Tell Your Story – Greensburg

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Scribe notes submitted by Ross Weber

Speakers- Fred Kerr, Mayor Bob Dixson, Mary Sweet, Mark Gardiner, Greg Gardiner, and Garth Gardner

Tours- The Big Well & Gardiner Angus Ranch

Panel Members- Mark Gardiner, Garth Gardiner, Greg Gardiner, Jesse Luckie, Kendall Hopp, Jeff Kay, Kendall Kay, Jenny Giles Betschart, Dr. Randall Spare

KARL class XIV began the second year of their two-year program by meeting in Greensburg on Wednesday, November 7, 2018; kicking off the “Sharing Your Story” seminar. The afternoon began with a light lunch provided by Fred and Nancy Kerr of Pratt. Fred gave the class a few words of wisdom during the lunch. The class was then welcomed to Greensburg by Mayor BobDixson who shared Greensburg’s story. Mary Sweet spoke to the class about rural health care and told about the destruction of the Greensburg tornado before the group visited the Big Well Museum. Then, the class made the trip to Ashland fora tour of Gardiner Angus Ranch before having dinner with a panel to discuss agricultural topics.

Fred spoke to class XIV about a number of topics impacting the area. Currently, cotton is being harvested in the area. Traditionally, cotton has not been grown in the area, but some farmers are beginning to grow cotton due to low corn prices. He also spoke about wind farms being constructed in the area, which has also been a change. 

When speaking about the tornado, Fred said that theSoutheast Community Foundation helped significantly because it was already available to act as the community’s mechanism to collect donations. If this organization would not have been in place before the tornado, it would have been more difficult to organize the rebuilding of Greensburg. He and his wife live outside of Pratt, but he said all the communities in the area come together whenever they see a need.

As a member of the founding board for KARL, Fred was able to travel to Belgium, France, and China with the KARL program. He spoke highly of his experiences on the international travel trips. The trip to China was one of the most educational trips that he has ever experienced.

To conclude his speech, Fred spoke about the prior day’s gubernatorial election results. He said that he was optimistic that Laura Kellywould bring change to Kansas as governor.

To start Mayor Bob Dixson, made it clear to Class XIV, thatGreensburg’s’ story is not about the disaster. The story that Mayor Dixson told was about bringing people back to rural areas in the High Plains. He said that rural areas can be successful by operating as regions, not towns.

When speaking about leadership Mayor Dixson offered these thoughts:

1. Leadership is a tone set from the top from management

2. Great thingshappen when there is total disregard for who gets the credit. 

When Mayor Dixson spoke about the 2-mile-wide tornado on May 4, 2007. This tornado leveled 95 percent of the buildings in Greensburg and took 70 percent of the tree canopy. He spoke about how communities helped each other.  He said, “those that rebuild have acommunity.” During the cleaning and rebuilding processes there was a tent setup in town and meetings were held in it two to three times each week. The tentserved as a place for community planning; as well as a site for churches tohold services, and more. FEMA helped the recovery process by bringing a mobilehome park. The school was back in session on August 15, 2007; as it had been scheduled.

In the years after the tornado, Greensburg has strived tofind ways to keep local dollars local by adding value to agriculture. The town is proud that residents can purchase anything needed in their community. They celebrate their successes. They hold grand openings for new businesses. Many ofthe new buildings were built to be more sustainable than the buildings that they replaced.

One of the key points from Mayor Dixson’s talk with ClassXIV was that communities are either owned or rented. What the mayor meant that rural was that owning a community means residents invest in it, by giving time and by being active. Renting a community is when the community relies on the city/state/country to take care of it.  Mayor Dixson strongly encouraged the KARLClass XIV to own their communities. 

KARL Class XIV had the opportunity to hear Mary Sweet speak to her experience during and after the tornado. In addition to this, she explained her duties as Hospital Administrator at Kiowa County MemorialHospital. She spoke about the troubles that people had to deal with after the tornado. Communication was one of the biggest issues. People did not know where other people were, which created confusion and some panic. Eventually, there was a command post set up where people could communicate and exchange information. 

Ms. Sweet’s position at the hospital made her ultimately responsible for patient record keeping. She spoke about the challenge of salvaging all of the records while maintaining organization as well as confidentiality. She suggested logging where things are stored at.

Gardiner Angus Ranch

Greg Gardiner and Mark Gardiner greeted KARL Class XIV as they arrived at the ranch.  The tour that had been planned was cut short due to a very productive question and answer session. The Gardiners shared how their ranch got to where it is today. Their success is due to their father relying on technology many years earlier and the families’ willingness to make necessary adaptations throughout the ranch’s long history. A number of topics were discussed during the question and answer session. Family succession planning, adapting to change, and beef market conditions were just a few of the topics that the Gardiners’ discussed with KARL Class XIV

Panel Discussion

A group of local Ashland business men and women met with KARL Class XIV at the ranch after a BBQ dinner sponsored by Gardiner Angus Ranch and U.S. Premium Beef. The Panel discussed agricultural and rural topics of concern now and in the future. A wide range of topics was discussed. The need for immigration to find quality labor, over-regulation by the government, and family succession planning were a few of the topics discussed. The key takeaway discussed was working together as a community through developing relationships is what is necessary to be successful.

