Extension
It Starts With Us
Crop production, Livestock production, & Sustainable Agriculture
Sustainable & Profitable Crop & Livestock Production
Schalk, Tarry, Drake
Beef
Chemical Management
Grains
Agriculture
Barren County has traditionally led the region in diverse agriculture production. Producers utilizing these practices help to enhance their profitability & promote sustainability. Forages, grain crops, & tobacco continue to be in place on many Barren County farms. Dairy, beef, poultry, small ruminants, and horses are staples in many operations. Producers continue to be charged with producing commodities in an environmental sustainable manner.
-Diversify operations to meet the changing ag products needs
-Efficient use of crop protectants
-Increased producer profits in ag enterprises
-Increase overall efficiency in livestock, grain & forage operations
-Supply new/beginning farmers with skill set to manage farming enterprises
-Implement the use of decision making tools for crop & livestock production
-Convert used/unleased grain crop land back to improved permanent pasture/hay ground
-Maintain high standards and husbandry practices for beef and small ruminant operations
-Increase awareness of manure management and water quality improvement
-Develop unique marketing options for producers
-Equip producers to reduce risk and get a handle on cost of production
-Develop necessary skill sets
-Provide programs to improve soil health and sustainability
-Realize diversification within livestock enterprises
Long-term Outcome: Evaluate increased number of producers shown to utilize improved management practices in their crop production
Indicator: Note the number of producers utilizing product usage and purchasing habits in their farm management practices
Method: Surveys, farm visits, evaluations
Timeline: July-June
Intermediate Outcome: : Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing hay through tri county hay auction
Indicator: type, quality & price per unit
Method: Survey local farmers who are selling in sale
Timeline: Seasonal, by crop
Initial Outcome: Evaluate changes in grain producers risk management plans
Indicator: Note changes in grain crops producers who attended programming
Method: Farm visits, 1 on 1 interviews, survey
Timeline: after harvest season
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:
Audience: Tobacco Producers
Project or Activity: Tobacco GAP
Content or Curriculum: UK CAFÉ & GAP Connections
Inputs: GAP materials, specialist(s), GAP connections, US Dept of Labor
Date: Spring
Audience: Crop Producers
Project or Activity: Chemical Management Training
Content or Curriculum: Private Pesticide Training, Specialists
Inputs: UK Specialists, videos, field days
Date: Winter and early Spring
Audience: Animal Commodity Groups
Project or Activity: Monthly meetings
Content or Curriculum: forages, nutrition, health, marketing, management
Inputs: CAFÉ resources, UK & KSU specialists, SRPS
Date: July through June
Audience: Producers & Citizens Interested in Agriculture
Project or Activity: Get the Scoop radio show on WGGC
Content or Curriculum: Timely topics on production, safety, & new technology.
Inputs: Agents, CAFÉ resources, & UK specialists
Date: July through June
Audience: Forage Producers
Project or Activity: Producing profitable forage
Content or Curriculum: Forage best management practices
Inputs: Agents, UK specialists
Date: Fall and Winter
Audience: 4-H Youth Interested in Agriculture
Project or Activity: 4-H projects in horses, dairy, livestock, natural resources, & plant & soil sciences
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Core Curriculum & National 4-H project curriculum
Inputs: CAFÉ resources, UK specialists, 4-H specialists
Date: July through June
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Small Ruminants (includes sheep, goats) and Exotic animals
Mammoth Cave Area Agriculture Agents noticed an increase in small ruminant producers and the production of small ruminants growing in popularity. It is also noted that many new small ruminant producers may very well be new to agriculture production and farming in general. The need to bring research based education to new small ruminant producers is further driven by the tendency for new producers to utilize the internet as their sole resource for gaining information. The
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Tobacco
The Mammoth Cave Area has historically been at the top in tobacco production in KY. Agents from Allen, Barren, Hart, Metcalfe and Monroe Counties cooperated to host a regional Tobacco GAP Training. Tobacco GAP trainings are mandatory yearly trainings required by the major tobacco purchasing companies. Extension is charged with hosting and facilitating these very important trainings. Growers who do not receive the annual training run the risk of not being able to market th
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy
Finding new ways to reach new Extension clients is always a struggle for agents. Answering the question, “where do folks get their information?” is a tough one. In 2016 Extension agents began a daily radio show on WGGC. WGGC is a 100,000-watt FM radio station in Bowling Green, KY. The show airs each weekday morning at 5:00AM and is the start of the station’s daily programming. The Get the Scoop radio show has gained in popularity with listeners an
Author: Christopher Schalk
Major Program: Forages
Covid-19 caused the cancellation of the 2021 Tri-County Hay & Straw Auction. The auction returned in 2022, and to the delight of all those involved the event picked right up where it had left off. Buyers and sellers alike were glad to see the event bring together forage producers with forage buyers. Even in early 2022, producers began to see that the cost of production in the upcoming growing season was going to be significantly higher than 2021. Cost savvy livestock produc
