Extension
It Starts With Us
Agriculture and Horticulture
Advancing Agriculture & Horticulture
Linda McClanahan, Jessica Bessin, Dana Anderson
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Horticulture, Commercial
Beef
Farm Management, Economics and Policy
Mercer County has a diverse combination of both commercial agriculture, horticulture, and home horticulture, all being viable industries in Mercer County. Farmers, community leaders, farm organizations, Mercer County Ag Development Council, Mercer County Farmers Market, Mercer County Ag Advisory Council, and Mercer County Horticulture Advisory Council have identified important agricultural and horticultural issues and needed programs. Farm profitability, diversification, increasing value of property, promoting local foods, and marketing opportunities are some of the top priorities. Leaders have also identified the need to have extensive programs in the area of agricultural awareness. With less than 2% of the population involved in food production there is a great need for education about where and how food and other agricultural products are produced.
*Increased interest in agriculture and horticulture production.
*Homeowners will save more money on home landscape.
*Increased diversification of crops produced in county.
*Homeowners will add value to their property through education programs on maintaing landscapes
*Farmers market will continue to grow as intrest in local food increases
*Youth will exhibit skills, share knowledge with others, including family members, and may decide to raise some of their own food
*Farmers will improve production practices
*Farmers and homeowners will understand pesticide safety
*Increased interest in local foods
*Students will learn about UK and career opportunities in agriculture.
Initial Outcome: Increased interest in Agriculture and Horticulture Programs
Indicator: Increased numbers of participants for agriculture and horticulture programs
Method: Counting participants attending the programs
Timeline: on-going
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Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program
Content or Curriculum: UK Master Gardener Manual
Inputs: UK CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialists, Mercer Extension Staff, UK Publications and other resources, Master Gardener volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Horticulture topics, instructor, newsletter, radio, Facebook page, videos,
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department, Horticulture organizations, Ag communications
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort. Agent, UK publications, Master Gardeners, Volunteers
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Horticulture Classes
Content or Curriculum: UK CES
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Special Interest Horticulture & Gardening Topics
Content or Curriculum: UK CES
Inputs: Horticulture Agent, Mercer Count Public Library, UK publications
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Clients with Beekeeping Interest
Project or Activity: Fort Harrod Beekeeping Club
Content or Curriculum: KDA State Apiarist, Hands-on demonstrations, KY State
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications, KDA, KY State
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Mercer County Horticulture Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Chosen by Hort Field Day Committee - from UK Specialists and Hort Industry
Inputs: Host farm, volunteers, CES Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organizations, Mercer Extension Staff
Date: Summer/Fall
Audience: Farmers Market Clients
Project or Activity: Fresh To Table
Content or Curriculum: NEP, Plate it Up, Veggie vouchers, Recipes
Inputs: UK publications, Volunteers, Mercer Extension Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organization, Mercer County Farmers Market members
Date: On-going
Audience: Mercer County citizens
Project or Activity: Homesteading Series
Content or Curriculum: UK publications, information from partner organizations
Inputs: UK publications, partner organizations/guest speakers, UK Extension Specialists, Mercer County Extension office, Extension Office staff
Date: Fall
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Fort Harrod Garden Club
Content or Curriculum: horticulture publications and information
Inputs: Boyle & Mercer horticulture agents, CES facilities, local horticulture businesses
Date: ongoing
Audience: Homeowners and Farmers
Project or Activity: Pesticide Safety Training/ Pesticides 101
Content or Curriculum: KY Pest Management Curriculum, hands on demonstrations
Inputs: UK Specialist, Extension Publications, Mercer Extension Staff
Date: Spring/Summer
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Annual Mercer County Agriculture Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Chosen by Field Day Committee - from UK Specialists and Ag Industry
Inputs: Host farm, volunteers, CES Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organizations