Day 2, Thursday,November 8^t, 2018

Chair: Brian Eilert, Beloit   

Review Submitted by Scribe: Melissa Bergkamp, Kingman

Bucklin Tractor & Implement (BTI), Bucklin, KS

Day two of “Sharing Your Story” seminar began with a quick 20 minute drive to Bucklin tospend the morning with the regional John Deere Dealership, BTI. A generousamount of time was set aside by many employees in the Leadership Team, allowingus the opportunity to visit with HR, Sales Management, Service Management,Integrated Solutions, ownership and more.

Co-Owner and Vice President, Mike Estes led our first presentation at the dealership, sharing the BTI story and explaining how the dealership has remained family owned for four generations. In addition to sharing some of their most recent company videos, topics that were highlighted through discussion included:

• Labor and training certifications

John Deere Power Up Program: Ag Tech two-year program

All costs are covered with a 5 year employment commitment with BTI

• Growth and Technology
• Active in the communities served
• Growth of facilities to accommodate larger equipment
• Variety of commodities are changing equipment demands

Corporate Service Manager, Ryan Unruh, shared his experience and perspective on the evolution of “service” over the 20 years he has been with BTI and what challenges he sees day-in and day-out. Where it was once common for every unit to come to the shop, we now send service trucks out to the field, decreasing customer down time on the job.

One item that makes a big difference for the service department, is reminding customers to perform and/or schedule the routine maintenance that these units need. By doing routine evaluations on equipment at the end of every season, one can avoid some of the larger problems that may have been overlooked the year prior.

When asked how he manages to prioritize customers’ needs in service, Ryan was quick to answer, yet acknowledged that it is never easy. We consider factors such as relationships, loyalty and communication to make the best decision.

Corporate Parts Manager, Mike Davis, walked us through a day in his department. With $8M in parts inventory, his responsibility is no small task. Mike’s team follows four key metrics: first pass filled, stock order, zero sales on a part and inventory turn, with a goal of 80% credit.

Additional facts:

• JohnDeere provides stocking logic code, which provides the machine the ability to identify parts that are required to get back up and running. 
• If a part is sold three times in 12 months, BTI is likely to stock one of those parts at all times in their network.
• Parts counter visits are less frequent due to the dealer portal convenience.
  • 100 current accounts – with a goal of 6,000 accounts
• GoodBetter Best Strategy
  • This helps to identify the quality of parts needed to meet/match the customers’needs and lifecycle of the equipment (including aftermarket components).

Integrated Solutions team, Kent Kirk, CodyHommertzheim & Cody Warden, accompanied us back to Greensburg, where we received a presentation on technology in their new LEED facility. The Integration Solutions Department was started by JohnDeere in 2010. Today, this department offers multiple precision ag platforms, including auto steer, yield mapping, variable rate technology, telematics, soil sampling and more.  These features are the building blocks to the future of efficiency and profitability.

Automation, artificial intelligence, agronomic data, satellite imageryreports and EM mapping were all topics of discussion, explaining how production will continue to evolve. Of the 1400 units, BTI has operated in the field, approximately 250 units are utilizing one or more of these platforms.

Our time at BTIwas wrapped up with a Farm Forward video by John Deere. You can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEh5-zZ9jUg

Arts Center, Greensburg, KS

Lunch was hosted at the Arts Center. Although we missed the opportunity to enjoy an exhibit due to the transition of the exhibit that was arriving the following day, we had the opportunity to learn about the LEED building and how the Arts Center is utilized in Kiowa County. 

To learn more about that 5.4.7 Arts Center, or to view the calendar of exhibits and classes, visit: http://547artscenter.org/.

Kiowa County Media Center, Greensburg, KS

Following lunch, we journeyed over to the Kiowa County Commons where we had some time to enjoy the historical soda fountain, located just inside the foyer. Not only could you feel thenostalgia of the old fashioned soda fountain that was restored following the 2007tornado, but the ice cream was an added bonus!

Kiowa Count Commons is home to the Kiowa County Media center and several more resources:

K-State Research and Extension

Kiowa County Library, Greensburg Branch

Kiowa County Historical Museum

CreativeDirector for the Kiowa County Media Center, Grant Neuhold, shared the story of how the Media Center came to be and provided a tour of their LEED Facility. It was explained that the need for the resources which the Kiowa County Media Center now provides, was diagnosed by K-State Research and Extension during the community rebuild. The county had a need for a communication outlet, to help “tell their story.”

