1) Is Savings Plan Needed to Increase Savings?  

MANHATTAN, Kan. – According to the Consumer Federation of America, a family with a savings plan will typically save about twice as much as a family with a comparable income, but no savings plan, said Carol Young, Kansas State University Research and Extension financial management specialist.

To save, pay yourself first, said Young, who advocates building an emergency fund, reducing – and eliminating – credit card or other debt and increasing personal savings for long-term financial security.

Saving $200 a month and investing it at 5 percent interest for 30 years will yield $170,000. Most of that total savings is interest earned and compounded (on principal and interest accrued), Young said. 

More information on managing money successfully is available at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices and on the Extension Web site: www.oznet.ksu.edu/financialmanagement.


 

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2) Unpruned Ice Storm Victims Headed for More Trouble        

OLATHE, Kan. – Ice storms gave many U.S. landscape trees a pop quiz this winter. The test had just one question: “Are you really as strong or flexible as your owner thinks you are?”

Some trees aced the test. Others cracked under the pressure.

To make matters worse, the test isn’t over for all of the trees in the group that failed, littering the winter landscape with stark, broken branches.

“Gathering up fallen limbs isn’t enough in a case like that. If their owners still haven’t cleaned up the damage left behind on the plant, those trees may be just starting to have problems,” said Dennis Patton, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

When owners learn what those problems are likely to be, Patton added, they typically decide their best course is either to 1) hire a certified, well-recommended arborist or 2) learn what’s required for both pruning safety and tree health and then do the job themselves.

Given all the factors involved, a good arborist isn’t necessarily the most costly course, he said.

“Pruning is dangerous work. But, untended tears and jagged branch stumps nearly always lead to wood rot and decay. It’s as straightforward as that,” he explained. “In turn, rot and decay shorten tree life. In many cases, they also make the tree less structurally sound – more vulnerable to more storm damage.”

Another potential result is outgrowths of clumped and typically straight branches that look a lot like their popular name – witch’s broom. These closely grouped branches not only look strange but also tend to be too weak to withstand much weather stress, Patton said.

“Sometimes you’ll get additional dieback in damaged branches, too, or rot in the inner tree tissues,” he warned. “And none of this even begins to address the ugliness factor of a weather-wrecked and obviously uncared-for tree. It also doesn’t take into account the cost of replacing a mature tree.”

Patton said good places to learn more about pruning are the Kansas Forest Service and the K-State Research and Extension Web sites: http://www.kansasforests.org and  http://www.oznet.ksu.edu. (Access their publications list and search for “pruning.”)


 

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3) Tips for Choosing Exercise Shoes

MANHATTAN, Kan. – An old saying: If your feet aren’t happy, the rest of you isn’t likely to be happy, either … still bears a lot of truth.

“Choosing the wrong shoe may cause a blister or two, and, over time, also contribute to knee and hip problems,” said Elizabeth Fallon, Kansas State University exercise scientist, who this year, is consulting on K-State Research and Extension’s Walk Kansas, March 9-May 3.

The eight-week health and fitness program has proved popular for many reasons. In fact, a pair of walking shoes is often the only equipment required.

“Shopping for shoes can be daunting, particularly for people who may be walking into an athletic shoe store with walls of shoe displays for the first time,” said Fallon, who offered these tips.

* Choose a store with personnel who are knowledgeable in fitting shoes, particularly if buying athletic shoes for the first time.

* Take a pair of your shoes with you. Wear patterns on shoes can help a salesperson define foot type and be better able to recommend shoes that will be a good fit for you. If, for example, feet roll inward – or pronate – a shoe with a solid platform and built-in roll bar can add comfort and stability. If feet roll outward (supination), shoes that offer more flexibility in the forefoot and a stiff heel counter, combined with extra cushioning are needed.

* Wear athletic socks that are the same or similar to socks that will be worn with the new shoes. Sock size, style, fiber and construction (thickness, for example) can make a difference in how a shoe fits.

* Ask the salesperson to demonstrate lacing the shoes. If the heel slips a bit, adjusting the lacing may be all that’s needed to improve comfort and fit.

* Watch for sales or promotions, such as buy one, and get a second pair for half price or less, to trim costs.

* Once familiar with shoes (manufacturer and type) that work well for you, it may be possible to purchase shoes online at a reduced price.

More information on Walk Kansas, physical activity and healthy living is available at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices and on the Walk Kansas Web site: www.walkkansas.org or Extension Web site: www.oznet.ksu.edu.


 

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4) Research is Promising on Quicker Way to Measure Animal Waste Lagoon Seepage

MANHATTAN, Kan. – To protect groundwater and nearby natural systems, Kansas State University researchers developed a method several years ago to measure the seepage rate of animal waste lagoons. Now they’re testing an even faster method, said Jay Ham, professor of agronomy.

If successful, the quicker method also should make it easier for packing plants, municipal lagoons, processing plants and other industrial sites that use lagoons to measure their seepage rates, Ham said.

“With current measuring technology, environmental consulting firms must measure a lagoon’s seepage rate over a five-day period. We’re working to shorten the time required to conduct the tests,” said Ham, who is a micrometeorologist with K-State Research and Extension.

Facility operators can have a hard time holding back waste for five days to keep it from emptying into the lagoon, he said. Also, unexpected weather events can interfere or prolong the longer testing period, thus raising  consultants’ travel expenses.

“To solve these issues, we are developing a more efficient way to measure lagoon seepage. The ‘overnight’ method is now being tested at two separate swine sites in Kansas. The new seepage test takes 24 hours instead of five days,” Ham said. “So far, the results are encouraging. We are now refining the details and making it more user-friendly.”

The K-State team developed the new technology in 2007 and hopes to pass it on to consulting firms this spring.