Date: September
Audience: Mercer County citizens
Project or Activity: Annual Farm-City Celebration
Content or Curriculum: National Farm-City Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, content relevant to the educational objective set by the committee
Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, collaborating agencies, sponsors, speakers
Date: March
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Beef Quality & Care Assurance Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY BQA Curriculum
Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, KY Cattlemen's Association, host location
Date: Spring/Fall
Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Private Pesticide Applicator Training
Content or Curriculum: KY Pest Management Curriculum
Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, UK Extension publications
Date: spring
Audience: Elementary school youth
Project or Activity: FarmSCool Week
Content or Curriculum: UK CES, KY Beef Council, KY Horse Council, KY Soybean Association, KY Dept of Ag
Inputs: Extension Staff, Extension resources, Mercer County School system, Burgin School System
Date: Fall
Audience: Mercer County citizens, farmers
Project or Activity: Services
Content or Curriculum: Soil Testing, Plant Disease Diagnosis, Hay Testing, Ration Balancing, Farm & Home Visits, Insect Identification, Weed Identification, Water Testing, Plant Identification, Snake Identification, Forage & Grain Moisture Testing
Inputs: UK CES Facilities, Extension Staff, UK Publications, UK Plant Disease Diagnostic Lab, UK Soil Lab, UK Extension Specialists
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Equine clientele
Project or Activity: Equine Express newsletter, special equine topic programs, State Equine Farm & Facilities Expo, Horses & Horsemen
Content or Curriculum: UK Equine
Inputs: UK CES facilities, ANR Agents, UK Extension Specialists, UK publications, UK news releases/exclusives
Date: ongoing
Audience: Mercer County clientele with agriculture or horticulture interest
Project or Activity: demonstration plots and demonstration programs
Content or Curriculum: UK, industry companies
Inputs: UK CES Specialists & resources, new practices, chemicals, local farms for demonstrations, host locations for programs
Date: ongoing
Audience: Extension clientele/followers on social media
Project or Activity: Facebook pages, website, videos, podcasts
Content or Curriculum: UK CES
Inputs: UK CES agents, UK CES staff, Ag Comm news releases, UK publications/information
Date: ongoing
Audience: Mercer County crop producers
Project or Activity: crop production practices and meetings including regional
Content or Curriculum: UK CES
Inputs: UK CES Specialists, facilities, agents, publications and other resources
Date: ongoing
Audience: Mercer County Cattle producers
Project or Activity: cattle production practices, newsletters, and meetings (KY Beef Conference, county winter meetings, regional meetings, dairy month kickoff breakfast, dairy monthly newsletter, cattlemens quarterly roundup newsletter, Master series (Master Cattlemen, Master Marketer, Master Stocker), beef month activities
Content or Curriculum: UK CES
Inputs: UK CES specialists, facilities, agents, publications and other resources
Date: ongoing
Audience: Mercer County young and beginning farmers
Project or Activity: support for both young and beginning farmers
Content or Curriculum: UK CES
Inputs: UK CES specialists, facilities, agents, publications and other resources
Date: ongoing
Audience: Mercer County farmers and clientele
Project or Activity: collaboration with agriculture organizations
Content or Curriculum: UK CES, agriculture organizations
Inputs: Farm Bureau, Soil Conservation, Cattlemens Association, Goat Association, Backcountry Horsemen, Master Gardeners, Fair Board
Date: ongoing
Audience: county fair attendees and participants
Project or Activity: Mercer County Fair & Horse Show
Content or Curriculum: CES guidelines, rules & regulations set by various show committees
Inputs: CES Staff, Mercer County Fair & Horse Show facilities/funds, community sponsors, county fair participants
Date: July
Audience: Mercer County farmers and clientele
Project or Activity: Homesteading Series
Content or Curriculum: UK CES, agriculture organizations
Inputs: UK/KSU specialists, UK publications, agents, facilities
Date: ongoing
Author: Jessica Bessin
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Describe the Issue or SituationThe Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service sought to enhance the knowledge and skills of horticulture agents across the state to better serve their communities. This was achieved through a statewide in-service training that focused on the latest developments in horticulture, including new research findings, pest and disease management strategies, sustainable gardening practices, and emerging trends in the industry.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Respon
