Youth and Adults Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, Adaptation, & SustainabilityPlan of Work

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Scott County CES

Title:
Youth and Adults Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, Adaptation, & Sustainability
MAP:
Agriculture Education and Sustainability
Agents Involved:
Allen, Flynt, Redmon
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Forages
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Beef
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Local Food Systems
Situation:

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, field days, expos designed to educate participants on the value of agriculture and horticulture to Kentucky’s economy and the impact that agriculture and horticulture has on their daily lives or teach Ag in the Classroom to elementary school students.


Long-Term Outcomes:

Youth and adults will engage in entrepreneurial enterprise.

• Youth will gain and maintain employment resulting from life skill development through 4-H.

• Youth and adults will be advocates for agriculture/horticulture and healthy and sustainable food systems.


Increased farm income

Increase the agricultural/horticultural productivity

Increase conservation practices on the farm

Maintain green space in our community

Intermediate Outcomes:

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

Initial Outcomes:

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

Evaluation:

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




Learning Opportunities:

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












Success Stories

Leadership Scott County Ag Day

Author: Brittany Brewer

Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership - ANR

Spent the day with 25 individuals from Scott County while we toured agriculture businesses and entities. These people were either new to Scott County or are upcoming informal leaders in the community. We started off at the Extension Office where I gave a presentation over what ANR Extension is and what I do as an agent. I answered various questions related to extension and agriculture in Scott County.I then joined them for the rest of the day as we went to the Stockyards, Evans Orchard, and Home

Full Story

Beef Improvement Annual Meeting

Author: Brittany Brewer

Major Program: Beef

Scott County Extension Office hosted the Annual Beef Improvement Meeting. Facilitated by the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent we had a record breaking number of attendees. 68 cattle farmers and their families came together for a night of education and fellowship. One of the largest crowds to attend a meeting since COVID. VitaFerm's Ty McGuire talked about the importance of minerals and supplements in cattle diets. He discussed different management practices that can be used to impleme

Full Story

Intergrading Youth in Agriculture

Author: Brittany Brewer

Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership - ANR

March 31st Northern Elementary hosted an Agriculture Day. Here students got to learned about different entities within in the agriculture industry. One of those stations were maned by the Scott County Agriculture and Natural Resource agent. At her station students had the opportunity to learn about one of America's most grown crops, corn. Students learned about the different types of corn, what it was used for, and how it is grown. They also talked about the importance of soil layers and how

Full Story

Gardening Expo Proves Profitable for on-farm horticultural business!

Author: Sharon Flynt

Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial

Every year since 2014, Scott County Master Gardener volunteers have collaborated with their agent to  present an “open to the public” garden expo. At the expo, guests can learn about researched based gardening information and  techniques,  listen to gardening experts, see, and participate horticultural demonstrations, and sample nutritious fruit and vegetable recipes, free of charge. Businesses with a gardening/horticulture connection are also invited to showcase their

Full Story

Farm City Field Day Scott County

Author: Brittany Brewer

Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership - ANR

Scott County has deep agricultural grass roots. It's heritage is made up of tobacco, beef, and grain farmers. However, Scott County has been drastically changing and growing in recent years. With the influx of commerce, people, and development the dynamic of the county is shifting. This has lead to people becoming more removed from agriculture and the rural way of life. While, farmers are diversifying their products and management strategies to meet the needs of the new environment that they

Full Story

Getting Started Farming Series

Author: Brittany Brewer

Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy

Scott and Franklin Counties have seen an influx of questions from clientele about starting/beginning farming. Agents do their best to answer the initial questions, however it seems like they can never give them enough information, or the client needs to talk to another entity or person. In the preprogram survey 70% of participants wanted to make a living farming, while an additional 50% what to be self-sufficient from their farm. However, nearly 40% of them where brand new to farming. In respons

Full Story
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