Extension
It Starts With Us
Crop production, Livestock production, & Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable & Profitable Crop & Livestock Production
Schalk, Stith, Tarry, Drake
Beef
Chemical Management
Grains
Agriculture
Barren County has traditionally led the region in diverse agriculture production. Producers utilizing these practices help to enhance their profitability & promote sustainability. Forages, grain crops, & tobacco continue to be in place on many Barren County farms. Dairy, beef, poultry, small ruminants, and horses are staples in many operations. Producers continue to be charged with producing commodities in an environmental sustainable manner.
-Diversify operations to meet the changing ag products needs
-Efficient use of crop protectants
-Increased producer profits in ag enterprises
-Increase overall efficiency in livestock, grain & forage operations
-Supply new/beginning farmers with skill set to manage farming enterprises
-Implement the use of decision making tools for crop & livestock production
-Convert used/unleased grain crop land back to improved permanent pasture/hay ground
-Maintain high standards and husbandry practices for beef and small ruminant operations
-Increase awareness of manure management and water quality improvement
-Develop unique marketing options for producers
-Equip producers to reduce risk and get a handle on cost of production
-Develop necessary skill sets
-Provide programs to improve soil health and sustainability
-Realize diversification within livestock enterprises
Long-term Outcome: Evaluate increased number of producers shown to utilize improved management practices in their crop production
Indicator: Note the number of producers utilizing product usage and purchasing habits in their farm management practices
Method: Surveys, farm visits, evaluations
Timeline: July-June
Intermediate Outcome: : Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing hay through tri county hay auction
Indicator: type, quality & price per unit
Method: Survey local farmers who are selling in sale
Timeline: Seasonal, by crop
Initial Outcome: Evaluate changes in grain producers risk management plans
Indicator: Note changes in grain crops producers who attended programming
Method: Farm visits, 1 on 1 interviews, survey
Timeline: after harvest season
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:
Audience: Tobacco Producers
Project or Activity: Tobacco GAP
Content or Curriculum: UK CAFÉ & GAP Connections
Inputs: GAP materials, specialist(s), GAP connections, US Dept of Labor
Date: Spring
Audience: Crop Producers
Project or Activity: Chemical Management Training
Content or Curriculum: Private Pesticide Training, Specialists
Inputs: UK Specialists, videos, field days
Date: Winter and early Spring
Audience: Animal Commodity Groups
Project or Activity: Monthly meetings
Content or Curriculum: forages, nutrition, health, marketing, management
Inputs: CAFÉ resources, UK & KSU specialists, SRPS
Date: July through June
Audience: Producers & Citizens Interested in Agriculture
Project or Activity: Get the Scoop radio show on WGGC
Content or Curriculum: Timely topics on production, safety, & new technology.
Inputs: Agents, CAFÉ resources, & UK specialists
Date: July through June
Audience: Forage Producers
Project or Activity: Producing profitable forage
Content or Curriculum: Forage best management practices
Inputs: Agents, UK specialists
Date: Fall and Winter
Audience: 4-H Youth Interested in Agriculture
Project or Activity: 4-H projects in horses, dairy, livestock, natural resources, & plant & soil sciences
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Core Curriculum & National 4-H project curriculum
Inputs: CAFÉ resources, UK specialists, 4-H specialists
Date: July through June
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Local Food Systems
The Covid-19 pandemic has presented challenges to many people. It has changed the way we live and work. One of the challenges that has developed for Extension Agents is how do we continue to deliver quality educational programs to our clientele during this health crisis? Most traditional face-to-face program delivery methods are not currently an option.An alternate method is electronic delivery of programs. Because most of our traditional field days were canceled due to Covid, agents collaborate
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Chemical Management
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how Extension Agents are able to deliver quality educational programs to our clientele during this health crisis. Most in-person meetings are currently not an option. Agents have become more reliant on virtual programs and social media.The Mammoth Cave ANR/Hort agents in our ten county area have hosted the SOKY Commercial Pesticide Training for several years. This gives agribusinesses, turf professionals, and landscapers an opportunity to obtain their continuing
Author: LaToya Drake
Major Program: Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
The Mammoth Cave Biosphere Region is home to the world’s largest cave system. The Region, that was founded in 1990 as part of the UNESCO Man, exists under a cooperative agreement between Mammoth Cave National Park, the Barren River Area Development District, and Western Kentucky University; it is composed of a 25-member Advisory Council with members from federal, state, and local governments, community groups, conservation groups, universities, local businesses, and agriculture.
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Dairy
The Mammoth Cave area is the heart of the dairy industry in Kentucky. Over 50% of the state’s total dairies and over 75% of the state’s total dairy cattle are located in south central Kentucky. Agents from this area joined forces to bring an educational video that not only focuses on dairy production but adding value past the farm gate. Legacy Dairy owned by the Jones family, bottles the milk from their cows right on the farm. The non-homogenized, yet pasteurized m
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Beef
Barren County is known as a cattle county. Barren County leads KY in both beef and dairy production. The producers in Barren County range from full time farmers to part time farmers to folks new to farming due to retirement and returning to the family farm. This is the case with Mr. Dennis. Mr. Dennis reached out to the Barren County Ag Agent to help him get a small commercial beef operation up and running after he returned to the family farm. Mr. Dennis returned to
