Soil and Crop Production EducationPlan of Work

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Graves County CES

Title:
Soil and Crop Production Education
MAP:
Excellence in Agronomy
Agents Involved:
Anderson
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Farmer's Markets
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Home & Consumer Horticulture
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Grain Crops
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Farm Management
Situation:

Agronomy is the base of nearly all that we do in. As agriculturalist agronomy is vital to our success. Its not only important to our success but also the impact that we have on our environment. We have been granted the responsibility of stewarding the land, it is our belief that having fundamental agronomic understanding is critical to our success in doing that.

Long-Term Outcomes:

In the long term we intend to see changes in farming practices to better make use of our resources and to lessen the impact that we have on the environment. Also we would like to see the farmers make better agronomic decisions so that they can be more profitable and more effective in their occupations. Home gardeners would have higher productivity in there gardens.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Producers rely more heavily on their own knowledge that they have gained through extension programming to make better informed cropping decisions. To provide Home gardeners with the information that they need to select varieties and use fertilizers in a manner that will help them to be more successful in their endeavor.

Initial Outcomes:

To provide in-depth trainings on the basics of agronomy. To see a measured response in participants knowledge on agronomic principles.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:

Indicator: To see an measured increase in knowledge

Method: survey

Timeline: year round


Intermediate Outcome:

Indicator: To see farmers and homeowners been more self-sufficient in making decisions for their operations.

Method: making site visits and talking with the producers.

Timeline: Ongoing


Long-term Outcome:

Indicator: seeing a change in the community as a whole by seeing people use the tools and publications they have available town.

Method: making site visits and talking with the producers.

Timeline: Ongoing

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Vegetable farmers

Project or Activity: how to grow better crops in less time

Content or Curriculum: hi tunnel, pesticide, and other equipment

Date: Fall/Winter


Audience: Home gardeners

Project or Activity: demo gardening at the Health department raised bed Garden's

Content or Curriculum: how to get more out of less space and last time gardening

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Grain farmers

Project or Activity: back to the basics agronomy

Content or Curriculum: in-depth look at plant and soil Agronomic facts

Date: year round



Success Stories

Annual Tobacco Twilight Tour

Author: Samantha Anderson

Major Program: Tobacco

Annual Tobacco Twilight Tour

The Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation reports that Kentucky ranks 1st in burley tobacco production, 1st in fire-cured tobacco productions, 1st in dark air-cured tobacco production, and 2nd in total tobacco production nationally. In cooperation with University of Kentucky Extension specialists, the University of Tennessee and the Murray State University Hutson School of Agriculture, the Graves and Calloway County Agents for Agriculture and Natural Resources Education hosted the annual Tobacco Twili

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Pasture Walk at Ellison Farm

Author: Samantha Anderson

Major Program: Beef

Pasture Walk at Ellison Farm

The Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association reports that the Commonwealth is home to 38,000 cattle farms with an average herd size of 27 head. The majority of these farms are family owned. In cooperation with University of Kentucky Extension Associate Professor, Forage Specialist, Dr. Chris Teutsch, and Graves County producer Mary Ann Ellison, the Graves County Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Education hosted an educational Pasture Walk.Producer Mary Ann Ellison provided an introducti

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