Success Stories By MajorProgram FY2024Jul 1, 2023 - Jun 30, 2024
Increasing Knowledge of the Benefits of Including Native Plants in the Home Landscape
Author: Annette Heisdorffer
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Native plants, growing in the home landscape, provide habitat and food for wildlife and pollinators. However, people ask, what will native plants look like in my landscape? To answer this question and to promote adding native plants to the landscape, the Extension Master Gardeners partnered with the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden in Owensboro, KY in developing a 2,800 square foot native plant garden. One of the Extension Master Gardeners presented the program “I Know Native
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Gardening Education – Daycare and Homeless Shelter Projects
Author: Keith Hackworth
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
At the direction of our leadership, Extension has been collaborating with several community groups again this year. We have increased the collaboration project with the Floyd County Health Department, local daycare centers, local homeless shelter, and Extension Master Gardeners. Grant funding through the health department has allowed us to increase from six daycare centers to seven this year. The goal of the program is to provide education and nutritious fruits and vegetables to daycare age yout
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Houseplant Series
Author: Emma Lee
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
In my county, I had talked to a few clients that had an interest in houseplants. This is a topic that I have studied extensively and I decided to offer a series of programs to the community. I held three programs in the series: Introduction to Houseplants, Propagation of Houseplants, and Making a Terrarium. There were 9 participants. Some attendees said that they love houseplants but do not know how to keep them alive; Others came to the programs simply to have fellowship with other plant hobbyi
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Madison County Seed Library
Author: Amanda Sears
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Nearly 14% of Madison County residents are food insecure. That means they are uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food. (www.kaco.org and www.feedingamerica.org). With increasing food prices and supply chain issues, this problem has the potential to get worse.People are looking for ways to stretch their dollar and to become more self-sufficient.The Madison County Extension Office offered free seeds to the public this year. The staff created a “seed library” in the
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Cutting and Cultivating for the Future of Agriculture
Author: Gregory Drake
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Natural resource management is an important issue for any community. Cut flower production is a quickly emerging segment of Kentucky agriculture. A field day was planned to address these diverse topics and more. A growing percentage of Butler County’s 150,000 acres of farmland is used for grain production. Recent growth in row crop acres are coming from ground that has historically been used for forage production. New farms that get started are looking for alt
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Madison County Extension Seed Library
Author: Brandon Sears
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Nearly 14% of Madison County residents are food insecure. That means they are uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food. (www.kaco.org and www.feedingamerica.org). With increasing food prices and supply chain issues, this problem has the potential to get worse.People are looking for ways to stretch their dollar and to become more self-sufficient.The Madison County Extension Office offered free seeds to the public this year. The staff created a “seed library” in the
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TV Series: In the Garden
Author: Sarah Imbus
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Providing research based information in a way to meet Extensions clients’ needs can be particularly challenging in urban counties. The National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL), (https://nuel.extension.org ), shares some challenges that Urban Extension has when sharing information to their communities. NUEL shares that Extension needs to have presence and understand communities to have successful Extension programming. In addition, responding to the demographic trend(s) of urbanization
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Seed Savers Workshop at Louisville Tool Library
Author: Von Barnes
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Louisville Tool Library is a great place for community to gather, especially if they want to become backyard farmers and start yardens. There has been a monthly seed savers workshop with Jody Dahmer of Beargrass Thunder and Von Barnes of KYSU Cooperative Extension where they demonstrate techniques to saving seeds and preserving a variety of seeds from plants that have produced well around the county.This is so important Louisville is an urban heat island, and it is important to have the seeds th
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Kenton County’s First Garden Sustainability Tour
Author: Brandon George
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
On October 7th, 2023, from 10 am- 4 pm, people from Kenton County were able to visit four unique sites within the county, showcasing gardens that are managed in a more sustainable way. Based on questions I am asked frequently as a horticulture agent; many people have a desire to understand how they can support wildlife while also looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact through their gardening and landscaping efforts. The garden sustainability tour intended to help bring to the peop
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Ag Day
Author: Savannah Gilbert
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
It is important to provide essential agricultural education to the youth of the community. The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service was able to host an Ag Day for over 400 students from five local elementary schools. The Horticulture Assistant helped by presenting at a booth about gardening. Specifically, Savannah explained what several garden tools were and demonstrated how to use them. She also played a seed identification game where students were shown various vegetable seeds and th
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Growing Hot Peppers to Make Hot Sauce
Author: Lorilee Kunze
