Extension
It Starts With Us
Youth and Adults Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, Adaptation, & Sustainability
Agriculture Education and Sustainability
Allen, Flynt, Conner, Redmon
Forages
Beef
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Beekeeping
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.
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
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
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
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
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, 4-H 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
Activity: Grazing programs, Intensive Forage Demonstrations
Content or Curriculum: Back-grounding programs utilizing forages
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
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: BQCA & Livestock Handling & Care Training
Content or Curriculum: BQCA 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
Author: Sarah Redmon
Major Program: Agriculture
AgVocating is extremely important to the community of Scott County that is increasingly becoming urban. Youth were able to AgVocate to community members; by explaining the breed and pedigree of their animal or discussing the importance of the health and nutrition, that one must think about on a daily basis for its livestock project. By presenting this information, it can open the eyes of those that do not have an agriculture background and allow them to see the hard work and the importance of ke
Author: Benjamin Conner
Major Program: Equine
In order to help equine producers be efficient and profitable, Central Kentucky County Extension Agents for Agriculture & Natural Resources collaborated with Ag Equine Programs to offer the Equine Farm and Facilities Expo. The assistance of long-time business community sponsors allowed producers to see what the latest offerings are in farm machinery, equine nutrition products, and numerous other necessities for equine operations. Just like in years past, the expo included discussions an
Author: Benjamin Conner
Major Program: Forages
Scott County Kentucky currently has a beef cattle herd of 28,509 head according to the 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture. These cattle utilize forage as a large part of their diets. Baleage is taking baled forage, that has been wilted over a short period of time, wrapping it in plastic, and allowing it to ensile like silage. Baleage has become another way for farmers to harvest and store forage to be used in cattle diets. Baleage is still being understood and researched. I worked with Scott County
