Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving Agricultural Income
Agriculture Production, Diversity, and Marketing
Hettmansperger, Hixson, Comley
Beef
Forages
Tobacco
Beekeeping
Garrard County farmers have experienced a large decline in their dependence upon tobacco as their main income source. Farmers have increased their beef cow herds to try and make up the short fall. Cattle prices continue to fluctuate, narrowing profit margins and farmers need to become more efficient in forage and feed production. They will explore non-traditional ways of farming to remain profitable. Interest in hemp production has decreased greatly. Through surveys and conversations with farmers,they have put an importance on new forage and beef production methods. Youth livestock programs can teach young farmers best management practices and give them the chance to continue the family farm.
Being healthy has generated interest in Beekeeping and honey production. Local beekeepers have seen an increase in honey sales. The ANR agent has set up two beehives at the office for educational programming.
Gardening has become very popular because consumers want to know where their food comes from and feel safe eating it. FCS and ANR agents will team up to present some programs on gardening and food preservation.
Farmers will become more efficient and profitable through adopting new methods learned from Extension programs. More youth will return to the family farm.
We will see more beekeepers in the county and form a county wide group.
More consumers will can and freeze garden products.
Farmers will become better forage producers and will look at alternatives to traditional ways of feeding their livestock. They will become better marketers by utilizing CPH-45 calf sales and other forms of value added marketing. Grain producers will chose yield increasing hybrids from test plots. Farmers will become efficient at growing hemp. Youth will choose careers in agriculture.
More people will put in hives and increase the bee numbers.
The Extension office will see an increase in interest in gardening and food preservation.
Farmers will use new and improved varieties of forages to increase production. Beef producers will adopt new practices such as rotational grazing and controlled calving seasons to increase production. Farmers will utilize new marketing strategies for their calves through CPH-45 and direct marketing. Farmers will gain knowledge on hemp production.
Youth will increase their knowledge of new farming practices and choose careers in Agriculture.
More people will start their own beehives and become more familiar with beekeeping.
Consumers will increase their knowledge of gardening and preservation practices.
Outcome: Farmer adoption of new practices
Indicator: Personal contacts and surveys. Youth choosing Ag careers.
Method: Farm visits and observations. Monitor participation in educational meetings and special Extension programs.
Timeline: Throughout the year and do surveys during winter farmer meetings
Outcome: More beekeepers in the community.
Indicator: Number of people attending classes.
Method: Observations and surveys. Local Hardware store beekeeping equipment sales.
Timeline: Throughout the year.
Outcome: Consumers increase knowledge of gardening and preservation.
Indicator: Increase in seed and plant sales at the local hardware store.
Method: Hardware store owner sharing sale results.
Timeline: Spring and summer.
Audience: Garrard County Farmers and other interested parties.
Project or Activity: Phase – 1 Educational programs
Content or Curriculum: Programs and videos to cover cost share programs (hay storage, forages, etc.)
Inputs: UK specialist and ANR agents. Prerecorded videos
Dates: Year around
Audience: Local cattle producers
Project or Activity: BQA, CPH-45, Forage production, Beef nutrition and health.
Content or Curriculum: UK research data, BQA training video, CPH-45 calf sales, Winter producer meetings.
Inputs: UK specialist, ANR agents, Videos and field days
Dates: Fall and winter
Audience: Local Beekeepers and interested parties
Project or Activity: Beekeeping programs and Honey production
Content or Curriculum: Proper Beekeeping, Mite control and Honey extraction
Inputs: UK specialist, State Apiarist, Local experts and ANR agents
Dates: Year around
Audience: Local Farmers and Homeowners interested in gardening
Project or Activity: Gardening and Food Preservation
Content or Curriculum: Gardening in Small Spaces, Raised Gardening, Fall Gardening, Canning and Freezing, Master Gardener, UK publications and info.
Inputs: ANR and FCS agent joint programs.
Dates: Spring, Summer and Fall
Audience: High School Youth enrolled in Agriculture classes
Project or Activity: Beef Programs at the High School
Content or Curriculum: Cattle vaccinations, Artificial Breeding, Pregnancy check, Nutrition.
Inputs: Local veterinarians, UK specialist, High school Ag teacher, ANR agnet
Dates: During school year.
Author: Jay Hettmansperger
Major Program: Beekeeping
Beekeeping has become very popular in Garrard County. The interest in beekeeping has grown rapidly over the past three years. Local beekeepers have expended their number of hives and new beekeepers have started up their own hives to care for. Supplies have been hard to get locally and the only suppliers are over an hour and a half away. Making it very difficult to purchase. The Garrard County ANR agent and a couple of other beekeepers worked with the local hardware store to begin handling bee su
Author: Jay Hettmansperger
Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial
Consumers want to purchase bright, healthy plants when they are making that decision at a greenhouse. A Garrard County greenhouse operator contacted the Garrard County ANR agent to help improve the health and ultimately the salability of his flowers and vegetable plants. The operator noticed that his plants were not as green and healthy as they should be. The Garrard County ANR agent working with University specialist made an assessment of the greenhouse operations. Water and media samples
Author: Jay Hettmansperger
Major Program: Beef
In order to prepare producers to be efficient and profitable, Central Kentucky County Extension Agents for Agriculture & Natural Resources have collaborated with Beef and Agricultural Economic Extension Specialists to present the Kentucky Beef Conference annually for over 20 years. The assistance of long time business community sponsors has allowed producers to hear from nationally known experts in cattle marketing. COVID-19 restrictions forced the team to re-evaluate how to continue pr
Author: Jay Hettmansperger
Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy
High input costs have put a strain on producer profits. Fertilizer and fuel prices have more than doubled since last year. Making farmers scrambling to make a profit in their operation. The ANR agent has worked with several producers in Garrard County on ways to effectively cut some cost without cutting production. Producers have learned how to use fertilizer efficiently by soil sampling for nutrient needs and setting realistic yield goals. They have also learned how to save fuel cos
