Home & Consumer HorticulturePlan of Work

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Pike County CES

Title:
Home & Consumer Horticulture
MAP:
Leadership Development
Agents Involved:
Stumbo, Workman, Froman, Richards
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Home & Consumer Horticulture
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
4-H Volunteer Programming
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
4-H Health Core Curriculum
Situation:

Gardening is not just a nice hobby it can improve nutrition, reduce stress, and be used as a therapeutic treatment in a variety of individuals. Environmentally, gardening can contribute to a community in providing a sociable environment, improve water quality, and reduce a community’s waste stream through composting of organic material. All of these assertions are supported in the program manual for the Kentucky Master Gardener Program.


Home Gardening is a key to better nutrition and healthier foods. An emphasis is in setting ground work for more home gardening and fruit production.


Landscaping is also an important factor in residential and commercial property as well as increasing the attractiveness of a community. Landscaping both soft-scaping and hard-scaping can add up to 20% to the value of a home.


An effective means for making gardening and landscaping more popular and widespread is through the Kentucky Master Gardener Program (MGP). This well-established program is oriented towards creating leaders as much as it is devoted to increasing the knowledge of its participants. A successful MGP can expand by efforts of gardeners to teach others about the benefits of gardening and demonstrate the benefits of gardening through gardening projects, such as community gardens, community beautification projects, heritage or heirloom gardening, and youth gardening. Since MGP participants tend to come from a variety of backgrounds, this program is an excellent way for people to get involved with Extension programming and for Extension to spread its influence county wide.

Walking and horseback trails are a way for the residents and visitors to Pike County to become healthier and encourage a healthier lifestyle and economic boost to area.


Long-Term Outcomes:

Goal 1: The increase in community involvement in social, environmental, and economic conditions as they relate to agriculture, landscaping, and community beautification and good health.

Goal 2: Youth will utilize the scientific method to solve problems in their daily lives.

Goal 3: Youth will choose a career path in science, engineering or technology subject matter.

Goal 4: Youth will utilize the scientific method in decision making.

Goal 5: Pike County residents and visitors will utilize our county as a walkable community.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Goal 1: Increased community involvement in development of walking/hiking and horseback riding trails

Goal 2: Increased community involvement in development of community beautification both at home and in the community.

Goal 3: Increased individual involvement in improvement of their home situation.

Goal 4: Increased community nutrition and health benefits through support of the Farmers Market and home gardening.

Goal 5: Increased numbers of home gardeners.

Goal 6: Youth will utilize the scientific methods to solve problems in their daily life.

Goal 7: Youth will choose a career path in science, engineering or technology subject matter.

Goal 8: Youth will utilize the scientific method in decision making.

Goal 9:An increase in home beautification projects by participating individuals

Initial Outcomes:

Goal 1: Change awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes needed to make informed choices in the Home and Community Environment

Goal 2:An increase in awareness of Master Gardener program

Goal 3:Increase awareness of community projects supported by the Master Gardeners

Goal 4:Awareness of the health benefits from buying locally at the Farmers Market

Goal 5:Increase in community support of walking and horseback riding trails


Goal 6:Youth will increase interest and engagement in 4-H science, engineering and technology.

Goal 7:Youth will learn new skills in 4-H science, engineering and technology programs.

Goal 8:Youth be introduced to careers in science, engineering and technology programs.

Goal 9:Teens will participate in science, engineering, and technology 4-H programs to acquire new skills.

Evaluation:

Long-term Outcome:

Indicator: Increase in community involvement with healthier lifestyles by more opportunities for physical activity in the environment

Method: Follow-up survey’s and observations of trail use

Timeline: on going


Indicator: Increase in community involvement in beautification of the environment both community and home

Method: Survey and community observation

Timeline: Yearly


Intermediate Outcome:

Indicator: Positive changes related to trails and community safety and appearance

Method: Follow-up, Surveys, observations



Initial Outcome:

Indicator: Clients will gain knowledge of practices to improve responsible gardening and landscaping that involves more efficient techniques and maintenance

Method: tracking of volunteer hours and monitoring of actual projects

Timeline: as appropriate


Indicator: Clients will develop a more efficient ways to grow produce to add dollar value to amounts earned by farmers’ market plus value of home produce

Method: tracking of farmers’ market results, random sampling from individual families, and tracking of applicable volunteer hours

Timeline: year round


Indicator: Clients will change techniques to enhance a safer environment by changes in cultural practices in lawns and gardens to allow for a more environmental safe way of production (measureable)

Method: Tracking of applicable volunteer hours and in-depth interviews with selected gardeners and homeowners to see the benefit of bmp’s

Timeline: Year round


Indicator: The number of individuals involved in walking and riding trails

Method: Creation of walking trail map for Pike County.