Kiowa County Media Center offers a variety of services, including a full recording studio, podcast production, video production and more. They also have a production trailer, used locally to work with youth to produce video at high school extracurricular activities such as sports and theatre events. Grant explained that various buildings where the trailer is utilized were wired to include the necessary capabilities during the rebuild so the trailer can easily connect to the facility.

Following our time at the Kiowa County Commons, Grant joined us back at the Kiowa County MemorialHospital in the conference room to provide some tutorials on trending forms of communication.

How Technology and Media Play a Role in Society Today

“Social media – everyone has a voice”

• Politics: A new study claims that 62% of people get their news from social media, with18% doing so frequently. With these figures, social media’s influence on politics should come as no surprise to anyone.
• Society: Almost a quarter of the world’s population is on Facebook. As a result, people are now exposed to different cultures and practices. This exposure changes perspective by effectively changing the boundaries of society.
• Commerce: Today, it is considered the norm rather than the exception for businesses to communicate with their customers using social media. As a result, their reach has increased often surpassing physical boundaries.
• The workplace: 19% of hiring managers make their hiring decisions based on information found on social media. Professional social networks such as LinkedIn are important social media platforms for people to create their personal brand.
• Training & development: A 2013 Survey by Pearson Learning Solutions reported a significant increase in the use of social media in learning. Over half the educators who were interviewed agreed that social sharing provides an environment that fosters learning.
• Cyberbullying: Social media platforms can be misused to destroy reputations and blackmail others. Cyberbullying, stalking and identity theft are all some of the threats faced by the uses of social media. Users must be careful about the information they share online.
• Personal relationships: One of the effects of social media is encouraging people to form and cherish artificial bonds over actual friendships. The term “friend” as used on social media lacks intimacy with conventional friendships.

The Power to Produce Quality Video

“Smartphone video production overview”

Grant walked us through the steps on how to produce a video on a smartphone, start to finish.

• Verify you have enough space for the file size and frame size.
• For shooting the video, consider using a 3^rd party app for more camera control

Recommendation: Filmic Pro for IOS, $10.00

• Amateur vs. pro: Always shoot in the wide format/horizontal vs. vertical.
• Stability is key: Use a tripod whenever possible with smooth pan and tilt functions, and never zoom. Also consider a handheld gimbal stabilizer to add great production value on iPhone videos.
• Shooting for the edit: Be sure to gather enough footage visually show the viewers a clear picture of your subject. Shoot what you need, and shoot more!
• Shooting in slow motion: Create a dramatic effect. Good slow motion is faster frame rate per second.

Average slow motion video: 30 fps. (frame per second)

Great slow motion video: 240 fps.

Good slow motion video: 120 fps.

• Taking more control: Set focus and exposure to manual. On an iPhone, slides your finger up and down to adjust exposure.
• ConsiderLighting: Morning and evening exposure light outdoors is ideal (golden hour).Avoid mid-day harsh sunlight if possible.
• Audio: Capturing audio (quality) is the best way to add a professional touch. Creating a voiceover can be achieved by recording into your iPhone or using an external microphone.
• Editing:iPhone, iMovie – Android, KineMaster
• Keep it simple: Cut, trim, paste, transition, speed, color, music, publish

The Power of Podcasting

“Why and how are podcasts so powerful” & “Basics on how to produce a podcast”

What is a podcast?

A digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically. It is the fastest growing mediabecause they are easy to produce and easy to consume due to the ability of multitaskingwhile enjoying.

Key Details to Creating a Successful Podcast:

• You are passionate about engaging in the topic
• Leverage your strengths
• Bring things to the table no one else can
• There is no fixed formula for a popular and successful podcast

What is success in podcasting?

• Achieving your goal in viewers
• An informational outlet
• Entertainment
• Educational
• Inspirational
• Persuasive
• Applied as a sales tools

Pre-production: Getting a game plan

• Delivery format: Single voice narrative, interview style or co-host
• Segmented Parts: Intro music, greeting, the intro of a topic, main subject, wrap up/closing, outro music
• Online or scripting: Good organization will help in recording

   Bullet point outline to stay on topic

   Avoid sounding like you are reading if you are scripting

Production: Get it recorded

• Equipment:
  • Smart device with internal microphone
  • External microphone
  • Audio interface: Audio recording software, independent recorder
  • Cables

Editing: Any good podcast will have some editing equipment

• Equipment:
  • Smart device – app based editors
  • Computer audio editing software
    • Audacity (free and easy to use)
    • Adobe Audition
    • Garage band (free on mac)

Publishing: What good is a podcast that nobody hears? Follow through the entire process

• Media hosting:
  • Libsync.com
  • Speaker.com
• An RSS Feed (Really Simple Syndication) gives you the access to iTunes and Google store for downloads.
• Use social media to connect and direct the audience to your content.

