Extension
It Starts With Us
Health, Safety, and Nutrition
Health and Wellness
Elizabeth Maxedon, Bryce Roberts, Mollie Tichenor
Chemical Management
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Building Healthy Coalitions
Health
With continued increasing amounts of obesity, diabetes, farm safety accidents, increased cost of food and lack of physical activity in Spencer County, agents will make residents aware of the ways to recognize the issues. Extension Council helped to develop this plan.
Decrease the number of local farm related accidents. Reduce chronic illness due to poor nutrition and activity. Increase awareness of proper child care practices. Increase the amount of home food preparation.
Adults will increase physical activity, will implement healthy food choices, and learn how to cook nutritious meals. Youth and adults will accomplish safe food practices.
Private pesticide applicators will learn how to properly mix and apply restricted use pesticides. Residents will gain knowledge of proper food safety, nutrition, physical activity, interpreting a food label, and farm safety.
Outcome: Participants will become certified pesticide applicators.
Indicator: Number of certified applicators in Spencer County.
Method: Observation and testing.
Timeline: Three months after program.
Outcome: Youth and adults will practice healthy cooking, food safety, and increased physical activity.
Indicator: Increase positive diet and activity will decrease chronic disease.
Method: Pre and post surveys.
Timeline: Immediate Post Surveys.
Outcome: Youth will develop an understanding of the consequences that go along with their actions.
Indicator: Increase awareness of being self-consciousness of your actions.
Method: Pre and post surveys.
Timeline: September 2022 to May 2023.
Audience: Farm Families
Project or Activity: Pesticide applicator training. (BR)
Content or Curriculum: Pesticide applicator materials.
Inputs: Extension Council, Conservation District, Farm Bureau, Local Producers, University of Kentucky Specialist.
Date: November 2022, February 2023.
Project or Activity: Farmer’s Market (EM, BR, MT)
Content or Curriculum: Farmer’s Market materials, Plate it up materials, Food Sampling, Master Gardner Materials
Inputs: Extension Council, Family Resource Youth Services Center, Multipurpose Community Action, Spencer County School System, Conservation District, Farm Bureau, Spencer Co. Health Department, North Central Health District, Baptist Medical, Spencer County/Taylorsville Government, Local Producers, Farmer’s Market Committee, Master Gardner Volunteer.
Date: July 2022 – June 2023.
Project or Activity: ATV and tractor safety training. (MT)
Content or Curriculum: ATV and tractor safety videos and materials.
Inputs: Extension Council, Family Resource Youth Services Center, Multipurpose Community Action, Spencer County School System, Local Producers, Salt River Antique Tractor Association, Community Volunteers.
Date: July 2022, August 2022, September 2022, March 2023, May 2023.
Project or Activity: Farmer’s Dinner Theatre (EM, BR, MT)
Content or Curriculum: Farmer’s Dinner Theatre Curriculum and Supporting Materials
Inputs: County Extension Council, Local Producers, Louisville Area Cattleman’s, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Spencer County Schools.
Date: January 2023 - February 2023.
Audience: Senior Citizens, Adults, Youth, and Minorities.
Project or Activity: Working with Spencer County residents on nutrition and physical activity. (EM, BR, MT)
Content or Curriculum: 4-H/FCS Curriculum, Lunch and Learn, LEAP, Farm to Table
Inputs: Extension Council, Family Resource Youth Services Center, Multipurpose Community Action, Spencer County Public Library, Spencer County School System, Spencer Co. Health Department, North Central Health District, Baptist Medical, Local Producers, Farmer’s Market Committee.
Date: Every Month.
Project or Activity: Health Fair Readifest, Community Baby Shower. (EM, BR, MT)
Content or Curriculum: Health screenings, educational materials and handouts, nutritional education and handout, physical activity awareness.
Inputs: Extension Council, Family Resource Youth Services Center, Multipurpose Community Action, Spencer County School System, Spencer Co. Health Department, North Central Health District, Baptist Medical, Kentucky Cancer Program, Passport Health, Seven Counties, Spencer County Sherriff’s Office, Taylorsville Police Department, Kentucky State Police, Spencer County EMS, Spencer County/Taylorsville Fire Department, KIPDA.
Date: July 2022 – June 2023.
Project or Activity: Elementary Agriculture Day (EM, BR, MT)
Content or Curriculum: Farm and Home Safety.
