Extension
It Starts With Us
Crop production, Livestock production, & Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable & Profitable Crop & Livestock Production
Schalk, Stith, Tarry, FCS Agent (TBA)
Beef
Chemical Crop Management Tools
Grain Crops
Ag Marketing
Barren County has traditionally led the region in diverse agriculture production. Producers utilizing these practices help to enhance their profitability & promote sustainability. Forages, grain crops, & tobacco continue to be in place on many Barren County farms. Dairy, beef, poultry, small ruminants, and horses are staples in many operations. Producers continue to be charged with producing commodities in an environmental sustainable manner.
-Diversify operations to meet the changing ag products needs
-Efficient use of crop protectants
-Increased producer profits in ag enterprises
-Increase overall efficiency in livestock operations
-Implement the use of decision making tools for crop & livestock production
-Convert used/unleased grain crop land back to improved permanent pasture/hay ground
-Maintain high standards and husbandry practices for beef and small ruminant operations
-Increase awareness of dairy calf and replacement heifer production
-Balancing soil test results with manure applications to prevent over application of nutrients
-Informed decisions on crop inputs reduce input cost per acre
-Develop necessary skill sets
-Provide programs to improve soil health and sustainability
-Realize diversification within livestock enterprises
Long-term Outcome: Evaluate increased number of producers shown to utilize improved management practices in their crop production
Indicator: Note the number of producers utilizing product usage and purchasing habits in their farm management practices
Method: Surveys, farm visits, evaluations
Timeline: July-June
Intermediate Outcome: : Evaluate animal manure application habits
Indicator: Type, crop, & application time
Method: Survey local farmers who are using manure & farm visits
Timeline: Seasonal, by crop
Initial Outcome: Evaluate input cost/acre for grain crops
Indicator: Note changes in grain crops producers who attended programming
Method: Farm visits, 1 on 1 interviews, survey
Timeline: after harvest season
Audience: Tobacco Producers
Project or Activity: Tobacco GAP
Content or Curriculum: UK CAFÉ & GAP Connections
Inputs: GAP materials, specialist(s), GAP connections, US Dept of Labor
Date: Spring
Audience: Crop Producers
Project or Activity: Chemical Management Training
Content or Curriculum: Private Pesticide Training, Specialists
Inputs: UK Specialists, videos, field days
Date: Winter and early Spring
Audience: Animal Commodity Groups
Project or Activity: Monthly meetings
Content or Curriculum: forages, nutrition, health, marketing, management
Inputs: CAFÉ resources, UK & KSU specialists, SRPS
Date: July through June
Audience: Producers & Citizens Interested in Agriculture
Project or Activity: Column in Sunday edition of Glasgow Daily Times
Content or Curriculum: Timely topics on production, safety, & new technology.
Inputs: Agents, CAFÉ resources, & UK specialists
Date: July through June
Audience: Dairy Producers
Project or Activity: Management practices for production & cow comfort.
Content or Curriculum: Cow comfort, nutrition, herd health,
Inputs: Agents, UK specialists
Date: Fall and Winter
Audience: 4-H Youth Interested in Agriculture
Project or Activity: 4-H projects in horses, dairy, livestock, natural resources, & plant & soil sciences
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Core Curriculum & National 4-H project curriculum
Inputs: CAFÉ resources, UK specialists, 4-H specialists
Date: July through June
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Beef
Barren County is known as a cattle county. Barren County leads KY in both beef and dairy production. The producers in Barren County range from full time farmers to part time farmers to folks new to farming due to retirement and returning to the family farm. This is the case with Mr. Dennis. Mr. Dennis reached out to the Barren County Ag Agent to help him get a small commercial beef operation up and running after he returned to the family farm. Mr. Dennis returned to find the forage and infrastru
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Beef
South Central Kentucky is center of the beef production in Kentucky. Barren County is the largest beef producing county in Kentucky, and the largest beef producing county east of the Mississippi River. The influx of beef genetic improvement cost share dollars, funded by the County Agriculture Improvement Program, has drawn must attention to educating producers on making the best bull buying decisions for their individual operations. Barren County Extension cooperated with the
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Forages
The third annual Tri County Hay and Straw Auction was held on Saturday January 26th 2019 at the Metcalfe County Fairgrounds. Barren, Metcalfe, and Monroe Counties combined efforts to make the sale an area event. The winter of 2018-2019 saw extremely short hay supplies throughout the state. Securing consignments was challenging, but in the end over 500 rolls, 165 large squares, and over 1500 small square were available for purchase. The Metcalfe County Fairboard was also able to raise
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
In an effort to reach more Kentucky residents about the mission of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, the Agriculture and Horticulture Extension Agents created a new educational program. In the fall of 2016, a member of the Barren County Extension Council and account manager for the local radio station, WGGC, approached agents about the possibility of developing a radio show. Each show would last 5 minutes in length and give listeners a daily dose of timely research-based
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Equine
South Central Kentucky is recognized as being a state leader in the areas of beef, dairy, poultry, forage, and tobacco. However the equine industry is also a very integral part of the agriculture economy. Agriculture and 4H Youth Development Extension Agents from Barren, Hart, Metcalfe, & Monroe counties joined forces to bring an educational equine field day to South Central KY. The counties in this working group represent nearly 10,000 horses worth an estimated $18.2 mill
