A fifth generation Kansan will be providing a special presentation during the 100th celebration of Cattlemen’s Day on Saturday, Nov. 1.
Dave Kendall grew up on his family’s farm on the western edge of the Flint Hills in Morris County. Attending both Kansas State University and the University of Kansas, he received degrees in cultural geography and media anthropology, learning the craft of documentary production. He produced and directed his first documentary in 1984, focusing on the challenges facing family farms in “Tomorrow’s Harvest.”
He has since produced dozens of programs related to Kansas history, geography and culture, serving as a producer and host for the “Sunflower Journeys” series on public television for more than 25 years.
In 2015, he retired as Executive Producer at KTWU, the PBS station in Topeka, to form Prairie Hollow Productions with his wife, Laura Mead. They have produced documentaries focusing on the creation of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, the various roles of “Prairie Women” in the Flint Hills, the history of the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, the regional impact of a changing climate and, of course, the legacy of ranching in Greenwood County in “Oasis on the Prairie.” For more than ten years, he served as master of ceremonies for Symphony in the Flint Hills, and in 2024 the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation honored him as its Friend of the Flint Hills.
The annual Cattlemen’s Banquet will include a social hour from 5-6:30 p.m. and a dinner at 6:30 p.m., with Kendall providing the entertainment beginning at 8 p.m.
Tickets for the event are currently being sold.
For more information or to purchase a ticket, contact the Greenwood County Extension Office at 620-583-7455 or Michele Seeley at 918-331-6034.
A complete schedule of events for the annual Cattlemen’s Day can be found on page 6 of this week’s edition.
(Courtesy photo)
