Category: Public

Check out the photo booth photos from the KAIA Convention on our Facebook Page!

If you go downstairs to the Farmers Alliance mail room during this holiday season, you will find more than just letters and packages. You will find several balloons in various shapes and sizes. Veeda Clark creates “Christmas Balloon Art”. She has made presents, an elf that sits on her shelf, and several other Christmas decorations.

This hobby started about three years ago, when Veeda would make balloon creations for her nieces and grand children’s birthdays. She has made several arches, columns, and table decorations. One of her favorite projects that she has done was her Niece, Sunnie’s Birthday Party.

The biggest decoration is a gateway arch that is red and white that sits in front of her desk. It took two hundred balloons to make, mainly small ones. She uses a pump for the larger balloons, but blows up the smaller ones by herself. She had to bring the arch in  three separate pieces in order to fit it in her car.

“It’s really hard to transport that amount of balloons in a Kia Soul.”

Article contributed by Tyler Bruton (Marketing).

“I had the opportunity to tag along with members of the claims and underwriting departments to visit the new PrairieLand Partners facility in McPherson a few months ago. This was a great experience, because for someone with very little farming background, everything was new to me.

Over the past year, I’ve seen this facility start as a plot of land and progress into a huge facility. The building is surrounded by various tractors and combines.

We arrive and go into the building and I’m amazed at the architecture of building. When you walk in, there is a store and a display of various farm vehicles: small tractors, mowers, and other things.

Walking by the hardware section, I noticed cans of spray paint. There are 3 colors: black, yellow, and John Deere green–On a side note, the question was asked during the tour if they had other colors of paint, in which they do!

We were then greeted by a man named Myron, who led us upstairs to one of their training rooms. Here we received an overview on the GPS systems in John Deere combines and tractors. Who would’ve thought that this stuff would be so expensive? Between the displays, receivers, and activations, it can get very pricey to replace.

After the GPS systems training, we proceeded to tour the shop. In the shop, is where all the combine, tractor and mower repairs take place. This part makes up the majority of the building.

Overall this was a very meaningful experience, and it’s very impressive how far farming technology has come over time.”

At Farmers Alliance, we cover all sorts of farm equipment and technology. Your Farmers Alliance agent is the best source of information regarding these coverages. Talk with them about your specific situation, and they’ll know just what you need!

IMPORTANT: Refer to the policy for coverages provided and pricing. If there is any conflict between the policy and this information, the provisions of the policy shall prevail.

“Everyone is touched by cancer in some way. It may be a friend, family member or a co-worker. Through the years, Farmers Alliance has had several employees battle this awful disease. As a team we want to put our foot forward and stomp out cancer. We have had a Relay for Life team for over twelve years,” said Gloria Schroeder, Farmers Alliance Claims Examiner and Relay for Life committee member.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life event is a life-changing experience that gives communities across the globe a chance to Celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, Remember loved ones lost, and Fight Back against the disease. Each year, more than four million people in over twenty countries take part in this global phenomenon and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer.

Farmers Alliance has done several initiatives over the years to raise awareness and raise money for this great cause. There have been silent auctions, benefit breakfasts and luncheons, dunk tank, car bash, and much more.

One of the popular initiatives is the selling of stickers that allow employees to wear jeans on Mondays (during the months that have five Mondays), flip-flops and shorts day, and hat day. This gives employees the chance to wear casual clothing which isn’t the business-casual dress code.

The 2016 Farmers Alliance Relay for Life Team

The Farmers Alliance Team raises more than $5,000 a year, and is already making plans for 2017.

If you would like to get involved, or learn more about Relay for Life. Check out their page here.

For part of the Valentine’s Day goodies, we included a stress cow named Tami.

We decided we wanted to try something new so Tami was a part of a photo contest. The object was to take a photo of Tami on how she fits in the agency or in an adventure around town. See example below.

Tami in front of the Farmers Alliance home office.

We had over 250 entries. The agents were really creative, so picking the winners was no easy task.

Here is the Grand Prize winner!

Grand Prize Winner! Integrity Insurance – CO

If you’d like to see all of the entries, check out our Facebook page. If you haven’t liked our page, give us a like. We greatly appreciate it.

Article from the Wichita Eagle.

By Gabriella Dunn

Officials have not yet said what caused this week’s wildfires that have now burned about 405 square miles and several homes in Kansas.

But nationally, 95 percent of all wildfires start because of human activity.

Here are tips from the National Fire Protection Association to help you protect your property, particularly if you live in a rural area, on the edge of town or on a several acre lot.

Areas within 30 feet of the home, including decks and fences

▪ Carefully space plants that are low-growing and free of resins, oils and waxes that burn easily.

▪ Mow the lawn regularly.

▪ Prune trees so the branches are 6 to 10 feet from the ground.

▪ Space conifer trees – such as cedars, firs, larches and pines – 30 feet between crowns. Crowns include the entire tree – limbs and leaves.

▪ Trim trees limbs so they don’t hang over the house.

▪ Don’t use flammable landscaping materials or high-moisture annual and perennial plants within five feet of the house.

