Campbell County CES

Title:

Home Horticulture - Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

MAP:

Home Horticulture

Agents Involved:

Imbus, Turner, Koester

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Horticulture, Consumer and Home

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Master Gardener

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Nutrition and Food Systems General

Situation:

Collaborations with: City of Dayton, City of Silver Grove, Northern Kentucky University, Campbell County Detention Center, Brighton Center, Hosea House, Holly Hill Children’s Home, VA Medical Center Recreation Therapy, Ft. Thomas Public Schools, and Active Day Adult Daycare will help to provide space to incorporate learning opportunities and educational assistance to individuals and families about vegetable gardening, horticulture and other environmental topics. These programs also allow a safe space for individuals to incorporate horticulture therapy as part of a healing process into their lives. 

Long-Term Outcomes:

Provide the opportunity for healthy, sustainable food, and act as a catalyst for community engagement and developing partnerships.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Provide the tools and resources to help participants, who may have mental and or physical disabilities, engage in horticulture programming. Provide an increase in community development, an increase in healthier recipes and cooking with produce from the garden, and an increase in economic development.

Initial Outcomes:

Provide opportunity for more participants by increasing the number of garden plots. Work to improve conditions of the gardens through soil amendments, composting and educating gardeners about vegetable pests and diseases (BMP).

Evaluation:

Long-term outcome: Increase collaboration with local government, schools, and businesses to invest in gardening space and or other horticulture programming

Indicator: Increase of gardening participation

Method: On-site demonstration, publications

Timeline:2023-2024

 

Intermediate outcome: Integrate horticulture programming and access to all.

Indicator: Increase awareness of mental and physical improvements while gardening and eating more fruit and vegetables

Method: schools, local government, rehabilitation facilities, non-profit organizations

Timeline:2023-2024

 

Initial outcome: Provide basic horticulture programming and growing programs for new gardeners

Indicator: County increase need of farm to table programming as indicated by county assessment report 2019

Method: community garden programs

Timeline: 2023-2024

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Community Gardeners
Project or Activity: Organic gardening classes, food safety classes, cooking classes, small space gardening
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, Master Gardener Volunteers
Date: 2023-2024

 

Audience: Horticulture Therapy and community gardens
Project or Activity: Lakeside Educational gardens, KY proud recipes and harvesting techniques
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, Master Gardener Volunteers
Date: 2023-2024

 

Audience: Public
 Project or Activity: TV segments and Gardening Radio show on 91.7 WVXU.
 Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Technicians, FCS, Statewide Horticulture Agents

Date: 2023-2024

 

Audience: Newport Youth Leadership Program  

Project or Activity: Build agriculture awareness 

Curriculum: Agriculture Awareness, Farm Tours, Farm to School 

Inputs: Agent, Brighton Center Youth Leadership Program, Host Farms/Farmers 

Date: Summer 2023

 

Success Stories

Youth School Garden Clubs

Author: Sarah Imbus

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

According to the USDA Farm to School Census (https://farmtoschoolcensus.fns.usda.gov/), school gardening across the country is on the rise. Research continues to show that engaging students in gardening promotes healthier eating habits, improves mental and physical health, builds awareness in agriculture and horticulture career opportunities, builds a sense of community and belonging, and provides a safe space for hands on experimental learning (https://www.naae.org/profdevelopment/magazine/arch

Full Story

FunDay Mondays

Author: Sarah Imbus

Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy

Introduction to horticulture therapy programs for adults. Horticulture therapy programs has been an increased need in Campbell County over the years. Response from previous programs, participants have shared the need of adult horticulture therapy programs: to resources to help with stressful times in their lives, a place to meet new people and engage in new friendship, learn a new skill. This four part series offered programs on botanical candle making, fairy lantern, garden peace pole, and bota

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