Twilight Theatre

Wrapping up our seminar, we spent the evening at the wonder Twilight Theatre. The theatre is a wonderful venue, offering the community a great opportunity for entertainment. Dinner was served on the stage of the auditorium, where we had the opportunity to take in the beauty of the theatre with great conversation with alumni and friends.

The evening was complete with a presentation from Mr. Trent Loos. Much of his presentation circles around the resiliency it takes to be a US farmer. We in agriculture have to change and evolve. Rather than starting off each planting season with the mentality of “I am going to lose a lot of money this year,” we need to go back to the basics. We have to strive to add value to every single commodity we produce, and work to produce more with less.

The takeaway from Trent’s presentation was, “don’t just tell your story, share your life experiences. Keep it simple so it resonates. And most importantly, doing this well requires being an exceptional listener.”

Day 3, Friday, November 9

Submitted by Scribe: Justin Diehm

Kiowa County Memorial Hospital, Greensburg, Kansas

Chair: Jennifer Goering

“Rural Entrepreneurship-Changing Rural Narratives”

Panel Members:

Andi Dale, Dale Family Farms, Protection, KS

Lea Ann Seiler (Class IX), Hodgeman County Economic Development, Jetmore

Carolyn Dunn, Stafford County Economic Development, St. John

Christy Hopkins (Class X), Greeley County Community Development, Tribune

Objectives of the panel

1. Understanding the role of entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial mindset of rural Kansans.
2. Carolyn spoke to the class about the Stafford County Marketplace which just opened recently in her community. She stated that without common needs such as a grocery store being met that rural towns will depopulate at an expedited rate. Community leadership identified the need for a grocery store and incorporated a drug store and gas pumps into the same facility. The Stafford County Marketplace employees 35 full and part time positions and has brought new opportunities to St. John.
3. Lea Ann – “You need to learn to accept failure and grow from those experiences. Embrace an entrepreneurial mindset and seek out challenges rather than waiting for someone else to fix your communities shortcomings.”

• How to consider opportunities to innovate in agriculture to avoid the commodity trap in your rural community.
• Andi – “Farmers are getting bigger which is slowly killing population in rural Kansas. The size and scale of machinery today causes a heavier debt load. An unintended consequence of this is the fact it squashes creativity and innovation.”
• Carolyn – “One of the most beneficial steps that Stafford County took was to order a feasibility study. Make sure that before you tackle any large financial obligation a feasibility study is conducted. The cost outweighs the risk ten-fold.”

• How embracing an entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurship-led economic development approach can change the trajectory of rural communities.
• Christy – “If we’re not proud to call our community home, who will move there? Young people started coming back into the community when they could identify that Tribune was taking steps to improve their environment.” (50 more students in their public schools today vs 2010)
• Christy also noted that between 2000 and 2010 no homes were built in Tribune. From 2010-present over 30 new homes have been built.
• Carolyn – “Don’t be afraid to do what’s unpopular today. A larger aspect of leadership that goes unnoticed is not pleasing every single person and challenging the status quo for the bettermentof all.”

• Highlighting the importance of personal investment (time, talent, & financial) in rural communities
• Andi – “One of the bigger challenges to growing business is ignorance of new technology, information, and finding the resources to educate yourself. Never assume the person you’re speaking with has similar experiences to your own. Make sure to share your story and educate the general public.”
• Andi – “Rural communities can be exclusive and cliquish due to generational relationships and shared history. Rural communities and economics are built around relationships.”
• Christy – “It’s paramount to keep communications local. Out-sourced materials lose a positive outlook and personal feel”

“What?…Who, Me?”

Speaker – Ken Rahjes

Ken lead the class through a great activity centered around preparing yourself for a broadcast and “sharing your story” even in the least opportune times. He stated that many times we’re ill-prepared to share our story and that if you don’t share your story someone else will. The class was challenged through individualand panel broadcasts where Ken staged questions to every individual and wegained perspective as to how we should interact in different scenarios.

General Prep Notes:

• Prepare the same for a print interview as youwould for a broadcast
• News outlets won’t allow you time to collectyour thoughts (Story will be published in 24-48 hrs)
• Ensure you have facts to back your story
• Make sure you’re in tune with current events
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help
• A reporter’s job is to get the story, they don’t typically have a bias as to who they’re getting it from

Broadcasting Notes:

• Stay steady and on your message
• Practice in front of a mirror
• Time and delivery are very important
• Relay a positive message
• Keep your hands in your lap
• Don’t take sides, the Agriculture community is united
• Make your story relatable
• Realize that your audience is bigger than your next door neighbor
• If you’re on a panel and know your peers don’t be afraid to defer