Extension
It Starts With Us
Crop and Livestock Production, Gardening and Horticulture, and Local Food Systems
Increasing Agricultural Literacy
Chadwick, Flowers
Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
Local Food Systems
Grain Crops
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Kentucky is home to 85,500 farms, tied with Oklahoma as the 4th ranking state in the number of farms (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2012). The average farm size in Kentucky is 164 acres, compared to the national average of 421 (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2012). Between 2007 and 2012, the Bluegrass State had a 6.7% decrease in the number of acres of farmland, which is the greatest percentage decrease any state in the country (Census of Agriculture, 2012). A farm is defined by the United States government as “any place that produced and sold, or normally would produce and sell, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the census year.” While Kentucky’s population is increasing, the number of people living on farms is decreasing. Therefore, the need exists to educate people, particularly youth, about the impact that it makes on their daily lives, as well as the importance of agriculture to the commonwealth. The top agricultural products produced on Kentucky farms are changing. In 2012, the Top 10 agriculture products in Kentucky were: Broilers, Corn, Horses & Mules, Soybeans, Cattle & Calves, Tobacco, Dairy Products & Milk, Wheat, Hay and Chicken Eggs (United States Department of Agriculture – Kentucky, 2012).
The Carlisle County 4-H Council, the Carlisle County Agricultural Advisory Council, and the Carlisle County Extension Council all identified increasing agricultural literacy as a programming priority for Carlisle County Extension. According to the CEDIK Agriculture and Food County Profile for Carlisle County, in 2012, Carlisle County had 325 farm operations on 98,620 acres, which represented 81.3% of total county land. In comparison, Kentucky’s farm operations made up 51.6% of the state’s total land area, and U.S. farm operations made up 40.5% of total land area in the country. As a result, the agricultural industry is important to the economy and people of Carlisle County.
- Youth will engage in entrepreneurial enterprise.
- Youth will gain and maintain employment resulting from life skill development through 4-H.
- Youth will be advocates for agriculture and healthy and sustainable food systems.
- Community will see an increase in the number of vendors, variety of local food products, sales and/or profits at farmer’s markets, road side stands, or community supported agriculture.
- Community will see increased access to local foods in restaurants, retail outlets, school and other institutions.
- Producers will maintain or increase consumer confidence/demand in local foods.
- Producers will maintain or increase economic stability of farm operations.
- Youth will practice and apply skills and knowledge in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.
- Youth will adopt and practice skills that contribute to employability.
- Youth can explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others.
- Youth will set a goal and accomplish it.
- Youth can influence the purchase of Kentucky Proud products.
- Youth can practice entrepreneurship skills related to agriculture and food systems.
- Consumers will purchase local food and food products.
- Consumers will advocate for local food producers.
- Producers will adopt usage of new technology for production.
- Producers will use diagnostic services to enhance production decision-making.
- Producers will adopt one or more production management recommendations.
- Producers will implement on-farm trials.
- Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.
- Youth will gain an understanding of healthy and sustainable food systems.
- Youth will develop valuable life-skills, including decision-making, communications, recordkeeping,
leadership and service.
- Consumers will identify/ locate local food producers and processors.
- Consumers will explain local food needs and purchasing procedures (i.e. quantity, quality, deliver, etc.).
- Consumers will purchase local food and food products.
- Consumers will advocate for local food producers.
- Producers will increase awareness of current land grant research concerning production.
- Producers will increase understanding of production regulations.
