demonstrations, and has done them from Sacramento to Missouri. He turned down an invitation from Boston because it was too impractical to ship his horse there.

Charlie says, "I’ve sold dogs to just about every state," from New York to California. In fact, some of his dogs will soon be going to Brazil. Wow. All this from the ranch near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, population 846 people. Now, that’s rural. How exciting to find this talent in rural Kansas.

There’s got to be a better way. That thought years ago from Charlie Trayer would lead him to find a better way of gathering and herding cattle, using this very special composite breed of dog. We salute Charlie Trayer, Gary Ericsson, and all those involved with Hangin’ Tree Cowdogs for making a difference with their innovation and training ability. For ranchers all across the nation, they have helped find a better way.

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Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard

Let’s go to the President’s inaugural parade in Washington DC. Here comes some soldiers, looking sharp with their flags flying. But they aren’t marching, they are riding horseback. It’s the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard from Fort Riley, Kansas, which is helping people to connect with this fort’s historic legacy. So stand up and salute for today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Captain Cayla Slusher, commanding officer of Fort Riley’s Mounted Color Guard. She tells us the story.

Fort Riley began as a U.S. Cavalry post back in 1853. It has a rich history, which extends into the missions of today.

In 1992, the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard was established at the post to reconnect with the fort’s historic past. Troopers and horses in this unit are outfitted with the uniforms and equipment of the 1860s, such as sabers and McClellan saddles. Their mission is to represent Fort Riley and the U.S. Army in a highly professional display of cavalry horsemanship and military tradition. They perform at various community events, doing such things as precision riding and drills using their sabers and pistols.

There are 17 soldiers, 17 horses and two mules in the unit, plus an 1871 army escort wagon and more. The unit cares for five historic native limestone buildings on the post, including a stable with the original cobblestone floor. Captain Slusher’s pride in the unit is obvious. She says, "These soldiers’ dedication is just incredible."

Those who serve in the color guard are assigned from other active duty units at the fort, which means some are occasionally called to deploy. Captain Slusher herself served in Iraq.

The captain is an outstanding horsewoman herself, but you don’t have to be a cowboy to serve here. In fact, Sergeant First Class Jim Blecha says, "Many are midwestern farm kids who have been around horses, but a couple didn’t know which end of a horse did what." All of them go through careful training once they are chosen.

To be selected, volunteers must be recommended from their units and then interviewed by Captain Slusher. After that is what they call the "interview with the horse." This means that the soldier mounts one of the horses bareback. Captain Slusher and others observe how the soldier reacts and interacts with the horse, and vice versa. If the rider and horse are comfortable with each other, and the rider shows natural athletic ability, coordination and balance, he or she is a strong candidate for selection.

I wonder how that horse marks the interview form. I suppose the top score would be five horseshoes out of five...

Speaking of horses, it is neat to see the care and handling which these horses are given by the soldiers. The horses are carefully selected too. Typically they are bay geldings with good disposition, good conformation, and minimal white markings so as to be less visible to the enemy.

Rural Kansas can be a source for such horses. Horses currently in the unit came from various places, including one from near Alta Vista, Kansas, population 463. Now, that’s rural.

Each horse is given an appropriate name, such as Ike, Ranger, and Stonewall. The two mules, interestingly, are named Captain and Lieutenant. Captain Slusher says with a smile, "I didn’t want the mules to outrank me."

Together, these soldiers and horses make a stirring and patriotic display, like a page from living history. They’ve performed at events from the Riley County Rodeo in Manhattan, Kansas to the Professional Bull Riders finals in Las Vegas. They are outstanding ambassadors for Fort Riley and the Army itself.

It’s time to leave Washington D.C., where Fort Riley’s Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard is representing Kansas in the President’s inaugural parade. We salute Captain Slusher, Sergeant First Class Blecha, and all those who are part of this unit for making a difference by connecting us to the proud and historic legacy of the U.S. Cavalry in Kansas.

Rural Kansas is also a source of their historic equipment. We’ll learn about that on our next program.

On our last program, we visited the President's Inaugural Parade, which featured, among many other components, the Commanding General's Mounted Color Guard from Fort Riley, Kansas. This is a unit of Army soldiers who perform on horseback wearing 1860s uniforms and equipment to represent the history of Fort Riley. Those soldiers must have felt a special feeling of pride as they rode in the inaugural parade in Washington D.C. Someone else might have had a special feeling of pride too, for he was the man who prepared the saddles which those soldiers rode. Today we'll meet that man on Kansas Profile.

Meet John Lyon, the craftsman who rebuilt the saddles which those soldiers are using. John is the owner of John's Shoe and Saddle Repair in Wamego, Kansas.

John is quite skilled in leather work and repair. He comes by his knowledge of saddles and tack first-hand. He learned about them from the ground up in rural Kansas.

John grew up in the community of Louisville, near Wamego in northeast Kansas. Louisville is a town of 246 people. Now, that's rural.

His grandparents had a farm, and he rode horses for fun. He also had a bicycle, and he remembers going down Lincoln Avenue in Wamego to a secondhand shop on the south end of the block where a Mr. Kirkpatrick repaired his bike.

As mentioned, John loved to ride horses too. Of course, that requires saddles and tack, and sometimes those things break from wear. Money was tight, and John says, "Our philosophy was, if you wanted it fixed, you'd better get out the equipment and fix it yourself."

In 1980, he came back to Wamego and decided to open his own business and to do leather work full-time. He found a building that was available: It was the very same building on Lincoln Avenue where Mr. Kirkpatrick had fixed his bike years before. I love it when things come full circle.

John says, "I like people and enjoy talking to them. You can always learn something." His shop is a popular hangout for cowboys, ranchers, and other local folks.

John is also an avid reader. He enjoys history, and is now in the process of copying a civil war diary which has been handed down in his family. In fact, his great-great-grandfather was a Civil War veteran.

So it's especially fitting that the Mounted Color Guard at Fort Riley would come to John Lyon when repairs were needed on their saddles and tack. Then when that unit needed McClellan saddles rebuilt, John was the logical man for the job. He is rebuilding these saddles to maintain their authentic design while making them fit modern day horses and soldiers.

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Mark Strange - Pancake Day Festival - Liberal

Meet Mark Strange, foundation board chairman for International Pancake Day in Liberal, Kansas. Talk about history -- this race history goes back 500 years to 1445.

In those days the Church of England forbid the use of animal fats during Lent. On Shrove Tuesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, a woman was frying pancakes to use up her cooking oils. She got engrossed in her cooking and lost track of time, and suddenly heard the church bells announcing the service. She didn’t want to be late to church, so she grabbed a scarf and ran down the street with her apron on and skillet in hand, complete with pancakes.

Her neighbors did the same in future years and it became an annual race. This has now been going on for centuries at St. Peter and St. Paul’s church in Olney, England.

In 1950, a picture of this race appeared in a U.S. magazine. It was noticed by R.J. Leete, president of the Jaycees in Liberal, Kansas. Mr. Leete thought it would be fun to challenge those English women and have the same type of race out in Kansas. He contacted the vicar in Olney who agreed to the race. They made some rules and the race was on.

Every Shrove Tuesday since, women have run this race in Liberal, Kansas and Olney, England. As of 2004, the overall score is 28 wins for Liberal and 24 wins for Olney. In 2005, the race is February 8.

Under the rules, the women run the 415 yard course in the specified clothing, including a scarf and apron. They must carry a skillet complete with pancake, flipping it at the starting line and again at the end.

This event is said to be the only one like it on the planet. It attracts press coverage from the major networks plus Fox and CNN, and even Paul Harvey.

Liberal has built on this attraction to conduct a four day festival of related events. These include a recipe contest using the pancake batter as the primary ingredient, a flipping and eating contest and the Miss Liberal pageant – and that’s only Saturday.

On Sunday there is an English tea and usually a Christian music concert. Monday includes an extensive talent show, and then comes Shrove Tuesday -- race day. Events begin with a breakfast that some two thousand people attend, including the Governor. Then a series of races are held, beginning with a children’s race and a men’s pacer race. At 11:55 a.m. the international pancake race is held. To the winner goes the syrup -- I mean, the spoils. In reality, the ultimate prize for the winner is the "Kiss of Peace" given by a representative of Olney England. A parade and interdenominational Shrove Tuesday service complete the festivities.

This is a big event for rural Kansas. Mark Strange estimates that 4 to 500 volunteers are involved in putting it on. The contestants must all come from Liberal. One year the winner was a student in Liberal, but she was originally from the town of Plains, Kansas, population 988. Now, that’s rural.

Mark Strange is leading the effort to restore a 100-year-old home which is located at the finish line. It will become the Pancake Day Hall of Fame and the permanent headquarters for the organization.

Our race is about to end, and now the winner dashes across the finish line. How exciting to find this unique international institution taking place out in Kansas. We salute Mark Strange, R. J. Leete, and all those involved for making a difference by honoring our heritage and faith, with skill and skillets.

And there’s more. We’ll learn about another attraction in Liberal on our next program.

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Laura Strange - Baker Arts Center - Liberal

Today let’s visit an art show. We’ll find 73 striking works of art, created by 50 artists from 20 states, from Washington to New York. Where would you expect to find such an impressive art show? Today, we’ll find it in Liberal, Kansas at the Baker Arts Center -- a hidden gem in our state. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

On our last program, we met Mark Strange who is foundation board chair for Liberal’s Pancake Day. Today, we’ll meet Mark’s wife Laura, who is executive director of the Baker Arts Center.

