July 2006
Meadowlark
Extension District
The Meadowlark District was formed July 1, 2006. The district serves as
a partner in the Jackson, Jefferson and Nemaha county communities
and provides educational, research-based information to its community
members. The combination will provide stronger district program offerings through specialized resources.
Holton Office
400 New York
Courthouse, Room 105
Holton, KS
66436-1791
Phone: 785-364-4125
Meet Your District Agents
Oskaloosa Office
Courthouse Basement
P.O. Box 326
Oskaloosa, KS
66066-0326
Phone: 785-863-2212
Seneca Office
207 Main
Seneca, KS
66538-1921
785-336-2184
The Meadowlark District is fortunate to have agents who have specialized
knowledge in various areas. All agents welcome you to visit the office
locations and let them share this knowledge.
Seneca Office
David Key is the Meadowlark District
Director and Community Economic
Development Agent. He began his Extension career in November 1988 after
working as Assistant County Supervisor
for the Farmers Home Administration in
Eldorado, Kansas. David is a 1982 graduate of Sabetha High School and earned a
Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture
from Kansas State University in 1986 and
a Masters of Science degree in Adult Education with a emphasis on Extension Education from Kansas State University in
1987. He has found his Extension Career
to be very rewarding and diverse. While
serving as the Nemaha County Agriculture Agent he has had the opportunity to offer educational programs in dairy, swine, and beef production and
management, row crop and forage production.
David has received K-State Research and Extension Team Award twice in
his career for programming efforts on the Delaware Watershed Atrazine
Education Program and for Innovative Dairy Education Efforts. In 1997,
he was the recipient of the Kansas Pork Producers Council Industry Service Award.
K ansas S tate U niversity A gricultural E xperiment S tation
and
C ooperative E x tension S er vice
Debra Henry is the 4-H Program Assistant at the Seneca Office. Her duties
are to assist the agents with the 4-H program. She also is the part-time secretary at the Seneca Veterinary Clinic in Seneca. Her educational background is
an Associate Degree in Arts & Science from Highland Community College.
Debra is married to Kevin and has 3 children. Her hobbies are walking, photography, and spending time with her children.
Holton Office
Jody Holthaus is the District Extension Agent in Livestock. Her educational
background includes a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Animal Science from
Kansas State University in 1980 and in 2000 a Masters Degree in Management from Baker University.
She began her Extension career as the Nemaha County Agricultural and 4-H
and Youth Agent and in 1988, she became the Agricultural Agent in Jackson
County. She has worked closely with Jackson County Livestock Association,
the Northeast Kansas Calf Producers Organization and Jackson County Soil
Conservation District and NRCS Office. Jody received the Extension Team
Award for the Delaware Watershed Atrazine Project and Distinguished Service
Award from Jackson County SCS in 2004.
Jody and her husband, Keith, live on a farm north of Holton with their 3 sons
and a foster son. They are active in their local 4-H club and are members of
the Circleville Saddle Club, the Jackson County Livestock Association and St.
Dominic Catholic Church in Holton.
Nancy Nelson is the District Extension Agent in Family and Child Development. Nancy’s 4-H background interested her in pursuing an Extension career.
After graduating from K-State she was an International 4-H Youth Exchange
(IFYE) representative to Greece. She began her Extension Family & Consumer Sciences career in February 1978 in Ellsworth County, transferring to
Jackson County in May 1988.
Nancy received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Extension
Association of Family and Consumer Sciences in 2000. She is also a member
of Epsilon Sigma Phi, the Extension Professionals’ Organization.
She and her husband, Brett, have two children; a son in college and a daughter
in high school. They are members of the Evangel United Methodist Church in
Holton.
Oskaloosa Office
Cynthia Sue Williams is the District Extension Agent in Food and Nutrition
and FNP. She is a 1981 graduate from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics Education and Family Resources.
Upon graduation Cindy taught high school Home Economics, coached volleyball and basketball and was advisor for Future Homemakers of America at
Verdigre, Nebraska. In 1985 Cindy became the Jefferson County Extension
Agent. Her major programming responsibilities have been Family and Consumer Science, 4-H, FNP and serving as county coordinator.
