Aviation "Fly In" and Pancake Feed

At the Abilene Airport, this coming Saturday, May 2, there will be a "Fly In" with a variety of regular production models to experimental home-built, antique and historic military aircraft. The public is invited to attend.
Tickets for the Pancake Feed may be purchased from a member of the Abilene Aviation Association or at the door on the day of the "Fly In." For more information, you can call 785.263.3970.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Counting Snakes - Another Flint Hills adventure

Here is one of several recent articles about the recent "Snake Count" in the Kansas Flint Hills. Last Saturday and Sunday, the Kansas Herpetological Society led over 175 persons on the annual animal count, finding 1,112 animals this year. The group of scientists, teachers, naturalists and members of the general public scoured a four square mile area in Chase County.

A fascinating study. We were pleased to have them in the Kansas Flint Hills for this important study.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Essays on Gardening and Life in the Kansas Flint Hills

Check out this new book: Garden Musings: Essays on Gardening and Life in the Kansas Flint Hills.
We always like to see new things that bring positive attention to the Kansas Flint Hills. Let me know what you think, after you've read the book. Enjoy!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Flint Hills at the Kansas Sampler Festival

Visit the Kansas Flint Hills tent at the Kansas Sampler Festival in Concordia, Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3. The Festival is 10-5 on Saturday, 10-4 on Sunday in the Concordia City Park,
11th and Washington.

The Kansas Sampler Festival is a living brochure of Kansas! Check it out!!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Jane Eckert's Mother and the Grange

Jane Eckert has visited the Kansas Flint Hills regularly in recent years, and many of us enjoy following her blog. Normally, she shares marketing information for agritourism businesses, every tip is very valuable for rural economic development.

The recent entry, however, tells of her mother being recognized for 70 years of active membership in the local Turkey Hill Grange. Jane then shares how she spent her youth involved in Grange activities from the farm as well. It brought back many early memories of my life on a farm in western Iowa, as well.

All of our efforts to retain and share the joys and benefits of rural life and keep them available for future generations are well worth it!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Teterville, KS, note

I recently received the following, that I wanted to share with you (with permission):

Dr. Smith,
I just came across your Flint Hills blog as I was Googling "Teterville" looking for pictures of the area. I am interested in Teterville because I am a Teter descendant (in fact, my parents have a story about how they almost made my middle name Teter--my mother's paternal grandmother was a Teter).
There was a family ranch near Teterville that was held in trust until the mid-1980s when it had to be sold under terms of the trust. Before then, we held many family reunions on the ranch, which had no buildings except a ramshackle old barn. I remember how beautiful the area is. I'm attaching a jpeg file of a scanned-in picture from one of our family reunion picnics in the early 1980s that I thought might interest you. As you can see, it's in one of the lower points of the landscape because we always picnicked at a ford of a creek on the ranch.
I was born in Kansas (1954) and lived in Kansas until 1997. Then, I lived in Ames, Iowa, for two years while I worked on a research grant at Iowa State University--from which I see you have a B.S. I have been in Arkansas for nearly 10 years, but I still miss Kansas very much. Having many relatives in various places in the state (several of them in the Flint Hills in Chase, Butler, and Greenwood counties--although none in Lyon county that I know of), I try to visit whenever possible.
I would have put all these comments on your blog, but I'm new to posting and wanted to make sure I made contact. The Flint hills is one of my favorite places and I'll do what I can to promote tourism there.
Gretchen Hill


Gretchen J. Hill, PhD.
Associate Professor, Sociology
Dept. of Criminology, Sociology & Geography
Arkansas State University
State University, AR 72467-2410
(870) 972-3246 or 972-3705

Neat! Comments welcomed.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Prairie Talk - at Pioneer Bluffs

Come to Pioneer Bluffs for Prairie Talk on Saturday, April 18 at 2 p.m., where author Donald Worster will lead a talk that is sure to inform, inspire, and perhaps rekindle a passion for nature. Dr. Worster's new biography, "A Passion for Nature: the Life of John Muir," is the most complete account ever written of the great conservationist and founder of the Sierra Club.

Dr. Worster is Hall Distinguished Professor of American History at the University of Kansas, and considered one of the founders, and leading figures in, the field of environmental history.


There is no fee to attend a Prairie Talk held in the barn at Pioneer Bluffs. Refreshments will be served. Reservations are requested to info@pioneerbluffs.org or 620.753.3484.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Eisenhower Marathon

On April 11, run part of the historic Chisholm Trail in the hometown of our 34th President. It is a Boston Marathon Qualifier. It is an all paved course - there is a marathon; half-marathon; 10k and 5 K - and a community walk.

Check it out!

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

National Travel and Tourism Week

The 26th Annual National Travel and Tourism Week is scheduled for May 9-17, 2009. This year's theme is "Discover Great American Traditions." This fits nicely with our recent Heritage Conference theme on Festivals.

What is going on it your local area? What have you done to make visitors/tourists feel welcome and wanted in your community?

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Flatland String Band in Concert

The Flatland String Band will be in Concert at the Iron Horse Concert Hall in El Dorado on Saturday, April 11, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.


The Flatland String Band provides lively acoustic performances crafted to draw the listener into an era when the string band was one the community's most vital entertainment resources.

Prairie Art - a plein-air painting event

It is time for the 8th annual plein air paint-out, show and sale this year on May 2-15. All artists are encouraged to participate. All artists are encouraged to participate - for a day, a weekend, several days, or the entire length of the Prairie Art event.

For more info, contact suzan.barnes@sbcglobal.net.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)

Mountain Man Encampment - Ark City

Check out the Mountain Man Encampment sponsored by the Cherokee Strip Land Rush Museum starting at 10 am on Friday, April 3 and running through 5 pm on Saturday, April 4, in Arkansas City.

Witness pre-1840s fur trade camp and learn skills of the time. Listen to a Scotish piper.

Fireside stories are scheduled for Friday and Saturday night, at 7 p.m.

See you in the Kansas Flint Hills! ;-)