Laura Strange explains that the Baker Arts Center fulfills the dream of a local artist, Irene Baker. Mrs. Baker dabbled in various forms of art, from photography to collages to oil painting. She had a passion for the arts, and worked to enhance them in her community of Liberal.

Mrs. Baker and her husband built a home in Liberal in 1954. Liberal was really a rural community at that time. In the 1950 Census, Liberal had a population of 7,134 people. Now, that’s rural.

The home built by the Bakers was a 5,000 square foot building, which was the biggest house in that area at the time. It was built large enough to accommodate artists in residence, who could come and rent space in the house to live and work. That part did not materialize, so Mrs. Baker instead promoted the arts through classes and her own studies.

The Bakers had no children. After Mr. Baker passed away, the Baker Arts Foundation was established in 1979. Mrs. Baker continued to add to her collection of artwork, and the house and her collection were donated to the Baker Arts Foundation upon her death in 1984.

A volunteer board of directors and a small staff have continued her work of promoting the arts in Liberal and the southwest Kansas region. Laura Strange started working with the Foundation when she came in to clean the house when the Baker home was undergoing renovation. Then she started helping answer phones and worked her way up through the ranks of the organization to become Executive Director in 1998.

Laura says with a smile that she is also a landlord. The Baker Arts Foundation owns six other houses on their block. Laura says, "This helps secure funding as well as secures the property. The revenues help support the arts foundation, and our tenants know that we want the houses to be very well maintained."

The Foundation is not supported by city or county taxpayer funding. Instead, it relies on memberships, grants, donations, and private support. The Foundation puts on several fundraisers during the year, including two big events in December. This includes a Christmas gift shopping event and meal, followed by a Festival of Trees and live auction the following weekend.

Currently, the Baker Arts Center hosts a national juried art show each year, offers four galleries with rotating exhibits, hosts recitals including the symphony, and provides art classes on topics from ceramics to painting to photography. Every second grader gets a workshop and tour of the center.

The foundation folks are probably thankful for each one of those 5,000 square feet that the Bakers built back in 1954! Each year the center attracts more than 6,000 visitors, from places as far away as California, Florida, and Germany. Wow.

In addition, Laura says, "We do a lot more work outside of this building," in terms of outreach in the community. The foundation hires artists to teach art in the elementary schools. The foundation also helps with music, theatre, and other after school programs. To reach out to the growing Hispanic population, the foundation is working with Cinco de Mayo to bring a music group in from Mexico.

It’s time to leave our art show, which we are pleased to find is located in Liberal, Kansas. We commend Laura Strange, the Board of Directors, and all others involved with the Baker Arts Center. They are making a difference by realizing Mrs. Baker’s dream and enhancing the arts in rural Kansas.

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Hofman Farm Supply

Heart and soul. When you visit a community, you can sometimes identify those components which represent that community’s heart and soul. Today we’ll learn about the heart and soul of a truly rural community in northeast Kansas. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Elaine Hofman. Elaine and her husband Larry run Hofman Farm Supply in Blaine, Kansas, northeast of Manhattan. When I say Blaine is rural, I mean it. Blaine is an unincorporated town of approximately 40 residents. Now, that’s rural.

A town that size faces several challenges. There’s not much business here. In fact, the only business in town is Hofman Farm Supply. So when I talk about the heart and soul of the community, it makes sense that I’m referring to this business.

Larry Hofman grew up on a farm north of Blaine. His dad would ship cattle to the old stockyards in St. Joe, Missouri. After dropping off the cattle, for the return trip he would pick up feed which he could sell to his neighbors besides what he used himself. This worked so well that he started picking up farm supplies at a hardware supply store and brought those back also.

In 1951, he opened a store in Blaine to sell these supplies. It became Hofman Farm Supply. In 1973, Larry took over the business from his father. In 1975, they built a building in the current location and added on through the years. Larry’s wife Elaine is from Frankfort originally, and she is a vital part of the business. They have a grown son and daughter at Wamego.

So Hofman Farm Supply is definitely the heart of any business activity in Blaine. You can stop for a coke or a snack, or a sandwich at lunch time. Besides livestock feed, you can get dog food, auto parts, oil, batteries, hardware, tools, work gloves, carports, and metal siding, for example. You can even get your tires fixed or your chain saw or weedeater repaired.

I asked, "How do you compete with Wal-Mart?" The answer I got was, "We don’t. We offer certain things, we’re handier to the people up here and we offer the personal touch."

That personal touch is definitely true. There is a pot of free coffee on, plus some local newspapers and even a deck of cards. In the summer there are home grown tomatoes, fresh picked off the vines next door. Some old farmers were visiting in the shop when I stopped by.

Elaine says they know most of their customers by name. In fact, she says, "We have some of the same customers that Larry’s dad had."

There is also the role of the community volunteer. Elaine says, "I like to participate and I want to get in and help. If somebody’s been sick and somebody needs a salad or a cake, they know they can call on me."

That takes a lot of heart. Now, as to the soul part, you have to go across the street for that. What I mean is, across the street from Hofman Farm Supply is a big, beautiful Catholic church. It is a red brick, Gothic style building constructed back in 1908. That replaced the original frame church which was built back in 1881. Wow.

Mass is still held at the church each Sunday, with a priest who comes from Onaga. When this church celebrated its centennial, more than a thousand people attended. And when I looked at the guest register, there were people who had visited from Texas, Colorado, Oregon and Nigeria.

Elaine is very active in the church too. She says, "Church is not just a Sunday morning thing. It’s something you have to live." She says, "Everybody has to do their part to make the world a better place."

Heart and soul. Yes, I think Elaine Hofman is part of the heart and soul of this rural community, and not just because of Hofman Farm Supply. She has made a difference because she cares about the people of her community with a lot of heart and soul.

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Bird City Bird Seed

This story is for the birds – and I do mean that literally. Today we’ll meet a remarkable Kansas company which is creating products for birds and selling them coast to coast. But you might say that this business started on a wing and a prayer in rural Kansas. I’ll explain on today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Tabetha Ketzner, owner and manager of this remarkable business. The primary component of this company’s product is birdseed. And where do you suppose this company is located? Oh, it’s too good to be true, but it is true nonetheless: This company is found in Bird City, Kansas.

Bird City is located in the very northwest corner of Kansas, in Cheyenne County. It is 26 miles from Colorado and seventeen miles from Nebraska.

Tabetha’s husband Noel Ketzner is from Bird City originally. She grew up just over the line in Colorado. The two met in 4-H and showed sheep against each other. They married and came back to the farm after college.

When Tabetha was expecting their second child, she took time off to stay at home but was still interested in business opportunities. Then her husband mentioned an interesting idea: Since the name of the town was Bird City, people wondered if a person could build a business around birdseed.

That intrigued Tabetha so she decided to give it a look. Her first thought was to sell gift bags of birdseed for a specialty market. Then a friend showed her a bell-shaped birdseed ornament in a catalog, so Tabetha decided to give that a try. She started blending and shaping birdseed ornaments in her basement. A key factor is the formula of the solution which holds those seeds together in a given shape.

Tabetha says, "I played with that recipe for a long time. I’ve now found a recipe which makes this a heat and water resistant product."

The company is named Bird City Bird Seed. It produces what you might call "instant bird feeders." These are clusters of seeds formed in various shapes, with a string on which to hang them. Even the string is biodegradable, so a person can hang them outside and forget them, except to watch the birds enjoy them. Essentially, these instant bird feeders are tree ornaments made of birdseed.

The company sells the ornaments in eight different shapes. You can get these birdseed clusters in the shape of stars, hearts, mini-wreaths, large wreaths, birdhouses, trees, crosses or crescent moons.

Primary components of the birdseed are sunflowers and millet, which are grown locally. Safflower comes from Utah, but 99 percent of the other ingredients are purchased within 60 miles. Noel started out raising birdseed on the farm, but has now left farming to work on the birdseed business fulltime.

Marketing is very important to Tabetha, and she works hard to present the products in the best possible way. She goes to gift shows in such places as New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Seattle. She even has a website at www.birdcitybirdseed.com. She sells to such companies as the Saks corporation, Hallmark, Yankee Candle Company, and 1-800-flowers.

And what are the results? Sales increased by five times from year two to year three. She is now working out of a 4,000 square foot production and distribution facility. It is located on Bird Avenue, by the way. And Tabetha has sold products to every state in the Union but Hawaii and even up to Canada. You might find her products in a gift shop in Disneyland or a ski resort in the mountains. Her products are literally going coast-to-coast from their rural setting in Bird City, Kansas, population 464 people. Now, that’s rural. How exciting to find this wonderful entrepreneur succeeding in rural Kansas.

Yes, this story is for the birds, because Tabetha and Noel Ketzner are producing birdseed ornaments which are selling nationwide. We commend them for making a difference with their entrepreneurship and commitment to quality. I’m so glad this idea took flight, and the benefits are coming home to roost.

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Rotary Centennial

Full service. Remember when you got that at a service station – along with gas for a quarter a gallon? Those times may be long gone, but there are still people who believe in service. There are many local organizations which believe in service to the community. Today we will celebrate the volunteer members of those many service organizations which serve their communities in countless ways across Kansas. For example, there are the members of the Rotary organization, which celebrates its centennial year in 2005. Stay tuned for a service club edition of Kansas Profile.

Service clubs are a fixture in communities all across Kansas, starting with such groups as Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis and Certoma. These are typically composed of civic-minded local citizens who enjoy fellowship and want to make their communities better.

Rotary, as mentioned, is celebrating the 100^th anniversary of its founding during 2005. In fact, it was on February 23, 1905, that the first Rotary meeting was held in Chicago, Illinois. The story of the founding of Rotary is an interesting one.

