Extension
It Starts With Us
Marketing, Diversifying, and Managing Local Agriculture
Local Foods and Sustainable Agriculture
Taylor Miles, Judy Vaughn, Emma Lee
Local Food Systems
Substance Use and Mental Health - ANR
Beef
Forages
Due to lower commodity prices and higher input prices, farms need to diversify and become more efficient in order to insulate against prolonged suppressed pricing.
Stabilize farm incomes using improved marketing techniques, development of a robust local food economy, and diversified enterprises.
Farmers and community members will adopt new technologies and practices based on research by land grant universities that encourage the use of local products, local marketing, practical risk management plans, and smart diversification.
Increase knowledge, and skills in production techniques, and marketing tools.
Initial Outcome: Increase knowledge, and skills in production techniques, and marketing tools.
Indicator: Use of marketing tools
Method: Inverviews
Timeline: Fall 2021
Intermediate Outcome: The adoption of new technologies to encourage local marketing.
Indicator: Increased awareness of local food systems in the local community
Method: Increased use of local food market
Timeline: Summer 2022
Long-term Outcome: Development of a robust local food economy
Indicator: stable, diverse local food market
Method: frequency of Farmers Market days and number of vendors
Timeline: Fall 2024
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Crop Production Meeting
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Winter
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Livestock Production Meetings
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All year
Audience: Community members/ youth
Project or Activity: Horticulture Meetings
Content or Curriculum:
Date: Winter/Spring
Audience: Youth/Farmers
Project or Activity: Farm Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Summer/Fall
Audience: Community members/ youth
Project or Activity: Vocational Technology Center Cooperation
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Forage Management
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: Winter/Spring
Audience: youth
Project or Activity: Animal Science Project Group/Clubs
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: September-May
Audience: Community members
Project or Activity: C.A.I.P Cost Share Program
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Community members
Project or Activity: Farmer's Market
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Agriculture Marketing
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All year
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: BQCA Training
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Community members/ youth
Project or Activity: Forest Management
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Farmers/ Youth
Project or Activity: Farm Tours/ Field Days
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Audience: Farmers/ Youth
Project or Activity: Small Farm Management
Content or Curriculum: Education
Date: All Year
Author: Emma Lee
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
In my county, I had talked to a few clients that had an interest in houseplants. This is a topic that I have studied extensively and I decided to offer a series of programs to the community. I held three programs in the series: Introduction to Houseplants, Propagation of Houseplants, and Making a Terrarium. There were 9 participants. Some attendees said that they love houseplants but do not know how to keep them alive; Others came to the programs simply to have fellowship with other plant hobbyi
Author: Emma Lee
Major Program: Grains
Last year, a producer who grows sweet sorghum came to me asking for recommendations to increase sugar content in his crop. I have diligently worked with him through soil tests, hay tests, and manure tests to narrow down the solution to increasing sugar content. He only uses manure as fertilizer, so we sent the manure off to be tested for nutrient content. We talked to multiple specialists to get ideas on what can be done. As of yesterday, this client came in and informed me that his sorghum suga
Author: Emma Lee
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Many producers in Estill County produce apples and different kinds of fruit. Last year, I held my first grafting class and it was very successful. I held the same class again this year to teach/refresh producers on how to graft scion wood onto rootstock. A local orchard farmer of many years attended to assist me with the class. We discussed the background and importance of grafting, and then began the demonstration of different ways to graft. Producers watched and then attempted to graft their r
Author: Emma Lee
Major Program: Beef
When I attended the Beefing Up Agent Success training, Darrh Bullock gave a Beef Genomics presentation to the agents that were present. Throughout the presentation, I realized that this information could be very useful to my producers and I invited Dr. Bullock to come speak at a Beef Producers meeting in Estill County. On May 9th at 6:00, Dr. Bullock presented the Beef Genomics presentation to the local Cattlemen and beef producers. Participants learned how to read BPD's, as well as breed th
