Extension
It Starts With Us
Home & Commercial Horticulture
Home & Commercial Horticulture
Michele Stanton
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Master Gardener
Commercial Horticulture
Homeowners, landowners and existing growers are looking to produce more of their own foods, flowers, or other plants; or expand existing operations by growing additional (and maybe new) crops. They are looking for information on what to grow, and how to do it.
Some members of the community face significant mental, emotional, and physical challenges. Horticultural activities are therapeutic for these persons in many areas.
• Increase the number of homeowners and landowners who are growing food and other horticultural crops on an ongoing basis.
• Increase income derived from horticultural crops.
• Expand offerings at local farmers’ markets.
• Expand the number of crops grown in the county on an ongoing basis.
• Increase the quality of life for members of our community with physical, mental and emotional challenges.
• Homeowners, growers, farmers, and landowners produce new horticultural crops for the first time.
• Residents take GAP training for the first time.
• New growers are selling at one or more Farmer’s Market locations.
• Members of the community with significant physical, emotional or mental challenges can look forward to “days in the garden”.
• Homeowners, landowners, farmers, and others understand the value of local production of diverse horticultural products.
• Homeowners, landowners, farmers, and others learn how to grow many new kinds of horticultural crops: vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, landscape plants, forest products, etc.
• Members of the community with physical, mental and emotional challenges will enjoy new experiences and learn new skills through horticulture.
Outcome: Increased vendors at county Farmers’ Markets
Indicator: Greater numbers of Farmers’ Market vendors as measured against 2015.
Method: Vendor lists.
Timeline: Yearly.
Outcome: Greater numbers of products offered at local Farmer’s Markets.
Indicator: Compare available lists of available products at local farmer’s markets from year to year. Base year: 2015
Method: Survey, farmers’ market records.
Timeline: Yearly.
Outcome: Homeowners, landowners, farmers and others understand the value of local production of diverse horticultural products.
Indicator: Class attendance
Method: Surveys
Timeline: Ongoing
Outcome: Homeowners, landowners, farmers, and others grow new horticultural crops.
Indicator: Class attendance
Method: Surveys
Timeline: Ongoing
Outcome: Members of the community with mental, physical, and emotional challenges participate in therapy through horticulture.
Indicator: Continued class attendance.
Method: Smiles, cheers, and signs of appreciation
Timeline: Monthly or seasonally, as needed
Audience: Homeowners, farmers, landowners and others
Project or Activity: Classes and demonstrations on all kinds of horticultural crops: vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, landscape plant production, forest products, etc.
Content or Curriculum: Extension and other materials.
Inputs: UK Extension specialists and county agents
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Farmers and others
Project or Activity: GAP training
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky GAP training manual and videos
Inputs: Kentucky GAP training materials and videos; county agents; state specialists
Date: Yearly, winter/spring; rotated through the three northern counties
Audience: Residents of Rosedale Manor, and other Long-term-care facility residents as needed
Project or activity: demonstrations, garden crafts, hands-on garden and memory activities
Content or curriculum: Variable. 4H, American Horticultural Therapy Association publications
Inputs: County agents and MG volunteers
Author: Michele Stanton
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Horticultural practices add greatly to our quality of life. A relatively unknown aspect of horticulture is its therapeutic uses, which can be specifically beneficial in institutional settings. Horticultural therapy is benefits people in many ways—it can help lower blood pressure, decrease the need for certain medications, help maintain muscle tone, elevate mood, and more.Kenton County Extension Horticulture, aided by Master Gardener volunteers, provides monthly therapeutic hort
Author: Michele Stanton
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Success Story: Apple GraftingMichele StantonHomeowners have more questions about vegetables and fruit trees than most other plant-related topics, if our callers are any guide. They want healthy plants, and they are very likely to be persons of a do-it-yourself mindset. Additionally, the cultivars that are most disease-resistant and best to grow here—the ones I would recommend—are not always available locally, and may be hard to find on line. When homeowners grow well-a