Initial Outcomes:
Indicator: Written or verbal acknowledgement of increased awareness and knowledge related to agricultural literacy and practices
Method: Pre-/post-tests, observation, participation
Timeline: After programming opportunities
Intermediate Outcomes:
Indicator: Change in behavior or practice related to agriculture
Method: Pre-/post-tests, observation, participation, self-reporting, number of Kentucky Proud producers, local agriculture statistics, production outcomes
Timeline: After programming opportunities
Long-term Outcomes:
Indicator: Long-term results stemming from changes in behavior or practice related to agriculture sustained over time
Method: 4-H project participation, youth employment after high school, local agriculture sales and production statistics and outcomes, community statistics
Timeline: 2016-2020
Audience: 3rd grade youth
Project or Activity: Adventures in Agriculture Day
Content or Curriculum: Soils, crops, livestock, horticulture, 4-H Agriculture Core Curriculum, Ag in the Classroom
Date: Spring 2019
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Go, Grow, Garden project
Content or Curriculum: Home Gardening Extension publication, 4-H Agriculture Core Curriculum
Date: Spring and Fall 2018-2019
Audience: Women of Carlisle County
Project or Activity: Women in Agriculture
Content or Curriculum: Extension agriculture information and publications
Date: 2018-2019
Audience: Agricultural producers
Project or Activity: Winter Ag Conference
Content or Curriculum: Production agriculture information
Date: Winter 2019
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Gardening Club
Content or Curriculum: Junior Master Gardener
Date: 2018-2019
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Dog Club
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Dog curriculum
Date: 2018-2019
Inputs:
Agents
Agribusinesses
Kentucky Department of Agriculture
Carlisle County Conservation District
Producers
Carlisle County Road Department/Fiscal Court
USDA Farm Service Agency
Carlisle County Schools
Extension volunteers
Specialists
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
After making visits to homeowners and working with them on tomato issues last year. I asked if they would like to try a tomato recommended for commercial producers by UK specialists. They said yes. In looking I could not find any plants locally. I then contacted an FFA chapter and teacher to see if they would grow the seeds for the clients to try.The three homeowners divided and set out 100 plants along side of their Jet Star tomato. They were very pleased that they did not have any blight probl
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Grain Crops
With 83.53% of the land in all four river counties used for crop production, agriculture holds a strong presence. AG Day is to highlight agriculture in Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman County. The 2nd year for the event, WAVE River Counties AG Day, was held at Carlisle County Fairgrounds in Bardwell, KY on July 19 from 7:30 am to 2:00 pm. The theme “Lets Grow With It” was chosen again. The WAVE Ag Day was a joint venture including all four county judge executives, the
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Forages
On the average 76 % of all the land in the four river counties is in crop production. Three of the four counties Ballard, Carlisle, and Fulton County have over 33 million in average crop sales. Even with those numbers we still have an average of 45 million of animal products sold in the four counties. Forage plays a vital part in our producers feed choice. In collaboration with UK Forage specialist a local cattle farm, NRCS and UK agriculture agents a forage field day was held to show case forag
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Grain Crops
New Farm Bill –Winter Ag ConferenceThis year our Winter Ag Conference focused on the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill is important to farmers’ daily activities. Crop sales just in Carlisle County is $34,054,000. The need for this information to get out is necessary to our producers. We teamed up with Adult agriculture educators from WKCTC to bring an informational meeting to the farmers on the new information. The meeting was hosted in Pilot Oak, Kentucky by Lo
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
Women in Ag ConferenceThe University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Services in Carlisle, Ballard, Hickman, and Fulton counties along with the Farm Service Agency, hosted the 2018 Four River Counties Women in Agriculture Conference. This year it was held at the Clinton Methodist Church. There were 62 ladies in attendance. The program included Tools for the Marketing Toolbox: Alex Hayes, Floral Design by Teresa Crouse, WAVE Overview with Hannah Chretien, and a Tax Update, fol
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Grain Crops
EFCP-Soil MeetingCarlisle, Fulton and Hickman County had a market value of $337 million in agricultural products last year – equal to the single largest producing county in the state. This region spent over $70 million on fertilizer, seed and chemicals alone last year. After discussing with CEC board and Ag council, agents wanted to offer a program geared toward younger farmers getting ready to transition toward making farm decisions while being a part of the family farming operation. It w
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Grain Crops
Early Career Farming ProgramThe Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents from Fulton, Hickman, and Carlisle Counties talked for several years of developing a program for the producers in their counties that were beginning their own operations or working into becoming the decision-makers of the family operations.Existing programs like KY FarmStart or Next Generation Farmer were programs that had some of the topics these producers needed, but did not fit into large grain only operations or grain/c