It involved a young lawyer named Paul Harris, who had grown up in a small town in Vermont and graduated from the University of Iowa law school. When he set up law practice in the big city of Chicago, it was said that he missed the small town fellowship and camaraderie that he remembered from Vermont.

So he considered the idea of a club of business persons which might meet and share fellowship on a regular basis. These would include one representative of each of several professions. That first gathering was the beginning of what would become the world’s first non-profit service organization. Members agreed that they would rotate the meeting place among the workplaces of the members, and so the organization became known as Rotary.

The service projects of Rotary had rather humble beginnings. The first service project involved a local circuit riding minister whose horse had died, so the club bought him another horse to replace it. I think some Rotarians are still horsing around...

The first public service project was rather humble as well. That one involved the construction of a public restroom in downtown Chicago.

Since that time, Rotary has genuinely put into practice its motto of Service Above Self. Rotary has grown into more than a million members worldwide, which are supporting countless humanitarian projects locally and around the world.

The foundation of Rotary and other service organizations is the local club which members join. Those clubs may enter into all types of local service projects, from refurbishing houses to cleaning up a park to supporting the local baseball teams. These clubs are found in both urban and rural settings. The current district governor for the northeast district of Rotary in Kansas is John Templeton, who comes from the town of Blue Rapids, population 1,122 people. Now, that’s rural.

Rotary does various service projects that assist youth, help the needy, and promote health, literacy, education, peace, and goodwill. Rotary has supported more than 35,000 ambassadorial scholars and 46,000 international group study exchange members to help build world peace and understanding.

In 1985, Rotary set out to eradicate the disease of polio from the face of the earth. That disease is real to me – we had family members and friends who were touched by it, and I remember getting the vaccine as a kid. While polio has been gone from the U.S. in recent years, it is still crippling children in other parts of the world. Rotary spearheaded the effort to eradicate polio and spent some 600 million dollars to help immunize some two billion children against this dread disease. Since 1998, polio cases have dropped by 99 percent.

Full service. No, it’s not found at your gas station, but it is found among those community-minded people who are part of your local service clubs and organizations. We salute members of Rotary on their centennial anniversary and commend all service club members for making a difference through community service. Thank you for placing service above self.

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Global Flyer

The airplane is coming in for a landing, and the world is watching. It’s the record-breaking non-stop flight around the world by pilot Steve Fossett. Thousands of people are on hand and millions are watching on television to see the plane come in for a landing after circumnavigating the globe. How wonderful that this history-making flight took place from Salina, with help from some young men and women from rural Kansas. It’s an airborne edition of Kansas Profile.

By now, most people know the story of Steve Fossett and GlobalFlyer. Fossett is a Chicago-based businessman, pilot and adventurer, who has a passion for setting records and expanding the boundaries of human achievement. His latest goal was to set a new record for the first solo, non-stop, non-refuelled circumnavigation of the globe.

To do so, he partnered with a company known as Virgin Atlantic Airways based in London. Virgin Atlantic designed a specially engineered aircraft known as the GlobalFlyer for Fossett’s flight. The GlobalFlyer was built by a company in Mojave, California.

So you had California, Chicago, and London among the locations of the key players in this process. Yet where did this international team choose to originate its flight? The answer, of course, was Salina, Kansas.

Why Salina? According to the company, there were several reasons, including Salina’s location near the geographic center of the United States, the excellent facilities available at the airport itself and especially its brand new runway which is more than 12,000 feet long - one of the longest in North America.

Beyond that, they cited the proximity of K-State-Salina’s College of Technology and Aviation and the positive attitude of the Salina Chamber of Commerce. The Mission Control director commented, "Coupled with the Mission Control facility at Kansas State University, I can't think of a better place to start and finish this amazing flight."

Speaking of Mission Control, this was housed in a special facility constructed in the campus conference center at K-State-Salina. The Mission Control director was assisted by a set of technicians, including four K-State-Salina students who were specially selected for the occasion. Another seven K-State-Salina students directly assisted, and others helped in other ways.

On February 28 at 6:47 p.m., the plane took off. The flight had its nervous moments, beginning when the plane dipped on take-off. Fortunately, the pilot was able to bring it up. Later, his GPS system failed briefly before resuming.

Then a significant fuel leak occurred early in the flight. Emotions in Mission Control were described as ranging from concern to sheer panic. But fortunate tailwinds in the Pacific helped the flight, and the plane came in for a successful landing at Salina on March 3 at 1:52 p.m.

So what does all this have to do with rural Kansas? First of all, it is exciting to have the eyes of the world focused on Salina. An estimated 130 million people followed the flight on the Internet, and 93 million saw the landing on television.

Second, this is a classic case of Kansas utilizing its strengths. All too often, rural people think about our deficits: We don’t have this or we don’t have that. Instead, we should focus on our assets. Okay, we don’t have big cities, but it is an asset that we have wide open spaces. That asset, and a spacious airport, were big factors in the selection of Salina for this flight.

And finally, our greatest asset is our people. Take, for example, the four rural Kansas students at K-State-Salina who were a vital part of the core flight crew. One came from Salina. The other three came from the towns of Burrton, population 858; Linwood, population 409; and Glade, population 114 people. Now, that’s rural.

The airplane has landed and been certified by Guinness World Records as a record-setting flight. How exciting to see it happen in the heart of Kansas. We salute all those involved, and especially those students at K-State-Salina, who made a difference by being part of making aviation history. It’s enough to leave rural Kansas flying high.

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Lise Streit - Kansas Horse Council

Today I have a tale to tell. This particular tale is attached to a horse. No, I’m not talking about the hair on a horses’ tail end, I’m talking about the story of an organization which relates to the equine industry in Kansas. It’s exciting to see how this organization has grown and expanded and promoted the equine industry. So I hope you’re feeling your oats – stay tuned for today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Lise Streit, Executive Director of the Kansas Horse Council. She explains that the Council was founded with impetus from the late Bud Newell. Bud was an entrepreneur and avid horseman, who served on a K-State task force that was exploring an equine organization for Kansas in the early 1990s.

In 1992, the Kansas Horse Council was formed. A Board of Directors was created and Bud Newell became its first President. The first office was located in Bud’s basement. Lise Streit came onto the board in 1994 and became Executive Director of the Kansas Horse Council in 1998. The office has not only moved up from the basement, it has relocated to Manhattan.

Lise says that the main function of the Kansas Horse Council is education in various forms. She receives all kinds of horse questions, from researchers needing statistics to entrepreneurs wanting to start horse-related businesses.

According to a 1996 survey by Kansas Agricultural Statistics, which was supported by the Kansas Horse Council, there were 103,000 horses in Kansas valued at $183,000. There were 28,000 equine operations and the value of equine-related assets was estimated to be more than one million dollars. Wow.

So the horse industry is a significant business in Kansas. The Kansas Horse Council seeks to effectively represent that industry and provide benefits for its members.

For example, the Kansas Horse Council has a lobbyist in Topeka to monitor issues affecting horse owners. It has an official member magazine called Horse Tales and Sales. Other member benefits include a purchasing package under which members can receive discounts from participating businesses. I like that one cause I know first-hand how horse people spend money.

A huge issue has to do with legal liability issues. Most horse owners are probably like me: We enjoy our horses and we like sharing them with others. But even the best horses can be unpredictable on occasion. When this involves a 1,600 pound animal, accidents do happen.

So the Kansas Horse Council successfully lead the effort to amend Kansas law, as many other states have done, to protect horse owners from unnecessary liability in such cases.

Furthermore, by joining the Kansas Horse Council, each member automatically receives one-million-dollars in equine liability insurance which protects the owner from damages caused by his or her horses to persons or property. The insurance covers all the member’s horses, wherever they are located, and pays for legal counsel as well.

This is a significant protection. Lise tells of one horse owner who called her, saying that a neighbor’s horses had gotten out and caused an accident, and the neighbor was being sued for all he had. The caller said, sign me up for that insurance right now.

The Board of the Kansas Horse Council represents various regions of the state, both rural and urban, and various sectors of the horse industry. Current board members come from such cities as Wichita and Topeka, but also places like Lecompton, population 625; Olsburg, 187; Paxico, 182; and Fontana, population 152 people. Now, that’s rural.

On January 29, 2005, Bud Newell passed away. How fitting that he lived to see the Kansas Horse Council grow to achieve his vision.

So that’s the tale I have to tell. Not just a horse’s tail, but the story of an organization which promotes the equine industry. We salute Bud Newell, Lise Streit, and all who are part of the Kansas Horse Council for making a difference with their initiative and leadership.

And there’s more: A little horse fair in Wichita with a multi-million dollar impact. We’ll learn about that on our next program.

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EquiFest

There’s a convention coming to town. We need to get ready. Get all the stalls cleaned out, and make sure there’s plenty of hay and feed on hand. Hm, this doesn’t sound like just another convention. No, this is a special kind of event which centers on a four-legged kind of convention-goer: It’s about horses and the people who love and ride them. This event is EquiFest of Kansas. So pull up a hay bale for today’s Kansas Profile.

On our last program, we learned about the Kansas Horse Council. In addition to the council’s many other activities, it carries out EquiFest of Kansas, a special exposition about horses held annually on the last weekend of February.

Lise Streit is Executive Director of the Kansas Horse Council. In 1994, she joined the Kansas Horse Council board along with Ann White, who has an equine center near Wamego.

Ann and Lise heard the council president talk about the need for a horse fair in Kansas. Ann and Lise volunteered to research the idea, by visiting other equine events around the country and seeing what they could learn.

