Agriculture and HorticulturePlan of Work

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Mercer County CES

Title:
Agriculture and Horticulture
MAP:
Advancing Agriculture & Horticulture
Agents Involved:
Linda McClanahan, Jessica Bessin, Dana Anderson
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Horticulture, Commercial
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Farm Management, Economics and Policy
Situation:

Mercer County has a diverse combination of both commercial agriculture, horticulture, and home horticulture, all being viable industries in Mercer County. Farmers, community leaders, farm organizations, Mercer County Ag Development Council, Mercer County Farmers Market, Mercer County Ag Advisory Council, and Mercer County Horticulture Advisory Council have identified important agricultural and horticultural issues and needed programs. Farm profitability, diversification, increasing value of property, promoting local foods, and marketing opportunities are some of the top priorities. Leaders have also identified the need to have extensive programs in the area of agricultural awareness. With less than 2% of the population involved in food production there is a great need for education about where and how food and other agricultural products are produced.

Long-Term Outcomes:

*Increased interest in agriculture and horticulture production.

*Homeowners will save more money on home landscape.

*Increased diversification of crops produced in county.

Intermediate Outcomes:

*Homeowners will add value to their property through education programs on maintaing landscapes

*Farmers market will continue to grow as intrest in local food increases

*Youth will exhibit skills, share knowledge with others, including family members, and may decide to raise some of their own food

Initial Outcomes:

*Farmers will improve production practices

*Farmers and homeowners will understand pesticide safety

*Increased interest in local foods

*Students will learn about UK and career opportunities in agriculture.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increased interest in Agriculture and Horticulture Programs

Indicator: Increased numbers of participants for agriculture and horticulture programs

Method: Counting participants attending the programs

Timeline: on-going


Intermediate Outcome:

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Long-term Outcome:

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Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest

Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program

Content or Curriculum: UK Master Gardener Manual

Inputs: UK CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialists, Mercer Extension Staff, UK Publications and other resources, Master Gardener volunteers

Date: Fall


Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest

Project or Activity: Horticulture topics, instructor, newsletter, radio, Facebook page, videos, 

Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department, Horticulture organizations, Ag communications  

Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort. Agent, UK publications, Master Gardeners, Volunteers 

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest

Project or Activity: Gardening Through the Seasons  

Content or Curriculum: UK CES

Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications 

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Clients with Beekeeping Interest

Project or Activity: Beekeeping Club

Content or Curriculum: KDA State Apiarist, Hands-on demonstrations, KY State

Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications, KDA, KY State 


Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest

Project or Activity: Community Garden  

Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department

Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications, NEP 

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Farmers

Project or Activity: Mercer County Horticulture Field Day

Content or Curriculum: Chosen by Hort Field Day Committee - from UK Specialists and Hort Industry

Inputs: Host farm, volunteers, CES Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organizations, Mercer Extension Staff

Date: Summer/Fall 


Audience: Farmers Market Clients

Project or Activity: Fresh To Table 

Content or Curriculum: NEP_Plate it Up, Veggie vouchers, Recipes 

Inputs: UK publications, Volunteers, Mercer Extension Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organization

 Date: On-going


Audience:Homeowners and Farmers 

Project or Activity: Pesticide Safety Training/ Pesticides 101 

Content or Curriculum: KY Pest Management Curriculum, hands on demonstrations

Inputs: UK Specialist, Extension Publications, Mercer Extension Staff

Date: Spring/Summer 


Audience: Farmers

Project or Activity: Annual Mercer County Agriculture Field Day

Content or Curriculum: Chosen by Field Day Committee - from UK Specialists and Ag Industry

Inputs: Host farm, volunteers, CES Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organizations

Date: September


Audience: Mercer County citizens

Project or Activity: Annual Farm-City Dinner

Content or Curriculum: National Farm-City Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, content relevant to the educational objective set by the committee

Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, collaborating agencies, sponsors, speakers

