Extension
It Starts With Us
Promoting commodities and agriculture awareness
Strengthening Agriculture and Natural Resources
Allen, Bryant Popham, Hinton, Pruneda, Rogers
Beef
Grain Crops
KSU Small Farm Program
4-H Agriculture Core Curriculum AND Natural Resources
Kentucky is home to 85,500 farms, with 1,305 farms located in Breckinridge County (USDA 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). 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. Breckinridge county continues to have diverse income from livestock, grain and tobacco, with Livestock sales of $45 million, $ 8.1 million in tobacco sales and finally $ 22.9 million in sales of grain and oilseeds(Census of Agriculture, 2012). As we continue to improve the genetics on farms, we look for more opportunities to add on value along the production chain of crops and livestock. As prices for inputs stabilize we need a combined effort to improve the value of both crops and livestock. In our county, we have identified 50 young farm families that are set to improve their family farms and begin the transition of the operation.
Participants will have improved end product quality and food safety, enhanced profit margin, greater enjoyment from farming, long term viability, and improved profitability and efficiency. Farmers market vendors will encourage marketing in other avenues, and search for more ways to please their customer. Participants will have an increased knowledge of the Ag Development Fund Cost Share programs such as CAIP, as well as NRCS Programs such as CSP. Youth participants will engage in entrepreneurial enterprise, gain and maintain employment resulting from life skill development through 4-H, and be an advocate for agriculture and healthy and sustainable food systems.
Participants will negotiate for better input prices, follow soil test recommendations, and move to more diverse pest control to help reduce the incidence of resistant weeds. Participation in Cost Share programs will give them the opportunity to improve or expand their farming operation. Grain farmers will receive monthly updates on grain markets to increase their knowledge and skill of marketing grains successfully. Farmers Market participants will make small changes in their marketing practices. Youth participants will practice and apply skills and knowledge related to food production, explain the role of agriculture in their daily lives, and adopt and practice skills that contribute to employability.
During monthly cattle production meetings, participants will gain knowledge of nutrient needs of growing calves, budgeting (including differences between variable and fixed costs), financial programs, and decision making with implications for profitability. Participants will be able to describe the best management practices for handling cattle and providing for their well-being. Tobacco farmers will utilize information and record keeping practices obtained in the mandatory GAP meetings. Farmers Market participants will look for advise on marketing commodities, and try a few changes to their marketing plan. Youth participants will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in areas of plant sciences, horticulture, and animal sciences. Youth will also gain an understanding of healthy and sustainable food systems and develop skills such as decision making, communications, record keeping, leadership, and service.
Initial Outcome: Practices being put in place for increase net farm income
Indicator: Soil Sample numbers, and calls on recommendations on soil samples.. Increase in farm calls for PESTS problems, such as weeds, diseases and insects. Increase in requests for newsletter and to be on the mailing lists and an increase in personal reviews of the newsletter and its content. Increase in requests for information and on farm visits. Increased awareness of IPM practices associated with the diagnosis of problems.
Method: numbers from soil database, and increase in number of calls for assistance, Increase in ACCESS database additions to the newsletter.
Timeline: 2019-20
Initial Outcome: Increased awareness, knowledge and skills relating to Agriculture, Horticulture, and Animal Science
Indicator: Increased youth attendance and participation in agriculture programs
Method: Curriculum and program evaluation tools
Timeline: At time of program implementation
Intermediate Outcome: Improved net farm income, reduced debt, farms remaining stable for the next 2 years.
Indicator: Surveys returned, Improvement and upgrade of equipment on local farms, farm family remain active in Extension Programming.
Method: Surveys and customer comments
Timeline:2019-2020
Intermediate Outcome: Youth participants developing skills related to gardening, animal care, livestock judging, showmanship, record keeping, etc.
Indicator: Participants recognize increased confidence in their skills related to agriculture and youth improved gardening techniques, showmanship, livestock judging, etc.
Method: Follow-up surveys, personal interviews and observations
Timeline: 1 -3 month follow-up to program implementation
Long-term Outcome: Farms learn and use more value added avenues for their crops
Indicator: Increase in Farmers Market value added sales, more information requested for new crops such as Hi Tunnels, more intense labor crops such as HEMP. Increase in participants trained in Micro Processing from our area. Increase in locally sourced meat approved sites in the county.
Method: review of the BC Farmers Market, review of producer requests.
Timeline: 2019-2020
Long-term Outcome: An increase in the number of youth pursuing Agricultural related careers and opportunities. An improvement in the local environment to promote and support local agricultural systems.