They traveled to a large event for horse-owners in Ohio called Equine Affair, did some research, and that night over a margarita at a Mexican restaurant, they toasted each other and said, "We’re going to do this!"

They returned home, reported to the board, and got the green light to try to organize a horse event for Kansas. Ann and Lise went to work and in six months time, put together the first EquiFest of Kansas. It was held at the Kansas Coliseum north of Wichita, and 8,000 people attended.

This was great, because attendance of 8,000 indicated that there was a lot of demand. So the Council decided to make it an annual event. Hold on to your hat, because the next year the attendance doubled. Wow. EquiFest has since been named one of the top six equine events in the nation.

2005 marked the eighth annual EquiFest of Kansas, and more than 17,500 people attended. The three day event includes some 135 vendors with all kinds of equine related products and services. Many vendors are turned away due to lack of space.

In addition to all the people, some 300 horses are part of the events. These include the horses which are brought in for the Breed Showcases, which highlight some of the best of the various horse breeds. Horses are also brought in for the stallion review, which is a kind of equine dating service, as well as the various drill teams and entertainment.

Then there are the clinicians. These are highly skilled, nationally-known trainers who put on educational clinics relating to various elements of working with horses. These have proven to be very popular with horse owners, who are always looking for tips on better ways of handling their horses. Clinicians in 2005 came from as far away as Florida, Arizona, Ohio and Oregon and attracted standing room only crowds.

EquiFest is an impressive event, because of the number of participants and the diverse content of the program. It attracts attendance from all across Kansas and as far away as Montana and North Carolina.

Rural Kansas is well-represented among the vendors, who come from such Kansas places as Coats, population 132; Belvue, population 222; and Cassoday, population 99 people. Now, that’s rural.

How wonderful to see this event bringing together thousands of people, urban and rural, with a common interest in the horse. The economic impact of this event is estimated to be two million dollars. Wow.

And on Saturday night at EquiFest, as they have done every year, Lise and Ann still get together and toast each other with a margarita. They deserve it.

It’s time to close up this convention. Clean out the stalls and pack up the feed, because this is no ordinary convention. It is EquiFest of Kansas. We salute Lise Streit, Ann White, the Kansas Horse Council and all those involved with EquiFest for making a difference with a tremendous equine event.

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Karen Everhart - Horse Calls - Sedan

Does your doctor make horse calls? No, not house calls, I said Horse calls. Today we’ll meet a Kansas entrepreneur who has turned her love of horses into a business serving people who need assistance with equine issues. We’ll get the story on today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Karen Everhart, owner and operator of Horse Calls LLC. Here is the story.

Karen grew up in Haysville south of Wichita, but her parents came from rural Kansas: Specifically, the Flint Hills community of Grenola, population 266 people. Now, that’s rural. She spent many weekends at her grandparent’s place near Grenola, riding and working with horses on the farm.

Karen says, "I always had an innate sense with horses."

Karen went into a career in the health care industry and received advanced degrees from Wichita State University. She became a health care administrator but always maintained her love of horses. She bought her own first horse some 24 years ago and has studied under many nationally known horse trainers.

She would help out a friend with horse problems, and found she had great success at it. Her medical and personal background gave her an understanding of the psychology, as well as the physiology, of the horse. In 2000, she organized her own business: Horse Calls LLC.

Karen says, "Coming from the health care industry, I remember those days when the doctors made house calls. Since my new business usually takes me to the horse, at someone’s home or a boarding facility, I decided to name the business Horse Calls."

The company slogan is Your Horse, Your Home. Karen says, "Horse Calls is committed to providing effective and reliable equine management services, and gentle, effective training. Consideration of the horse will be the highest priority at all times."

So how does this work? One day, Karen got a call from a lady with a panicked voice who said, "What do you charge to evaluate a horse?" Karen could sense the panic in her voice and calmed her down with some questions. It turned out the lady had never owned a horse before, but had bought a thoroughbred racehorse. She didn’t even know how to saddle it. This woman’s 83-year-old friend had tried to ride it, been thrown and sent to the hospital.

Karen analyzed the situation and helped the woman work through it. In this case, she helped the woman trade for a more appropriate horse. Now that lady owns three horses and is successful and knowledgeable in her handling of horses.

Another of Karen’s clients already had some years of experience, but had been thrown several times and was scared to death of riding. Karen worked with her and helped her with tack and training. That same woman went on to win numerous awards in regional competitions of the North American Trail Riding Congress.

Karen is a Centered Riding Instructor and a very successful competitor herself in the trail riding congress and the Arabian Horse Association. She has been based in Wichita but, in order to get more room for her horses, she is in the process of relocating to Sedan, Kansas.

Many of Karen’s customers are women in their mid-40s who have time and money to reenter the horse world, or who have never had a horse but never gave up the dream of wanting one. Karen helps them train, handle, and work with their horse so it is a pleasurable experience for both horse and rider.

Karen’s business website is www.horsecalls.net. Her email is spclk@southwind.net. The website describes several categories of the assistance she provides, from Horse Sense and Horse Starting to Horse Hospice and Horse Heaven. I’d say that pretty well covers it from beginning to end. How exciting to find this equine entrepreneur in rural Kansas.

Does your doctor make Horse Calls? No, and not house calls either. But today we’ve met a remarkable woman who does make Horse Calls. We salute Karen Everhart for making a difference by helping people realize their dream of successfully having and handling a horse.

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Lee Spence - Underground Vaults and Storage

What do Gone with the Wind, several large oil companies and law firms, Steven Spielberg, the Wizard of Oz, numerous medical firms, Star Wars, Days of our Lives, some big food and beverage companies, and Woody Woodpecker all have in common? Hmm, that’s a tough one. The answer is, they are all represented in a unique storage facility out in the middle of Kansas. To visit this remarkable facility, you really need to get down – about 650 feet down. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Lee Spence, the President of Underground Vaults and Storage, Inc. This remarkable company with rural roots provides storage for all those entities I listed at the beginning. Here is the story.

Back in 1923, a man named Emerson Carey dug a salt mine shaft near Hutchinson, Kansas. Hutchinson was a rural community at that time, with a population of around 23,298 people. Now, that’s rural. The company he founded continues to mine salt there today.

That salt mine took on special significance in the 1950s. It was the time of the Cold War, and who knew if we would get nuked by the Russians. Business owners were looking for a very secure place to store their important documents. One man who had been overseas during World War II had seen how Hitler stored documents in the salt mines there. He thought of the salt mines near Hutchinson, and he got in contact with the Carey Salt Company.

Sure enough, the vacated space within the salt mine turned into a natural storage facility. In 1959, the storage facility opened there, as Underground Vaults and Storage.

Salt is mined there through a dry mining technique, also known as the room and pillar method. This means salt is mined on a single layer and pillars are left to support the structure.

As I visualize what’s in my salt shaker, it doesn’t inspire confidence that it could hold up very much. But these are 50 foot thick pillars of crystallized salt, and they are plenty strong. In fact, Lee Spence says this is one of the 10 safest mines in the world because of the layout of the mine and how it was mined out through the years.

What’s more, the rooms that are left behind are perfect for storage. Talk about climate control: The facility naturally has a temperature of 68 degrees and a relative humidity of 40 percent. Lee Spence says, "We do not heat it or cool it."

All this, plus its natural security and protection, makes this very attractive for those wanting to store valuable supplies or documents. Hollywood has been a huge customer. The original copies of Gone with the Wind and the Wizard of Oz are stored here, along with the original Tonight show. Soap operas such as Days of our Lives, Guiding Light, and the Young and the Restless are here, along with the complete TV series of MASH, Star Wars, old cartoons like Tom and Jerry and Woody Woodpecker, and the list goes on.

Of course, there are also more prosaic items stored here, such as legal and medical records, oil and gas company information, food and beverage company recipes, and more.

All the business and people traffic in and out of the facility - or technically, up and down to it - come through the original shaft, which is now concrete lined. A 650 foot hoist carries people down and up for work, and hoists over 400,000 tons of salt each year.

Underground Vaults and Storage employs some 80 people in Hutchinson and owns other storage facilities around the country. How exciting to see this unique facility in the heart of Kansas.

So that’s what Steven Spielberg, oil companies, Gone with the Wind, and all the rest have in common: They utilize this wonderful storage facility in the heart of Kansas. We salute Lee Spence and all the people of Underground Vaults and Storage for making a difference by utilizing this unique resource.

And there’s more. We’ll hear about a salt mine museum on our next program.

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Neil Johnson - Kansas Underground Salt Museum

Back to the old salt mines, the saying goes. Today, we’ll go back to a salt mine for real. We’re going to visit the only underground museum in a working salt mine anywhere in the western hemisphere. It’s a salty edition of Kansas Profile.

Meet Neil Johnson, project director for the Kansas Underground Salt Museum in Hutchinson, Kansas. He tells us the story.

It begins in prehistoric times, when an inland sea covered much of what is now North America. As those waters receded, a huge layer of salt was created and deposited, in what is now hundreds of feet below the earth’s surface.

Salt was historically a very valuable commodity. It was an early preservative and was so valuable that the Romans paid their soldiers in salt. In fact, our modern word Salary comes from the latin word salarium, meaning salt.

Salt was discovered near Hutchinson in 1887. This resulted in a salt mining boom. Some 26 salt processing plants were built at Hutch. These were brine mines, where water was forced into the ground to dissolve the salt which was then evaporated out on the surface.

In 1923, the Carey Salt Company took another step: Sinking a shaft 650 feet down to physically remove the salt, rather than dissolve it. Today, the Hutchinson Salt Company continues to mine salt from this facility. As we learned on our last program, it is also a wonderful facility for underground storage.

