Extension
It Starts With Us
Endorsing Environmental Stewardship and Promoting Green Living
Promoting Environmentally Sound Practices
Kelly Jackson, Matt Futrell, Kaitlyne Metsker, Jeremiah Johnson, Mary Anne Garnett, Tiffany Bolinger
Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes
Natural Resources
Understanding how daily choices can impact our environment is vital to conserving and preserving our natural resources and ensuring a healthy environment for present and future generations. Producers and consumers are constantly seeking ways to produce crops and maintain productive home gardens and landscapes while remaining environmentally friendly. Urban home horticulture calls, emails, and walk-in visits indicate the need for additional classes and seminars in managing environmental resources at home. There is an increasing need for educational assistance on home and garden issues as Kentucky’s urban population grows. The rising cost of fuel energy conservation is also becoming increasingly important.
Green Living is common terminology that includes energy conservation, recycling, preservation, water quality and nature appreciation. Outdoor education provides a perfect opportunity for youth to develop an understanding of the concept of green living. Research has shown that outdoor education has an impact on four main areas--personal, interpersonal, academic, and environmental awareness. Specific results include an increase in test scores, environmental action / personal responsibility, and an increase in teamwork and relational skills as a result of working together with classmates.
Little RIver is a main artery that runs through Christian County. This river has been placed on the impaired streams list by the Kentucky Divison of Water. The county has put a high priority on making an effort to clean the river up and have it removed from the impaired streams list.
* To improve environmental quality in the home, landscape, and farm throughout Christian County.
* To create safe homes within environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the life-cycle.
* To improve the built and natural environment.
* To increase active and healthy lifestyles.
* Producers will implement recommendations outlined in their Ag water quality plans
* Producers and residential home owners will implement UK soil tests and recommendations
* Residents will demonstrate the skills needed to become Master Gardeners
* Producers will implement recommended practices while applying pesticides
* Land owners will implement food plots to meet the needs of wildlife populations in areas where supplemental nutrition is necessary for optimal performance and good overall herd health
* Homeowners will implement environmentally conscious decisions regarding home landscape maintenance
* Homeowners will implement environmentally conscious decision regarding home energy use and conservation practices
* Youth will practice being green by implementing one or more practice related to conservation and recycling
* Youth will increase teamwork, improved test scores and environmental actions
* Livestock Producers will utilize proper waste management practices
* Producers and consumers will aspire to form positive opinions about water quality and waste management
* Producers and consumers will gain knowledge on safe chemical usage pertaining to weed, disease and insect control
* Producers will complete and implement forest stewardship plans
* Master Gardener participants will gain knowledge in many aspects of home horticulture
* Producers will utilize pesticide container recycling program
* Homeowners will adopt landscaping practices that can improve the health and appearance of lawn and gardens while protecting and preserving natural resources
* Youth will learn the importance of being green
* Youth will learn to identify birds, learn the uses of trees, identify trees by leaf, develop an understanding of global warming and climate change, understand the need for water conservation and storm water run off
Intermediate Outcome: Homeowners will adopt landscaping practices that protect and preserve our natural resources
Indicator: 75% of participants will indicate an increased knowledge change when evaluated at the end of the program
Method: Retrospective survey; Follow-up survey
Timeline: Fall 2021
Outcome: Increased awareness of alternative fuels and energy consumption
Indicator: 10% will show a practice change which conserves energy
Method: Post program survey
Timeline: December-2020
Outcome: Increased awareness in wildlife habitat maintenance
Indicator: 75% of participants will indicate an increase in knowledge on the topic
Method: Post program evaluation
Timeline: Fall 2020
Outcome: Youth will adopt “green” habits
Indicator: Increased green habits
Method: Student/Leader evaluations
Timeline: Fall and Spring
Outcome: Improved teamwork and test scores
Indicator: Teacher responses
Method: Teacher Evaluations
Timeline: Fall and Spring
Outcome: Producers will utilize container recycling program
Indicator: Containers processed for recycling
Method: Measure number of containers collected
Timeline: Fall 2020
Outcome: Producers will utilize proper waste management techniques
Indicator: Frequency of Usage of manure spreader
Method: Record number of producers using county spreader
Timeline: Spring and summer
Outcome: Campers will become educated on outdoor activities and Ecosystems
Indicator: Number of Campers
Method: Camper Evaluations
Timeline: Summer 2021
Audience: General population, Extension Homemakers, Landowners, 4-H families, and producers