Inputs: Extension Council, Family Resource Youth Services Center, Multipurpose Community Action, Spencer County School System, Conservation District, Farm Bureau, Spencer County/Taylorsville Government, Local Producers, Salt River Antique Tractor Association, Spencer County Sherriff’s Office, Taylorsville Police Department, Kentucky State Police, Spencer County EMS, Spencer County/Taylorsville Fire Department, Farmer’s Market Committee.
Date: March 2023 – May 2023.
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: High School Cooking Lab, 4-H Cooking Club, Superstar Chef, Teen CuisineSummer Enrichment, Windowsill Gardens, LEAP, Cupcake Wars (EM, BR, MT).
Inputs: Extension Council, Family Resource Youth Services Center, Multipurpose Community Action, Spencer County School System, Local Producers
Date: August 2022 – June 2023.
Author: Bryce Roberts
Major Program: Building Healthy Coalitions
The 2022 Healthfair/Readifest was a collaborative program planned by the Spencer County Cooperative Extension Service and the Family Resource/Youth Service Center. There were several other groups who helped sponsor the event with monetary and time donations. Churches and other local businesses also donated school supplies. For the past 2 years, the program has been a walk through outdoor event.
Author: Elizabeth Maxedon
Major Program: Community Engagement
Healthfair and Readifest The 2022, Healthfair/Readifest was a collaborative program planned by the Spencer County Cooperative Extension Service and the Family Resource/Youth Service Center. There were several other groups who helped sponsor the event with monetary and time donations. Churches and other local businesses also donated school supplies. For the past 2 years, the program has been a walk through outdoor event. The goal of this program is to help improve the community’s
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Health
The 2022 Healthfair/Readifest was a collaborative program planned by the Spencer County Cooperative Extension Service and the Family Resource/Youth Service Center. There were several other groups who helped sponsor the event with monetary and time donations. Churches and other local businesses also donated school supplies. For the past 2 years, the program has been a walk through outdoor event. The goal of this program is to help improve the community’s
Author: Elizabeth Maxedon
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Due to supply chain issues with grocery stores and people wanting to know what goes into the food they consume and ways to reduce added fat, sugar and salt into their diet. The Spencer County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent collaborated with Henry County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent to offer a Food Preservation Workshop in July 2022 with a total of 23 participants. Due to the program, 100 percent of participants identified all 4 res
Author: Bryce Roberts
Major Program: Chemical Management
Each fall, the Spencer County Cooperative Extension Service hosts a meeting for commercial pesticide applicators to help them receive Continuing Education Units so that they can keep their licenses up to date from year to year. Due to meeting room renovations, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent decided to hold a Zoom meeting in November. Topics for the meeting included: &nb
Author: Elizabeth Maxedon
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Research shows that people who prepare and cook meals at home are more likely to eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains needed in a balanced diet. Building skills and cooking knowledge increases the likelihood that people choose to prepare home-cooked meals. To encourage more home-prepared meals, the Spencer County Extension Agent taught the Louisville Area Homemaker’s the workshop Savor the Flavor: Cooking with Oils and Vinegars as the Homemaker leader lesson
Author: Elizabeth Maxedon
Major Program: Child Development Programs
The problem Kentucky has reported that only 24.9% of children attending kindergarten in Spencer County are prepared and equipped to succeed. In many Kentucky counties, limited resources or the environment may serve as barriers for healthy lifestyle choices related to early childhood development and physical activity. As an innovative strategy to improve early childhood development skills and increase kindergarten readiness with Spencer County residents. The educational program res
Author: Elizabeth Maxedon
Major Program: Super Star Chef
Youth gain life skills in the kitchen with Super Star Chef campThe problemThe Kentucky youth advocates publication Kentucky Kids Count latest 2020 data for children living in food insecure households showed the State of Kentucky’s rate for food insecure households is 16.1% compared to Spencer County’s rate is 8.4%. Spencer County has limited access to fresh food resources and public transportation. There is only one grocery store and several small store dollar stores in Spencer Count
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Health
The 2000 data from Kentucky Kids Count states children living in food insecure households showed the State of Kentucky’s rate for this is 16.1% compared to Spencer County’s rate of 8.4%. Spencer County has limited access to fresh food resources and public transportation. There is only one grocery store and several dollar stores in the area. Issues such as these are barriers to healthy lifestyle choices related to nutrition and physical activity. During the summer when schools ar