But the rich history of the industry and the remarkable setting in which it operates have not been available to the public for years – until now. The Reno County Historical Society, Underground Vaults and Storage, and the Hutchinson Salt Company have teamed to create the multimillion dollar Kansas Underground Salt Museum, to open in spring 2006. Neil Johnson says, "The purpose of the museum will be to recognize the history of the salt industry in Kansas and around the world."

Neil says, "People will be amazed by the fascinating story of salt, from the geological formation of this precious mineral to the 14,000 different uses of salt in contemporary society." After all, salt is an essential mineral. It is literally a building block of life.

The museum will include a visitors center with an introductory gallery and an orientation theater, where visitors get background information and receive safety training. Then they will enter the Ready Room and receive a hard hat, before riding the hoist 650 feet down into the ground. That’s as deep as the St. Louis Arch is tall.

At the bottom, visitors will take an electric tram on what is called a dark ride through a 1500 foot tunnel. Motion sensors will activate lights on displays of mining equipment and scenes from mining past and present, with live interpreters as miners. At the end of the tram ride will be the spacious galleries.

Museum galleries will address such topics as health science, geology, mining techniques, history, film preservation, ecology and culture. The museum will include a convention hall, food court, classrooms and educational programs. Altogether, there is 100,000 square feet of museum space underground.

This is a tremendous resource, and truly a hidden treasure for rural Kansas. Hutchinson is located near the east end of this huge deposit of underground salt, which is several hundred feet thick and goes from central Kansas down to southern New Mexico. Neil estimates that the northern edge of the salt vein is approximately around Kanopolis, Kansas, population 601 people. Now, that’s rural.

How exciting that this underground natural resource in rural Kansas benefits our state economically, and now will be open for the public to enjoy as well. See www.undergroundmuseum.org for more information.

Back to the old salt mines, the saying goes. Today, we have literally gone back to the salt mines, to view a phenomenal coming attraction in the heart of Kansas. We salute Neil Johnson and all those involved with the Kansas Underground Salt Museum for making a difference by sharing this amazing story with the public. It is definitely worth its salt.

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Steve Pickman - MGP Ingredients - Atchison

A change of heart. Sometimes a changed opinion like that can make all the difference in the world. Today, we’ll learn the story of an amazing Kansas company and the change of heart which made it possible. Stay tuned – it’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Our story today begins in September 1941. An investment banker from Detroit named Cloud Cray Sr. came to Atchison, Kansas.

His purpose is to inspect a non-operational fuel alcohol plant in Atchison, with the intention of dismantling the equipment and reconstructing it in Michigan. But after inspecting the plant, recognizing its central location in the grain belt, and interacting with the leaders of the Atchison community, Mr. Cray had a change of heart. He decided not to move the plant to Michigan, but rather to purchase and revive the plant at its present site to produce industrial alcohol for Allied war efforts during World War II.

That fateful change of heart would have a huge impact on the Atchison economy.

After World War II, the production and marketing emphasis of the company shifted to beverage alcohol. The company served large suppliers and bottlers, and later on met the needs of smaller firms around the country as well. In later years, the company diversified its products tremendously.

Yet in a sense, this is still a family business. During the 1950s, Mr. Cray’s son Cloud Junior, known as Bud, became increasingly involved in the company’s management. Bud Cray eventually served as President of the Company and currently is Chairman of the Board of Directors. His son-in-law Ladd Seaberg is company president.

Today, this company is known as MGP Ingredients. Vice President Steve Pickman shared with me a profile of the company today.

MGP Ingredients has evolved to become a premier producer of highly functional specialty proteins and starches for use in a wide range of food, personal care, pet and bio-based applications. The company also continues to be a leading U.S. producer of alcohol products, including food grade alcohol for beverage and industrial applications and fuel grade alcohol, commonly known as ethanol.

In recent years the company has developed multiple lines of specialty products from wheat. These include wheat protein isolates and concentrates, textured and hydrolyzed proteins, and instant, cook-up and resistant starches that provide substantial benefits to customers and ultimately to the consumer.

For example, a line of protein isolates called Arise improves the quality, appearance, texture and shelf life of white and whole grain breads and other bakery products as well as dough production efficiencies. The company’s starches enhance the fiber content of bakery goods, pasta and cereal products, crackers and other snack items, and have applications in products as diverse as pastries, soups, sauces, gravies and salad dressings.

Using the company’s textured wheat proteins, customers can create better-tasting, more satisfying vegetarian and other health-related products.

For the pet industry, MGP Ingredients has created a unique line of protein- and starch-based resins for producing nutritious pet chews and treats, as well as a line of textured proteins for use in pet foods.

The company even has a line of hydrolyzed proteins for hair and skin care products, including hair reparative shampoos and conditioners, styling gels, skin creams and anti-wrinkle treatments. The company has also developed natural, plant-based bio-polymers as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics in items such as golf tees, plastic silverware and credit cards. These hold promise as environmentally-friendly bio-based and biodegradable products.

The company’s stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ. Last year the company generated net sales of 270 million dollars, yet it’s found in Atchison, Kansas, population 10,168 people. Now, that’s rural. How great to see this remarkable company flourish and grow in Kansas.

A change of heart. Yes, a change of heart by investment banker Cloud Cray led to the creation of MGP Ingredients and a huge difference in the economy of Atchison. We salute Cloud Cray, Bud Cray, Ladd Seaberg, Steve Pickman, and all the people of MGP Ingredients for making a difference through innovation and entrepreneurship. They’ve been through a lot of change and showed a lot of heart.

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Kurt Morrow - Acoustic Soul String Shop - Wamego

Today, we’ll cover all the bases. No, I’m not talking ball games or politics. I’m talking about the stringed musical instrument known as the bass. Today we’ll visit a music shop with a specialty in the bass and other stringed instruments. This shop even has Alembic basses from California and Fodera basses from Brooklyn, New York. There is no other shop like this in our state, and it’s found in rural Kansas. This is today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Kurt Morrow, owner of Acoustic Soul String Shop. Kurt was born in Chicago but his family moved to Topeka in a job relocation. While in the fourth grade, he had the opportunity to play in the band. The instrument he chose, like me, was the trombone. But a funny thing happened after he convinced his mother that this was the one, and she should rent him a trombone: He found he didn’t want to play it.

So in the fifth grade, he tried something different. He decided to play the snare drum, and convinced his mother to make that change. But guess what: A funny thing happened – he decided that wasn’t for him either.

Kurt says, "One day in the seventh grade - it was a day I will never, ever forget - I walked into the stage band room and saw a kid playing an electric bass. I saw it and I knew it – that is what I want to do." Fortunately, Mom could be convinced one more time, and Kurt began playing the bass. He had found his niche. A lifelong career in music, and specifically the bass, had begun.

Kurt went on to get a degree in the double bass from Washburn and later graduated from the Musicians Institute in LA. He also met and married Julie Patterson of Topeka, and they have a daughter named Kylie Vivien after Kurt’s mother Vivien. Then Kurt enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to play in the Air Force band. He was stationed in Georgia and had the opportunity to travel the nation performing patriotic music and promoting the Air Force. He even served three months in Japan. During this time he also took special courses in violin construction and restoration.

But the travel became too much, and the Morrows considered what to do next. Kurt wanted to teach music, repair and trade instruments. They were thinking of moving to Chicago when Kylie wanted to visit an old school friend who had moved from Topeka to Wamego. Kurt says, "We didn’t know where Wamego was." But after visiting Wamego, the Morrows decided to move there.

In May 2002, Kurt opened the Acoustic Soul String Shop in downtown Wamego. Kurt’s shop has violins, viola, cello, acoustic and electric guitar, and of course, the bass. As planned, Kurt teaches private lessons on guitar, piano, upright bass, and electric bass. He repairs instruments and sells and rents band equipment. He also teaches at K-State and performs in several bands himself, as well as free-lancing. And he continues to buy, sell, and trade instruments, particularly the bass.

Acoustic Soul String Shop is the only place in Kansas where a person can find the type of quality and origin of basses which Kurt offers. He says, "Bass players will come into my shop and be amazed at the things I have." There are vintage basses, special makes, and high quality equipment that a true bass player can appreciate.

Kurt is now teaching some 50 students and has sold equipment as far away as California and Louisiana. Wow. Yet this business is found in Wamego, Kansas, population 4,220 people. Now, that’s rural. How exciting that rural Kansas can be home to such a wonderful, specialty enterprise.

We’ve been covering all the bases. No, not in a ballgame, but the stringed basses which Kurt Morrow plays and sells and teaches. We salute Kurt Morrow and Acoustic Soul String Shop for making a difference by using his God-given talents and operating this business in small-town Kansas. It helps rural Kansas to have a strong base.

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William Allen White - Emporia

One day the dog didn’t come home. But this wasn’t just anyone’s dog. This dog belonged to the famed editor of the Emporia Gazette, William Allen White. White was so influential that his words were printed in newspapers all over the U.S. So when William Allen White wrote in his newspaper about his dog that hadn’t come home, hundreds of letters began pouring into the Gazette office from all over the country, reporting sightings or offering a puppy. Such was the fame of the editor from Emporia. Now the public can learn more about this historic Kansan and even visit his home. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Roger Heineken of Emporia. Roger told us the story of the missing dog and provided much of the following information about this famous Kansas editor.

William Allen White was born in Emporia in 1868. He grew up at El Dorado and attended KU, where the school of journalism bears his name today. He worked as a printer and then a reporter in Lawrence and Kansas City. In 1895, he borrowed $3,000 to purchase the Emporia Gazette back in his rural hometown. Emporia was then a town of 8,223 people. Now, that’s rural.