Indicator: Youth pursuing Agricultural career opportunities and business opportunities. Youth selling their Agricultural products.
Method: Personal interviews and observations
Timeline: 1 -3 month follow-up to program implementation
Audience: Local 6th Grade Youth
Project or Activity: Youth Agriculture Expo
Content or Curriculum: Agriculture Awareness resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, volunteer leadership, community sponsors
Date: Spring 2020
Audience: Local Grain Farmers
Project or Activity: Monthly grain crops update meetings
Content or Curriculum: Local grain elevators, UK Specialists.
Inputs: UK Specialists, Local grain elevators, local farmers.
Audience: Local Grain Farmers
Date: Fall and winter 2019/2020
Audience: Local Youth (4th-8th grade)
Project or Activity: 4-H Jr. Master Gardeners
Content or Curriculum: Jr. Master Gardener curriculum and Kentucky 4-H approved curriculum
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, public library, volunteer leadership, curriculum and program resources
Date: Summer 2019 and Summer 2020
Audience: Local Youth (Preschool - 3rd grade)
Project or Activity: 4-H Mini Master Gardeners
Content or Curriculum: Jr. Master Gardener curriculum and Kentucky 4-H approved curriculum
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, public library, volunteer leadership, curriculum and program resources
Date: Spring 2019 and Spring 2020
Audience: Local Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Project Clubs (Youth Livestock, Poultry, Rabbit, Horse, and Dog Clubs)
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H approved curriculum for Animal Science and Agriculture
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, public library, volunteer leadership, curriculum and program resources
Date: 2019-2020 program year
Audience: Local Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Summer Project Workshops
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H approved curriculum for Horticulture and Gardening
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, volunteer leadership, curriculum and program resources
Date: Summer 2019 and Summer 2020
Audience: Farm and home owners
Project or Activity: Field day events, winter meetings, monthly meetings for cattle producers and Bee keepers
Content or Curriculum: Information provided by the specific specialists
Inputs: BCCA, State Specialists, Local producers for field events, supporting agencies, SCS and FSA
Date: 2019-2020 program year
Audience: Farm and home owners
Project or Activity: Industry visits, programs by UK Animal Science dept., program by KY Proud coordinator
Content or Curriculum: Information provided by the specific specialists
Inputs: BCCA, State Specialists, Local producers for field events, supporting agencies, BC Farmers Market
Date: 2019-2020 program year
Audience: Farmers Market Vendors
Project or Activity: Bi-Annual Update and weekly visits on how to improve their marketability.
Content or Curriculum: Information provided by KY Proud, present market success
Inputs: local vendors, Extension Agent, consumer surveys
Date: 2019-2020
Audience: Public
Project or Activity: Sweet corn Variety Trial, State Flower Garden Trial and local Garden Vegetable trials plus varieties provided through the KY MG Program
Content or Curriculum: Information provided by State Horticulture Specialists, local growers and Master Gardeners
Input: local market vendors, office staff, Detention Center, Master Gardeners, State Specialists, KY MG Program for plants, and seeds. Local meeting participants
Date: 2019-20
Audience: Families
Project or Activity: Farmers Market tastings and promotional activities
Content or Curriculum: Plate it Up Kentucky Market, Farmers Market Tool Kit
Input: Sampling and promotional items to promote purchasing and eating locally grown produce.
Date: Summer 2019
Audience: Small Farmers
Project or Activity: Small animal production
Content or Curriculum: KSU specialists
Input: Education, hands-on demonstration
Date: Spring 2020
Audience: Small Farmers
Project or Activity: Plastic Mulch
Content or Curriculum: KSU specialists
Input: Education, hands-on demonstration, equipment
Date: 2019-2020
Author: Carol Hinton
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Another successful year in the booksA young farmer entrepreneur completed his third year raising poinsettias. We stay in constant contact during the growing season with his tobacco plants which leads right into planting his poinsettias in the middle of August. During the first two years of growing we ran into issues with Pythium root rot that I diagnosed on site with a DINOLITE. After reviewing his production practices and working with the UK Plant Pathologist t we narrowed dow
Author: Carol Hinton
Major Program: Beef
Post Weaning Value-Added Program – Precondition (PVAP-PRECONDITION) The Post Weaning Valued Added Program - Precondition (PVAP-PRECONDITION) began in 2019 through a grant from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund and is administered by the University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Beef Network. The objective of PVAP-PRECONDITION is to encourage cow-calf producers to re
