August 6, 2009

Seems like the weather automatically changes on August 1st. Evening approaches sooner, and the sun takes its time waking up.
 
Temperatures can be into the high extremes during the day but wane before nightfall. Some flowers are starting to fade and others are just getting up to speed.
 
Take my roses, boy- are they pretty right now, and I hope they continue looking good during the maze season.
 
The new flowers beds on either side of the maze entrance is packed with zinnias and cone flowers. I plan to add mums to add color for the fall season. Will the flowers look good through the season, or will an early frost finish them off? It’s hard to plan with Mother Nature.
 
Crop Exhibit
 
Our crop exhibits are filling in nicely. We plant crops (this year soybeans, sunflowers and milo plots) that grow in Kansas to show kids what the plants look like, with signage of their use. 
 
Pictured is milo, which will grow a seed head, and is used for cattle and pig feed. And the end consumer product they can relate to is sausage on their pizza, cow leather on their baseball, etc. It’s a real eye opener for them to see how farmers’ crops are used in their everyday lives.
 
 Fall Gift Shop 

August is also the time for shopping. Families are buying school supplies, but I’m buying fall and Halloween merchandise for our maze season. We’re pouring over catalogs and looking online for new fall merchandise to order.
 
Basically I’m looking for the fun impulse items that the kids will want and the parents say okay on! If you any ideas on neat fall items, or fun concession food, please let me know.