Improve and sustain agriculture productionPlan of Work

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Harlan County CES

Title:
Improve and sustain agriculture production
MAP:
Agriculture Production and Sustainablity
Agents Involved:
Lora Davidson, Raymond Cox, Jeremy Williams
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Horticulture, Commercial
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Volunteer Development
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Local Food Systems
Situation:
During discussions with the Harlan County Extension Council, program councils, and volunteer groups, agriculture management was seen as an issue that needs to be addressed. Although the county's commercial agriculture production ranks low, home gardening, landscaping, home fruit production, honey, forestry, and livestock production are still a source of livelihood income for citizens.
Long-Term Outcomes:
Adults and youth will initiate fruit and vegetable production and livestock management practices in order to provide a low cost food source and possible supplementation of income. Citizens will also see economic diversity as a result of being involved and developing agriculture products.
Intermediate Outcomes:
Adults and youth will apply recommended agriculture management practices to their gardens, orchards, beeyards, woodlands, and livestock operations.
Initial Outcomes:
Adults and youth will gain knowledge in gardening and fruit production as it refers to site selection, soil preparation, variety selection, nutrient needs, disease and insect controls, and proper harvesting in order to receive the best products. Adults will gain knowledge in apiary management and assist other beekeepers. Youth and adults will acquire skills in livestock management. They will be able to use best management practices in their operations.
Evaluation:
Initial Outcome: Gain knowledge in agriculture production and management
Indicator: Begin to see improvements in their operations
Method: Attendance at workshops, reports, visits
Timeline: Throughout year

Intermediate Outcome: Adults and youth will gain knowledge of agriculture production
Indicator: Adults and youth will apply the knowledge they have learned
Method: Participate in workshops, 4-H events, site visits, reports
Timeline: Throughout year

Long-term Outcome: Adults and youth will gain knowledge in agriculture production and management
Indicator: Improvement will be made in their landscapes, orchards, beeyards and livestock production
Method: Number of adults and youth attending workshops and participating in agriculture management activities
Timeline: Throughout year
Learning Opportunities:
Audience: Adult
Project or Activity: Garden planning, season extension gardening, organic gardening, food preservation, livestock production
Content or Curriculum: UK publications, presentations
Inputs: Staff, UK Specialists, leaders, volunteers
Date: Throughout year

Audience: K-6
Project or Activity: Windowsill Garden/Grow Your Own Tomatoes
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Inputs: Staff, teachers
Date: Spring

Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Harlan County Beekeepers
Content or Curriculum: Education events, programs, publications
Inputs: Staff, leaders, guest speakers
Date: Throughout year

Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Home Fruit Production
Content or Curriculum: Presentations, hands-on, publications
Inputs: Staff, UK Specialists, volunteers
Date: Spring

Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Chick Incubation
Content or Curriculum: Presentations, hands-on, publications
Inputs: Staff, teachers, volunteers
Date: Spring

Audience: 4th-12th grade
Project or Activity: 4H Garden Club
Content or Curriculum: Gardening booklets, publications
Inputs: Staff, volunteers
Date: Spring




Success Stories

Grab and Go Live Vegetable Plants

Author: Raymond Cox

Major Program: Agriculture

The 4-H Garden in a Bag (Grab and Go Bags) was a huge success.  Clients were seeing the results of the over 2,000 garden seed packets supplied by the Harlan County 4-H Program and Wal-Mart on facebook and social media.  Seeing the success of these gardens and vegetables arouse a great interest in live plants for the public.  We began getting calls asking about help with acquiring live plants later in the growing season.  We were able to work with Tractor Supply of Harlan at t

Full Story

Chick Incubation and Embryology of a Baby Chick

Author: Raymond Cox

Major Program: Agriculture

This spring, over seven hundred Cloverbud, School Enrichment, Special Interest and 4-H Club members from Harlan Elementary and Middle Schools, Verda Headstart, Rosspoint, Cumberland, Green Hill, Evarts, Black Mountain, Cawood, James A Cawood, Sunshine Preschool, Wallins Schools and Cumberland Hope Center participated in the 4-H Chick Incubation Project during March and April. A college class at the Cumberland Hope Center also participated,   This project fulfills the 4-H Project Curriculum

Full Story

The Mountain Zoom

Author: Jeremy Williams

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Not only did COVID-19 create challenges on a global scale, but Extension programming also faced unprecedented barriers. As conventional meetings became restricted or eliminated entirely, delivery of educational programming required adaptation from both sides -- educators and clientele. When it became apparent in March 2020 that Extension educational programming delivery would need to adapt, agents in Virginia and Kentucky organized a series of educational offerings via Zoom. By the end of May 20

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Windowsill Garden Project

Author: Raymond Cox

Major Program: Agriculture

The 4-H The 4-H Windowsill Garden Project is designed around the five steps in gardening, with a focus on careers and providing food for the family.  The five steps are:  planting, growing, caring, harvesting and consuming.  All students in every elementary school in Harlan County participate in this project, reaching approximately 3,500 students this spring alone. This project also promotes project entries of vegetables in the Harlan County Fair. One student did a 4-H Demonstrati

Full Story
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