I am the head brewer at Tallgrass. Myself, as well as 2 of the other brewers and Jeff, got our starts as homebrewers. If you ever feel like dropping by, we're more than happy to answer questions about homebrewing (and give you a quick tour). I've been homebrewing for about 9 years and started with all-grain. It's definitely the way to go once you're sure you will stick with it. There is definitely more up-front cost in doing all-grain, but it is worth it.
Lastly, there is a homebrew club in Manhattan, the Little Apple Brew Crew. The contact to be added to the mailing list is
jardine@ksu.edu. The meetings are typically the 2nd or 3rd Monday of the month and we meet at various member's houses.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Chris