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Bullitt County community members have lost essential skills in growing their own food, don't know where their food comes from, and are seeking satisfaction, exercise, therapy and family activity in growing and producing their own food. Also, food costs are increasing and people want to grow their own produce at home.In response, we thought it would be a fun and informative activity to teach people how to grow their own peppers and make hot sauce. Craft foods are very popular at t
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Gardens on the Go
Author: Dee Heimgartner
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Crittenden County Gardeners enjoy gathering new ideas from other gardeners and locations. To assist these gardeners in expanding their knowledge the Crittenden County ANR agent Dee Heimgartner has been taking them on day trips to surrounding botanical gardens and ag tourism farms. That tradition continued this past summer and even expanded to an overnight trip.The first trip of the summer was an overnight trip to St. Louis to visit the Missouri Botanical Garden to se different plant species and
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container garden giveaway
Author: Adam Leonberger
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Addressing the issue of food deserts is a pressing concern for many communities, and Frankfort is no exception. The city lacks grocery stores close to most residential neighborhoods. The public transit routes are limited and only run during the day. The transit system also restricts the riders to bringing only four grocery bags on the buses. Moreover, food prices are rising, making it difficult for the low-income residents to afford healthy food. This situation has led to a severe fo
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Grow Appalachia Gardening Series
Author: Kristen Stumbo
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
According to the Community Assessment in 2019, one of the top priority needs in Magoffin County is more training for food gardening skills. In addition, consumers have become more interested in where their food comes from and how it is grown.The Grow Appalachia Gardening Grant allowed us to have a gardening education series that began in March and ended in October. We met at least once a month to discuss several topics including the importance of soil testing, planning your garden, starting seed
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Volunteer Produce
Author: Chelsey Anderson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Over the last few years, the Feed My Sheep Food Pantry has encouraged producers to grow a little extra in their gardens to bring to the pantry. In the spring of 2023, several producers in the gardening group planted extra just to take to the pantry. Produce being grown for that reason was tomatoes, squash, zucchini, peppers, green beans, potatoes, and cushaw. Overall, in 2023, these producers donated roughly 558lbs of produce. This is equivalent to 930 meals based from Feeding Americas average w
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Tree Week 2023
Author: Bethany Wilson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Tree Week is the brainchild of UK’s Urban Forest Initiative and has been in Lexington and a few other satellite locations for 5 years. Not only is the week about planting trees and overall learning more about trees, but it’s also an impetus to get people outside in nature. Pulaski County has participated since 2021. The Pulaski County Horticulture Agent organized a committee in April 2023 to plan and organize events for Tree Week 2023 (October 8-16). Master Gardeners,
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2023 Tree Week
Author: Amanda Sears
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Tree Week 2023 As our urban areas grow more and more, it is important to not forget the importance of trees in our communities. Trees not only provide beauty, but they also reduce storm-water runoff, cool cities, filter air and water pollutants, store carbon dioxide and help improve mental health and well being. To help educate the public about the importance of trees, the University of Kentucky Department of Forestry began the first annual Tree Week in 2018.“Tree Week
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Addressing Plant Awareness Disparity
Author: Brandon George
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Success Story 01/10/2024Brandon George, Kenton County Horticulture Extension Agent Addressing Plant Awareness Disparity On November 21, 2023, during the afternoon on a mild Autumn day, 24 students in grades 5th-8th participated in a lesson on seed dispersal and identification at St. Anthony Elementary in Taylor Mill, KY. In collaboration with 4-H Assistant Vanessa Sturgill who taught a lesson on seed dispersal mechanisms, I asked students if they could identify the species of plant acc
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Holiday Center Pieces
Author: Shelby Cleaver
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
On December 21st, I held a first time holiday tabletop centerpiece class. I had 20 people sign up for the program and had 12 attend the class because some couldn't show with work and sickness. During this class i provided all materials needed for them to make their pieces. I had fresh Cedar and Balsam Fir cut up into different sizes so it was easier to use and handle and that way no one needed to cut anything and have the possibility to cut their self, i also had a variety of fake
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Educational Gardens
Author: Sarah Imbus
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Campbell County Extension District Board awarded Williams Creek Management to design and lead the garden renovation project at the Campbell County Extension Lakeside Commons Educational Gardens. Construction began in Fall 2023 with the installation of a retaining wall and raised beds. Extension’s focus is to create a welcoming and assessable spaces around the gardens and incorporate sustainable best management practices. Extension will be demonstrating small scale vegetable and
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Cut Flowers Series
Author: Carrie Spry
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Many citizens in Clark County love adding fresh cut flowers to their home during the summer season. Often times these flowers can be found at the local farmers market, or even handed to them from a neighbor. Sometimes that come already arranged in a bouqet, other times they are individual and need to be arranged. Some people want the cut flowers, but can't make it to the market to purchase them or even can't afford them. A few citizens even expressed the desire to learn how to grow cut f
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Fall Seed Program
Author: Shad Baker
