Bonanza Club: 35 Years of Maximum Crop Production and Extension Education in Southwestern Kansas

Abstract

The Bonanza Club was created by Grant County, Kansas, agricultural leaders in 1955, when rapid regional change was occurring. The Bonanza Club is one component of a county extension crops program. Its goal is to provide timely and useful information regarding new and successful agronomic practices applied by producers and to encourage the use of those that prove beneficial. Each year selected fields are enrolled by producers and cropping practices are documented. During a fall tour of enrolled fields, producers describe their production practices and local seed dealers, extension agents, and specialists discuss cultivars and practices. After fall harvest, worksheets are compiled into a report booklet, and an awards banquet is held to recognize participants and achievements. The report booklet is distributed at the awards banquet and to other interested extension and agribusiness personnel. As of 1989, 117 participants with 1200 crop entries representing 34 425 ha have been enrolled. The annual budget, $2200, is provided by local businesses. The fall crop tour and awards banquet have been well-attended. Bonanza Club grain yields of irrigated grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.], corn (Zea mays L.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) have averaged above county averages by 30, 12, and 41%, respectively. The Bonanza Club has been an excellent source of information for local producers and changing cropping practices have been documented in southwestern Kansas.