Extension
It Starts With Us
Youth and Adults Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, Adaptation, & Sustainability
Agriculture Education and Sustainability
Allen, Flynt, Johnson, Simon
Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
Beef
Farmer's Markets
Sustainable Agriculture
Kentucky is home to 85,500 farms, tied with Oklahoma as the 4th ranking state in the number of farms (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2012). The average farm size in Kentucky is 164 acres, compared to the national average of 421 (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2012). Between 2007 and 2012, the Bluegrass State had a 6.7% decrease in the number of acres of farmland, which is the greatest percentage decrease any state in the country (Census of Agriculture, 2012). A farm is defined by the United States government as “any place that produced and sold, or normally would produce and sell, $1,000 or more of agricultural products during the census year.” While Kentucky’s population is increasing, the number of people living on farms is decreasing. Therefore, the need exists to educate people, particularly youth, about the impact that it makes on their daily lives, as well as the importance of agriculture to the commonwealth. The top agricultural products produced on Kentucky farms are changing. In 2012, the Top 10 agriculture products in Kentucky were: Broilers, Corn, Horses & Mules, Soybeans, Cattle & Calves, Tobacco, Dairy Products & Milk, Wheat, Hay and Chicken Eggs (United States Department of Agriculture – Kentucky, 2012). In order to provide agricultural education to youth, counties will either plan and conduct an Ag Day Program, designed to educate participants on the value of agriculture to Kentucky’s economy and the impact that agriculture has on their daily lives or teach Ag in the Classroom to elementary school students.
Youth will engage in entrepreneurial enterprise.
• Youth will gain and maintain employment resulting from life skill development through 4-H.
• Youth will be advocates for agriculture and healthy and sustainable food systems.
Increased farm income
Increase the agricultural productivity
Maintain green space in our community
Youth will practice and apply skills and knowledge in the production of food and fiber in the areas
of plant sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.
• Youth will adopt and practice skills that contribute to employability.
• Youth can explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others.
• Youth will set a goal and accomplish it.
• Youth can influence the purchase of Kentucky Proud products.
• Youth can practice entrepreneurship skills related to agriculture and food systems.
Clientele utilize futures and options trading
Clientele incorporate sound management practices
Clientele exhibit proper animal husbandry
Clientele utilize alternative feed sources
Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant
sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.
• Youth will gain an understanding of healthy and sustainable food systems.
• Youth will develop valuable life-skills, including decision-making, communications, record-
keeping, leadership and service.
Clientele learn how to utilize futures and options
Clientele learn how to incorporate sound management practices
Clientele learn proper animal husbandry
Outcome: Youth engage in agricultural programs and increase profitability
Indicator: Community agriculture events, Record books
Method: Sign in sheets, Evaluations, Record Books, Interviews
Timeline: All year
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will participate in agriculture events and practice sound agricultural practices
Indicator: Livestock meetings, Community Agriculture events, County Fair, Community Gardens
Method: Sign in sheets, Evaluations, observation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Initial Outcome: Youth will learn basic principles of agriculture and where their food comes from
Indicator: Livestock meetings
Method: End of program evaluation
Timeline: Throughout the year
Outcome – Increase farm income, productivity and maintain green space
Indicator – Farm income, Acres of farms
Method – Ag statistics, Pre and post surveys
Timeline – Yearly
Outcome: Utilize futures and options trading, sound management and animal husbandry
Indicator: Farm income, acres of farms
Method: Pre and post, interviews
Timeline: yearly
Outcome: Increase knowledge in futures and options, sound management practices, and animal husbandry
Indicator: Changes in knowledge regarding the above
Method: Evaluation
Timeline: Yearly
Audience: Youth
Activity: 4-H Small Animal Projects
Content or Curriculum: OSU Publications, UK Publications, specialists
Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: All Year
Audience: Youth
Activity: Chick Incubation
Content or Curriculum: OSU Publications, UK Publications, National CCS curriculum
Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers, Scott County Schools
Date: School year
Audience: Youth
Activity: Youth Gardening Workshops
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Gardening, 4H Publications, UK Publications
Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Summer
Audience: Youth
Activity: Ag Adventure Day
Content or Curriculum: Ag Education to Elementary Students
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: 4-H/Youth
Activity: Livestock/Animal Project Groups/Country Ham
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Year Round
Audience: Youth
Activity: School programs Clubs and projects
Content or Curriculum: Agriculture
Inputs: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers, Scott County Schools
Date: Throughout the year
Audience: 4-H Leaders
Activity: Volunteer Livestock and Horse Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY 4-H Livestock/Horse Certification Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring and Fall
Audience: Youth
Activity: Horse Club
Content or Curriculum: Horse Certification Materials
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Dates: Throughout the year
Audience: General Farm Public
Education: Audience: General Farm Public
Activity: Grazing programs, Intensive Forage Demonstrations
Content or Curriculum: Back-grounding programs utilizing forages
Date: Fall
Activity: Master Cattlemen/Marketer/Stocker Programs
Content or Curriculum: Cattle Management
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall and Spring
Activity: Beginning Farmer Program, Mentor Sessions
Content or Curriculum: General Information on Farming
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Throughout Year
Activity: Farmer’s Market
