Home Gardening, Food Preservation, and Food Preparation Plan of Work

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Perry County CES

Title:
Home Gardening, Food Preservation, and Food Preparation
MAP:
Accessing Nutritious Foods
Agents Involved:
Wooten, Gibson,May
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Food Preparation and Preservation
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Nutrition and Food Systems General
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Communications and Expressive Arts
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Situation:

The Perry County residents that participated in the 2019 Extension Community Assessment indicated a need for more training for food gardening skills. (39.51%) Although only 5% of this county’s acreage is considered farmland, increased home garden production would give households better access to fresher more nutritious produce if sourced more locally. The county’s largest detrimental health factor is reflected in the 45% of adult population that is obese. (E. KY By The Numbers, October 2019) Thirty-six (36%) report little or no regular physical activity. 16% of adults have diabetes and 45% suffer from hypertension. (E. KY By The Numbers, October 2019) One out of three residents (35%) receive SNAP benefits in a county with a 30.9% poverty rate. The estimated food insecurity rate is 19.3% compared to 15.5% for the state. (Zimmerman, KY By The Numbers, January 2019) Both public school districts provide the USDA free lunch program to 100% of the students with at least two meals per day plus in-school or take-home snacks as well as two school summer feeding programs delivered throughout the county. Sixty percent (60%) of youth age 5 to 19 have families receiving some kind of public assistance. (Zimmerman, KY By The Numbers, January 2019).

 

Long-Term Outcomes:

 Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity.
 Save money by preserving produce from gardens or farmer’s markets. 
 Save money by preparing foods at home. 
 Increase family income by growing and selling produce at the Farmer’s Market. 
 If future budget allows, construct an Annex that will accommodate gardening and fruit and vegetable production workshops, food preparation, food preservation workshops and home-based micro-processing workshops.

Youth will be advocates for agriculture and sustainable food and fiber production.

Increase number of youth at lower risk for serious health issues.

Encourage and promote a more active lifestyle to improve overall health and well-being.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Identify and utilize correct method of canning for low acid and high acid foods. 
 Identify and purchase healthier foods. 
 Expand orchards and gardens to offset family food cost and to sell extra produce at the Farmer’s Market. 

Youth will be able to explain the role of agriculture in daily life.

Youth and adults will be able to understand the correlation between food/activities to health and wellness.

 

Initial Outcomes:

Increase awareness about relationships between food and nutrition practices and chronic disease.

Learn how to increase fruit and vegetable consumption. 
 Learn how to make wise choices in selecting foods. 
 Learn production practices, for fruit and vegetables. 

Youth will gain knowledge and skills in production and utilization of food in areas of animal and food science.

 

Evaluation:

Outcome: Nutrition knowledge, skills, and competencies gained.
 Indicator:
Number of individuals who reported: use knowledge and skills to improve food-shopping management; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions; increased food preservation knowledge; demonstrated recommended food preservation practices.

Number of youth who demonstrate a skill that was learned or improved by 4-H program participation.

Number of youth and adults who can relate better health diet and more activity.

Method: Self-report surveys; specific curricula or program evaluations. 4-H Common Measures Survey. 
 Timeline: 2021-2024 


 

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: County clientele 
 Project or Activity: Food Preservation 
 Content or Curriculum:
Publications, Trainings, Home-Based Micro-Processing Training, and workshops

Inputs :Agents, specialists 
 Date: Spring –on-going
  

Audience: Community

Project or Activity: Farmers Market Outreach
 Content or Curriculum: UK Curriculum 
 Inputs: Agents, NEP, community partners 
 Date: 2021-2024 


Audience: Families
 Project or Activity: 
Food Preparation for Better Health
 Content or Curriculum: UK Curriculum 
 Inputs: Agents, NEP, community partners
 Date: October 2021-2024

Audience: Homemakers, General Public, Youth 
 Project or Activity: Promoting Nutrition with Volunteers 
 Content or Curriculum: UK Curriculum 
 Inputs: Agents, NEP, volunteers
 Date: All year 


Audience: NEP/Snap Eligible Families 
 Project or Activity: Lessons for program families 
 Content or Curriculum: Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices 
 Inputs: Agents, NEP assistants 
 Date: 2021 - 2024 
  

Audience: Fruit and Vegetable Producers 
 Project or Activity: Fruit and vegetable production workshops and food safety training 
 Content or Curriculum: Training will be provided on production practices, marketing, pest, disease control and food safety 
 Inputs: Agents, Specialist 
 Date: 2021-2024


Audience: School-aged youth and their leaders

Project or Activity: Food and Fiber Production

Content or Curriculum: Farm 2 School, LEAP, Appalachian Heritage. Project Food, Land and People, 4-H Horticulture, Core dealing with plant and soil sciences, 4-H Entomology

Inputs: NEP assistances, Agents, Teachers, Youth, Hands-on lessons dealing with subject matter

Date: 2021-2024


Audience: School-aged youth and their leaders

Project or Activity: 4-H Livestock

Content or Curriculum: KY 4-H Livestock training materials

Inputs: Certified volunteer, Youth, Contest opportunities

Date; 2021-2024


Audience: School-aged youth and their leaders

Project or Activity; 4-H Poultry Program including incubation project. Poultry judging, avian bowl, egg cookery, barbecue skills.

Content or Curriculum: KY 4-H poultry training materials

Inputs: volunteers, youth, contest opportunities

Date: 2021-2024


Audience: School-aged youth and their leaders.

Project or Activity: FCS projects and programs, workshops, demonstrations. 

Content or Curriculum: 4-H curricula on food prep, baking, BBQ, food preservation.

Inputs: Supplies, instruction, facility, presenters, agents, NEP

Date: 2021-2024

 




Success Stories

Nutrition Education

Author: Glenna Wooten

Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation

Due to the pandemic, educational information had to be delivered differently. The Family and Consumer Sciences agent worked with community agencies to prepare materials appropriate for the audience and arrange for the information to be included in these multi-agency endeavors.  The local health department sponsored a Drive Thru health fair reaching approximately 100 during the two hour event, the WIC office prepared a monthly mailout to their families enrolled in WIC and invited Extension t

Full Story

Virtual Fruit and Vegetable Grower's Workshops

Author: Charles May

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

he annual Perry County Extension Service and Perry County Conservation District sponsored Fruit and Vegetable Grower’s workshop looked a little different this spring. Like most events this past year and a half, we had to go virtual. Actually, one positive note that the COVID pandemic left us is, we found out we could adapt and still effectively deliver programs to our clientele. This virtual format also made it possible to reach audiences we hadn’t reached by in-person workshops.&nbs

Full Story
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