Best Management Practices in Home HorticulturePlan of Work

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Boyd County CES

Title:
Best Management Practices in Home Horticulture
MAP:
Environmental Awareness
Agents Involved:
Bowling, Stahler
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Pollinators
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
Situation:

With the downturn of local economy due to layoffs by large community stakeholders in the area, many families have a decrease in their monthly incomes and are looking at alternatives to supplement their food supplies. In 2018 the National Gardening Survey indicated that 77% of American households garden in some way.  Other estimates reveal that consumer horticulture and supporting industries contribute nearly $200 billion to the US economy each year and support over 2 million jobs.  Recent trends indicate that more and more Americans are growing their own food (35% of households) while interests in ornamentals remains high, particularly in the area of gardening to support pollinators and other ecological uses of plants.  American gardens will continue to look to Cooperative Extension for specific answers to their gardening questions.  The Extension Master Gardener Program equips trained and certified volunteers to assist Extension staff in delivering research-based gardening information to the public.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Increase access of fresh food

Reduce plant loss in landscaping

Minimize environmental impact by following recommended use of pesticides, herbicides, and/or fertilizers

Added value or reduced expenses with landscaping

Volunteer for community horticulture projects

Improve physical, social and/or mental health

Develop employment skills

Intermediate Outcomes:

Use Extension diagnostic services

Be active in gardening

Diversify plant varieties

Add native plants to landscaping

Use Integrated Pest Management practices

Adopt best practices in water quality and/or soil health

Handle chemicals safely

Initial Outcomes:

Increase their knowledge of horticulture and best practices in soil health, water conservation, and chemical use

Recognize the value of diagnostic testing

Match plants to appropriate planting location

Understand the value of native plants

Discuss pollinator protection

Locate Extension horticulture resources

Observe horticulture and food preparation demonstrations

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome:

Indicator: educational programs will see an increase in participants. Clientele will become more knowledgeable about the relationship between proper pesticide usage and proper plant selections. Clientele will learn the importance of water conservation and the role it plays in garden situations.


Method: Site Visits, Phone Calls, Soil Tests, Insect ID, Plant Diagnostics, Surveys, Private Applicator Licenses

Timeline: throughout the year


Intermediate Outcome:

Indicator: Best Management Practices will begin to replace some chemical usage. Native plant choices will replace some landscape plants. Soil tests will become more of a yearly practice done at the appropriate time for the crop being produced. Water Conservation will begin to be implemented into garden situations.

Method: number of soil tests, surveys, observations, site visits, phone calls, emails, social media comments

Timeline: throughout the year


Long-term Outcome:

Indicator: Clientele will preform soil tests prior to applying any products to any landscape, lawn or garden area. There will be more native plants incorporated into home landscapes. Regular Best Management Practices will be preformed in home gardening situations. Clientele will use at least one method of water conservation on a regular basis in their garden situations.

Method: Soil test numbers at the right time of year for the target crop, surveys, observations, number of site visits, number of phone calls, social media comments

Timeline: throughout the year

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: homeowners and Federal Prison Inmates

Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program

Content or Curriculum: State Master Gardener Curriculum

Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV Extension Agents, Local specialists, county master gardeners

Date: Annually - spring


Audience: Homeowners

Project or Activity: Gardening seminars

Content or Curriculum: Environmental and gardening related topics

Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV extension agents, local specialists, county master gardeners

Date: annually


Audience: homeowners

Project or Activity: WSAZ Home and Garden Show

Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications and programs

Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV extension agents, local specialists, county master gardeners

Date: annually - spring


Audience: Farmers Market Vendors

Project or Activity: PBPT Training

Content or Curriculum: PBPT training materials, state farmers market training

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, Local Producers, USDA

Date: Annually


Audience: Farmers Market Vendors

Project or Activity: Senior and WIC Voucher Training

Content or Curriculum: KDA Voucher training powerrpoint, Farmers Market rules and regulations, State Health Dept information

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, State Health Dept., New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, USDA, Local Producers

Date: Annually


Audience: Farmers Market Vendors

Project or Activity: Farmers Market Meeting

Content or Curriculum: Market Contract of Rules and Regulations, Ky Proud Information