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Many people make soil preparations and invest in inputs for gardening, but only reap half the harvest because they only utilize half the growing season. This shortfall especially impacts those who rely upon gardening to stretch their food dollars.In order to help encourage full-season production, the Letcher County Extension Office partnered with Tractor Supply in a mid-summer seed donation program. The donation of seed amounted to over $14,000 worth of free seed being distributed to clientele,
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Pawpaw Programing at Local Market
Author: Lindsay Heyvaert
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problemCommunity members most have forgotten about Kentucky's Pawpaw trees and I wish for people to experience the unique flavor of the pawpaw and learn how to grow their own. My goals is to help make this beloved tree common once more!The educational program responseSo far, I have done pawpaw programing throughout a few counties and have had a great response. Since the beginning of 2024, I have done pawpaw programming at the community farmers market twice and have a great turnout schedu
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Feeding the Need for Knowledge
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Fayette County is one of Kentucky's most populus cities. The demand for accurate, reliable gardening information is great. The Fayette County Extension horticulture program is well known, and we strive to provide relevant information in a variety of ways. One of our most popular offerings is a series of informal gardening classes called Gardener's Toolbox. We discovered that teaching classes helped circumvent countless phone discussions. Horticulture staff often source new or improved va
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Grafting Workshop
Author: Emma Lee
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Many producers in Estill County produce apples and different kinds of fruit. Last year, I held my first grafting class and it was very successful. I held the same class again this year to teach/refresh producers on how to graft scion wood onto rootstock. A local orchard farmer of many years attended to assist me with the class. We discussed the background and importance of grafting, and then began the demonstration of different ways to graft. Producers watched and then attempted to graft their r
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2024 Winter School
Author: Carrie Spry
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The ANR agent and Horticulture agent worked together for the 2024 Winter School series. Clark Extension hosted 3 full nights of education for the public. Topics included biting insects around the home, bats in the backyard, reading EPD's, fertilizer needs for pastures, the benefits of storing hay, pond construction, and farm planning and layout for water and feed areas. More than 80 people attended each night for a combined total attendance of over 260 people. the local farm bureau group, ca
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Fruit Tree Pruning for Beginners
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problemNo doubt that one positive result of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown was an increase interest in gardening and home food production. Many home owners planted fruit trees in an attempt to produce some high quality fresh fruit at home. West 8 Agriculture Agents have been getting requests for more programming on fruit tree care and pruning. The educational program responseIn February 2024 a fruit tree pruning workshop was held on the farm of the Dennison family
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Seeds of Success: Cultivating Community at the Garden Extravaganza Seed Giveaway
Author: Lindie Huffman
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Garden Extravaganza Seed Giveaway at the Pendleton County Extension Office was an extraordinary event that united community, education, and sustainable practices.Behind the scenes, volunteers from the RSVP program, including seniors, meticulously sorted and prepared the seeds. Their dedication and expertise ensured the seamless operation of the event.Participants were thrilled to explore the diverse selection of vegetable seeds, with many pleasantly surprised by unique varieties like purple
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Little Big Impacts
Author: Nicole Rhein
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Every spring when the forsythia bushes start to bloom, the local Extension Office's phone starts ringing. Clients with home horticulture questions start buzzing with anticipation for the upcoming garden season and as their preparations are made, they have many questions. The string of questions continues as the season progresses, making home horticulture questions a very demanding and time consuming responsibility for Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents, especially those who do not have
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Flower Arranging Toolbox
Author: Savannah Gilbert
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service hosts a Toolbox Garden Series which takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. Each session covers a different topic to educate the public on a variety of horticulture subjects. For January, the Horticulture Assistant coordinated with Lindsay Tatum Bowles of Tatum Studios to plan a flower arranging Toolbox. It took place on January 2nd, and not only was this the first session of 2024, but it was also the first Toolbox that Savannah had tak
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Horticulture Webinar Wednesday Continues by Popular Demand
Author: Sharon Flynt
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problem The University of Kentucky Extension recently hosted a Horticulture Webinar Wednesday, marking the fifth season of the webinar series. Initiated as an outreach method during the pandemic, the webinars offer valuable insights and information on various horticulture topics. Expert speakers cover plant care, gardening techniques, and industry trends, providing a platform for attendees to interact, ask questions, and glean practical tips to enhance their horticultural pract
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Beginning Gardening 101
Author: Benjamin Prewitt
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problem: The Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service has been working with an influx of individuals and families that have decided to move into our community from numerous places around the United States. Many of these individuals and families are moving from a way of life centered around inner- city or suburban type of lifestyles and have never had the opportunity to try and grow their own food. On top of that, many of these individuals have never had the opportunity to participate in
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Apple tree grafting.
