Agriculture and Horticulture

Agriculture and HorticulturePlan of Work

Back to the Program

Mercer County CES

Title:

Agriculture and Horticulture

MAP:

Advancing Agriculture & Horticulture

Agents Involved:

Linda McClanahan, Jessica Bessin, Dana Anderson

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Horticulture, Consumer and Home

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Horticulture, Commercial

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Beef

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Farm Management, Economics and Policy

Situation:

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.

Long-Term Outcomes:

*Increased interest in agriculture and horticulture production.
*Homeowners will save more money on home landscape.
*Increased diversification of crops produced in county.

Intermediate Outcomes:

*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

Initial Outcomes:

*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.

Evaluation:

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

Intermediate Outcome:
Indicator:
Method:
Timeline:

Long-term Outcome:
Indicator:
Method:
Timeline:

Learning Opportunities:

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 Extension Staff, UK Publications and other resources, Master Gardener volunteers
Date: Fall

Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Horticulture topics, instructor, newsletter, radio, Facebook page, videos,
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department, Horticulture organizations, Ag communications
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer County Hort. Agent, UK publications, Master Gardeners, Volunteers
Date: Ongoing

Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Gardening Through the Seasons
Content or Curriculum: UK CES
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications
Date: Ongoing

Audience: Clients with Beekeeping Interest
Project or Activity: Beekeeping Club
Content or Curriculum: KDA State Apiarist, Hands-on demonstrations, KY State
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications, KDA, KY State

Audience: Clients with Horticulture Interest
Project or Activity: Community Garden
Content or Curriculum: UK Horticulture Department
Inputs: CES Facilities, UK Extension Specialist, Mercer Extension Staff, UK publications, NEP
Date: Ongoing

Audience: Farmers
Project or Activity: Mercer County Horticulture Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Chosen by Hort Field Day Committee - from UK Specialists and Hort Industry
Inputs: Host farm, volunteers, CES Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organizations, Mercer Extension Staff
Date: Summer/Fall

Audience: Farmers Market Clients
Project or Activity: Fresh To Table
Content or Curriculum: NEP_Plate it Up, Veggie vouchers, Recipes
Inputs: UK publications, Volunteers, Mercer Extension Staff, Partners/Sponsoring Organization
Date: On-going

Audience:Homeowners and Farmers
Project or Activity: Pesticide Safety Training/ Pesticides 101
Content or Curriculum: KY Pest Management Curriculum, hands on demonstrations
Inputs: UK Specialist, Extension Publications, Mercer Extension Staff
Date: Spring/Summer

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 the educational objective set by the 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
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, videos, podcasts
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
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: 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

Success Stories

Mercer County Fair

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 would allow the livestock shows to happen safely for exhibitors and staff alike.  Then they wor