Youth and Adults Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, Adaptation, & SustainabilityPlan of Work

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Scott County CES

Title:
Youth and Adults Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, Adaptation, & Sustainability
MAP:
Agriculture Education and Sustainability
Agents Involved:
Allen, Flynt, Johnson, Conner, Redmon
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Forages
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Beekeeping
Situation:

Kentucky is home to 74,800 farms (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2019). The average farm size in Kentucky is 172 acres. A farm is defined by the United States government as “any place that produced and sold, or normally would produce and sell, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the census year.” While Kentucky’s population is increasing, the number of people living on farms is decreasing. Therefore, the need exists to educate people, particularly youth, about the impact that it makes on their daily lives, as well as the importance of agriculture to the commonwealth. The top agricultural products produced on Kentucky farms are changing. In 2018, the Top 5 agriculture products in Kentucky were: Broilers, All other animals and products, soybeans, corn, cattle and calves (United States Department of Agriculture – Kentucky, 2018). In order to provide agricultural education to youth, counties will either plan and conduct an Ag Day Program, designed to educate participants on the value of agriculture to Kentucky’s economy and the impact that agriculture has on their daily lives or teach Ag in the Classroom to elementary school students.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Youth will engage in entrepreneurial enterprise.

• Youth will gain and maintain employment resulting from life skill development through 4-H.

• Youth will be advocates for agriculture and healthy and sustainable food systems.


Increased farm income

Increase the agricultural productivity

Increase conservation practices on the farm

Maintain green space in our community

Intermediate Outcomes:

Youth will practice and apply skills and knowledge in the production of food and fiber in the areas

of plant sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.

• Youth will adopt and practice skills that contribute to employability.

• Youth can explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others.

• Youth will set a goal and accomplish it.

• Youth can influence the purchase of Kentucky Proud products.

• Youth can practice entrepreneurship skills related to agriculture and food systems.


Clientele utilize direct farm sales and marketing

Clientele incorporate sound management practices

Clientele exhibit proper animal husbandry

Clientele utilize alternative feed sources

Initial Outcomes:

Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant

sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.

• Youth will gain an understanding of healthy and sustainable food systems.

• Youth will develop valuable life-skills, including decision-making, communications, record-

keeping, leadership and service.


Clientele learn how to sell through direct means

Clientele learn how to incorporate sound management practices

Clientele learn proper animal husbandry

Evaluation:

Outcome: Youth engage in agricultural programs and increase profitability

Indicator: Community agriculture events, Record books

Method: Sign in sheets, Evaluations, Record Books, Interviews

Timeline: All year


Intermediate Outcome: Youth will participate in agriculture events and practice sound agricultural practices

Indicator: Livestock meetings, Community Agriculture events, County Fair, Community Gardens

Method: Sign in sheets, Evaluations, observation

Timeline: Throughout the year


Initial Outcome: Youth will learn basic principles of agriculture and where their food comes from

Indicator: Livestock meetings

Method: End of program evaluation

Timeline: Throughout the year


Outcome – Increase farm income, productivity and maintain green space

Indicator – Farm income, Acres of farms

Method – Ag statistics, Pre and post surveys

Timeline – Yearly


Outcome: Utilize futures and options trading, sound management and animal husbandry

Indicator: Farm income, acres of farms

Method: Pre and post, interviews

Timeline: yearly


Outcome: Increase knowledge in futures and options, sound management practices, and animal husbandry

Indicator: Changes in knowledge regarding the above

Method: Evaluation

Timeline: Yearly




Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Youth

Activity: 4-H Small Animal Projects

Content or Curriculum: OSU Publications, UK Publications, specialists

Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: All Year


Audience: Youth

Activity: Chick Incubation

Content or Curriculum: OSU Publications, UK Publications, National CCS curriculum

Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers, Scott County Schools

Date: Spring 


Audience: Youth

Activity: Youth Gardening Workshops

Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Gardening, 4H Publications, UK Publications

Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Summer


Audience: Youth

Activity: Ag Adventure Day

Content or Curriculum: Ag Education to Elementary Students

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring


Audience: 4-H/Youth

Activity: Livestock/Animal Project Groups/Country Ham

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Year Round


Audience: Youth

Activity: School programs, clubs and projects

Content or Curriculum: Agriculture

Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers, Scott County Schools

Date: Throughout the year


Audience: 4-H Leaders

Activity: Volunteer Livestock and Horse Certification

Content or Curriculum: KY 4-H Livestock/Horse Certification Curriculum

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring and Fall


Audience: Youth

Activity: Horse Club

Content or Curriculum: Horse Certification Materials

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Dates: Throughout the year


Audience: General Farm Public

Education: Audience: General Farm Public

Activity: Grazing programs, Intensive Forage Demonstrations

Content or Curriculum: Back-grounding programs utilizing forages

Date: Fall


Activity: Master Cattlemen/Marketer/Stocker Programs

Content or Curriculum: Cattle Management

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Fall and Spring


Activity: Farmer’s Market

Content or Curriculum: Direct Consumer Sales

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Summer


Activity: BQA & Livestock Handling & Care Training

Content or Curriculum: BQA management practices to improve production and handling

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Throughout the Year


Activity: Master Gardeners

Content or Curriculum: Continued Volunteer Training; Education on Gardening

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Throughout the Year


Activity: Ag Tour

Content or Curriculum: Learning more about existing enterprise in the county & touring new to add to farm income

