Extension
It Starts With Us
Agriculture and Horticulture
Advancing Agriculture & Horticulture in Mercer Co.
Linda McClanahan, Jessica Bessin
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Commercial Horticulture
Beef
Soils
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 County HORT agent, UK Publications and other resources, Master Gardener volunteers
Date: Spring
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Horticulture topics,instructor, newsletter, radio
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort Agent, UK publications, Master Gardeners
Date: On-going
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Gardening Through the Seasons
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort Agent, UK publications,
Date: On-going
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Holiday Greenery Workshop
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department
Inputs: CES Facilities, Mercer County Hort Agent, UK publications,
Date: December
Audience: Clients with Beekeeping Interest
Project or Activity: Beekeeping Club
Content or Curriculum: KDA State Apiarist, Hands on demonstrations
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort Agent, UK publications, KDA
D
Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Community Garden
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort Agent, UK publications,
Date: On-going
ate: On-going
Audience: Farmers Market Clients
Project or Activity: Garden Flavors
Content or Curriculum: UK Vegetable Production and fruit production guides, Plate it Up!
Inputs: UK publications, Master Gardeners, Mercer Agents,
Date: On-going
Audience: Children
Project or Activity: Plant Camp
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort Agent, UK publications,
Date: On-going
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 Dinner
Content or Curriculum: National Farm City Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, content relevant to educational objective set by 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: Farmers and first responders
Project or Activity: Grain Bin Rescue Safety Orientation and Safety Training
Content or Curriculum: KY Department of Agriculture & KY Fire Commission certification program
Inputs: Extension staff, Extension resources, KDA, Farm Bureau
Date: July and November
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, Horse College, special equine topic programs, State Equine Farm & Facilities Expo, Equine RCPP Grant/Demo Farm
Content or Curriculum: Horse College, 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
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, KY Stocker 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)
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, Farm Safety Dinner Theater
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, Beef Festival
Date: ongoing
Audience: general public
Project or Activity: Beef Bash
Content or Curriculum: meat science
Inputs: Dr. Gregg Rentfrow, UK Meat Dept, Mercer County Cattlemens Association, Mercer County Extension, homemakers, KY Fort Harrod Beef Festival
Date: spring
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
Author: Linda McClanahan
Major Program: Grain Crops
With the increase in grain bins throughout the county, multiple groups including Mercer County Fire Protection District, Mercer County Farm Bureau Federation and volunteer fire departments requested a grain bin rescue training. A turtle rescue tube was donated through Farm Bureau to the county fire department further increasing the need for first responders to be trained on use of the equipment. The ANR agent coordinated with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Farm & Ho
Author: Linda McClanahan
Major Program: Economic Development
In light of COVID-19, Mercer County Cooperative Extension Agents and staff teamed up with Mercer County Fair & Horse Show Board and Mercer County FFA to develop a plan that would allow Mercer County to continue with its long standing, rich tradition of the county fair. Mercer County 4-H and ANR agents worked diligently with Mercer County FFA advisors to develop a set of guidelines which will allow the livestock shows to happen safely for exhibitors and staff alike. Then they work
Author: Linda McClanahan
Major Program: Grain Crops
The Mercer County Agriculture Advisory Council and Mercer County Farm Bureau Federation continues to place high priority on teaching children where their food comes from. Each year during National Ag Week, the Mercer County ANR agent works with Mercer County Farm Bureau Federation, Mercer County Schools and Burgin Schools to read accurate agriculture books (including the American Farm Bureau Book of the Year) to the elementary school and typically is accompanied by a hands on activity. Thi
Author: Linda McClanahan
Major Program: Grain Crops
In response to request from local fire departments and the increase in grain bins being built in Mercer County, the ANR agent teamed up with a local farmer, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, KY State Fire Commission, Mercer County Fire District, Air Evac, Mercer County Cattlemens Association and Mercer County Farm Bureau Federation to put together a hands on grain bin rescue training day for local firefighters and first responders. The night before the training, the ANR agent collaborate
Author: Linda McClanahan
Major Program: Beef
In response to the need to get information out during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mercer County ANR agent and Mercer County SNAP-NEP assistant teamed up to provide nutrition information through agriculture via the schools backpack program. Both had attended a training and received new curriculum resources through KY Agriculture & Environment in the classroom. They decided to promote National Beef Month (May) and National Dairy Month (June). The ANR agent recorded videos of accurat
Author: Jessica Bessin
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
With an increased interest in home and consumer horticulture, WUKY (91.3 FM), the University of Kentucky’s public radio station, approached the Agricultural Communications Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. The station wanted a gardening program to broadcast on Sunday mornings. Jeff Franklin, Agriculture Communications specialist reached out to Horticulture Extension Agents within central Kentucky to assist with this request. A partners
Author: Jessica Bessin
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
A timely monthly newsletter is a great way to provide information to clientele. Newsletters are used for advertising events that occur at the Extension office, in the community and other state wide events. A large part of the Mercer County Horticulture newsletter is comprised of timely topics for homeowners as well as commercial producers. However, as much as you plan these topics there are always surprises (insect, disease, and other samples) that occur throughout the month. Waiting till the fo
Author: Jessica Bessin
Major Program: Commercial Horticulture
In an effort to offer more educational classes for commercial horticulture producers, UK Extension Specialist and Extension Agents teamed up to offer webinars on a variety of horticultural topics. These webinars were broadcast state wide using Zoom and were presented by a combination of agents and specialist. One of the webinars within this series was on tomato production. The tomato webinar was broken down into two session the first being on site selection, irrigation set up, weed managem
Author: Jessica Bessin
Major Program: Commercial Horticulture
Over the last few years high tunnels have started to grow in popularity in Mercer County. High tunnels are primarily use for specialty crop production, including fruit and vegetables, and have been shown to increase quality and yield. One huge benefit is they are able to extend the growing season for small and large commercial growers to provide produce when field production is on the decline or it is too early in the season. Due to this interest in high tunnel production the Mercer County Horti