Activity: Newspaper and Newsletter articles
Content or Curriculum: University of Kentucky programing
Inputs: Kentucky CES Publications, eXtension Resources, Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association, Newsletters
Date: All year
Audience: Homeowners
Activity: Landscape maintenance and gardening videos
Content or Curriculum: Supplied by agents and specialists
Inputs: facilities, staff, volunteers; county funding
Date: Spring 2021
Audience: Landowners and woodland managers
Activity: Wildlife habitat improvement
Content or Curriculum: Supplied by agents and specialists
Inputs: Faculty, Staff, County funding and volunteers
Date: Spring 2021
Audience: Landowners, Master loggers
Activity: Woodland management
Content or Curriculum: Agent and specialists
Inputs: Faculty, Staff, State Agencies, volunteers
Date: Winter 2021
Audience: Producers
Activity: Efficient energy usage workshops,
Content or Curriculum: Supplied by state specialists and agents
Inputs: Faculty, staff, county funding, energy auditors
Date: 2020-2021 Program year
Audience: Producers
Activity: Water quality workshops and testing
Content or curriculum: State specialists and agents
Inputs: Faculty, staff, USGS, county funding, local consortium
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Kentucky Master Gardener Training
Content or Curriculum: State MG Curriculum
Input: Agents; specialists, volunteers, local gardeners
Date: Fall 2021
Audience: Youth
Activity: Summer Camp
Content or Curriculum: Natural Resources Core Curriculum
Inputs: Camp and Camp Staff
Audience: Youth and Adults
Activity: Ag Safety Day
Content or Curriculum: Progressive Ag Safety Day
Inputs: Faculty, staff, community volunteers, county funding
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Horticulture agents, headed by Andrea Stith and Amy Aldenderfer, started the Horticulture Webinar Wednesdays as an alternative to in-person horticulture lessons. The live webinars utilize agents, specialists, and other experts to present a 30-45 minute lesson to the public, with time in the end for questions. All the presentations were recorded, then posted to the Kentucky Hort News website along with the slides, notes, a survey, and any other source ma
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
According to a recent study by Gardening Insights marketing survey, gardeners spent 42% more time gardening in 2020 and younger gardeners (ages 19 to 28) are showing the most growth. This has been a noticeable trend since 2013 but the pandemic of 2020 saw the most rapid increase in gardeners. The Christian County Extension Office, working with the local Master Gardener Association, hosted the EXPO on Location as a new way to connect local garden centers with new and existing gardeners. The event
Author: Mary Anne Garnett
Major Program: Agriculture
Gardening with youth offer a variety of lessons from species of plants, what they need to grow, design, and responsibility. These factors are what created the 1st annual Christian County 4-H Growing with The Bloomery: Container Flower Garden contest a collaboration with 4-H and a local nursery. Youth would create flower gardens in a 14’-16’ diameter container and show proof of caring for entry until the day of judging. Starting in April youth that registered designed their own flower
Author: Kaitlyne Metsker
Major Program: Camping
2020 brought a halt to many beloved long-standing traditions in 4-H. This includes the magic of 4-H camp and the impact made in the lives of youth from all across Kentucky. While 4-H Camp 2021 certainly had it struggles, from planning in the era of COVID restrictions to securing transportation and limited capacity numbers; watching youth form new friendships, strengthen bonds, and learn new skills were worth it. For the 2021 camping season, Christian County had bed space for forty-sev
Author: Matthew Futrell
Major Program: Water and Soil Quality and Conservation
Water Quality should be one of the most important values held a in a community. In 2012 the Little River water Quality Consortium formed to address water quality in Christian County. Little River is the main body of water that flows through Christian County. Every couple of years the Division of Water scores streams all across the state. Prior to 2012 the Little River had been deemed a hazardous water source as it had elevated levels of E.coli and nutrients.The LRWQC made
Author: Kelly Jackson
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
What began as a short-term stop-gap for in-person programming during the 2020 Pandemic, has become a much-attended weekly horticulture program. Due to the continuing popularity of the Horticulture Webinar Wednesdays program, a team of Kentucky Horticulture agents has continued to present weekly Wednesday webinars at 12:30 ET (11:30 CT) as a “lunch and learn” horticultural program. This team also includes agents, specialists, and other experts who present a 30–45-minute horticul
Author: Jeremiah Johnson
Major Program: Camping
2020 brought a halt to many beloved long-standing traditions in 4-H. This includes the magic of 4-H camp and the impact made in the lives of youth from all across Kentucky. While 4-H Camp 2021 certainly had it struggles, from planning in the era of COVID restrictions to securing transportation and limited capacity numbers; watching youth form new friendships, strengthen bonds, and learn new skills were worth it. For the 2021 camping season, Christian County had bed space for forty-seven cam
