Farm and Environmental SustainabilityPlan of Work

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Casey County CES

Title:
Farm and Environmental Sustainability
MAP:
Encouraging Environmental Sustainability
Agents Involved:
FCS, Meagan Klee, Kelsey Woodrum
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Chemical Management
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Natural Resources
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Agriculture
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Situation:

Kentucky has much to offer in the way of agriculture. Of Kentucky’s total acreage (25.4 million acres), over 50% (12.9 million acres) is farmland (NASS, 2019). Kentucky farms produce a variety of agricultural products. The top five agricultural commodities (based on sales) in the Commonwealth include broilers, all other animals and products, soybeans, corn, and cattle and calves (USDA ERS, 2020). Kentucky agricultural sales in 2018 were reported at $5.9 billion (USDA ERS, 2020). Of the 75,966 farms in Kentucky, over 90% are individually or family owned. The average age of a Kentucky producer is 56.2 years old, with over 55% of producers 55 years old or older (NASS, 2019).

Wendell Berry (1990), Kentucky novelist, poet, environmentalist, and farmer, stated that “…eating is an agricultural act” (p.1). Unfortunately, for many, there is disconnect between the food we eat and where that food comes from. Today’s society lacks understanding regarding agricultural production and processing (Spielmaker and Leising, 2013). The Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Program strives to increase agricultural literacy among youth in Kentucky. The Agricultural Education in Secondary Schools Committee established by the National Research Council (1988) described an agriculturally literate person as one who’s “…understanding of the food and fiber system would include its history and its current economic, social, and environmental significance to all” (p. 8). The National Agriculture Literacy Logic Model defines an agriculturally literate person as one “…who understands and can communicate the source and value of agriculture as it affects our quality of life” (Spielmaker et al., 2014, p. 2). One of the key initiatives in Kentucky 4-H is to increase a young person’s awareness of the impact agriculture has on his/her daily life.

Casey County is a rural community placed in south central Kentucky with 63% identified as farm land. There are a total of 1,118 farms with an average size of 160 acres. With 92.8% of these farms being operated by a family or individual, continued agriculture education is imperative.

Consumers have become more concerned with where their food comes from and the sustainability of it. This interest has pushed many producers into creating more sustainable operations to supply this niche market. 27% of respondents in Casey County were most concerned with the sustainability of family farms compared to all other Agriculture and Environment areas. With the guidance of extension specialists and agents these farmers can learn and implement new practices in their operations to not only create a more sustainable environment but also to increase production and profit for farmers.

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:
Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:
Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Casey County Youth

Project/Activity: Farm Safety Day

Content/Curriculum: ATV Safety Curriculum, additional safety resources

Input: Extension Staff, Casey County School Systems, Cattlemen’s Association, Conservation District, Farm Bureau, local FFA Chapter and local volunteers

Date: April


Audience: 4-H Members/Casey County Youth

Project/Activity: 4-H Livestock Program

Content/Curriculum: 4-H Livestock Curriculum

Input: Extension Staff, Extension Specialists, Certified Livestock Volunteers, Parent/Guardian Volunteers

Date: September – August


Audience: 4-H Members

Project/Activity: 4-H Country Ham Project

Content/Curriculum: 4-H Country Ham Curriculum

Input: Extension Staff, Extension Specialists, Certified Livestock Volunteer

Date: January - October


Audience: Casey County Youth/4-H Members interested in horses

Project/Activity: 4-H Horse Club

Content/Curriculum: 4-H Horse Curriculum

Input: Extension Staff, Extension Specialists, Certified Horse Volunteers, Parent/Guardian Volunteers

Date: September - August


Audience: Casey County Students

Project/Activity: Farm Bureau National Ag Week & Ag Literacy Week

Content/Curriculum: 4-H Agricultural Resources

Input: Extension Staff and Casey County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee

Date: Spring


Audience: Casey County 4th Graders

Project/Activity: Overnight Environmental Education Camp

Content/Curriculum: Project Learning Tree, Project Wet, Project Wild, Project Underground

Input: Extension Staff, Extension Staff, 4-H Camp Staff, local volunteers 

Date: Spring


Audience: 4th Graders

Project/Activity: In-School 4-H Clubs/Enrichment

Content/Curriculum: Project Learning Tree, Project Wet, Project Wild, Project Underground

Input: Extension Staff and Casey County School System

Date: September – April


Audience: 4-H Members

Project/Activity: 4-H Shooting Sports Club

Content/Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H Shooting Sports

Input: 

Extension Staff, Extension Specialists, Certified Shooting Sports Volunteers, Parent/Guardian Volunteers

