Extension
It Starts With Us
Farm Profitablity
Rural Economic Development & Agriculture Diversification
Paul Sizemore, Crystal Osborne, Natasha Lucas
Beef
Forages
Ag Marketing
Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
Owsley County is a small agrarian county located in the western foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Over the last decade tobacco production has decreased more than 90% therefore leaving only about 300,000 pounds county wide. Many producers have diversified their operations by implementing other practices or commodities such as an increased number of livestock and increased acreage for vegetable production for home and commercial Horticulture. Other crops grown in Owsley County include cabbage, pepper, strawberries, corn, brambles, forages and various fruit trees. Animals produced in Owsley County include beef cattle, horses, goats and some small scale swine and poultry operations. Agriculture still remains one of the top ten industries in Owsley County. The Owsley County Extension Council and Agriculture and Natural Resources Council have directed us to address the above issues in terms of diversification into small and large scale production. Emphasis will be on learning experiences that will benefit both youth and adults. Mainly directed to those individuals involved or with an interest in livestock, crops, fruit and vegetable production both commercially or family based.
Agricultural producers will manage their operations in a more profitable manner as well as increase the quality of the products they are producing.
*An increased utilization of fallow land.
*An increase in necessary management skills being used.
*An increased understanding of pesticide usage.
*An increase in the diversity of agriculture operations will occur.
*Understanding the importance of diversity in small enterprises.
*Knowledge of better management practices and conservation related to their enterprises.
*Knowledge of new and improved management skills for increased profitability.
*Understanding the direct market approach.
Initial Outcome: Number of participants that diversify their agricultural operations
Indicator: Percent of program participants that show changes.
Method: Observations and surveys
Timeline: Fiscal Year 2017-2018
Intermediate Outcome: Number of participants that utilize new management skills.
Indicator: Percent of program participants that show changes.
Method: Observations and surveys
Timeline: After program conclusion and time for implementation 2017-2018.
Long-term Outcome:Number of participants that increase their farm profitability.
Indicator:Percentage of program participants that show changes.
Method:Observations and surveys
Timeline:Fiscal Year 2017-2018.
Audience:Beef Cattle Producers.
Project or Activity:Producers Meetings.
Content or Curriculum:Feeding, Reproduction, Forages, Health, Record Keeping and General Management.
Inputs:Agent and Guests Speakers.
Date:Spring and Fall Meetings.
Audience:Interested Consumers
Project or Activity:Country Ham Project
Content or Curriculum:Curing a Country Ham.
Inputs:Agent Led Program.
Date:Winter 2018
Audience:Farmers/Producers
Project or Activity:Educational Programs for The Agriculture Development Program.
Content or Curriculum:Hay Storage, Equipment Storage, Beef Quality Assurance
Inputs:Agent Led
Date:Throughout the year 2017-2018
Audience: Farmers and Producers
Project or Activity: Agriculture Production Programs.
Content or Curriculum: Various Agriculture and Economic Related Issues.
Inputs: Agent and Specialist.
Date: Throughout the year 2017-2018 as Needed.
Audience: Farmers, Producers and Landowners.
Project or Activity: Conservation Programs.
Content or Curriculum: Soil Sampling, Cost Share Programs and Related Issues.
Inputs: Agent and Guest Speakers.
Date: Spring and Fall 2017-2018.
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: Youth Garden Project
Content or Curriculum: Ag and 4-H publications
Inputs: 4-H Agent, Ag Agent, FFA teacher
Date: Summer 2017
Author: Paul Sizemore
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
Farm diversification has become a must to compete in the ever changing market place of agriculture. Owsley County Cooperative Extension Service conducted a workshop to help farmers diversify their operations and find resources to assist in developing infrastructure at their operations. Owsley County Cooperative Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Kentucky Sate Small Farm Program worked with farmers to obtain High Tunnels and other Projects that would help them to Diversify. As
Author: Paul Sizemore
Major Program: Forages
Much of the Hay produced in the area is stored outside resulting in a great deal of waste, low nutrient levels and low digestibility. This can lead to many issues in the herd when the winter weather comes barreling in. To address the need for improved forage quality and to increase farmer understanding of the economics of hay production a four night series titled “East Kentucky Hay School” held by the agents in Owsley, Lee, Wolfe and Breathitt Counties and a group of specialists from
Author: Jacob Brandenburg
Major Program: Beef
After months of working directly with the management of the Henderson Settlement Farm program I was able to establish a record keeping system. This Record keeping system made from a excel spreadsheet give the settlement a foundation to assess their cattle herd based on age and reproductive stage. It give them a accurate head count of cattle that they had ownership of as well as the sex, age, health status, body condition score, and pregnancy stage.
Author: Jacob Brandenburg
Major Program: Beef
In my role to help the settlements farm program I noticed that none of the farms that had cattle had safe handling facilities for the cattle or the farmer. In order to assure the safety of the cattle and the farmer that would be working with the operation, I advocated time to seek resources in the community that would help to sponsor this issue and director of the settlement school to implement safe handling facilities. After speaking on the behalf of the settlement the local farm bureau donated
Author: Jacob Brandenburg
Major Program: Beef
Cattle herd health at the Henderson settlement was non-existent when I started. I worked with the management of the settlement to explain why the cattle would need a annual vaccination plan and implement those protocols. I worked with boehringer ingelheim to obtain over 1200 of free medicines that could be used to start the implementation of vaccinations. Those medicines consisted of 2 50 dose bottles of a 7-way to treat viral diseases and 2 50 dose bottles of blackleg medicine and 2.5 liters of