Author: Stacy White
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Homegrown apples are culturally important in our region. Many heirloom varieties found here are not available commercially. Grafting is the most efficient way to maintain important apple varieties. The Whitley County ANR agent annually hosts apple grafting seminars for the general public and for high school agriculture students. Participants learn the science of tree grafting and get to graft their own tree during the seminars. Both whip grafting and bud grafting t
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Trees For The Landscape
Author: Jessica Hopkins
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
It has been stated by specialists at the University of Kentucky that 85% of the diagnostic tree samples that are submitted to the lab and/or questioned by extension agents and homeowners are a result of a below ground issue. Since a large number of issues occur underground and are not visible by the eye, it stands to reason, that it is best to prevent tree issues as opposed to treating or fixing tree issues. With that idea in place, in September of 2023, the Harrison County Horticult
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'365 Days of Gardening' Raised Bed Gardening Series
Author: Bethany Wilson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
This home gardening series is in its second year, created by the Pulaski Co Horticulture Agent and one Extension Master Gardener. During summer 2023, the program had over 30 different participants over the 5 monthly programs. During 2024, 72 people participated in 7 monthly programs.This Pulaski County Extension Horticulture program brought together gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels, empowering them with knowledge and skills to cultivate thriving gardens in limited spaces. Through
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Spring Gardening Workshop Blooms with Success
Author: Tyson Gregory
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
In light of the increase of severe weather events, evolving climate, and biodiversity crisis, homeowners are increasingly seeking methods to uphold aesthetically pleasing landscapes while minimizing their ecological footprint. To provide local citizens with pertinent information, the Woodford County Extension Office hosted it's 6th annual Spring Gardening Workshop.The workshop featured educational sessions led by Extension specialists and industry professionals. These sessions delved into lo
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Harrodsburg Tree Board
Author: Jessica Bessin
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
With Harrodsburg’s 250th anniversary right around the corner the Harrodsburg’s local Tree Board has been working tirelessly to beautify our community and help the environment. Trees are more than aesthetically pleasing. They combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen to provide crucial habitats for wildlife, trees offer a plethora of benefits. Their shade and canopy help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reducing energy consumption and improving air q
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Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop
Author: Timothy Estes
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problemNo doubt that one positive result of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown was an increase interest in gardening and home food production. Many home owners planted fruit trees in an attempt to produce some high quality fresh fruit at home. West 8 Agriculture Agents have been getting requests for more programming on fruit tree care and pruning. The educational program responseIn February 2024 a fruit tree pruning workshop was held on the farm of the Dennison family
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Growing Community
Author: Jamie Dockery
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
One of Lexington’s most diverse and economically disadvantaged populations lives in the Woodhill neighborhood. Most of Woodhill’s elementary-age students attend Breckinridge Elementary where nearly 80% of its students receive free or reduced lunches. This is significantly higher than the state average. Housing conditions and employment opportunities are ailing, and this area is home to an increasing refugee and immigrant population. Woodhill Community Center is a newer neighborhood d
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Growing and Cooking with Herbs
Author: Carrie Spry
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
One of the most consistent requests received at Clark County Extension from its constituents, is information on growing and cooking with herbs. With upward trends in eating healthier, growing your own food, and living a more self-sustainable life, more people have been hoping to learn about the benefits of herbs. Clark County Extensions Horticulture Agent and Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered up for a 2-class series on Growing and Cooking with Herbs. The 2 classes covered all things h
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Title: The Healing Place Garden Growing Plants and Expanding Horizons
Author: Kara Back-Campbell
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The substance-use epidemic touches all areas of the commonwealth, and treatment programs are using creative, research-based approaches to assist those impacted. Taylor County Nutrition Education Program Assistant, Angela Freeman, and Extension Horticulture Agent, Kara Back, collaborated with The Healing Place during the 2023 - 2024 fiscal year to teach both gardening skills and nutrition education. The gardening, meal planning, and cooking skills learned will be useful to participants, bot
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Nursing Home Raised Bed Garden
Author: Jacob Ison
