Boyd County CES

Title:

Best Management Practices in Home Horticulture

MAP:

Environmental Awareness

Agents Involved:

Bowling, Stahler, Wilson

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Home & Consumer Horticulture

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Master Gardener

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Integrated Plant Pest Management

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Pesticide Safety – Plant Pests

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. The Horticulture council has identified that there is a major need for educational programming and activities to be offered to clientele in the subjects of home horticulture and food production and preservation. Programming would encompass Best Management Practices (BMP's)and environmentally friendly inputs.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Clientele will adopt gardening practices based on what is best for the environment and begin practicing best management practices throughout all gardening activities. Over use of pesticides, fertilizers and lime will be reduced and the use of native plant materials will be increased in home landscapes.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Clientele will begin to the benefits of best management practices in their gardening activities and will be able to realize the financial savings the will have when selecting the right use for pesticides to help improve the green spaces as well as the roles water conservation and native plants can play in using Best Management Practices.

Initial Outcomes:

Clientele will begin to understand the benefits of Best Management Practices and the role they play in conservation of water and the environment around them as well as the economical savings these practices will mean to them. Clientele will also gain knowledge on proper chemical usage to protect themselves and the environment.

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: GAP Training
Content or Curriculum: GAP 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
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

Audience: local producers
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 proudcers
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)

Success Stories