In 2003, Cindy received the Distinguished Service Award from the National
Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. She is currently
serving on the Kansas 4-H Advisory, statewide dog PAT committee, and is
a local 4-H dog project leader. Cindy and her husband, Bob, have a son and
daughter. They reside in McLouth, Kansas.
David G. Hallauer is the District Extension Agent in Crops and Soils and
Horticulture. David graduated from Kansas State University in 1996 with a
Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. In February of 1997, he started
his Extension career in Neosho County. He transferred to his current position
as the Jefferson County Extension Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources
in April 1999.
David has worked in a diversity of programming areas with varying groups.
His Extension programs have focused on beef cattle, general horticulture, and
row crops, including the Jefferson County Crop Demonstration Plot program.
David is a member of the Kansas Association of County Agricultural Agents
and Soldier Christian Church. He and his wife, Amy, reside in rural Jackson
County with their two sons.
Sherry Seifert is the 4-H Program Assistant at the Oskaloosa Office. Her duties are to assist the agents with the 4-H program. She is a graduate of Ozawkie High School.
Sherry is a widower with 4 grown children and 11 grandchildren and still
lives on the family farm with a cow/calf operation and a few hogs. In 1953 she
began her career in 4-H as a member and has continued as a community leader
and foods leader for 44 years. Her hobbies include gardening, cooking, sewing, and attending her grandchildren’s events.
Office Professionals
Amy Haverkamp is the Office Professional in the Seneca Office. She joined
the staff at the Nemaha County Extension Office in March 2000. After graduating from Pawnee City High School in Pawnee City, Nebraska, she earned
a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an accounting
emphasis from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
After graduating from UNL in 1993 she married her husband Patrick and they
moved to Seneca, Kansas. They have two children. Her hobbies include attending her children’s events, quilting, and traveling.
Cara Robinson is the Office Professional in the Holton Office. She grew up
in Mankato, Kansas. After receiving her associates degree from Hutchinson
Community College, Cara attended Kansas State University and earned a
Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. After marrying her husband,
Donny, in 2005, they moved to Holton. She began work in October at the
Holton office.
Cara doesn’t have any children but she does have her blue heeler dog, Lil.
Her hobbies include playing basketball and softball, skiing, riding horses and
spending time with family and friends. Cara and her husband travel the Midwest buying and selling horses on weekends.
Betty Barnes is the Office Professional in the Oskaloosa Office. She grew up
in Jackson County and attended Netawaka High School. On July 1, 1964 she
became the Office Professional for the Jefferson County Extension Office. She
was a 4-H member as a child and her parents were active in the 4-H program
and served as leaders.
Betty and her husband, Les, celebrated their 42nd anniversary in June 2006.
They have two grown children and one grandchild. Her hobbies include scrapbooking, gardening, sewing and quilting.
Representing You On The District Governing Board
Governing Body Seneca Office
Hamilton Bock represents the Nemaha County area. He is a bank officer at the Baileyville
State Bank in Seneca. A Bachelor of Science degree was earned from the University of Nebraska. He is married to Robin and has three children and one grandchild. Hobbies include
western pleasure horseback riding.
Terylin Keehn is a Nemaha County area representative. She is employed as the CFO at USC
LLC, in Sabetha, Kansas since January 2004. She is married to Alan and has three sons. Together they have a cow/calf herd operation.
Margie Feldkamp represents the Nemaha County area. She is the Nemaha County Farm
Service Agency County Executive Director for more than 25 years. Along with her husband,
Robert, they have 3 daughters and 5 grandchildren. Her hobbies include flowers and antiquing.
Tresa Jones is a representative for the Nemaha County area. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Baking Science Management from Kansas State University in
1978. She currently teaches and lectures on quilting. She is married to Mike Jones, DVM and
has two grown children. Her hobbies include quilting and gardening.
Governing Body Holton Office
Carolyn Kennedy represents the Jackson County area. She is an occupational health nurse
and case manager for Stormont Vail Work Care. Her educational background is a BSN from
Fort Hays State and from Stormont Vail as a registered nurse. She lives northwest of Holton
and enjoys attending sports, 4-H, school, and church activities of her 11 grand children. Other
hobbies include riding horses, gardening, and being outdoors.
