McCracken County Horticulture Education Outreach Plan of Work

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McCracken County CES

Title:
McCracken County Horticulture Education Outreach
MAP:
Horticulture Education
Agents Involved:
Wimberley, Anderson, Osborne, FCS, Hank
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Local Food Systems
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Chemical Management
Situation:
  1. Cooperative Extension Service (CES) Horticulture Agent is regularly asked about issues encountered in the landscape and garden.  

  1. Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) are needed as community volunteers to help with horticulture education due knowledge gained through training and experiences in the EMG program.  

  1. There are needs and demands for locally-grown food.

      4.  CES is responding to the needs to prevent the misuse of pesticides to protect the environment and the health of the applicators.

Long-Term Outcomes:


Individuals participating in McCracken County CES will apply knowledge gained to benefit themselves, families, and environment. This will have a direct impact on the community. 

Intermediate Outcomes:


An increased number of McCracken County residents participate in Cooperative Extension Service programs and services.

Initial Outcomes:

Youth and Adults recognize the services offered by McCracken CES.

Evaluation:


Long-term Outcome:  

Indicator: The number of individuals and families and individuals with Commercial Pesticide Licenses (CPA) report that they have implemented what they have learned from McCracken CES outreach. 

Method: Surveys, personal interviews, virtual interaction, reports  

Timeline: July to June  

Intermediate Outcome 

Indicator: The number of residents and workers with CPA licenses, including active volunteers who participate in or gain information from McCracken CES programs increases. 

Method: Personal interviews, interviews of and meetings with volunteers 

Timeline: July to June  

Initial Outcome 

Indicator: The number of residents, CPA license holders, and schools that contact McCracken County Cooperative Extension for programming needs and education increase.   

Method:  Call log records, calendars, record of office visits, record of virtual interaction   

Timeline: Ongoing 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults  

Project or Activity: Consumer questions and answers 

Content or Curriculum: Agent training, UK/KSU publications 

Inputs: All agents, volunteers and UK Specialists, virtual trainings and meetings  

Date: July to June


Audience: McCracken County residents, Paducah/McCracken County Schools (non-commercial), commercial horticulture producers 

Project or Activity:  Soil-sampling coupons as described by Extension District Board 

Content or Curriculum:  Soil sampling coupons for McCracken County residents to get up to 7 free basic soil tests with an assigned value limited to $50.00 per resident, soil sample analysis, UK/KSU publications.  

Inputs: Agents, UK/KSU Specialists, virtual trainings and meetings  

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Adults and Youth 

Project or Activity: Educational Programs, including but not limited to: Toolbox Series, Virtual Flower Show

Content or Curriculum: Agent training, UK/KSU publications

Inputs: UK and KSU Agents, volunteers and UK /KSU Specialists

Date: July to June


 Audience: Adults 

Project or Activity: Training of EMG of 12 sessions of approximately 2 hours in length.  Sessions taught by Agents, Specialists or local experts, EMG 

Curriculum:Cooperative Extension/ Volunteerism     Basic Botany.    Soils and Fertility.    Plant Pathology.   EntomologyPesticides, IPM and Pesticide safety. 

Additional Topics defined by the McCracken County Agent 

Annual & Perennial Flowers

Woody PlantsFruits

Vegetables

Landscape DesignInterior Plants

Organic Gardening

Water Quality 

Turfgrass

Others; Hands-on activities

Plant Identification

Insect and Disease identification

Field trips as appropriate

Content or Curriculum: County Offices and Ky Cooperative Extension

InputsStaff time  Extension Agents, Specialists

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers

Funding  Fees from training and other courses; local grants and in-kind support 

Training materialsKY EMG Training Manual; PowerPoint Presentations; purchased books and resources; Extension publications; Tests and quizzes shared by county agents

Internet access through eXtension and potential access and use of eXtensions Ask an Expert

Social media tools including blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, Google Maps; State, regional and national EMG conferences and tour opportunities

Date: Ongoing



Success Stories

Potting Shed Garden Club Tour

Author: Mary Dossett

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

Potting Shed Garden Club Tour

Garden Tour for Potting Shed Garden Club at The Nuckolls Barn Need: Due to the Covid19 pandemic we have had to halt programs because of state-wide guidelines. Since we have just started to schedule programs, we figured having programs outside would be the best way to stay safe since Covid is still present in our area. We have also been hard at work at the barn so we wanted a way to showcase our work to the public.    Preparing the grounds:  An extension staff at our offi

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Donated Food to Local Food Collection Box From Garden

Author: Mary Dossett

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

Donated Food to Local Food Collection Box From Garden

Donated Food from Raised Wicking Bed at the Extension Office Need: The pandemic has caused many residents in the county to become out of work and thus making it harder to provide for their family. Local food pantries are overwhelmed with the number of residents needing help feeding their families. The horticulture assistant wanted to help feed residents and supply them healthy options. Impact: At the Barn located next to the McCracken County Cooperative Extension Office we ha

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Twilight Tour

Author: Mary Dossett

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Information from McCracken County/ Paducah Chamber of Commerce , September 2021: 35% of residents rent their homes.  There is a need to show residents how to grow a garden without damaging the landscape. Residents who rent were offered the opportunity to learn how to grow vegetables, herbs and flowers outdoors without disturbing the soil from the McCracken Extension Demonstration and Research Garden.   A tour of the garden was offered to the public by the horticulture assista

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Residents See How to Grow Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers Without Digging in the Soil

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Local Food Systems

Residents See How to Grow Vegetables, Herbs and Flowers Without Digging in the Soil

The Need: In 2021’s summer, 11,393 residents of McCracken County rented their home.   McCracken County Horticulture and McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners (MCEMG) demonstrated how residents can grow vegetables, herbs and flowers without disturbing the soil using above-grade gardens. Gardens were July-October of 2021 at the McCracken County Extension Service on New Holt Road. The Program:14 McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners (MCEMG) used their knowledge gained as

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Master Gardeners Show McCracken County Residents How-To Prepare Houseplants for Winter Indoors

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Master Gardener

Master Gardeners Show McCracken County Residents How-To Prepare Houseplants for Winter Indoors

Toolbox Class Oct 2021 on Houseplants The Need: The Covid-19 pandemic was still an issue when the Horticulture Agent, Assistant and McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners (MCEMG) recognized the need to help residents learn how-to prepare houseplants to winter indoors. Shortage of availability of professional potting mix at local retailers through the 2021 growing season indicated that residents are gardening at home more in these unusual times.  MCEMG had a supply of 12 large and

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