From this rural setting, William Allen White would have national influence. His 1896 editorial, What’s the Matter with Kansas, was recognized from coast to coast. White served as editor for an amazing 49 years, and was succeeded by his son. The paper is still family-owned.

White could and did write on all subjects, from homey advice on preparing some favorite recipe, to a sarcastic assault on the Ku Klux Klan in Kansas, to suggesting that the "women’s clubs of America raise more hell and fewer dahlias". His way with words made him the voice from the heartland. It brought him in contact with presidents, politicos, writers and leading thinkers of the first half of the 20th century, from Teddy Roosevelt to Albert Einstein.

Many of these movers and shakers of American culture visited White at his beloved Emporia home named "Red Rocks." The main-line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe made Emporia an easy stop-off for a visit with the "Sage of Emporia," as he came to be known. Edna Ferber, the most successful female novelist in the first half of the twentieth century, wrote: "…there is no ocean trip, no month in the country, no known drug equal to the reviving quality of twenty-four hours spent on the front porch or in the sitting room of the Whites’ house in Emporia..."

Sixty years after he died on Kansas Day, White is still considered to be one of the most influential men in Kansas history. His statue is one of four gracing the second floor rotunda of the Statehouse in Topeka, along with Dwight Eisenhower, Amelia Earhart, and Arthur Capper.

Now William Allen White’s historic home, Red Rocks, is opening to the public. After 100 years of family ownership, White’s granddaughter, Barbara White Walker, gave the home and contents to the citizens of Kansas. Thanks to the William Allen White Community Partnership, Inc. and the Kansas State Historical Society, Red Rocks has been adapted and restored with federal grants.

As of mid-May, the William Allen White House State Historic Site at 927 Exchange Street in Emporia is open for public viewing. More information can be found at www.kshs.org/places/white.

So what about that dog that didn’t come home? It turns out that the dog was an old fox terrier named Teddy, in honor of Teddy Roosevelt. It was eventually found east of Emporia where it had gone away to die. The dog was returned to the Whites but did die two weeks later. Yet while the dog died, the fame of William Allen White lives on. We’re thankful that William Allen White made a difference with the national impact of his words, and we salute Roger Heineken and all those who are helping people in modern times experience the legacy of this historic Kansan. We know his restored home won’t go to the dogs.

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Jean Mettlen - Amazing 100 Miles

How would you like to see live camels, rhinos, aardvarks and orangutans one day, and the next day be face to face with a tyrannosaurus rex? Wow, that would be amazing – especially if you found such experiences in the middle of Kansas. Today, we’ll learn that those amazing opportunities are indeed available in Kansas, and we’ll learn about the grass roots initiative which is promoting them together. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet J. Jean Mettlen, a retired farmer near Lucas in north central Kansas. Jean has been active in tourism and conservation issues. He served six years as a tour guide at the Garden of Eden in Lucas.

As a tour guide, Jean says that he had the chance to meet people from all over the United States as well as overseas. He would ask them what they really want as visitors. Jean says, "They told me that they wanted a simple map showing the attractions in the area, and they didn’t want to be lead to some tourist trap."

Jean reflected on that and thought about the many attractions in that region of the state. He noted that it was 100 miles from Salina to Hays, which essentially defined their trade area. He also realized that there was an amazing number of attractions in that territory, so the idea was born: What if those attractions could work together to promote the entire region to visitors? The region consists of an area 20 miles on either side of Interstate 70 along the 100 miles from Salina to Hays. Jean called this region the Amazing 100 Miles.

Jean took the concept to a retired school administrator friend of his and they drew up the first map. Then he went out and talked about the idea to service clubs.

Jean called a meeting and invited people in to talk about it. Nobody came. So he tried again. Nobody came. That might get a little discouraging, but fortunately he tried one more time. This time he got some attendance, and the idea began to grow.

One day Jean made a presentation on the Amazing 100 Miles Tourism Coalition at the Russell Rotary Club. Wayne Grabbe, the local radio station manager, came up afterward and said that this idea was exactly what Kansas should be doing. He wrote a check on the spot, and the idea continued to gain momentum.

In 1998, a regional board of directors for the coalition was organized. An inventory found that there are 52 cities and some 200 attractions within those 4,000 square miles.

The anchor attractions are those I described at the beginning of our program. On the east end, visitors can see 85 species of wildlife at the Rolling Hills Zoo and Wildlife Refuge in Salina. On the west end of that 100 miles, visitors can go to the Sternberg Museum of Natural History and its fascinating displays about dinosaurs located in Hays.

In between is a remarkable array of other attractions, gift shops, and restaurants. These include bed and breakfasts, lakes, specialty shops, cafes, historic churches, and much more.

Of course, this promotes much of rural Kansas. Included are towns such as Natoma, population 354, and Lorraine, population 144 people. Now, that’s rural.

The promotion has grown remarkably. The coalition produced a beautiful full color brochure and printed and distributed more than a hundred thousand copies. It includes a nice, simple map and lots of information. They also have a website: www.amazing100miles.com.

Jean Mettlen says, "We’re trying to break the image of Kansas as hot, dry, flat, and nothing to see." In tourism, he says, "Kansas is a sleeping giant."

So now you can see a wonderful zoo with wild animals one day and the next day visit a terrific dinosaur museum, while finding lots of local color in between. We salute Jean Mettlen, Wayne Grabbe, and all those who are making a difference as part of the Amazing 100 Miles Tourism Coalition. The fact that there are so many wonderful attractions working together in rural Kansas is, well, amazing.

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PRIDE Roosters - Burns

Many Kansas towns have boosters. Today, we’ll meet a Kansas town which has roosters – the most interesting and colorful roosters you’ve ever seen. So roost for a minute to listen to today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Sandy Heyman. Sandy and friends told us the remarkable story of Burns, Kansas and its rooster parade, which comes from the town’s rural roots.

Sandy is active with the Burns PRIDE committee, which is always looking for ways to promote and improve the Burns community.

Sandy and Barbara Anderson, partners in planting the seed for this project, were talking about the fact that several big cities have done public art projects involving painted versions of animals. For example, Kansas City and Chicago had painted cows and painted hogs, and New Mexico had painted horses.

Sandy says, "We thought roosters would fit our prairie town." After all, in the old days farmers and their wives would bring their eggs to town to exchange for groceries. Now the people of Burns decided to bring roosters to town.

But they needed to find a way to make models of roosters. They found it in a rural business at Yoder Concrete in Burrton, Kansas. Burrton is a town of 858 people. Now, that’s rural.

Yoder Concrete could provide two-foot tall models of a rooster, suitable for painting. The PRIDE committee agreed to the idea of using roosters to promote the town, and Mayor Mary Glenn said, "Let’s take this to a city meeting next week."

The people agreed to the idea and so the project was launched.

Once the rooster is sold, it is up to the buyer to design and decorate the rooster creatively. And boy, have these roosters been decorated creatively!

More than 60 of these roosters have been sold and decorated. In May 2004, Burns hosted a Rooster Parade where the roosters were lined up on the main street corner and the people were invited to parade by. Now the roosters have returned to their original homes, which in many cases meant in front of the businesses which sponsored them.

So let’s visit some of these roosters and their tongue-in-cheek titles. There’s a beautiful gazebo downtown where we find a patriotic red-white-and-blue rooster named Cockadoodle Dandy. Next to him is a K-State rooster, complete with Powercat, and a KU rooster is also around. The bank had a rooster named Rich Rooster decorated in money, and the Burns Café and Bakery has one named Chicken Pie. Around town you might find Roy Rooster or the Jeff Gordon Racer Rooster.

Here are three of my favorites. One is called Barnyard Makeover. It is owned by a local beauty shop, Country Cut and Curl, and is a rooster absolutely covered with hair. Another favorite is a rooster sporting big black sideburns and an undersized sequin jumpsuit, a la Elvis. Thank ya very much. This one is entitled Blue Suede Shoe-ster. And then there is the one by the Prairie Arts Center. That one is named Vincent Van Crow.

As you can tell, a lot of fun went into this project. Sandy Heyman, an accomplished artist herself, painted many of these roosters. Visitors to Burns can get a brochure which shows a map of the town with rooster locations marked. Once the visitor gets five roosters punched on their brochure, they can turn it in for a free rooster keyring.

The project has gone so well that the local Lions Club has purchased a four-foot rooster to display by the highway as a welcome sign. This project has served to unify and promote the community in a special way. More information can be found at www.burnskansas.com.

Many towns have boosters. This town has roosters. We commend Sandy Heyman, Mayor Mary Glenn, and all those who are making a difference by being involved with PRIDE and the rooster project. It is clear that Burns has a lot to crow about.

And there’s more. We’ll learn of some of the remarkable businesses which Burns can crow about on our next program.

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Business and Arts and Craft Community - Burns

The Little Town that Can. That’s the slogan of Burns, Kansas. Today we’ll meet some of the remarkable people in Burns who are making that slogan reality. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

On a previous program, we learned how the Burns community is promoting itself with roosters. Today, I say: Come for the roosters – you’ll find a lot more.

Burns is a rural community - population 274, with a greater community of some 400 people. Now, that’s rural. But this community has an amazing amount to offer.

Here we find Carolyn Koehn, who spearheaded the effort to build a new community center. She worked with the Kansas Department of Commerce to receive a Kan-Step grant, where the state buys materials and the citizens provide labor to do a community project.

Here we find a local group of artists and craftsmen who put together the Prairie Arts store, a cooperative arts and crafts mall that has attracted visitors from Pennsylvania to California. It is a showplace of the expert craftsmanship of local people, including everything from intricate wheat weavings and beautiful quilts to handcrafted native wood dulcimers.

