Best Management Practices in Home HorticulturePlan of Work

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Boyd County CES

Title:
Best Management Practices in Home Horticulture
MAP:
Environmental Awareness
Agents Involved:
Bowling, Stahler
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Integrated Pest Management
Situation:

With the downturn of local economy due to layoffs by large community stakeholders in the area, many families have a decrease in their monthly incomes and are looking at alternatives to supplement their food supplies. In 2018 the National Gardening Survey indicated that 77% of American households garden in some way.  Other estimates reveal that consumer horticulture and supporting industries contribute nearly $200 billion to the US economy each year and support over 2 million jobs.  Recent trends indicate that more and more Americans are growing their own food (35% of households) while interests in ornamentals remains high, particularly in the area of gardening to support pollinators and other ecological uses of plants.  American gardens will continue to look to Cooperative Extension for specific answers to their gardening questions.  The Extension Master Gardener Program equips trained and certified volunteers to assist Extension staff in delivering research-based gardening information to the public.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Increase access of fresh food

Reduce plant loss in landscaping

Minimize environmental impact by following recommended use of pesticides, herbicides, and/or fertilizers

Added value or reduced expenses with landscaping

Volunteer for community horticulture projects

Improve physical, social and/or mental health

Develop employment skills

Intermediate Outcomes:

Use Extension diagnostic services

Be active in gardening

Diversify plant varieties

Add native plants to landscaping

Use Integrated Pest Management practices

Adopt best practices in water quality and/or soil health

Handle chemicals safely

Initial Outcomes:

Increase their knowledge of horticulture and best practices in soil health, water conservation, and chemical use

Recognize the value of diagnostic testing

Match plants to appropriate planting location

Understand the value of native plants

Discuss pollinator protection

Locate Extension horticulture resources

Observe horticulture and food preparation demonstrations

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:

Indicator: educational programs will see an increase in participants. Clientele will become more knowledgeable about the relationship between proper pesticide usage and proper plant selections. Clientele will learn the importance of water conservation and the role it plays in garden situations.


Method: Site Visits, Phone Calls, Soil Tests, Insect ID, Plant Diagnostics, Surveys, Private Applicator Licenses

Timeline: throughout the year


Intermediate Outcome:

Indicator: Best Management Practices will begin to replace some chemical usage. Native plant choices will replace some landscape plants. Soil tests will become more of a yearly practice done at the appropriate time for the crop being produced. Water Conservation will begin to be implemented into garden situations.

Method: number of soil tests, surveys, observations, site visits, phone calls, emails, social media comments

Timeline: throughout the year


Long-term Outcome:

Indicator: Clientele will preform soil tests prior to applying any products to any landscape, lawn or garden area. There will be more native plants incorporated into home landscapes. Regular Best Management Practices will be preformed in home gardening situations. Clientele will use at least one method of water conservation on a regular basis in their garden situations.

Method: Soil test numbers at the right time of year for the target crop, surveys, observations, number of site visits, number of phone calls, social media comments

Timeline: throughout the year

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: homeowners and Federal Prison Inmates

Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program

Content or Curriculum: State Master Gardener Curriculum

Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV Extension Agents, Local specialists, county master gardeners

Date: Annually - spring


Audience: Homeowners

Project or Activity: Gardening seminars

Content or Curriculum: Environmental and gardening related topics

Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV extension agents, local specialists, county master gardeners

Date: annually


Audience: homeowners

Project or Activity: WSAZ Home and Garden Show

Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications and programs

Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV extension agents, local specialists, county master gardeners

Date: annually - spring


Audience: Farmers Market Vendors

Project or Activity: GAP Training

Content or Curriculum: GAP training materials, state farmers market training

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, Local Producers, USDA

Date: Annually


Audience: Farmers Market Vendors

Project or Activity: Senior and WIC Voucher Training

Content or Curriculum: KDA Voucher training powerrpoint, Farmers Market rules and regulations, State Health Dept information

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, State Health Dept., New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, USDA, Local Producers

Date: Annually


Audience: Farmers Market Vendors

Project or Activity: Farmers Market Meeting

Content or Curriculum: Market Contract of Rules and Regulations, Ky Proud Information

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists, USDA

Date: 2 annual spring meetings and 1 annual fall meeting


Audience: local producers

Project or Activity: Small Farm and Garden Conference

Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications and programs

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, Local Producers, USDA, NRCS

Date: Annually


Audience: local producers

Project or Activity: Garden Shed Herb Day

Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications, National Herb Society

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Corp Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists

Date: Annually (spring)


Audience: Farmers Market Producers, Home proudcers

Project or Activity: Vegetable Field Day

Content or Curriculum: Best Management Practices, Production Methods, Marketing Strategies, Food Preservation, Food Safety, Cultivar and Variety Selection

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists, USDA

Date Bi-Annually (summer)


Audience: Adults, Youth

Project or Activity: Heritage Harvest Tour

Content or Curriculum: Agritourism featuring local history and agriculture

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, local producers, extension specialists, USDA, local communities

Date: Annually (Fall)



Success Stories

Long Term Benefits of Garden Shed Herb Day

Author: Lori Bowling

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

The Boyd County Extension Horticulture program and the Boyd County Master Gardeners have hosted a Garden Shed Herb Day event each May since 2001.  Over the years the event has grown from a backyard setting with 12 attendees to being held at the Extension Educational Facility with over 120 attendees.  The educational topics each year are based on the herb of the year with speakers talking about how to grow herbs, their benefits and how to use them.  In 2020 this event was cancelled

Full Story

Garden Therapy for Mobility Issues

Author: Lori Bowling

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

In the spring of 2021 the horticulture program in Boyd County started a Garden Club program at a local low income housing complex beside the Extension Office.  Several residents signed up with 5 of those having mobility issues.  The horticulture agent worked with those residents so that they could still be active when it came time to plant in the raised bed gardens at the Extension Community Garden.  Within 3 weeks of programs one of the participants was able to get out of their w

Full Story

Master Gardener Volunteer Time

Author: Lori Bowling

Major Program: Master Gardener

Extension Master Gardener volunteers help to expand the outreach efforts of the Horticulture program in Boyd County.  They are a vital part of Cooperative Extension Service in the community by helping to present educational programs using their gardening experiences and knowledge they have gained through the Master Gardener class and the educational programs they have at their monthly meetings.  They volunteer to help plan and execute such extension programs as Farmers Market, the Holi

Full Story
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