Extension
It Starts With Us
Enhance the Strong Agicultural and Natural Resource Base
Agriculture and Natural Resource Development
Maggard
Beef
Forages
Ag Water Quality Program
4-H Volunteer Programming
Lawrence County has almost 42,000 acres used for farm operations. Crop sales in Lawrence County total $835,000 with 69% of that being hay and animal sales totalled $ 729,00 with cattle covering 87%. Hay production and beef production are the leading agriculture operations in the county. (CEDIK) The extension service educates beef producers on best management practices to help keep costs down, optimize income throught management and marketing, be good stewards of the land and practice good animal health. To also assist producers in being more successful farmers, extension offers educational programs that enhance forage productivity and optimizing animal performance with improving forage quality. With agriculture being a large area of Lawrence County, land owners need to be educated on how agricultural operations lead to water pollution. The Lawrence County Extension Service will help land owners develop and implement Agriculture Water Quality plans and nutrient management plans to help protect water quality, improve farm operations and maximize profits.
*Improve sustainability of forage-based livestock systems
*Improve forage stands due to proper establishment practices
*Increase profits and operation and reduce expenses
*Improve cattle herd quality, genetics and efficiency
*Improve animal welfare and build build the reputation and value of KY cattle
*Reduce environmental impact to water, soil or air
*Protect and improve water quality
*Youth will master skills in raising and showing livestock and small animals.
*Develop grazing plans
*Implement practices to control the breeding season and enhance production efficiency
*Utilize a complete mineral supplement program
*Create improved livestock handling equipment/facilities
*Improve heifer development
*Evaluate problem areas during seasons of challenging weather
*Adopt proper manure handling practices
*Youth will demonstrate their abilities to put their education into motion through livestock camps, certification trainings, and more.
*Understanding pasture renovation and forage establishment practices
*Awareness of forage harvest, storage, and feeding management to reduce losses
*Increased awareness of reproduction, genetics, nutrition, herd management and overall health.
*Understand body condition scoring and how to manage nutrition for a healthy reproductive animal
*Understand the importance of clean water
*Increase knowledge of best management practices for protecting and improving water quality
*Youth will develop skills in raising their animals as well as in showmanship.
Initial Outcome: Understanding practices to optimize forage production and quality and improve harvesting, storage and feeding practices to reduce losses
Indicator: Number of participants who test their forage quality and show quality improvement
Method: Observation and Survey
Timeline: 2016-2020
Initial Outcome: Understanding importance of clean water and how to protect and improve water quality
Indicator: Number of program participants that show changes in practices
Method: Observation and Survey
Timeline: 2016-2020
Initial Outcome: Understanding how to manage overall health, nutrition, reproduction and herd management in beef operations
Indicator: Number of program participants that show improvement in their cattle operation
Indicator: Observation, Survey and Farm Visits
Timeline: 2016-2020
Intermediate Outcome: Control breeding season and enhance production efficiency with a complete mineral supplement program
Indicator: Number of program participants that indicate change in their operation
Method: Survey and Observation
Timeline: 2016-2020
Intermediate Outcome: Improve manure handling practices and improve problem areas during challenging weather seasons.
Indicator: Number of participants who show improvement on their farm and land
Method: Observation and Farm Visits
Timeline: 2016-2020
Long-term Outcome: Show improvement of water quality and reduce environmental impact to water, soil and air
Indicator: Number of participants who create and implement a Agricultural Water Quality Plan
Method: Observation and Survey
Timeline: 2016-2020
Initial Outcome: Youth will develop skills in raising their animals as well as in showmanship.
Indicator: Number of youth expressing interest in livestock related specialty clubs, number of youth and volunteers participating in such
Method: animal club participation, observation
Timeline: 2016-2020 (year-round)
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will demonstrate their abilities to put their education into motion through livestock camps, certification trainings, and more.
Indicator: Number of youth demonstrating improvement in their skills of showmanship as well as finding more ease in the upbringing and care of their animal(s)
Method: animal club participation, observation
Timeline: 2016-2020 (year-round)
Long-term Outcome: Youth will master skills in raising and showing livestock and small animals.
Indicator: Number of youth who show an animal at the County Fair, raise their animal for food consumption, or breed their animal to reproduce and continue projects at a later time
Method: animal club participation, observation, demonstration and showmanship
Timeline: 2016-2020 (year-round)
Audience: Land Owners/Forage Producers/Livestock Producers
Project or Activity: Educational programs, Field Days, Farm Visits and Conferences
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Resources
Inputs: UK CES
Date: 2016-2020
Audience: Land Owners
Project or Activity: Field Days, Demonstrations, Educational Programs
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Resources and NRCS
Inputs: UK Extension Specialists, ANR Agents, NRCS, and Soil Conservation District
Date: 2016-2020
Audience: Beef Cattle Producers
Project or Activity: Master Cattlemen, BQA Trainings, KY Heifer Development Program, Genetic Improvement Program
Content or Curriculum:UK Extension Resources
Inputs: UK Extension Specialists, ANR Agents, Research Information
Date: 2016-2020
Audience: Youth ages 5 and up
Program/Activity: Livestock Club
Content/Curriculum: Relevant 4-H Livestock Curriculum
Inputs: County-level certified volunteers, UK Extension Agents, UK Specialists, Local Veterinarians
Date: 2016-2020 (year-round)
Audience: Youth ages 9 and up
Program/Activity: 4-H Poultry and incubation
Content/Curriculum: 4-H Poultry Curriculum
Inputs: County volunteers, UK Extension Agents, UK State Specialists
Date: 2016-2020, June - August
Audience: Youth ages 5 and up
Program/Activity: Lawrence County Fair/Kentucky State Fair
Content/Curriculum: 4-H Animal Curriculum
Inputs: County Volunteers, UK Extension Agents, UK State Specialists, Local Veterinarians
Date: July, 2016-2020
Author: Laura Maggard
Major Program: Master Gardener
Lawrence County Master Gardener President was up late one night thinking of project ideas for the Master Gardener Club to complete in the months ahead. She started thinking of projects that could be mobile that the group could take around to schools, nursing homes, and other facilities. That night she came up with the idea of a mobile sensory garden. She immediately approached the club about it to get feedback. All members were on board and ready to get started. Once all the fine details were fi
Author: Laura Maggard
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
COVID-19 has posed challenges for Extension Outreach. Agents have had to think outside the box in terms of programming, supporting our clientele, and staying safe and healthy ourselves. The Lawrence County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) decided to keep things positive in the community and direct peoples attention from the news to how they can learn to be more self-sufficient. During times like these, communities are looking for hope and comfort, and also how to becom
