Home and Commercial HorticulturePlan of Work

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Knox County CES

Title:
Home and Commercial Horticulture
MAP:
Horticulture
Agents Involved:
Wayne Kirby
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Horticulture, Commercial
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Local Food Systems
Situation:

Local food, flowers and plants continues to be in demand from consumers, restaurants, retail outlets, schools, and the local people. Consumers and contract buyers lack year round safe access to locally produced products like produce, flowers and plants. Extension serves as resource to provide training to insure locally grown food is safe appropriate to meet local food demand and consumer demand.

Long-Term Outcomes:

*Increase in the number of vendors, variety of local food products, sales and/or profits at farmer’s markets, road side stands, or community supported agriculture


*Increase access to local foods in restaurants, retail outlets, school and other institutions


*Maintain or increase economic stability of farm operations.

Intermediate Outcomes:

•Apply best management practices in marketing

•Apply food safety practices and/or procedures

Earn certification(s) for:

•Redeeming USDA script

•selling and /or providing samples at farmer’s markets

•Microprocessing

•Better Process Control School

•USDA GAP

Choose local food products when available

•Purchase local food and food products

•Advocate for local food producers (i.e. feature on menus)

•Amend purchasing procedure to accommodate local food purchasing

Initial Outcomes:

Contract buyers/ Consumers will:

•Identify/ locate local food producers and processors

•Explain local food needs and purchasing procedures (i.e. quantity, quality, deliver, etc.)

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Identify/ locate local food producers and processors

Indicator: Consumers will buy local produce at Farmer's Market/local vendors

Method: Observation

Timeline: Throughout year


Intermediate Outcome: Participants will choose local food products when available. Individuals will purchase local food and food products from local producers. Individuals will advocate for local food producers (i.e. feature on menus)

Indicator: Amend purchasing procedure to accommodate local food purchasing and selling

Method: Observation , year end profits from Farmer's Market, attendance at Farmers market

Timeline: Throughout year


Long-term Outcome: *Increase in the number of vendors, variety of local food products, sales and/or profits at farmer’s markets, road side stands, or community supported agriculture. Increase community support

Indicator: Farmers Market continues to grow and consumer confidence is shown by supporting local foods. Local schools/business buy local produce.

Method: Observation, sales

Timeline: Throughout program

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Farmers market vendors

Project or Activity: farmers market

Content or Curriculum: horticulture publications

Inputs: UK and KSU faculty, publications, research trials, CCD, Commodity growers

Date: Summer 2021/2022


Audience: Commercial growers

Project or Activity: Educational programs, demonstrations, field days, soil testing

Content or Curriculum: Horticulture publication

Inputs: UK, KSU specialist, publications, research trials

Date: Spring/Summer/Fall


Audience: Non-Commercial growers

Project or Activity: Educational programs, demonstrations, field days, soil testing

Content or Curriculum: Horticulture publication

Inputs: UK, KSU specialist, publications, research trials

Date: Spring 2022


Audience: general public

Project or Activity: Farm visits, field scouting, workshops, soil testing

Content or Curriculum: Horticulture publication

Inputs: UK, KSU specialist, publications, research trials

Date: Summer 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022


Audience: General public

Project or Activity: educational programs, demonstrations, beekeeper association

Content or Curriculum: Horticulture publications

Inputs: UK, KSU specialist, pubs

Date: Spring 2022



Success Stories

Tomato Grafting Research

Author: Robert Kirby

Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial

With most of the high tunnels in Knox County being NRCS grant funded, certain stipulations are agreed upon by producers when receiving the grant. One of the stipulations is that producers will agree to grow produce in the ground of the high tunnel for a minimum of four years.  Almost all producers in the county have selected tomatoes as their primary crop because of the profit potential but have struggled growing in the ground the second and third years because of nematodes. To address the

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