Welcome to the final episode for Season 1 of our "We are Extension" podcast! Sit back, relax, or do chores while listening to us in the background for this special year-end episode!

In this episode, Elesha, Communications Coordinator, speaks with some of the Douglas County, KS Extension staff and volunteers as they reflect on their highlights of the year and what they are looking forward to for 2026!

Resources

• 4-H and Youth Development
• Agriculture
• Community Development
• Community Health and Wellness
  • Cooking Classes
  • Extension Master Food Volunteers
  • LiveWell of Douglas County
• Natural Resources
• Lawn and Garden
  
  • Extension Master Gardeners
• Our Website
• Our Facebook
• Our Instagram

It's rare to hear someone say, "Wow, that was cheap!" after going grocery shopping lately, us included! Everyone has different responsibilities and capacities when it comes to this shopping, meal planning, and more! This Thriving Together episode hopes to help you, no matter where you are in your food-prep / grocery-budget journey!

Join in on the conversation as your hosts Kaitlyn Peine, Community Health and Wellness Extension Agent, and Ginny Barnard, LiveWell of Douglas County Executive Director, speak on timely and useful tips for "Buying Food on a Budget". They provide tips and tricks for meal planning, cooking once and eating multiple times, and smart store and kitchen practices!

K- State Extension Resources

The Well-Stocked Kitchen: Refrigerated and Frozen Foods - K-State Extension PDF

The Well-Stocked Kitchen: Pantry and Nonrefrigerated Foods - K-State Extension PDF

Cooking Basics: Make a Meal from What's on Hand - K-State Extension PDF

Healthy Connections: Family Meals in a Snap - K-State Extension PDF

Other Resources

5-Day Meal Planning Worksheet

Mastering Mealtime: How Meal Planning Can Save Time and Money

Eating Healthy on a Budget: The Ultimate Guide to Frugal Meal Planning

Spend Smart. Eat Smart.

Enjoy another look behind the scenes of Extension! Our Director, Marlin Bates, is joined by Johnson County Extension Director, Tara Markley as they tackle the topic of partnership!

"We can't do our jobs in isolation, especially when we want to achieve systemic and community-wide change. What does that successful partnership look like?"

Learn how both directors take on the responsibilities of building partnerships to positively impact their communities. In this episode, they discuss their past experience as co-facilitators who led discussions with their peers on this topic. They'll discuss:

• partnership strengths
• partnership roadblocks
• tips for building impactful relationships

This episode is sure to benefit anyone whose work can benefit from establishing strong and lasting partnerships. Whether you are confident in forming a meaningful partnership or unsure, there is something to take away from today's podcast!

Resources

Partnership Playbook: Initiating a Partnership - Michigan State University Extension

Partnership Playbook: Strategies for Effective Collaboration - Michigan State University Extension PDF

The Collaboration Continuum - Tamarack Institute Graph