Jeri Albright, is also a Jackson County area representative. She lives in southern Jackson
County. While attending KSU she met her future husband, Cork. She has four children and
five grandchildren. Jeri is involved in the family farm partnership and is the office manager for
optometrists Drs.Carriger and Carriger.
Henrietta Area is representing the Jackson County area. She is a registered nurse at the
Holton Community Hospital where she works as Director of Hospice and Home Health. A
Bachelor of Nursing was earned from Washburn and a Masters in Nursing from the University of Kansas. She lives in Jackson County with her husband, Robert, on a family farm. She
is the mother of a blended family of 6 children and 11 grandchildren. Henrietta and Robert
have been in the livestock feeding business for most of their married life. Her hobbies include
crafts, gardening, reading, and Kansas history.
Bruce Yonke is a representative of the Jackson County area. He grew up on a farm in Wisconsin. After high school he served three years in the Marine Corps and then he graduated from
Wisconsin Stevens Point in 1982 with a B.S. in Natural Resource Management. He also has
two minors - Soil Science and Ecology. He moved to Kansas to work for the USDA in 1983.
He’s been in Jackson County since 1985, becoming the District Conservationist working with
the local Conservation District. Bruce also serves on the Land Management Committee for the
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. He resides northwest of Denison in a home he built himself.
He has a small cow herd and a few saddle horses.
Governing Body Oskaloosa Office
Andy Conser represents the Jefferson County area. He is a full time auctioneer, realtor, and
personal property appraiser with Conser Auction Service and Sunflower Real Estate, Inc of
Valley Falls. His educational background includes Valley Falls High School, Highland Community College, and Montana State University. Andy is married to Holly and has two young
children. His hobbies include raising, showing, and racing Purebred Siberian Huskies and supporting numerous charities through benefit auctions.
Sarah Leonhard is a member representing the Jefferson County area. She graduated from
Kansas State University in Ag Economics and has been employed in the ag cooperative system
since 1986. Her current employment is with Land O’Lakes-Purina Feed LLC as a beef consultant. She is married with two children ages 17 and 12. Both of her children are active in 4-H
and horse and livestock events. Her husband, John, and herself are 4-H leaders in Jefferson
County. Hobbies include rodeos and livestock showing with her kids, yardwork, and flower
gardening.
Catherine Smelser is representing the Jefferson County area. She is a dental assistant for Dr.
Earl McColm in Oskaloosa, Kansas. She and husband Fred have been married for 25 years and
they have two children. Her hobbies include riding mules with her family.
Susan Voelker represents the Jefferson County area. She is a school bus driver for USD #338
Valley Falls Schools. Married to Russ for 41 years, they have 3 children and 4 grandchildren.
Her hobbies include gardening and quilting.
The Meadowlark District agents plan
programming based on needs of the
communities the district represents. The
following graphic illustrations will give
you a quick view and understanding of
the areas represented in your district.
Median Household Income, 2003
Nemaha
County,
$35,677
Jackson
County,
$42,151
Jefferson
County,
$46,560
K-State Research and Extension
P.O. Box 326
Oskaloosa, KS 66066–0326
Address Service Requested
Welcome to the 1st Quarterly Edition of the Meadowlark District News. This is
an introduction of the agents and support personnel in the district offices. Plan
to stop by the locations and get acquainted with staff and the variety of ways
research based information through K-State Research and Extension can be of
help to you. Our mission is to share “Knowledge for Life”. Here is how we can be
contacted.
Meadowlark District Staff
Holton Office
Nancy Nelson
Family and Child
Development
nnelson@ksu.edu
Jody Holthaus
Livestock
jholthau@ksu.edu
Cara Robinson
Office Professional
carar@ksu.edu
Oskaloosa Office
Cindy Williams
Food and Nutrition, FNP
csw@ksu.edu
David Hallauer
Crops and Soils, Horticulture
dhallaue@ksu.edu
Sherry Seifert
4-H Program Assistant
sseifert@ksu.edu
Betty Barnes
Office Professional
bbarnes@ksu.edu
Seneca Office
David Key
District Director and
Community Economic
Development
dkey@ksu.edu
Debra Henry
4-H Program Assistant
dahenry@ksu.edu
Amy Haverkamp
Office Professional
ahaverka@ksu.edu