Released: September 02, 2003

4-H Gift Baskets Offer Holiday Ideas

MANHATTAN, Kan. – From the quality of the gift baskets displayed in the 4-H Exhibit Building at this year’s Kansas State Fair, visitors might never guess that the project is relatively new to the 4-H foods and nutrition project.

More than 100 different gift baskets will be displayed at the state fair this year, said Diane Mack, K-State Research and Extension 4-H youth development specialist from the northeast area of the state. Mack is coordinating 4-H foods and nutrition entries at the fair this year.

The gift basket project encourages using food as gifts and provides an opportunity for 4-H members to personalize the gift for the recipient. The baskets usually serve as a thank you for family, friends, a teacher, 4-H leader or reason for celebration, such as a new baby,” she said. The baskets on display are not for sale, but do offer ideas for holidays and other special occasions, Mack said.

Americana, sports and school themes have been popular. Others are personal – for example, in Riley County, Eric Ladd, from the Flint Hills 4-H Club, created a gift basket for his grandfather, who’s an early riser. Ladd included breakfast mixes and healthy snacks. In Cowley County, Whitley Spengler a member of the Floral 4-H Club, created a Lemonade Basket, complete with glasses and a pitcher, fresh lemons, napkins embroidered with lemons, lemon poppy seed muffins and bar cookies. Both will be among those displayed at the Kansas State Fair.

In Brown County, club baskets also have caught on, said Carol Bauerle, K-State Research and Extension agent in the county.

“The larger baskets are filled by members of a 4-H club and given to sponsors in appreciation for their support,” she said.

“We’ve received some very positive comments about the club baskets. They reflect appreciation from the club as a group, and that’s an important message to convey to our supporters,” Bauerle said.

4-H gift baskets can be viewed in the 4-H Exhibit Building, which is located at the north end of the fairgrounds. The building is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the 2003 Kansas State Fair, Sept. 5-14.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Nancy Peterson, Communications Specialist
nancyp@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News