Date: March


Audience: Farmers

Project or Activity: Beef Quality & Care Assurance Certification

Content or Curriculum: KY BQA Curriculum

Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, KY Cattlemen's Association, host location

Date: Spring/Fall


Audience: Farmers

Project or Activity: Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Content or Curriculum: KY Pest Management Curriculum

Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, UK Extension publications

Date: spring


Audience: Farmers and first responders

Project or Activity: Grain Bin Rescue Safety Orientation and Safety Training

Content or Curriculum: KY Department of Agriculture & KY Fire Commission certification program

Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, KDA, Farm Bureau

Date: July and November


Audience: Elementary school youth

Project or Activity: FarmSCool Week

Content or Curriculum: UK CES, KY Beef Council, KY Horse Council, KY Soybean Association, KY Dept of Ag

Inputs: Extension Staff, Extension resources, Mercer County School system, Burgin School System

Date: Fall


Audience: Mercer County citizens, farmers

Project or Activity: Services

Content or Curriculum: Soil Testing, Plant Disease Diagnosis, Hay Testing, Ration Balancing, Farm & Home Visits, Insect Identification, Weed Identification, Water Testing, Plant Identification, Snake Identification, Forage & Grain Moisture Testing

Inputs: UK CES Facilities, Extension Staff, UK Publications, UK Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab, UK Soil Lab, UK Extension Specialists

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Equine clientele

Project or Activity: Equine Express newsletter, Horse College, special equine topic programs, State Equine Farm & Facilities Expo

Content or Curriculum: Horse College, UK Equine

Inputs: UK CES facilities, ANR Agents, UK Extension Specialists, UK publications, UK news releases/exclusives

Date: ongoing


Audience: Mercer County clientele with agriculture or horticulture interest

Project or Activity: demonstration plots and demonstration programs

Content or Curriculum: UK, industry companies

Inputs: UK CES Specialists & resources, new practices, chemicals, local farms for demonstrations, host locations for programs

Date: ongoing


Audience: Extension clientele/followers on social media

Project or Activity: Facebook pages, website, videos, podcasts

Content or Curriculum: UK CES

Inputs: UK CES agents, UK CES staff, Ag Comm news releases, UK publications/information

Date: ongoing


Audience: Mercer County crop producers

Project or Activity: crop production practices and meetings including regional

Content or Curriculum: UK CES

Inputs: UK CES Specialists, facilities, agents, publications and other resources

Date: ongoing


Audience: Mercer County Cattle producers

Project or Activity: cattle production practices, newsletters, and meetings (KY Beef Conference, KY Stocker Conference, county winter meetings, regional meetings, dairy month kickoff breakfast, dairy monthly newsletter, cattlemens quarterly roundup newsletter, Master series (Master Cattlemen, Master Marketer, Master Stocker)

Content or Curriculum: UK CES

Inputs: UK CES specialists, facilities, agents, publications and other resources

Date: ongoing


Audience: Mercer County young and beginning farmers

Project or Activity: support for both young and beginning farmers

Content or Curriculum: UK CES

Inputs: UK CES specialists, facilities, agents, publications and other resources

Date: ongoing


Audience: Mercer County farmers and clientele

Project or Activity: collaboration with agriculture organizations

Content or Curriculum: UK CES, agriculture organizations

Inputs: Farm Bureau, Soil Conservation, Cattlemens Association, Goat Association, Backcountry Horsemen, Master Gardeners, Fair Board, Beef Festival

Date: ongoing


Audience: county fair attendees and participants

Project or Activity: Mercer County Fair & Horse Show

Content or Curriculum: CES guidelines, rules & regulations set by various show committees

Inputs: CES Staff, Mercer County Fair & Horse Show facilities/funds, community sponsors, county fair participants