Here we find Rachel and Steve Koehn, owners of the Burns Café and Bakery. They have remodeled and expanded the restaurant, and it is attracting overflow crowds.

Here we find Roger and Geneva Koehn, who have a store called Cabinets and More. This is a woodworking business which features wonderful handcrafted furniture.

Here we find Flint Hills Junction, a bulk foods store and gift shop.

Here we find the Buffalo Gulch Ranch House restaurant, with a wonderful mural on the side of its building.

Here we find Barb Stuhlsatz, who is working to restore the historic old post office building to become a new city hall and library. Barb says, "With grant support for computers, we can have a state-of-the-art library and one of the best computer centers anywhere around here."

Here in Burns was the first consolidated grade school and high school in Kansas, and the list of historic elements in Burns goes on and on.

Then there is the new community center. As mentioned, it was built through Kan-Step, which provides funds for building materials while local citizens provide labor and equipment.

Ground was broken for the building in October 2002. Burns Mayor Mary Glenn says, "Everybody came together every day." Crews of men came in to work on the building. Every day the crews got a hot meal at the Burns Café. That would be a pretty good incentive to work right there!

Roger Koehn of Cabinets and More put in 320 hours of volunteer labor to build and install the cabinets. The Burns school alumni donated $18,000 for window blinds. One out-of-state source provided 20 tables and 200 chairs at cost, saving some $7,000.

The building was completed in March 2003. It is a beautiful facility, complete with a wellness room, a place for the seniors to quilt, a youth room, and a wonderful kitchen. The community center is booked almost every weekend.

Then came January 4, 2005. A devastating ice storm swept through Burns. Mayor Glenn says, "It was the worst I’ve ever seen in my lifetime." Trees were damaged and many homes lost electricity – some for as many as five days.

The need was great, and the conditions so bad that the Red Cross couldn’t travel to Burns. Can a small town rise to such a challenge? Remember, this is the Little Town that Can. The community came together again. Neighbor helped neighbor. Citizens were invited to stay at the community center. The Coleman company donated twenty cots and sleeping bags, and brought in a generator from Florida. Citizens were able to take shelter in their new community center until conditions improved.

The Little Town that Can. It’s a fitting slogan for Burns. We salute Mayor Glenn and all those who are making a difference in their community with creativity and entrepreneurship.

And there’s more. We’ll learn about the international dimension of Burns on our next program.

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International Student Hosting - Burns

Sometimes the spark of an idea can grow into something wonderful. That’s the case we’ll learn about today, of how a small rural town extends its hospitality around the globe. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

On two previous programs, we’ve learned about the town of Burns, Kansas. Today, in the third and final program in this series, we will learn about an international dimension.

Meet Tom Grimwood. Tom’s mother Betty was the originator of a remarkable international project back in the 1950s.

Betty Grimwood was waiting in a doctor’s office and reading a magazine to pass the time. She read about a town where international students were invited into local people’s homes for Thanksgiving. This is a wonderful idea. It gives foreign students a chance to experience American culture and hospitality and to have a home-cooked meal, and it gives the American family a chance to share with others and help build international understanding.

Betty was intrigued by this idea. She mentioned it to her friend Bonnie Lohrentz. They wondered if they could attempt such a thing in their rural hometown of Burns. They talked to their husbands and then took the idea to the women of the Methodist Church who agreed to sponsor it.

In 1954, the Grimwood and Lohrentz families invited ten international students from the University of Kansas to come to Burns for Thanksgiving break with local families. It was a great success.

In fact, the experiment proved so successful that they decided to make this an annual event. The Methodist women provide transportation for the students. As I said, sometimes the spark of an idea can grow into something wonderful.

In1959, the community of Burns received a Distinguished Service Award from the Institute of International Education in Washington DC.

The person presenting the award was none other than Richard Nixon, who was Vice President at the time. He quoted a foreign student from Switzerland, who said "Burns is the smallest U.S. community with the largest foreign diplomatic service in the world."

Wow, that’s quite a compliment. I do believe this is the best way to build world peace, one citizen at a time. When we can share our homes, our food, and our stories, we can find mutual understanding. And what better way than to spend the holidays sharing with new friends from around the world.

Others recognized the value of such a project as well. In 1959, the Saturday Evening Post featured Burns in an article entitled "International Country Town."

Fast forward to more current times. By January 1999, more than 60 families representing all the churches of Burns had served as hosts. A world map in the Grimwood home shows pins for people who have come from Shanghai to Santiago. More than 500 visitors representing 110 countries have been to Burns, plus officials from the UN and the U.S. State Department.

This is amazing, particularly for such a rural town. After all, Burns is a community of 274 people. Now, that’s rural. But this rural community has extended its country hospitality around the world.

One never knows where the ripple effect of such outreach will end. For example, after having grown up in this environment, Tom Grimwood traveled overseas and is now teaching Spanish classes for Kansas companies.

Gloria Freeland also grew up in Burns and was exposed to this international element as well. She went on to join the Peace Corps. Gloria is now the director of the Huck Boyd National Center for Community Media at K-State. She still has a love for small-town Kansas, and a heart for those around the world.

Sometimes the spark of an idea can grow into something wonderful. That is certainly the case in Burns, Kansas, where Betty Grimwood’s idea of providing holiday hospitality for international students has grown remarkably. We salute the late Betty Grimwood and Bonnie Lohrentz , Tom Grimwood, and all those who are making a difference by opening their homes and hearts to international visitors for the holidays. That spark of an idea has grown into something that burns brightly.

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Linda Katz - Prairie Tumbleweed Farm - Garden City

Let’s go to the Langley Research Center in Maryland, where NASA scientists are testing an innovative space probe. The research team is using a wind tunnel to test a new type of interplanetary rover which would be carried by the wind on Mars. Their research includes testing of an actual tumbleweed in simulated Martian wind conditions. And where do you suppose these scientists got their tumbleweed? They ordered it over the Internet from an entrepreneur in Kansas. It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Linda Katz of Prairie Tumbleweed Farms in Garden City, Kansas. We did a profile about Prairie Tumbleweed Farm back in 1999, and it is perhaps our most talked about story. Now this company’s reach has gone beyond worldwide – it is interplanetary. Believe it or not, it all began as a lark.

The story begins in 1994, when Linda wanted to do a website featuring her family, who come from rural Kansas. For example, her nieces come from nearby Meade, population 1,540 people. Now, that’s rural.

Linda wanted to do a website with them, but, she says, "I’d seen too many boring websites." She wanted a website that was fun and unusual, so she decided to make up a story to go with pictures of her family.

Linda gathered her nieces and nephews and had them pose with tractors, hardhats, and tumbleweeds out in a field. Then she made up a script to go with those pictures and posted them on the web.

With tongue in cheek, she wrote about an imaginary Prairie Tumbleweed Farm. She told of how her family had raised tumbleweeds in western Kansas for generations, and how they were now selling those tumbleweeds over the Internet. She gave the company motto – If they don’t tumble, we don’t sell them – and described how tumbleweeds could be used. The pictures were supposedly photos of the company’s officers, but they were actually Linda’s nieces and nephews.

Of course, this was all in fun. But after this had been posted on the web, Linda got a call. It was from a lady who was designing a western theme wedding back east. She was looking for decorations, did an Internet search, and hit on Prairie Tumbleweed Farm. She wanted to order a tumbleweed. Linda said, "You want a what??"

The lady needed a tumbleweed, so Linda went out and grabbed one, stuck it in a box, and shipped it. Linda thought, "I’ve had my first and last order." But the phone rang again, with yet another order.

The business continued to grow, and then the press picked up on it. It has been covered in Business Week, National Enquirer, USA Today, Modern Bride, Paul Harvey, and People Magazine. Linda has had orders from all over the country and overseas. There is a Japanese language translation of her website, www.prairietumbleweedfarm.com. She recently sent tumbleweeds to England to be part of a movie set, and sent tumbleweeds to Ralph Lauren design stores in the U.S. and overseas.

So where does NASA come in? In 1998, the Mars Pathfinder landed on Mars. Scientists noted that the probe traveled further while bouncing on its airbags than the Sojourner rover traveled during its 90 day mission. So the idea was borne: What if a Mars probe could be built to be carried on the wind of the Martian atmosphere? This would save having a ground propulsion system.

Scientists and students set out to design such a system, and to do so ended up ordering tumbleweeds from Linda Katz out in the middle of Kansas. The tumbleweed probe concept has been designed and is awaiting further review at NASA.

It is time to say goodbye to the Langley Research Center, where NASA is testing a new space probe based on tumbleweeds from Kansas. We salute Linda Katz for making a difference with entrepreneurship and creativity, and for recognizing this opportunity when it, um, came by.

So where do we find ideas for Internet entrepreneurs? The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.

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Judy Hill - Jamestown

Fire! Fire can be devastating to people and homes and property. Today, we’ll visit a remarkable community which has responded to such a devastating fire. Rather than being consumed by that fire, we might say that the people of this community chose to JUMP over it. I’ll explain on today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Judy Hill, mayor of Jamestown, Kansas. Jamestown is a rural community ten miles west of Concordia. For 25 years, Judy has lived at Jamestown and taught social science at Concordia High School. She became mayor on a write-in vote and has since been re-elected four times.

Unfortunately, her community of Jamestown has been challenged by several things, including fire. Back in 1911, the entire downtown was destroyed by a fire, but the citizens rebuilt.

In later years, long-term population loss took its toll. The town lost its high school in 1980 and its elementary school some years later. Several businesses closed downtown and the school building was in disrepair. Citizens were wondering what could be done to revitalize the community.