Date: March - October


Audience: Casey County Youth and Adults

Project/Activity: Hook to Cook and Field to Fork

Content/Curriculum: UK CAFÉ Curriculum and Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife

Input: Extension Staff, Extension Specialists, KDFW

Date: Summer and Fall

 

Audience: Casey County Farmers

Project/Activity: Private Pesticide Applicator Training

Content/Curriculum: UK Publications

Input: Extension Agents, UK CAFÉ Specialists

Date: Spring

 

Audience: Commercial Horticulture Producers

Project/Activity: Integrated Pest Management Strategies Workshop

Content/Curriculum: Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers, UK CAFÉ Publications

Input: Extension Agents, UK CAFÉ Specialists, Farmers Market

Date: Spring

 

Audience: Casey County Residents

Project/Activity: Casey County Clean-Up

Content/Curriculum: PRIDE Clean-Up, Project Learning Tree

Input: Extension Agents, Community Volunteers, 4-H Teen Council

Date: Fall and Spring

 

Audience: Casey County Youth/4-H Members interested in Fishing

Project/Activity: 4-H Fishing Club

Content/Curriculum: Fishing 101, KDFW Publications

Input: Extension Agents, Parent/Guardians Volunteers, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife

Date: September – June


Audience: Casey County Youth/4-H Members & Adults interested in Bee Keeping 

Project/Activity: Bee Keeping Club

Content/Curriculum: 4-H Bee Keeping Curriculum, Bee Keeping Publications

Input: Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, Green River Bee Keepers Association

Date: September - August

 

Audience: Casey County Youth/4-H Members interested in the outdoors and adventure

Project/Activity: 4-H Adventure Club

Content/Curriculum: Backyards and Beyond, Exploring Your Environment, Project WILD, Project Learning Tree

Input: Extension Agent, Extension Specialists, Parent/Guardian Volunteers



Success Stories

4th Grade Egg/Chick Incubation Project

Author: Meagan Klee

Major Program: Agriculture

Egg incubation is the practice in replicating the mother hen’s environment with a warm moist environment for the rest of the gestation period for the chick (through an incubation device).This year’s 4th grade 4-H School Clubs (eight classrooms totaling about 150 students) are learning about the anatomy of a chicken’s egg, the anatomy of a chicken, the various characteristics of breeds, the process of incubation, how to care for the eggs in incubation, and how to care for the ch

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Central KY Women in Agriculture Conference

Author: Kelsey Marcum

Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy

Nationally 30% of all farm operators are women. In Kentucky, there are 31,419 women operators of which 8,200 are principle operators. Of all women principal operators in the state, 87.2% are full owners. Undeniably, women make up a significant portion of agriculturalists in our area. Because of these statistics, local area Extension Agents felt a need to reach out to this underserved audience to provide support, education, and networking opportunities. Casey, Cumberland, Grayson, McCreary,

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Weed Identification Field Day

Author: Kelsey Marcum

Major Program: Plant ID

As an Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent we receive a lot of calls with questions about weed identification as well as weed control. Unfortunately, the timing on these calls is typically after it is too late to do anything about the noxious weed in question. In an effort to provide education to avoid these “too late” scenarios the Casey County Extension Office partnered with Casey County Farm Bureau and Warner Fertilizer to offer a Weed Identification Field Day. After meeting wi

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Casey County Junior Cattlemen

Author: Kelsey Marcum

Major Program: Beef

According to the 2017 Census data, Casey County ranks 37th in the state of Kentucky for the sale of cattle and calves. Knowing that Casey County has a tremendous amount of beef cattle the Casey County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent saw this as a tremendous opportunity for the youth in the county. Along with the support of the Casey County Cattlemen’s Association the Casey County Junior Cattlemen’s Association was started in the fall of 2021. Since that time the group has gro

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Tri-County Livestock Series Program

Author: Kelsey Marcum

Major Program: Small Farm Management

The Casey County Extension Service was approached by a representative of Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment with an idea for a joint education program. It was noted that many people purchase farm equipment without considering what would work best for their farm operations and instead just guessing. This tactic of course resulting in the farm equipment not working as well as the farmer would expect. The agriculture agents from Casey, Pulaski, and Russell Counties all got together with the Tarter rep

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Heifer Development Field Day

Author: Kelsey Marcum

Major Program: Beef

Casey County has been known for their biannual Liberty Belle Sale for a few years now. Casey County does not have a stockyard and this sale was established to showcase local cattle to the local market. In order to keep this sale relevant and containing quality beef females, education needed to be offered. The Casey County Extension Service and the Casey County Cattlemen’s Association collaborated and created the Heifer Development Field Day as a way to educate producers on getting their he

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