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists, USDA

Date: 2 annual spring meetings and 1 annual fall meeting


Audience: local producers/home gardeners

Project or Activity: Small Farm and Garden Conference

Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications and programs

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, Local Producers, USDA, NRCS

Date: Annually-spring


Audience: local producers/home gardeners

Project or Activity: Garden Shed Herb Day

Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications, National Herb Society

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Corp Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists

Date: Annually (spring)


Audience: Farmers Market Producers, Home producers

Project or Activity: Vegetable Field Day

Content or Curriculum: Best Management Practices, Production Methods, Marketing Strategies, Food Preservation, Food Safety, Cultivar and Variety Selection

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists, USDA

Date Bi-Annually (summer)


Audience: Adults, Youth

Project or Activity: Heritage Harvest Tour

Content or Curriculum: Agritourism featuring local history and agriculture

Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, local producers, extension specialists, USDA, local communities

Date: Annually (Fall)


Audience:  Adults, Youth

Project or Activity:  Farmers Market Customer Appreciation 

Content or Curriculum:  NEP information, Ky Proud information, UK Extension Information

Inputs:  County Extension Agents, Extension Volunteers, NEP Assistant, KDA

Date:  Bi-Annually (summer)


Audience:  Adults, Youth

Project or Activity:  Holiday Wreath Program

Content or Curriculum:  Using Native Plants, Evergreen ID, UK Forestry, UK Horticulture

Inputs:  County Extension Agents, Extension Volunteers, 4-H

Date:  Annually (Nov-Dec)


Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: School gardens

Content or Curriculum: Jr Master Gardener curriculum as a reference

Inputs: County Agents, extension volunteers, 4-H staff, school staff and faculty

Date: Spring/Fall


Audience:  Youth

Project or Activity: School Apiary, beekeepers

Content or Curriculum:  Bee Ambassadors curriculum as a reference

Inputs:  County Agents, Extension specialists, Extension volunteers, 4-H staff, school staff and faculty

Date:  Spring/Summer/Fall


Audience:  Adults, Youth

Project or Activity:  Monthly Beekeepers Meetings

Content or Curriculum:  Extension publications, beekeepers newsletters, Extension Youtube videos

Inputs:  County Agents, Extension Specialists, local beekeepers

Date:  Monthly 22-23


Audience:  Adults

Project or Activity:  Monthly Master Gardener Meetings

Content or Curriculum:  Extension publications, Extension Youtube videos

Inputs:  County Agents, Master Gardeners, Local Experts, Extension Specialists

Date:  Monthly 22-23



Success Stories

Gardening Calendar

Author: Lori Bowling

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Each year  the Boyd County Master Gardeners have the opportunity to enter a gardening photo contest for a chance for their photo submissions to be featured in the annual Master Gardener Calendar.  This calendar has been published annually since 2017 by the Boyd County Extension Agent for Horticulture as a tool to help home gardeners better plan and grow successful gardens, landscapes, lawns and anything gardening related for the area in Zone 6b.  It is also a tool to advertise the

Full Story

Federal Prison Master Gardener Program Continues to Grow

Author: Lori Bowling

Major Program: Master Gardener

Since 2001 the Boyd County Extension Horticulture program has offered the Certified Kentucky Master Gardener program at the Federal Correctional Institution Camp in Ashland, Ky.   There have been over 450 inmates that have gone through this program with an average of 80% of those becoming Certified Kentucky Master Gardeners.  The inmates learn in both a classroom setting and through hands on learning activities to be sure they understand the course content.  They perform their vol

Full Story

Master Gardener Volunteer Time Helps to Expand Programming Efforts

Author: Lori Bowling

Major Program: Master Gardener

Extension Master Gardener volunteers are a vital part of the Boyd County Extension Horticulture program.   There are many requests for horticulture and gardening programs throughout the county and the horticulture agent is not able to respond to all the requests for activities and events that come into the office.  The Master Gardeners are trained with scientifically proven information and are willing to help the agent meet the needs for all these requests.  When they join the Mas

Full Story
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