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Eastern KY and Appalachia in general has for far to long been known for its obesity rates and health risks due to bad eating habits and unbalanced diets. Highly processed fast food has become way to convenient and easily accessible in the fast passed world we live in today.According to a Kentucky Health News article, Kentucky has the second highest adult obesity rate in the nation and Kentucky's children age 10-17 have the nations highest rate for that age group. To help combat these te
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AB Chandler Garden Project
Author: Paul Andrew Rideout
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problemLack of knowledge of where your food comes from.The educational program responseFive part program series including planting a garden and incorporating the produce into the menu.The participants/target audience55 4th gradersOther partners (if applicable)Farm Bureau, Kentucky Nutrition EducationProgram impact or participant response.Students learned what plants need to produce; learned how plants grow; tasted new (to them) vegetablesAB Chandler Garden Project The Henderson Co
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Stakeholders learn to propagate pawpaw trees at grafting workshops
Author: Sheri Crabtree
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Three pawpaw grafting workshops were held at the Kentucky State University Research and Demonstration Farm, Franklin County Extension Office, and Blount County Public Library in April-June 2024, attended by a total of 55 people. At these workshops, participants learned three techniques for grafting pawpaw and other fruit trees, and received hands-on instruction on grafting techniques. Participants grafted two pawpaw trees each with improved cultivars, which they took home for planting. Pawpaw tr
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Helping stakeholders learn to propagate pawpaw seedlings through workshop participation
Author: Kirk Pomper
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Pawpaw propagation presentations were held at the Frankfort Community Seed Swap which was held at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in March, 2024 in Frankfort, Kentucky. A total of 140 persons attended the event. At these presentations, participants learned about pawpaw production and received hands-on instruction on the seed propagation of pawpaw. Participants then received a packet of 10 pawpaw seeds and written instructions on how to grow out the pawpaw seeds in containers or pots at home for
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Local Gardener Increases Growing Season with High Tunnel
Author: Lori Bowling
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Many of our local farmers and gardeners that sell produce to local stores or at farmers markets are always looking for better ways to get marketable produce earlier in the season. One local gardener saw that there was a market for this type of produce at local small markets and restaurants. The farmer applied for and received the high tunnel grant through the soil conservation cost share program. Working with the Boyd County Horticulture Agent the gardener learned about best gr
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Home Gardening
Author: Ted Johnson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problem : Access to healthy foods is a major problem in Lee County, Lee county citizens are ranked as one of the unhealthiest population in the nation. Lack of access to healthy foods is a leading cause of this.The educational program response: Several programs has taken place to address this issue. The Lee County Extension Office has conducted programs on home gardening, raised bed production, growing your own plants, soil health, disease management, and harvesting and storage methods.The p
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Food For Thought
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
According to the stateofchildhoodobesity.org, Kentucky ranks 50 for the highest obesity rate for youth ages 10-17 with a staggering 24%. Christian County in Kentucky has a higher percentage of 33.6% of obesity according to the Kentucky Environmental Public Health Tracking. With the numbers being so high, Christian County Extension Agents want to help lower these numbers and what better way than to have a program that encourages youth to try a new healthy food that they would not try on their own
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Local Personal Food Production
Author: Anthony Tackett
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Bourbon County Blooms: Horticulture Program Cultivates Local Food Production SuccessThe Bourbon County Horticulture program is pleased to announce a flourishing season of local food production! This year's program focused on empowering residents to grow their own fruits and vegetables, with impressive results.Planting the Seeds of Knowledge:Over 150 Direct Questions Answered: Residents across Bourbon County didn't hesitate to reach out! Our program fielded inquiries on a vari
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Spring Lawn and Garden Fair a Success
Author: Erika Wood
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Spring Lawn and Garden Fair is a program run by the Pennyroyal Master Gardener Association. The fair takes place at the Danny Peyton Outdoor Education Pavilion and offers a variety of activities including educational talks and demonstrations relating to horticulture, lawn and garden vendors, plant sales, and activities for children. The purpose of the fair is to educate local residents about different topics relating to horticulture, as well as raising awareness of the Master Ga
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Seminars and Swaps a Success
Author: Erika Wood
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
