Promoting Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Urban Forestry Plan of Work

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Jefferson County CES

Title:
Promoting Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Urban Forestry
MAP:
Promoting Sustainability
Agents Involved:
P. Adkins, C. Hall, J. Palmer, C. Robles and K. Smith
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Local Food System Development and Mapping
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Farm Management, Economics and Policy
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Active Living and Health Promotions General
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Camping
Situation:

Agriculture is Kentucky’s largest employer and accounts for the greatest amount of revenue in Kentucky’s economy. However, agriculture in Kentucky’s largest and most urban county, looks decidedly different. With a few hundred traditional farms, production agriculture receipts are quite small. However, urban agriculture, home gardening and commercial horticulture are growing segments. The local food and makers movements are gaining momentum in Jefferson County. Equally important are natural resources. Understanding how daily choices can impact our environment is vital to conserving and preserving our natural resources for the present and future. Urban surface water moving across agriculture land (urban and rural) potentially remove nutrients, fertilizer and pesticides through erosion. These contaminants are directly related to urban stream degradation. The average Kentuckian used 67 gallons of water/person per day. Everything from the air we breathe, to the water we drink, to the soil we use are vital to our existence. Disaster preparedness is necessary for safe communities. Each year, on average, Kentuckians deal with 30-50 days associated with thunderstorms, and 12 days with tornadoes. Additionally, flooding is a problem in Jefferson County, as well as other natural disasters. 

 Climate change is also very likely to affect food security at the global, regional, and local level. Climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality.[1] For example, projected increases in temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, changes in extreme weather events, and reductions in water availability may all result in reduced agricultural productivity. Increases in the frequency and severity extreme weather events can also interrupt food delivery, and resulting spikes in food prices after extreme events are expected to be more frequent in the future. Increasing temperatures can contribute to spoilage and contamination. 

Creating production sites that can mitigate the effects of extreme weather will be necessary to maintain access to food for underserved communities. 

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:
Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Homeowners learn how to take a soil test and practice soil 
conservation. 
Indicator: Number of homeowners who successfully deliver a soil sample 
Method: Extension soil test records and vouchers 
Timeline: Ongoing through the year 

 
 
Intermediate Outcome: Youth and adults can explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others. 
Indicator: Attendance numbers at agricultural programs. 
Method: Observation, records, surveys 
Timeline: After programs 

 
 
Long-term Outcome: Increase in the number of youth and adults practicing, participating in and advocating for sustainable home horticulture and sustainable agriculture. 
Indicator: An increase in the number of youth and adults that participate, 
practice and advocate for sustainable horticulture and agriculture 
Method: Observation, records, surveys 
Timeline: After programs 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults 

Project or Activity: Master Gardeners program 

Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener manual 

Inputs: speakers, lab class, quizzes, tests, agent time 

Date: May 2024 – October 2025


 
 

Audience: Youth 

Project or Activity: summer programs, before/after school clubs 

Content or Curriculum: activities, project wild, Jr MG program 

Inputs: Jr. MG program curriculum 

Date: July 2024 – June 2025


 
Audience: Adults 

Project or Activity: Community Garden Facilitation & Seasonal Education 

Content or Curriculum: Extension publications 

Inputs: Master Gardener volunteers; agents; specialists. 

content curriculum 

Date: year-round 2020-2025. 


 
Audience: Youth & Adults 

Project or Activity: How-To Festival Gardening Education & Seed Swap 

Content or Curriculum: Extension publications 

Inputs: Master Gardener volunteers; agents; specialists; community volunteers; donated seeds.  

content curriculum 

Date: May 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. 


 

Audience: English Language Learning Commercial Producers 

Project or Activity: Incubator Farm Program 

Content or Curriculum: Curriculum developed by Common Earth Gardens & Jefferson Co. Extension 

Inputs: Farms, KDA, agents, buyers, farmers, Common Earth Gardens, farmers markets, KCARD 

Date: Jan.-Nov. 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.


 

Audience: Commercial producers 

Project or Activity: PBPT Training, farmers market sampling certificate, 

organic certification, Senior Voucher Stamp Training, 

Content or Curriculum: Programs associated with above projects 

Inputs: Farms, KDA, agents, buyers, farmers 

Date: June 2020; April/May 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025.


 
Audience: Senior Citizens 

Project or Activity: Food Demonstrations 

Content or Curriculum: CES publications, Plate It Up, Farmers Market 

Inputs: All CES Agents, CES publications, extension publications 

Date: July 2023 – June 2024


 
Audience: Youth 

Project or Activity: Ag Field Day 

Content or Curriculum: What’s on your Plate: Exploring Food Science, 

Afterschool Agriculture, Embryology, Swine, Poultry, 

Dairy Goat, Step Up to Leadership, Build Your Future, 

Cooking, Gardening 

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, grants 

Date: Sept. 2024 – Apr. 2025


 
Audience: Youth 

Project or Activity: Jr. MANRRS 

Content or Curriculum: What’s on your Plate: Exploring Food Science, 

Afterschool Agriculture, Embryology, Swine, Poultry, 

Dairy Goat, Step Up to Leadership, Build Your Future, 

Cooking, Gardening 

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, grants 

Date: Sept. 2024 – Apr. 2025

 

Audience: Youth 

Project or Activity: 4-H Embryology 

Content or Curriculum: What’s on your Plate: Exploring Food Science, 

Afterschool Agriculture, Embryology, Swine, Poultry, 

Dairy Goat, Step Up to Leadership, Build Your Future, 

Cooking, Gardening 

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, grants 

Date: Sept. 2024 – Apr. 2025


 

Audience: Youth 

Project or Activity: Camp 

Content or Curriculum: What’s on your Plate: Exploring Food Science, 

Afterschool Agriculture, Embryology, Swine, Poultry, 

Dairy Goat, Step Up to Leadership, Build Your Future, 

Cooking, Gardening 

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, grants 

Date: Sept. 2024 – Apr. 2025


 

 

Audience: Youth 

Project or Activity: Country Ham 

Content or Curriculum: What’s on your Plate: Exploring Food Science, 

Afterschool Agriculture, Embryology, Swine, Poultry, 

Dairy Goat, Step Up to Leadership, Build Your Future, 

Cooking, Gardening 

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, grants 

Date: Sept. 2024 – Apr. 2025


 

Audience: Youth 

Project or Activity: Livestock Clubs 

Content or Curriculum: What’s on your Plate: Exploring Food Science, 

Afterschool Agriculture, Embryology, Swine, Poultry, 

Dairy Goat, Step Up to Leadership, Build Your Future, 

Cooking, Gardening 

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, grants 

Date: Sept. 2024 – Apr. 2025


 

Audience: Adults 

Project or Activity: Urban Homesteading Classes 

Content or Curriculum: Urban Homesteading Curriculum  

Inputs: Paid staff, community partners/volunteers; program fees 

Date: Feb.-Sept. 2021; Feb.-Sept. 2022; Feb.-Sept. 2023 


 

Audience: Adults 

Project or Activity: KY Master Naturalist Program 

Content or Curriculum: KY Master Naturalist Curriculum  

Inputs: Paid staff, community partners/volunteers; program fees; extension specialists 

Date: 2020 – 2023 


 

Audience: youth and adults 

Project: High tunnel greenhouse production 

Content or Curriculum: Extension publications, extension fact sheets 

Inputs: Master Gardener volunteers, extension agents, specialists, content curriculum 

July 1 2022- June 30 2023


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