Extension
It Starts With Us
Educating the community on issues that lead to a better Fulton County.
Improving the Home and Community
Ben Rudy, Bernita Cheirs, Anna McCoy
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Local Food Systems
Understanding how our daily choices impact our lives, home, community, and environment is vital to preserving our natural resources and lead to a healthy community for the present and future generations. These choices begin in the home. Gardening, lawn and landscape care effect family and community. By working in garden or yard physical activity improves the participant’s health, relieve stress, and can provide a healthy food source. Over time, the decrease of obesity and health concerns reduce medical bills and beautifies the community, thus encouraging business to move into the area.
According to the EPA, 100 million pounds of active ingredients from pesticides were applied in home and gardens throughout the United States. Each year, over $11 billion is spent on household and garden pest control products. Proper use of pesticides by homeowners and commercial operations is imperative and directly impact our environment including groundwater sources. The need to apply pesticides increases when plant care/selection best practices are not followed. With Fulton County’s location on the Mississippi River, the decision our homeowner’s make have an effect on the rest of the Mississippi River Communities downstream from us.
To improve the environmental quality in the home and landscape throughout Fulton 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.
Home owners will implement UK soil tests and recommendations.
Home owners will implement recommended practices while applying pesticides.
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.
Home consumers will utilize researched based information to properly apply best practices including proper plant selection, proper cultural 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.
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.
Homeowners will start their own gardens and taking care of their lawns and landscapes.
Initial Outcome: Increase knowledge of home horticulture topics
Indicator: Increase in contacts with the office regarding horticulture
Method: Office Logs
Timeline: Program Year
Initial Outcome: Increase of garden in Fulton County.
Indicator: Increase in participation in Town and County Days
Method: Agent Observations
Timeline: Program Year
Intermediate Outcome: Homeowners will adopt landscaping practices that protect and preserve our natural resources
Indicator: Participants will indicate an increased knowledge change when evaluated at the end of the program
Method: Retrospective survey; Follow-up survey, Agent Observations
Timeline: Program Year
Intermediate Outcome: Producers/home owners will utilize information gained to make good decisions regarding variety selection, chemical usage, and plant production practices.
Indicator: self-reported changes of behavior/site visit observations
Method: pre-post surveys
Timeline: Program Year
Audience: Homeowners
Activity: Landscape maintenance and gardening videos
Content or Curriculum: Supplied by agents and specialists
Inputs: facilities, staff, volunteers; county funding
Date: Program Year
Audience: Homeowners
Project or Activity: Soil Testing
Content or Curriculum: UK Soil and Manure Test Recommendations
Inputs: Agent Time
Date: Program Year
Audience: Homeowners
Project or Activity: Diagnostic Services
Content or Curriculum: UK Diagnostic Services recommendations
Inputs: Agent Time
Date: Program Year
Audience: Youth
Activity: Youth Gardening
Content or Curriculum: Gardening Series
Input: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (Agents, staff, and specialists), Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Local Volunteers
Date: Spring/Summer 2018
Audience: Extension Homemakers/General Public
Activity: Leader trainings, workshops
Content: Upcycling/Repurposing
Inputs: Extension resources, eXtension, other university's Extension resources, USDA
Date: November 2018
Audience: Fulton County Producers and Homeowners
Project or Activity: Newsletter, News Articles, Facebook, emails, etc
Content or Curriculum: UK and other resource material
Inputs: Agent Time
Date: Program Year
Audience: Fulton County Producers
Project or Activity: PAT Training
Content or Curriculum: PAT Program
Inputs: Agent Time
Date: Annually
Audience: Adults and youth
Project or Activity: Food Preservation
Content or Curriculum: Various UK Lessons
Inputs: FCS, Homemakers, 4-H
Date: Spring and Summer 2018
Author: Bernita Cheirs
Major Program: Community Engagement
~~On September 25th, the Fulton County Extension Office and the Fulton County Schools Family Resource office collaborated together to host the third annual Family Day event. CASA Family Day is a national program sponsored by the Center for Substance Abuse which encourages parental engagement. Research shows that children with hands-on parents are far less likely to smoke, drink or use other drugs. Through funds provided by the Fulton County-Hickman County ASAP council, a dinner was provided
Author: Anna Morgan
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
"DOWNSIZING AND ORGANIZING YOUR HOME" Lesson Impacts Purchase & Pennryile Area HomemakersDownsizing your home and transitioning into a smaller living space has become a recent trend for older adults. As people age, their larger homes require upkeep, continued maintenance, and expensive utility bills. Seniors may also face accessibility and self-care challenges stemming from multi-level living. By downsizing and minimizing, a smaller home can provide significant savings on property
Author: Bernita Cheirs
Major Program: Health 4-H Core Curriculum
The Fulton County Extension Council and 4-H Council identified tobacco, drug and alcohol abuse as a major concern for youth in our county. According to the Monitoring the Future 2017 Survey, studies showed an increase in marijuana use in grades 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. Also in 8th grades, inhalant use increased as well. With the help of the Youth Empowerment Systems grant and the Hickman-Fulton ASAP coalition, the Fulton County 4-H began programming efforts to increase youth’s awareness