On February 3rd, a program was held at the Hopkins County Extension Office referred to as Seminars and Swaps. Three back-to-back seminars were held during the morning hours that covered Orchids, Bromeliads, and Aroid Plants. The classes were free and open to the public to learn about the different plants and their care and maintenance. After the classes, a houseplant swap was also held for the public to bring indoor plants and cuttings to share with one another. Master Gardene
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Gardening Series Increases Knowledge on Growing Herbs
Author: Erika Wood
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
A gardening class series was conducted at the Hopkins County Extension Office and focused on growing different kinds of herbs: Sage, Mint, Lavender, Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Cilantro, Parsley, Chives, Rosemary, Fennel, and Dill. In each class, students learned how to grow, care for, and manage the different kinds of herbs. In addition, the classes also mentioned different varieties of each herb, culinary, medicinal, and cosmetic uses. At the end of each class, there was also a ha
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Canning Class
Author: Katie Hughes
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problem Having people come learn about how to can their produce from their garden. And the different ways to can using different items. The educational program response I worked with the county over FCS agent to do this program and it was a big hit for people to learn about the different ways to can their produce. The participants/target audience Anyone that wanted to learn how to can items or learn different ways to can. Other partners (if applicable) Henderson Co FCS agent&n
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Connecting Gardeners to Local Resources
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Christian County 2030 Vision Plan, prepared by the local Chamber of Commerce, is a plan to guide improvements in the community and bring together multiple community partners in a unified approach to achieve progress. One goal of the vision plan is to seek economic growth through more retail opportunities. Another goal is to enhance recreational opportunities with a low user cost to the average citizen. Utilizing Master Gardener volunteers, the Cooperative Extension Service in Christian Count
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Preschool Pumpkin Days - Kindergarten Readiness Promotions
Author: Leann Martin
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
It is through our valued partnership with the Allen, Logan, and Simpson Community Early Childhood Council that we, the Logan County Cooperative Extension Service, seek to improve school readiness in Logan County by educating, encouraging, and engaging families. Kindergarten readiness means that each child enters school ready to engage in and benefit from early learning experiences that best promote the child’s success. The kindergarten screener measures readiness in five important domains,
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Modern Homesteading Series
Author: Gary Hamilton
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Meeting the needs of and attracting new clientele to Extension programming is an on going task. In an effort to do so the total Montgomery County Extension staff has deveped a new and very successful Extension program series entitled Modern Homesteading. The sessions planned and conducted in this series have included: Fruit Tree Grafting, Bread Making, Gardening in Small Spaces, Food Preservation and Composting/Wild Edibles. The response to this program series has been overwelming. All
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Nursery Container Collection
Author: Sarah Imbus
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The horticulture industry uses plastic in many forms such as pots, trays, labels, irrigation equipment, colored rolls of plastic for pest and weed suppression, packaging and more. Most of the current plastics used in the horticultural industry used are polypropylene (#5PP), polystyrene (#6PS) and high-density polyethylene (#2HDPE), which are typically not able to be curbside recycled within most metropolitan recycling facilities. Some local nurseries and box stores in Campbell County
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Draped Containers
Author: James Morgeson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Horticulture How To program participants requested a class on making and taking draped containers. In this class, participants learned how to create a container using concrete and fabric. They explored the different fabrics, textures, shapes, and ways to recycle materials into useful garden art. By learning how to repurpose everyday materials into functional and decorative items, participants contributed to reducing waste and minimizing their environmental footprint. Evaluations were conduct
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Annual Fruit & Vegetable Growers Workshop
Author: Charles May
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
In April, the Perry County Extension Service in cooperation with the Perry County Conservation District conducted its’ annual fruit and vegetable grower’s workshop. Since beginning this program, eleven years ago, the workshops have continued to grow to the point where people had to be turned away in the last eight years because of space limitations. More than 60 people attended this years’ workshop. The Perry County Conservation District d
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Reaching More Audiences with The Sunshine Gardening Podcast
Author: Kristin Hildabrand
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Warren County Horticulture Extension Agent Kristin Hildabrand leads The Sunshine Gardening Podcast. Each episode features Kristin conversing with Extension specialists, agents, and experts. Their collective knowledge and experience delve into a wide range of gardening-related topics in Kentucky, catering to all types of gardeners. Whether you're into vegetable gardening, flower gardening, dealing with insect pests, or nurturing houseplants, there's something for everyone! Each segment is
