Club Notes

Happy Hour FCE
    Happy Hour FCE met at Althea White's home on Tuesday, July 8, for a carry-in breakfast. Twenty-two members and three guests attended. Althea, Beulah Jones and Marj Smith were hostesses.
    Andrea Burns, Ford County Extension agent, presented the program on container gardens. These are ideal for gardeners with limited space who wish to grow either flowers or vegetables. The soil can be potting soil or a mixture of Kansas soil, which "closes up" when wet so that the plant roots can't breathe, and potting soil, which allows air pockets. The containers can be clay, plastic, wood or ceramic, but all kinds need drainage holes in the bottom and feet or to be elevated in order to prevent an airlock.
    Container gardens require daily watering.  Use one-fourth as much fertilizer as is recommended for landscaping at every other watering. 
    When planting flowers in a container, use a tall spike, something trailing over the edge of the container, and plan the colors. Use your imagination. Information on suitable varieties is available from the county extension office. Lettuces are good cover plants. 
    If one is interested in tomatoes, dwarf varieties are a good choice. Over-watering or too much nitrogen can cause tomato plants not to bloom, however, and temperatures above 97 degrees are too hot for them to set fruit.  You can take a sample of your soil to Servi-Tech for testing.  Pests include spider mites and bagworms.  Combat insects with a spray containing cyfluthrin.
    Kansas State University horticulturists have tested both annual and perennial flowers in the Colby area, where evening temperatures are cooler, that survive well in western Kansas. Hundreds were planted and then scored; no care was given.  Lists of such plants are available at the extension office; ask for information on Prairie Star and Prairie Bloom.
    The minutes were read and the treasurer's and council reports were given. The fair is coming up right away.  A picture was taken with the 2007 officers and the new seal to be added to the charter. 
    The August meeting will be a carry-in meal on Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Senior Center. for members and guests. After dinner, the group will travel to Dr. Gross' home to tour his woodworking shop.  The officers will be the hostesses.
    Carolyn Crotts, reporter.

Wright Wonders Workers
    The June meeting of the Wright Wonders Workers 4-H Club was held on June 8 at 4 p.m.at the Wright Senior Center. President Erin Morton called the meeting to order and secretary, Jessica Brauer, called roll, which was answered by naming something you recycle.  Nine members, two Cloverbuds and 13 adults were present.
    Our club is outside monitors at the fair on Saturday, July 19. We need to help with the turtle races on Sunday, July 20.  Four older members need to help with the Waters True Value events at the fair. Our club works the drink stand from 1 to 3:30 p.m. for the Dodge City Days barbecue contest.  Anyone wishing to volunteer as a superintendent for the fair would be greatly appreciated, as more are still needed. Two or three members from our club are needed to help with the buyer appreciation dinner on July 22.
    Jessica Brauer reported on helping put up flags at the Fort Dodge cemetery for Memorial Day. Jessica, Nicole, Bryan and Jolene Brauer, Bob and Brian Downey, Gracie, Jake and Kyle Fulton, Doris Kohn and Rachel Durler all helped and enjoyed watermelon when the job was competed.
    The Tour and Picnic Committee plans to have the July meeting at Fort Dodge on Sunday, July 13.  Members are asked to bring their projects to tell about, and we have a picnic there after. 
    4-H family of the year salute award nominations were taken and voted on.  Jessica Brauer volunteered to write up the forms to be submitted. Destiny Barnett and Deb Rodda volunteered to help.
    Destiny Barnett, song leader, led the club in the singing "Little Green Frog." Destiny Barnett demonstrated how to make "egg boats." Robert Downey talked about the Kansas Trap Shoot Association’s "State Scholastic Shoot" in Wichita that he recently attended. Jake Fulton, recreation leader, led the club in playing "Did you Know."
    Cloverbuds Ethan Burns and Taige Kliesen showed the projects they'd worked on during the meeting.  They were recycled CD "fish" and "grass heads.”
    The club was reminded that fair entries were due July 3.