▪ Remove dead vegetation from under decks

▪ Buy fire-resistant patio furniture, swing sets and outdoor materials.

▪ Do not place firewood stacks and propane tanks within 30 feet from the home.

▪ Regularly water plants, trees and mulch.

Areas between 30 and 100 feet from the home

▪ Leave 30 feet between clusters of two to three trees, or 20 feet between individual trees.

▪ Mix trees that shed leaves with those that don’t.

▪ Create “fuel breaks,” also called fire roads or fire lines. A driveway, gravel or a walkway creates a gap in vegetation or other combustible material that can slow or stop a fire’s progress.

▪ Prune trees 6 to 10 feet from the ground.

Areas between 100 and 200 feet from the home

▪ Remove smaller conifers – such as cedars, firs, larches and pines – that grow between taller trees.

▪ Remove woody debris.

▪ Cut or trim trees so canopies don’t touch.

Maintenance tips

▪ Prune trees and shrubs 6 to 10 feet from the ground. 

▪ Remove leaf clutter and dead and overhung branches.

▪ Mow the lawn regularly and promptly throw away cutting and debris.

▪ Store firewood more than 30 feet from the house.

▪ Maintain the irrigation system regularly.

Other tips

▪ When disposing of coal or ash outside, drown the charcoal and ash with water, stir and soak again.

▪ Check power equipment and use with caution on hot, dry days.

▪ Remove chains and other metal parts that drag from your vehicle. The sparks can start a fire.

▪ Check tire pressure. Driving on an exposed wheel rim can cause sparks.

▪ Avoid driving or parking on dry grass. Hot exhaust pipes can start the grass on fire.

▪ Never let your brake pads wear too thin. Metal on metal makes sparks.

▪ Smokers should grind cigarettes, cigars, or pipe tobacco in dirt. Never grind them on a stump or log. Never throw it away into the brush or leaves. Use an ashtray while in your car.

Checklist before burning

▪ Check the weather forecast: High winds on days after a burn can reignite ashes left behind.

▪ Have water nearby: Keep a hose or water tank close to the fire.

▪ Create a boundary: Cut a perimeter of short grass and rake the clippings.

▪ Don’t leave: Have enough people around to watch each edge of the fire.

Don Byrns (Facilities) takes care of the grounds and other handyman jobs here at Farmers Alliance. When he’s not making sure Farmers Alliance’s grounds are looking spectacular, he is involved with his church, First Baptist Church in McPherson.

He recently completed a mission trip with a group of eight others to Kansas City, Kansas, to volunteer their time at the Bethel Neighborhood Center, July 23rd-25th.

Bethel Neighborhood Center opened its doors on April 1, 1911, as a mission center of The Women’s Baptist Home Mission Society, which is now known as the American Baptist Women’s Ministries. The primary mission was to serve needy families living near or working in the meat-packing plants of the West Bottoms of Kansas City.

At the Center, lunch is served for people of all ages. There are also activities for children through senior citizens.

Don and the group painted picnic shelters and a basement floor, patched potholes around the Center, and mowed the extra lots that belong to the Center.

“I just love helping others, this wasn’t the first trip I’ve gone on. Last year I went to Joplin, three times, to help with the tornado relief. One of my favorite things I’ve helped with, was going to Colorado to help deliver presents for Operation Christmas Child.”

Don said that the Sunday School classes at his church, decorated about one hundred shoe boxes. Inside are a variety of things ranging from: school supplies, candy, small toys, dental hygiene products, as well as soap and a washcloth.

“Sometime this is the only gift that children receive for Christmas. I’ve seen videos of these children opening these presents, and their face just glows. I believe it’s something everyone should participate in.” Don added.

For more information on the Bethel Neighborhood Center, click here to view their website.

We just got done wrapping up the 2015 Food Drive, in which we had a tremendous turnout!

The food drive ran for five weeks beginning November 2nd-December 4th. We collected food for the Kiwanis Holiday Food Baskets and the McPherson County Food Bank, which goes to hundreds of families in the McPherson Community.

Each week we had a goal to get 500 items in a specific category. We had a special reward for meeting our 5 week goal of 2500 items. Mondays would be “Jean Days” for the whole month of December. Cash donations were accepted as well. Each dollar donated that week counted as one item toward our goal of 500 items.

Week 1 – Canned Vegetables
Week 2 – Canned Fruit & Canned Meat
Week 3 – Peanut Butter
Week 4 – Canned Soup, Canned Sauces, Pasta, & Beans
Week 5 – Boxed Goods (Potatoes, Meals, Bread & Cake Mixes)

In five weeks we have collected 3,383 QUALITY food items for the hungry in our community. The Kiwanis volunteers will came the Morning of December 4th to pick up the food items and prepare for their holiday food baskets, with the remaining food helping to re-stock the McPherson County Food Bank shelves.

We also had several employees donate time outside of work doing some “personal shopping” with the money that was donated. They were able to really take advantage of the holiday food sales and stretch the dollar!

Thank you everyone for all the support and food donations!