Then came the night of January 28, 2000. Again, there was a devastating fire in Jamestown. It consumed several buildings on main street and spread to city hall. The fire chief and volunteers worked nearly 24 hours without sleep, but it was a big loss.

Judy says, "A fire like that can destroy a small town, but instead it ignited a community spirit here." In a few days, Jamestown was having town meetings to make plans for the future.

Judy found help from John Cyr of the North Central Regional Planning Commission and Kirk Lowell of Cloud Corp, the county economic development organization.

The funeral home in Jamestown was selected as the temporary city office and meeting place. Judy says, "Think about strategically planning for the future in a funeral home! City meetings had to stop whenever there was a funeral."

But more than 50 people came to town meetings there, and the citizens were organized into several committees which began to work.

Earlier I mentioned that this community had to jump over obstacles. In fact, JUMP became the name of the project. At an early meeting, the community decided to call this effort Jamestown Unites Many Projects, or JUMP for short. This did indeed unite many projects, because it brought together the efforts to save the school building, to redo city hall, and to clean up the town.

The first step was to take a field trip to neighboring towns. Some 25 people took the bus trip to other towns which had received grant money for similar projects, and gathered ideas along the way.

The town applied to the Kansas Department of Commerce for a community development block grant, which gave Judy pause when she saw the paperwork, but she moved forward. In January 2004, the town received a check for $1.8 million, with Congressman Jerry Moran a surprise guest at the presentation. Funds were used to remodel an old building into city hall and to construct a multi-use facility with a library, several businesses, day care, and more.

As mentioned, this united many projects. Another project was to demolish or refurbish dilapidated buildings. Ten old, unsafe homes and downtown buildings were taken out. Buildings and water lines were redone.

Judy says, "I was really proud of our community. We have knowledgeable people on our city council, and the majority of the people of Jamestown contributed in some way. We had a lot of teamwork."

Now this rural community has new buildings and a new spirit – all this in Jamestown, population 307 people. Now, that’s rural. How exciting to see a rural community not only rebuild, but as Judy Hill says, to rediscover itself.

Fire. It can be devastating to a rural community, but this community found a way to jump above those obstacles. It created JUMP - Jamestown Unites Many Projects. We salute Judy Hill and all those of the Jamestown community who made a difference by rebuilding their community and community spirit. It makes me want to jump for joy.

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Connie Werner - Wagon Works - Horton

Today let’s go around the globe to the city of Higashimurayama, Japan. Here in Higashimurayama we find an old western style wagon wheel, handcrafted by a craftsman back in Kansas. How did a wagon wheel from rural Kansas make it to Japan? It’s today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Don and Connie Werner of Horton, Kansas. The Werners are the source of this classic wagon wheel – in fact, they build and restore horsedrawn wagons and related equipment. Here is the story.

Don Werner grew up on a farm near Horton in northeast Kansas. Don’s father farmed with horses and wagons in the old days. Don remembers lying down in the wagon while they were picking corn, and hearing the sound of ears of corn hitting the bang board as they were thrown into the wagon. The memory of that sound never left him.

Don married Connie and they raised a family at Horton, and he worked as a commercial electrician in Kansas City.

On a trip to Branson, the Werners saw a blacksmith working on an old wagon like the one from Don’s youth, and it rekindled Don’s memories. Don said he always wanted one of those old wagons. The smith advised him to spend time with the Amish learning how to build them.

Don did learn how to build a wagon and built his own. He built some more, and by word of mouth other people learned of his wagons.

One day they were contacted by a developer in Idaho who wanted seven wagons. Don took the job and began his full-time work in the business.

Today Don is a wheelwright and wainwright, one of an estimated five non-Amish in the country. He builds buckboards, chuckwagons, conestogas, prairie schooners, stagecoaches and more. He recently restored box wagons going to Alaska and sent a new 1770 colonial wagon to Virginia.

Each vehicle is built with quality. Close attention is paid to authenticity and historical usage. For his beautiful Concord Coaches, Don uses patterns from an 1846 original built by Abbott and Downing, the builders of the Wells Fargo Coaches. Don uses premium, authentic woods such as hickory, oak and ash for the wheels and yellow poplar, oak, fir and other hard woods for the boxes.

One day a friend named John McCoy was on a wagon train with the Werner's where the wagon had to be jacked up every 30 miles to grease the wheels. Being a machinist, Mr. McCoy said, "Maybe I could make something to save us having to do this every time." He devised an insert with taper bearings that goes inside the wheel hub. This reduces maintenance while retaining the historic appearance of the wheel. The name of this invention, offered exclusively through Werner Wagon Works, is the "Real McCoy hub insert."

The Werners also hold a wagon and carriage consignment sale each June in Horton. Besides wagons and tack, the sale features antiques, collectables, country items, and old-time tractors. Contact the Werners at 785-486-3758.

Connie Werner also loves history, having had a great-grandmother who had seen Abraham Lincoln. Connie says, "I’ve had some great storytellers in my family."

Connie is continuing that tradition by doing reenactments of the 1840s. She does presentations using her covered wagon and gear, demonstrating what women wore and did in those pioneer days.

Werner Wagon Works has been building and restoring wagons for some 17 years. One of Don’s wheels was a gift from Independence, Missouri to its sister city in Japan. Don has products in 33 states as well as Japan and Canada. Yet the business operates in Horton, Kansas, population 1,852 people. In fact, Don went to school in nearby Powhattan, population 110 people. Now, that’s rural. How exciting to see such success come from rural roots.

It’s time to say goodbye to Higashimurayama, Japan, where a wheel from Werner Wagon Works has made its way around the globe. We salute Don and Connie Werner for making a difference with their love of history and their skill in building a success on wagon wheels.

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Jason Larison - Ag Teacher - Holton

Today let’s go to DisneyHand. No, I didn’t say Disneyland, I said Disney Hand. I’m not talking about your favorite theme park, but rather a special awards program sponsored by the Disney company to recognize teachers. DisneyHand is the term for the Walt Disney company’s service outreach worldwide, and it includes the DisneyHand Teacher Awards, which honor outstanding teachers in various disciplines all across the country. One of those select honorees we can find right here in rural Kansas. Stay tuned for today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Jason Larison, the agricultural education teacher in Holton, Kansas. Jason was one of those honored with a DisneyHand teacher award in 2004. Here is the story.

Jason Larison comes from rural Kansas roots. He grew up in the southeast Kansas town of Riverton, which has a population of maybe 300 people. Now, that’s rural.

Jason was very active in FFA, serving as a local, district and state FFA officer. He received his bachelors and masters degrees at K-State and went on to become the ag teacher at Holton, where he lives with his wife Sarah.

Jason’s principal described the ag ed program in Holton as all but dead at the time, and Jason set out to revive it. Now, that principal says, "He has turned the program around and established it as not only a state recognized program, but also a national one."

For example, the Holton FFA has won the Kansas FFA’s prestigious Triple Crown award not once, not twice, not three times, but four times in a row. Jason’s list of honors is extremely impressive. They begin with being named Kansas Vocational New Teacher of the Year, National Association for Agriculture Educators regional Outstanding Young Member, and the

Association for Career and Technical Education New Teacher of the Year National Finalist.

From that beginning, he went on to more achievements. He won two Ideas Unlimited awards from the National Association for Agriculture Educators, was elected President of the Kansas Association of Agricultural Educators in 2003, and was one of the top four National FFA Agriscience Teacher of the Year winners.

Then in 2004, he was selected for the DisneyHand Teacher Awards. Jason was one of only two Kansans, and the only ag teacher in the nation, to be selected for this award. In 2005, the honorees were selected from some 50,000 teachers nominated nationwide. Wow.

So what has Jason done to earn all these honors? One element is innovation. Jason says, "The students I teach today are much different than the students of 1952 when my high school Ag Teacher began his career. I feel a duty and an honor to be ready for them when they enter my room in the year 2004 and beyond."

So Jason set out to upgrade and redesign his classroom to reflect these changing times. He received a USDA grant to create a paperless and wireless agriculture classroom. This is amazing stuff.

In Jason's classroom, every student has a laptop computer. Instead of using an out of date textbook, each student uses their laptop to navigate on the web to resources that supplement the classroom lessons. Students can submit assignments over email.

All testing for class is done online, and students receive a test score and the correct answers just seconds after they press submit. No longer do students wait a day or two to get their tests graded, but they receive instant feedback on incorrect answers while the subject is still fresh in their minds. As Jason says, using this technology, the only limitation to teaching is one's imagination.

More importantly, the person who contacted me about Jason wrote: "His efforts in the classroom have changed and impacted the lives of hundreds of students in the past ten years that he has been teaching at HHS."

It’s time to leave DisneyHand – no, not a crowded theme park, an awards program for teachers. We commend Jason Larison for making a difference by using innovation and creativity while caring for his students. It’s enough to make Walt Disney proud.

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Gary Anderson - Landmark Inn - Oberlin

Let’s go see the new movie, Cinderella Man. It stars Russell Crowe as a down-on-his-luck ex-boxer who returns to the boxing ring in desperation during the Great Depression. There are scenes in the movie showing the star as he gets himself back into shape by working out on old-time exercise equipment. Where do you suppose this authentic antique equipment came from? Would you believe, a landmark bed and breakfast in rural Kansas? It’s true – I’ll explain on today’s Kansas Profile.

Meet Gary Anderson of the LandMark Inn in Oberlin, Kansas. The LandMark Inn was the source for the vintage exercise equipment used in this new movie. Here is the background.

Gary Anderson grew up at Oberlin. After