Extension
It Starts With Us
Accessing Nutritious Foods in Breathitt County
Accessing Nutritious Foods
Kayla Watts & Reed Graham
Food Preservation
Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
Farmer's Markets
Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Nutrition Education Programs help families gain access to food and stretch food dollars; communities to decrease hunger; and local food assistance programs to educate recipients on healthy and safe food preparation methods. Agents, paraprofessionals and volunteers are pivotal in influencing policies, systems, and environments and in training consumers and producers to maximize local access to food products from farm to table.
Kentucky population will increase average fruit and vegetable consumption by 1 or more servings per day
Kentuckians improve food management skills and healthy eating habits
Youth will be food secure when school is not in session
People accessing emergency food sources will select from nutrient dense items
Increase number who:
Access more local foods
Redeem Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program benefits
Plant, harvest, and preserve produce
Apply improved food preparation skills, food management skills, food safety and healthy eating habits
Increase number of:
Youth who access other food sources when not in school
Households accessing emergency food sources
Understand the importance of sustainable, local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being
Learn to grow, prepare, and preserve food
Learn to incorporate unfamiliar foods or foods not currently eaten into a healthy diet
Increase knowledge and understanding of healthy eating, food safety and food resource management
Learn about community support services to increase food security
Initial Outcome:
Indicator: Number of program participants reporting increased food knowledge or skills as it pertains to nutritious foods and selection/preparation of such foods
Method: Pre/Post Test, Survey, Follow-Up Survey
Timeline: Fall 2018
Intermediate Outcome:
Indicator: Number of program participants who use recommended practices relating to accessing nutritious foods in our county, or number of program participants that report a behavior change in regards to accessing nutritious foods.
Method: 3/6 Month Follow-Up Survey
Timeline: Fall 2018-Spring 2019
Long-term Outcome:
Indicator: Number of Breathitt County citizens that grow, purchase, prepare and preserve nutritious foods for their families.
Method: Review of participant records for farmer's market, long-term survey, reports from local health providers indicating numbers of young mothers and children and their eating habits
Timeline: Fall 2017-Spring 2020
Audience: Adults and Teens
Project or Activity: Food Preservation Workshops
Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, SNAP Ed Assistant
Date: Summer 2018
Audience: All Ages/All Community Members
Project or Activity: Lunch at the Market
Content or Curriculum: Farmer's Market/Food Preparation
Inputs: Agents, Office Staff, Volunteers, Farmers Market Vendors, Local Advertising Mediums
Date: Summer 2018
Audience: All Ages/Community Members
Project or Activity: Family Gardening in Breathitt County
Content or Curriculum: Home Gardening, Selling at Farmer's Market, Food Preservation, Farm Visits
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, RCARS, Grow Appalachia
Date: Summer-Fall 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Junior Chef's Academy
Content or Curriculum: Food Selection/Preparation
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, SNAP Ed Assistant
Date: Summer, 2018
Audience: Primary
Project or Activity: LEAP
Content or Curriculum: Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, SNAP Ed Assistant, Program Assistant, school representatives
Date: Fall 2018-Spring 2019
Audience: Home Gardeners
Project or Activity: Garden Demonstrations; Raised Bed Demonstrations
Content or Curriculum: ID-128; ID-36; Home Visits; Gardening Presentations
Inputs: Agents, Assistants,
Date: 2017-2020
Audience: Preteen/Teen
Project or Activity: Taste of the Month
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up! KY Proud
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, SNAP Ed Assistant, Program Assistant, school representatives
Date: Fall 2018-Spring 2019
Author: Reed Graham
Major Program: Farmer's Markets
According to the USDA, fruit and vegetable consumption has fallen from 299 pounds per person in 2003 to 272 pounds per person in 2013. Although community members understand the importance of consuming more fruits and vegetables, access can be difficult. The Breathitt County Farmers Market is an excellent resource for attaining fresh local produce.Breathitt County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, in partnership with county Extension Agents and staff, Robinson Center for Appa
Author: Kayla Watts
Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
According to the 5-A-Day program developed and promoted by the USDA, citizens are encouraged to increase fruit and vegetable consumption to 5-9 servings daily. Although community members may understand the importance of consuming more fruits and vegetables, access to these foods can be difficult. Breathitt County residents have minimal access to healthy foods, thus making it even harder to combat health epidemics such as diabetes and heart disease using a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables
Author: Kayla Watts
Major Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable Access
Children living in Breathitt and surrounding counties served by UK’s Robinson Center (RCARS) rank at the absolute bottom of the Robert Woods Johnson County Health Rankings for overall health outcomes. (Breathitt #120, Wolfe #119, Owsley #118, Leslie #117, Perry #116. 2018 data). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list childhood obesity as a contributing factor to many health issues. The CDC states that one way to combat childhood obesity is to consume a diet high in vegetables
Author: Reed Graham
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
Children living in Breathitt and surrounding counties served by UK’s Robinson Center (RCARS) rank at the absolute bottom of the Robert Woods Johnson County Health Rankings for overall health outcomes. (Breathitt #120, Wolfe #119, Owsley #118, Leslie #117, Perry #116. 2018 data). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list childhood obesity as a contributing factor to many health issues. The CDC states that one way to combat childhood obesity is to consume a diet high in vegetables
Author: Reed Graham
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
Over the past decade, people have taken more interest in where their food comes from and what is in their food. In Breathitt and surrounding counties, interest in heritage skills has increased as a way to preserve skills of grandparents as well as extending their food dollar and taking pride in creating food for their family. This can be seen by the popularity of country ham programs for youth and adults in Kentucky.The Breathitt County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent Reed Gr
