McCracken County Horticulture Education Outreach Plan of Work

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McCracken County CES

Title:
McCracken County Horticulture Education Outreach
MAP:
Horticulture Education
Agents Involved:
Wimberley, Anderson, Osborne, FCS
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Master Gardener
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Local Food Systems
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Chemical Management
Situation:
  1. Cooperative Extension Service (CES) Horticulture Agent is regularly asked about issues encountered in the landscape and garden.  

  1. Extension Master Gardeners (EMG) are needed as community volunteers to help with horticulture education due knowledge gained through training and experiences in the EMG program.  

  1. There are needs and demands for locally-grown food.

      4.  CES is responding to the needs to prevent the misuse of pesticides to protect the environment and the health of the applicators.

Long-Term Outcomes:


Individuals participating in McCracken County CES will apply knowledge gained to benefit themselves, families, and environment. This will have a direct impact on the community. 

Intermediate Outcomes:


An increased number of McCracken County residents participate in Cooperative Extension Service programs and services.

Initial Outcomes:

Youth and Adults recognize the services offered by McCracken CES.

Evaluation:


Long-term Outcome:  

Indicator: The number of individuals and families and individuals with Commercial Pesticide Licenses (CPA) report that they have implemented what they have learned from McCracken CES outreach. 

Method: Surveys, personal interviews, virtual interaction, reports  

Timeline: July to June  

Intermediate Outcome 

Indicator: The number of residents and workers with CPA licenses, including active volunteers who participate in or gain information from McCracken CES programs increases. 

Method: Personal interviews, interviews of and meetings with volunteers 

Timeline: July to June  

Initial Outcome 

Indicator: The number of residents, CPA license holders, and schools that contact McCracken County Cooperative Extension for programming needs and education increase.   

Method:  Call log records, calendars, record of office visits, record of virtual interaction   

Timeline: Ongoing 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Adults  

Project or Activity: Consumer questions and answers 

Content or Curriculum: Agent training, UK/KSU publications 

Inputs: All agents, volunteers and UK Specialists, virtual trainings and meetings  

Date: July to June


Audience: McCracken County residents, Paducah/McCracken County Schools (non-commercial), commercial horticulture producers 

Project or Activity:  Soil-sampling coupons as described by Extension District Board 

Content or Curriculum:  Soil sampling coupons for McCracken County residents to get up to 7 free basic soil tests with an assigned value limited to $50.00 per resident, soil sample analysis, UK/KSU publications.  

Inputs: Agents, UK/KSU Specialists, virtual trainings and meetings  

Date: Ongoing


Audience: Adults and Youth 

Project or Activity: Educational Programs, including but not limited to: Toolbox Series, Virtual Flower Show

Content or Curriculum: Agent training, UK/KSU publications

Inputs: UK and KSU Agents, volunteers and UK /KSU Specialists

Date: July to June


 Audience: Adults 

Project or Activity: Training of EMG of 12 sessions of approximately 2 hours in length.  Sessions taught by Agents, Specialists or local experts, EMG 

Curriculum:Cooperative Extension/ Volunteerism     Basic Botany.    Soils and Fertility.    Plant Pathology.   EntomologyPesticides, IPM and Pesticide safety. 

Additional Topics defined by the McCracken County Agent 

Annual & Perennial Flowers

Woody PlantsFruits

Vegetables

Landscape DesignInterior Plants

Organic Gardening

Water Quality 

Turfgrass

Others; Hands-on activities

Plant Identification

Insect and Disease identification

Field trips as appropriate

Content or Curriculum: County Offices and Ky Cooperative Extension

InputsStaff time  Extension Agents, Specialists

Extension Master Gardener Volunteers

Funding  Fees from training and other courses; local grants and in-kind support 

Training materialsKY EMG Training Manual; PowerPoint Presentations; purchased books and resources; Extension publications; Tests and quizzes shared by county agents

Internet access through eXtension and potential access and use of eXtensions Ask an Expert

Social media tools including blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, Google Maps; State, regional and national EMG conferences and tour opportunities