Timeline: 2018 & 2019.


Indicator: The number of youth participating and exhibiting knowledge of agriculture through 4-H projects and judging activities

Method: Tracking 4 H youths in their activities

Timeline: Year round


Indicator: The number of individuals attending workshops and demo's to gain knowledge of fruit and vegetable production

Method: Follow-up to determine use of training

Timeline: Year round


Indicator: Number of youth who use knowledge and skills from 4-H science, engineering and technology in life. Number of youth who follow scientific methods when making decisions. Number of youth completing displays or exhibits in relation to science and technology.

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program

Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener Training

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, University personnel

Date: Fall 2014-2016


Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Master Gardener Meetings

Content or Curriculum: UK materials/programs

Inputs: Agents, volunteers, University personnel

Date: Year round


Audience: Adults from across the county

Project or Activity: Greater Appalachian Trail & the Pike Energy Trail

Content or Curriculum: As needed

Inputs: Agents, Forestry Dept., Health Dept., County Judges office, Fish and Wildlife, Core of Engineers

Date: Year round


Audience: Hikers

Project or Activity: Bob Amos Trail

Content or Curriculum: UK materials

Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, Master Gardeners

Date: Year round


Audience: Hikers/children

Project or Activity: Grants Park Trail

Content or Curriculum: As needed

Inputs: Agents, Master Gardeners, Forestry Dept., County

Date: Year round


Audience: Homeowners

Project or Activity: Landscaping Workshop

Content or Curriculum: UK materials

Inputs: Master Gardeners, UK specialists, Agents

Date: Year round


Audience: Individual Homeowners

Project: Fruit & Vegetable Production Workshops

Content or Curriculum: UK materials

Inputs: Master Gardeners, UK Specialists, Agents

Date: Year round


Audience: Forest owners and community

Project or Activity: Shiitake Mushrooms & other forest products

Content or Curriculum: UK Curriculum

Inputs: Agents, specialists, volunteers

Date: Spring / Fall


Audience: 4-H Age Youth 9-19

Project or Activity: 4-H Science, Engineering and Technology

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Robots Clubs, 4-H Robotic Curriculum, Computer, Technology for Kids, House of Code Program and Tec-Xite program

Inputs: Workshops, project groups and parent lead groups 

Date: 2016-2020


Audience: 4-H Age Youth 9-19

Project or Activity: Science, Engineering and Technology

Content or Curriculum: Bicycle Safety, Electricity, ATV Curriculum, Small Engines & Carteens

Inputs: National 4-H Council Project Books, Project Camps, Project Groups and Self-Directed Projects

Date: 2016-2020


Audience: 4-H Age 9-19

Project or Activity: Science, Engineering and Technology

Content or Curriculum: Aerospace Adventure Series, After School Agriculture

Inputs: 4-H Project Camp, Project Books form the National 4-H Supply, Self-Directed Study and Project Groups

Date: 2016-2020


Audience: General population


Project/Activity: Pike County FCS Council walking project

Content or curriculum: Creating a usable map of safe walking spaces in the county.

Inputs: FCS council, county government, YMCA, school systems, county residents

Date: 2018-2019



Success Stories

Demo Garden

Author: Deborah Stumbo

Major Program: Master Gardener

Due to the Covid-19 virus, there are many individuals interested in gardening and producing as much vegetables as possible.  Most inquirys are from individuals that had never grown a garden before and think it takes a large amount of land to develop a home garden.  The Master Gardeners decided to develop a small "demo garden" on the Extension facility grounds.  The Master Gardeners designed new areas and developed some existing raised beds to demonstrate how a small area

Full Story
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