Extension
It Starts With Us
New Agriculture Opportunities
Diversified Agriculture Opportunities
Russ Muntifering & Ashley Vice
Local Food Systems
Farm Management, Economics and Policy
Nutrition and Food Systems General
Nicholas County has traditionally been one of the most tobacco-dependent counties in the state, both through history and total county revenue. There is a critical need to find crops/resources to fill this growing void. The diversification of the agriculture community is the only viable way to resolve this issue. Farmers must realize the need to add additional crops to diversify their operations and to keep a consistent flow of income to their operation and to the county.
Create diversified commodities that are sustainable in Nicholas County with markets for them.
Increased acreage of nontraditional crops
Growth in local farmers market with increased customer base
Utilize nontraditional marketing options in the county
Producers investigate marketing options available to them
Increase in microprocessing certificates and farmers market producers
Initial Outcome: Increase in microprocessor certificates
Indicator: Rise in number of microprocessors
Method: Number of participants and graduates
Timeline: Ongoing
Intermediate Outcome: Increased acreage in nontraditional crops
Indicator: Growth in new/nontraditional crops in the county
Method: Census data/farm visits
Timeline: Ongoing
Long-term Outcome: Niche Market Producers
Indicator: Presence of KY Proud Producers in the county
Method: Marketing and presence on KDA website
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: Nicholas County Residents
Project or Activity: Agriculture Diversification Field Days
Content or Curriculum: Specific diverse crop information
Inputs: UK specialists, collaboration of agents and local organizations (Cattlemen's Association, Chamber of Commerce, Community Economic Development)
Date: 2021-2024
Audience: Nicholas County Producers
Project or Activity: Farm Visits
Content or Curriculum: Publications
Inputs: Publications, specialists, diagnostic testing
Date: 2021-2024
Audience: Nicholas County Producers
Project or Activity: Soil samples
Content or Curriculum: Publications
Inputs: Publications, specialists, diagnostic testing
Date: 2021-2024
Audience: Nicholas County Residents
Project or Activity: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Content or Curriculum: Plate It Up! Recipes
Inputs: Newsletters, recipe cards
Date: 2021 - 2024
Author: Russell Muntifering
Major Program: Economic Development and Workforce Preparation - ANR
The County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) is the primary KCES liaison to the County Agricultural Development Council (CADC), and as such encourages and coordinates educational components for CAIP (County Agricultural Investment Program) producers’ educational requirements, and helps facilitate CAIP producer informational meetings to review annual program changes and guidelines. The immediate top priority of the Nicholas County ADC whose reappointed and new memb
Author: Shelby Cleaver
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
This year the Nicholas County Extension went in together with Laurel County Extension among many other counties and put in a plant order for the communities. In these orders people in the community had a choice between 2 varieties of strawberries, blackberries, 2 varieties of blueberries, 2 varieties of raspberries, asparagus plants and onion plants. I had put this together for the community in a short time because of my start date but within that time we had 24 people put in orders for pl
Author: Shelby Cleaver
Major Program: Agriculture
Nicholas County Youth Livestock Shows were held June 14th-17th at our county livestock barn. The 4-H livestock club helped 26 youth with this program to educate on different strategies of showing and to become more comfortable around livestock knowing the basics and how to care for their livestock, they also went and competed in skillathons, went to the Kentucky Beef Expo Judging contest as well as other judging contests put on by surrounding counties. We had 15 kids that decided to participate