Date: July



Success Stories

Mercer County Fair

Author: Linda McClanahan

Major Program: Economic Development

In light of COVID-19, Mercer County Cooperative Extension Agents and staff teamed up with Mercer County Fair & Horse Show Board and Mercer County FFA to develop a plan that would allow Mercer County to continue with its long standing, rich tradition of the county fair.  Mercer County 4-H and ANR agents worked diligently with Mercer County FFA advisors to develop a set of guidelines which would allow the livestock shows to happen safely for exhibitors and staff alike.  Then they wor

Full Story

Kentucky Beef Conference Keeps Producers Informed Despite Pandemic

Author: Linda McClanahan

Major Program: Beef

In order to prepare producers to be efficient and profitable, Central Kentucky County Extension Agents for Agriculture & Natural Resources have collaborated with Beef and Agricultural Economic Extension Specialists to present the Kentucky Beef Conference annually for over 20 years. The assistance of long time business community sponsors has allowed producers to hear from nationally known experts in cattle marketing. COVID-19 restrictions forced the team to re-evaluate how to continue pr

Full Story

Fresh to Table-Providing Fresh Local Produce to Families

Author: Jessica Bessin

Major Program: Local Food Systems

Fresh to Table-Providing Fresh Local Produce to Families

The Mercer County farmers market had big plans for the 2020 market season. Multiple events were scheduled at the market throughout the whole summer. Then COVID arrived, however the market was still able to pursue one of their most successful programs even with COVID restrictions. Fresh to Table program is a program that brought multiple groups within the Mercer County community together to provide fresh produce to low income families. The Mercer county horticulture agent had planned a veggi

Full Story

Everyday Gardener Webinar Series

Author: Jessica Bessin

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

In an effort to adapt to changes in program delivery brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Horticulture Agents in 6 counties of District Four (Central Kentucky) collaborated to offer the Everyday Gardener Webinar Series. This 6 week series taught by agents provided educational classes related to horticulture. Over 100 participants registered and attended the classes.Those completing the evaluation survey expressed appreciation of the:wide variety of programs offered, including entomology,

Full Story

State Apiarist Beekeeping Program

Author: Jessica Bessin

Major Program: Beekeeping

State Apiarist Beekeeping Program

The topic of beekeeping is a popular subject among homeowners and commercial horticulturalist in the central Kentucky area.  Many counties have beekeeping clubs or associations for members to be part of, however with the restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many groups were unable to meet for several months and many horticulture agents had not held a beekeeping program for over a year.  While staying within COVID guidelines and following University of Kentucky recomm

Full Story

Mercer County Fair 2020

Author: Jessica Bessin

Major Program: Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General

Despite global pandemic circumstances, Mercer County Cooperative Extension Agents and staff continued the collaborations with Mercer County Fair & Horse Show Board and Mercer County FFA to develop plans to continue with its long standing, rich tradition of the county fair.  Extension Agents worked diligently with the Mercer County Health Department and Mercer County Judge Executive to develop a plan approved to hold Open Class and 4-H Floral Hall events, as well as Livestock Shows. &nbs

Full Story

Beef Month

Author: Linda McClanahan

Major Program: Beef

Beef Month

The Mercer County Cattlemen's Association teamed up with the Mercer County Ag Agent and NEP assistant to celebrate National Beef Month. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, some traditional activities could not take place. So an alternate plan was created with special activities to promote beef. A social media campaign was held on the MCCA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MercerCattlemensAssociation, where people entered to win a cooler bag filled with grilling supplies and recipes.#MCCABeef

Full Story

Virtual National Agriculture Week

Author: Linda McClanahan

Major Program: Dairy

The Mercer County Extension Office partnered with the Mercer County Farm Bureau Federation to celebrate Kentucky Agriculture Week and National Agriculture Day. Each year, the American Farm Bureau Federation selects an accurate agriculture book of the year and typically this book gets read in elementary school classrooms. Due to COVID-19 restrictions volunteers could not enter the schools to read. So, we took the books to the students virtually. The extension office worked with county farm bureau

Full Story
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