Date: Ongoing



Success Stories

Extension Master Gardeners Create a Virtual Flower Show Due to Covid-19 Guidelines' Canceling the County Fair

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Master Gardener

Extension Master Gardeners Create a Virtual Flower Show Due to Covid-19 Guidelines' Canceling the County Fair

Due to closures of traditional UK Cooperative Extension programs from the Covid-19 Pandemic, the standard flower show of the county fair was canceled. The idea from McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service County Manager prompted creation of a virtual flower show. All participants were able to do this while safer at home.  McCracken Horticulture Agent and advisor to McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners (MCEMG) asked for their input on the idea. MCEMG created a committee to deve

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Windowsill Gardening Bags

Author: Samantha Anderson

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

With family lifestyles getting busier and COVID19 closing many places and parks, it has put a strain on many families.  According to Harvard Graduate School of Education, "studies show gardens support and encourage healthful eating as a key component of children's physical wellbeing, which can aid their academic and social success, too." Through the efforts of the McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service, families in McCracken County started their own vegetable gard

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McCracken EDB and Hort Agent Partnership Increase Soil Sampling in MS4 Community

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Soil testing

McCracken EDB and Hort Agent Partnership Increase Soil Sampling in MS4 Community

From a program aimed at farmers to offer free soil testing, the McCracken County Extension District Board partnered with County Manager and Horticulture Agent to include all residents of the county. Efforts to allow up to 7 free soil tests for the current fiscal year aimed at saving stakeholder's dollars and also reducing the overuse of fertilizers. excessive NPK in the home setting contribute to pollution in the waterways. With the fact that Paducah is an MS4 community, this is an important

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Increase of Residents Questions and Answers

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Due to the Covid -19 pandemic, the month of July of 2020 saw an increase in the number of people who asked questions about their lawn and garden. People were staying at home more this July. Numbers of people who asked questions about thiner lawn and gardens in 2019 was 32. The month of July 2020 showed a total of 72 inquiries by McCracken residents. This comparison of the month of July 2019 and July 2020 as a target of activity showed a 225 percent increase in households seeking i

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McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners Long Term Success

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Master Gardener

 Current Horticulture Agent is a lifetime master gardener from another state came to McCracken County Extension in 2009 with the idea of smaller programs to provide educational information in horticulture to the county. The plan was to add friendlier, easier outreach. One new idea was to build the volunteer numbers. For each year, over the next 10 years, the master gardener training was offered.  This brought new volunteers to PAMGA, at an average of 5 people per year. Some stayed

Full Story

Free Tree Seedling Giveaway

Author: Samantha Anderson

Major Program: Water and Soil Quality and Conservation

Free Tree Seedling Giveaway

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, planting trees provides a multitude of benefit to local ecosystems. These benefits include protecting soil from rill and sheet erosion, protecting water quality by filtering excess nutrients and chemicals from surface runoff, increasing infiltration rates and providing long term wildlife habitats. In partnership with the McCracken County Soil Conservation District, McCracken County Agent for Agricult

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McCracken County Extension Service Helps County Fair in Wake of Pandemic

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Master Gardener

McCracken County Extension Service Helps County Fair in Wake of Pandemic

Need:   Due to Covid pandemic guidelines in early months of 2021, the Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Assistant, and the McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners (MCEMG) were faced with the challenge of how to conduct the annual flower show in Floral Hall of the county fair. Planning begins in January of each year for the June edition of the County Fair. An alternative to the usual was needed to fit last-minute decision by the Fair committee to hold the 2021 Fair. Agent and Assista

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McCracken County Fair Floral Show 2021

Author: Mary Dossett

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

McCracken County Fair Floral Show 2021

Participation in the McCracken County Floral Show held at the Fairgrounds  Need: The Covid pandemic was far from being over, so the restrictions were still in full force. The horticulture agent, horticulture assistant, and the Master Gardeners (MCEMG) had to make a quick decision regarding the fair. The fair takes place in June so the planning beginning in early January. To abide by the states Covid regulations it was decided to have an alternative to the usual fair.  Ho

Full Story
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