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Bourbon County Extension Service: Growing Knowledge, One Consultation at a Time
Author: Anthony Tackett
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Bourbon County Extension Service continues to be a strong source of support for local communities, offering a wealth of educational resources through diverse outreach programs. This past year, the Horticulture program demonstrated a strong commitment to direct, hands-on learning by providing over 260 personalized consultations and individual meetings.These sessions catered to a variety of needs and learning styles. Residents received one-on-one guidance through phone calls, emails, office vi
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Tree Fruit Grafting In-service for County Extension ANR and HORT Agents
Author: Delia Scott
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Tree Fruit Grafting In-service for Agents was developed to introduce the new Extension Fruit Specialist, Dr. Brent Arnoldussen, to agents throughout the state as well as to train agents on safe and effective tree fruit grafting techniques. Three in-services were held on three dates in February, including in Lexington at the UK Horticulture Research Farm on February 14; in London at the Laurel Co. Extension Office on February 21; and in Owensboro at the Daviess Co. Extension Office on Februar
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The Warren County Agriculture Blog
Author: Kristin Hildabrand
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Warren County Extension Agents for Agriculture and Horticulture have created a WordPress blog called Warren County Agriculture Blog. The blog serves as a virtual community hub, connecting Kentucky residents and an international audience with a shared interest in farming and gardening. Both agents contribute to the blog by creating articles or using Agent Exclusives and other information from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service. The goal is to publish content twice a mont
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The Fairy Garden Tour
Author: Kristin Hildabrand
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Warren County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, in partnership with the Bowling Green Garden Club, hosted the Fairy Garden Tour Event to showcase the unique Monarch Waystation and Pollinator Garden Habitat. This tour was open to all, with the Garden Club members selling tickets before and during the event. The tickets highlighted the specific gardens in the Bowling Green area, with the first location being the Warren County Extension Master Gardeners Certified Monarch Waystation, a uniqu
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The Three Season Garden
Author: Jessica Hopkins
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The problemWith growing demand for interest in growing your own food, gardening classes have been offered at the Harrison County Extension Office over the last few years. Each year a different topic or theme is used to help educate participants about growing their own food and raising vegetable gardens. With continued interest, it was decided that this year’s theme would be The Three Season Garden. Often folks think of growing a summer garden and even early spring garden,
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Ubran Gardening Program Provides Knowledge for Growing Vegetables in Containers
Author: Annette Heisdorffer
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Vegetable gardening has become more popular. A need was identified for vegetable gardening information since citizens in urban areas wanted to grow their own vegetables. In an urban garden, challenges arise such as little space to grow vegetables, lack of power equipment, contaminated soil, and compacted and poorly drained soil. To address this need, an Urban Garden Committee was established with the help of the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Agent for Horticulture Educat
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Farmers' Market Plant Sale
Author: Jason Vaughn
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
A 2023 Kentucky Extension Community Assessment of Powell County indicated that residents believe fewer chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer should be a top priority. Research has shown that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can decrease the occurrence of chronic diseases. Homeowners are uniquely positioned to access fresh fruits and vegetables by growing their own. Education by Extension Agents and Specialists in home horticulture emphasizes the impor
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Master Gardener Plant Sale
Author: Lorilee Kunze
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Bullitt County is a community adjacent to Louisville and it is extremely hard to engage community members in educational events at the Extension office. For the past decade, the Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale has an innovative and fun way to get new people in to Extension and involved in other Extension Programs.The Plant Sale itself is an excellent draw to the community and a great marketing tool This past year the sale hosted 51 booths of local farmers, nurseries, artisan
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Shared-Use Equipment Program
Author: Benjamin Prewitt
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service noticed a major restriction for a lot of folks in our community was having access and the ability to use equipment and tools as well as the financial capabilities to purchase equipment. To combat this problem in our community we decided in 2023 to begin working towards building a reliable and dependable Shared-Use Equipment Program for Horticulture and Agriculture clientele in our county. Tools such as
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