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Summer


Audience: General Public

Activity: Farm City Field Day

Content or Curriculum: Agriculture and Natural Resources and Horticulture

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Summer


Audience: General Public

Activity: Farm City Banquet

Content or Curriculum: Agriculture and Natural Resources and Horticulture

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Fall


Audience: General Public

Activity: Agriculture Economics Training

Content or Curriculum: Agricultural Economics

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Fall


Audience: General Public

Activity: Home Horticulture Series

Content or Curriculum: Gardening, Fruit Production

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Dates: Spring and Summer


Audience: General Public

Activity: Community Garden

Content or Curriculum: Gardening

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Dates: Spring, Summer, and Fall


Audience: General Public

Activity: Master Gardener Classes

Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener Curriculum

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Dates: Fall and Winter


Audience: 4-H Youth

Activity: Earth Day

Content or Curriculum: Natural Resources

Input: Staff, materials

Date: Spring


Audience:Youth

Activity: School Garden

Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring and Fall


Audience:Youth

Activity: Community Garden

Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Spring and Summer


Audience: General Public

Activity: Pastures Please! & Farm and Facilities Expo for Horse Owners

Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Winter program, Summer field day


Audience: General Public

Activity: Farm Commodity Production Updates

Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Winter programming, Summer- on farm demonstrations/ field walks


Audience: General Public

Activity: Beef and Stocker Cattle Conference

Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Fall programs


Audience: General Public

Activity: Ag Lenders Conference

Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Winter


Audience: General Public

Activity: Leasing Options for Landowners

Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Winter


Audience: General Public

Activity: Grain Crop Production Updates

Content or Curriculum: Agriculture & Natural Resources

Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers

Date: Fall, Winter












Success Stories

Bourbon County Elite Heifer Sale

Author: Benjamin Conner

Major Program: Beef

Bourbon County Elite Heifer Sale

Central Kentucky is known for producing good, quality, beef cattle. The Bourbon County Livestock Improvement Association Elite Heifer Sale was started in 1991 to help smaller producers come together to market their cattle. These cattle would be bred heifers that are due to calve in the spring. They set standards for all cattle to meet to qualify for the sale and ensure the cattle are pregnant up to 60 days following the sale. I was assigned to help this group of producers from central Kentucky p

Full Story

Newsletter Conversion

Author: Benjamin Conner

Major Program: Community Engagement

Newsletter Conversion

In an age where technology and instant communication are commonplace, the Scott County Agriculture and Natural Resources newsletter, “The Farmacy”, was a bit behind the times. September 2020 marked the first time the newsletter had been sent out electronically through email. Prior to that date, it was sent by mail to over 980 contacts. These contacts included duplicates, deceased individuals, and several that had moved away from the community. The process of mailing to 980 contacts t

Full Story

Scott County Investment in Youth Livestock Showcase

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Agriculture

Throughout the pandemic livestock shows have been sparse. After the cancellation of the Scott County Fair, the Scott County Investment in Youth Livestock Showcase committee wanted to give youth the opportunity to not only showcase their project animals but show them. 31 youth from Scott County  4-H and FFA participated in an evening program where dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, rabbit, poultry, and country ham livestock exhibitors got to show their animals in showmanship, bree

Full Story

Pumpkin Week Project Porch

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Agriculture

Due to the pandemic and the move to remote learning the University of Kentucky Scott County Extension 4-H Youth Development program offered multiple virtual clubs and have continued with Project Porch. What a better way to get youth involved than to celebrate National Pumpkin Day with Halloween right around the corner. Scott County 4-H Agent were able to get 100 pumpkins donated from local farms for the project. Youth signed up through Qualtrics form.  Scott County 4-H Youth Development age

Full Story

Kentucky Beef Conference Keeps Producers Informed Despite Pandemic

Author: Benjamin Conner

Major Program: Beef

Kentucky Beef Conference Keeps Producers Informed Despite Pandemic

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

Horticulture Webinar Wednesday Season 1

Author: Sharon Flynt

Major Program: Master Gardener

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Horticulture agents, headed by Andrea Stith and Amy Aldenderfer, started the Horticulture Webinar Wednesdays as an alternative to in-person horticulture lessons.  The live webinars are Wednesdays at 2 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. CT.  Utilizing a volunteer scheduling website, agents, specialists, and other experts were recruited to present a 30-45 minute lesson to the public, with time at the end for questions.  All the presentations were recorded,

Full Story

Artificial Insemination School - Spring 2021

Author: Benjamin Conner

Major Program: Beef

Artificial Insemination School - Spring 2021

Improving genetics in the cow herd is a goal that many farmers have in order to produce a better product. One way to do that is to utilize artificial insemination in your herd.  Artificial insemination allows farmers to access genetics from bulls across the country and world because of the ability to freeze and ship semen collect form said bulls. In the past farmers have been limited on their genetics based on the bulls they were able to purchase and use on the farm. Artificial insemination

Full Story

Southern Elementary Garden Program

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Agriculture

Educating youth at a young age about gardening, accessing fresh foods and sustainability is extremely important in the hopes of our community to live a healthy lifestyle. The Scott County 4-H Agent worked with youth from Southern Elementary School on a five week program learning about Agriculture and Natural Resources, through a gardening program. 51 youth learned about how plants are diversified in helping create different colors for dyes, smells, clothing, medicine, and shelter. Youth learned

Full Story

Agriculture Discovery Night

Author: Sarah Redmon

Major Program: Agriculture

Agriculture Discovery Night at the Scott County Georgetown Kiwanis Fair has been a night for families to come together at the fair and learn about Agriculture Education for several years. This year was one of the most successful years that the Agriculture Committee has had. The 4-H Youth Development Agent sits on the Kiwanis Fair Board and created a Livestock Show Committee to oversea the 5 large animal livestock shows along with planning the Agriculture Discovery Night. Through planning over 20

Full Story
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