Content or Curriculum: Direct Consumer Sales
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Summer
Activity: BQA & Livestock Handling & Care Training
Content or Curriculum: BQA management practices to improve production and handling
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Throughout the Year
Activity: Master Gardeners
Content or Curriculum: Continued Volunteer Training; Education on Gardening
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Throughout the Year
Activity: Ag Tour
Content or Curriculum: Learning more about existing enterprise in the county & touring new to add to farm income
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Summer
Audience: 4-H/Youth
Activity: Livestock/Animal Project Groups
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Year Round
Audience: General Public
Activity: Farm City Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Agriculture and Natural Resources
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: General Public
Activity: Farm City Banquet
Content or Curriculum: Agriculture and Natural Resources
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: General Public
Activity: Master Cattlemen/ Marketer/ Stocker Program; Feeder Calf Grading Schools
Content or Curriculum: Master Cattleman
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: General Public
Activity: Horse College
Content or Curriculum: Horse College
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: General Public
Activity: Agriculture Economics Training
Content or Curriculum: Agricultural Economics
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: 4-H Leaders
Activity: Volunteer Livestock Certification
Content or Curriculum: KY 4-H Livestock Certification Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring and Fall
Audience: General Public
Activity: Home Horticulture Series
Content or Curriculum: Gardening, Fruit Production
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Dates: Spring and Summer
Audience: General Public
Activity: Community Garden
Content or Curriculum: Gardening
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Dates: Spring and Summer
Audience: Detention Center Inmates
Activity: Vegetable Production Classes
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener, UK Publications
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Dates: Winter Spring
Audience: General Public
Activity: Master Gardener Classes
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Dates: Fall
Audience: 4-H Youth
Activity: Earth Day
Content or Curriculum: Natural Resources
Input: Staff, materials
Date: Spring
Audience:Youth
Activity: School Garden
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall, Spring
Audience:Youth
Activity: Community Garden
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring, Summer
Audience:Youth
Activity: County Fair Skillathon
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: June 2016
Audience: General Public
Activity: Pastures Please! & Farm and Facilities Expo for Horse Owners
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Winter program, Summer field day
Audience: General Public
Activity: Farm Commodity Production Updates
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Winter programming, Summer- on farm demonstrations/ field walks
Audience: General Public
Activity: Beef and Stocker Cattle Conference
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall programs
Audience: Women of General Public
Activity: Farm School for Women
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Summer
Audience: General Public
Activity: Opening the Barn Doors to Adults
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: General Public
Activity: Round Table Discussions Regarding Ag Hot Topics
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall and Winter
Audience: General Public
Activity: Ag Lenders Conference
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Winter
Audience: General Public
Activity: Farm Start
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring
Audience: General Public
Activity: Alternative Agriculture Options
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring
Audience: General Public
Activity: Leasing Options for Landowners
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Winter
Audience: General Public
Activity: Tobacco & Grain Crop Production Updates
Content or Curriculum: Agriculture & Natural Resources
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall, Winter
Author: Michelle Simon
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
It is an echoing response from all agricultural communities- youth need to learn about agriculture to appreciate agriculture, we need to do our part to educate youth and involve them in agriculture to secure the future of farmers. The majority of Scott County youth are separated from the farm by three generations. These youth don’t have the opportunity to spend the weekend at their grandparents farm to learn the responsibility of caring for livestock and crops or even raising vegetables in
Author: Michelle Simon
Major Program: Beef
Fayette and Scott County ANR Agents partnered to cover the needs of the Bourbon County Elite Heifer Sale in the absence of an ANR agent. Prior to the sale, agents divided and conquered to have a presence at the heifer screenings with Tim Dietrich, KDA marketing specialist, to ensure that heifers were bred, identified as natural- bred or artificially inseminated, tagged correctly, met pelvic size measurements, and were high enough quality to be consigned in the sale. Agents also met with the cons
Author: Michelle Simon
Major Program: Beef
Scott County ANR Agent partnered with the Lincoln County ANR Agent to aid in the development of up and coming cattle producers in central Kentucky to continue encouraging and educating young and beginner farmers to help them stay in business by coordinating a tour for the Lincoln County Cattleman’s Association. Scott ANR Agent organized and implemented a tour of Dudley Jennings Cattle Company- a diverse operation of seed stock and commercial cows, developing heifers, bulls, feeder calves,
Author: Sharon Flynt
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
Ed Davis Youth Farm Camp is a partnership program of the local Extension Horticulture Program and Scott C. Parks and Recreation’s Ed Davis Learning Center. The goal is to provide a motivating agriculture experiences for minority urban and suburban youth far removed from agricultural environment. This year the camp focused on increasing awareness of sustainable agriculture practices and economic diversity. Youth were engaged in such activities as visiting the Kentucky State University
