Extension
It Starts With Us
2023 Agriculture and Horticulture Economic Support Programs
2023 Sustainable Agriculture and Horticulture Practice
Dan Allen, Joan Bowling, Diane Kelley, Lori Clark, Denise Donahue, Brandon George, 3rd 4-H Agent
Beef
Substance Use and Mental Health - ANR
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Small Farm Diversification
Kenton County has a very diverse cross section of farm and horticulture ventures. These agriculture and horticulture enterprises contribute to the total household income. Based on input from advisory council, County Extension Council and Community Needs Assessment there is a need for continued education in research based, and best management practices in horticulture and agriculture to ensure that these small farms can continue and be more profitable.
Increased agriculture and horticulture production and efficiency. By using University of Kentucky research and other reliable sources these residents will be able to implement ongoing practices that translate to bottom line profitability.
Transition from current practices to adoption of best management practices to enhance existing enterprises and exploration of other revenue streams from these agriculture and horticulture practices.
Kenton County Extension offers innovative and research-based programs that are relevant and timely so as to increase productivity in areas like, variety selection, good livestock husbandry, marketing basics, time saving techniques, and crop production.
Outcome: Ag & Hort producers implement best management practices.
Indicator: Class participation and follow-up surveys in 6 to 10 mos.
Method: Online and mail surveys, farm visits, and phone calls
Timeline: 6 months to a year
Outcome: Increase household incomes due to better productivity and successful new economic ventures
Indicator: Positive feedback given to agents
Method: Follow up surveys, and one-on-one surveys
Timeline: 6 months to a year
Outcome: Acceptance of good sustainability practicesIndicator: Feedback provided to agents, farm visits, and interaction with producers.
Method: In person and mailed surveys
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: All Residents
Project or Activity: Quarterly Agriculture Econ and Marketing
Content or Curriculum: Forum designed by volunteer leaders and agents
Inputs: Local businesses in nontraditional enterprises
Date: Quarterly year round
Audience: Residents Interested in Agritourism
Project or Activity: Preparing your farm for Visitors
Content or Curriculum: UK and other University Research
Inputs: Publications and Agent Designed program
Date: Jan 2024
Audience: Farmers Markets and CSA Operators
Project or Activity: PBPT
Content or Curriculum: UK Program
Inputs: UK video series, FCS and Ag Agent
Date: March 2023, 2024
Audience: Beginning Beekeepers
Project or Activity: Where do I Start With Beekeeping?
Content or Curriculum: UK and Agent Designed
Inputs: UK and State of Kentucky, local beekeeper supplier
Date: december 2023, 2024
Audience: Cow Calf Operators
Project or Activity: Calving and Calf Care
Content or Curriculum: UK Materials
Inputs: UK Specialists, Ag Agent
Date: Jan. 2023, 2024
Audience: Cow Calf Operators
Project or Activity: Choosing the Right Bull
Content or Curriculum: UK Beef IRM
Inputs: Prerecorded Distance learning Program
Date: September 2023
Audience: Backyard and Small-Scale Egg Producers
Project or Activity: Nutrition and Breed Selection for Egg Production
Content or curriculum: UK Specialist Small Flock Content
Inputs: Agent and UK Small Flock Specialist
Date: May 2023
Audience: Horse Stable Owners
Project or Activity:Horse Arena & Facilities Management
Content or Curriculum: UK Equine Program
Inputs: Local Agent and UK Specialists
Date: Fall 2023Audience; Small Scale Swine Operators
Project of Activity: Raising a Hog for the Freezer
Content or Curriculum: UK Swine research
Inputs: Local Agent and UK Specialists
Date: Mar 2023
Audience: Kenton County Residents
Project or Activity: Successful Planter Gardens
Content or Curriculum: UK and other university research
Inputs: Agent designed, and specialist input where needed
Date: Spring 2023, 2024
Audience: Kenton County Residents
Project or Activity: Successful Home Vegetable Gardening
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Inputs: UK Home Vegetable Guide
Date: Late Winter, 2023, 2024
Audience: Kenton County Residents
Project or Activity: Raising Berries and Fruits in the Backyard
Content or Curriculum: Agent designed and UK research
Inputs: Agent, Specialist
Date Spring 2023, 2024
Audience: Homeowners
Project or Activity: Renewing Your Home Landscape
Content or Curriculum: Agent designed
Inputs: UK publications on plant selection, pruning, maintenance, etc.
Date: May 2023, 2024
Audience: Kenton County Residents
Project or Activity: Fall Vegetable Gardening
Content or Curriculum: UK Vegetable Gardening Guide
Inputs: Agents, specialists
Date: August 2023, 2024
Audience: Silage Feed Producers
Project or Activity: Silage Field Day
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Publications and Research
Inputs: Agent and UK Specialists, publications and state soil test lab
Date: Fall 2023
Audience: Beef Cattle Operators
Project or Activity: Getting the Most from my Pasture
Content or Curriculum: UK Beef IRM and agronomic publications
Inputs: UK Specialists, and Agent
Date: 2023
Audience: Horse Owners
Project or Activity: Save My Horse Pasture! Equine Conference
Content or curriculum: Pastures Please Program, UK research
Inputs: UK publications, specialists
Date: Fall 2023
Audience:Crop, Hay and Pasture growers
Project or Activity: Why Do I Soil Sample? (online distance learning)
Content or Curriculum: Published research, UK research
Inputs: UK soils lab, ag agent
Date: Ongoing as needed
Audience: Small Agriculture or Horticulture Enterprise owners
Project or Activity: Is it time to do another SWOT analysis?
Content or Curriculum: UK Ag Leadership's SWOT Curriculum
Inputs: UK Publications, AG and FCS Agent
Date: December 2023
Audience: Small Agriculture or Horticulture Enterprise owners
Project or Activity: Am I Planning for Retirement?
Content or Curriculum: UK FCS curriculum, Annies Project UK Research
Inputs: UK publications, specialists and agents
Date: January 2024
Audience: Cattle BQA
Project or Activity: BQA Certification
Content or Curriculum: UK Publications
Inputs: Specialists/Agents
Date: November 2023, January 2024
Audience: Kenton County youth age 9-18 years
Project or Activity: 4-H Agriculture Programs
Content or Curriculum: KY 4-H curriculum and kits
Inputs: 4-H volunteers, agents, county program funds
Date: September 2023 through August 2024
Audience: Kenton County Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H County, District, State Fairs and Shows
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Rules and Guidelines
Inputs: 4-H Forms night, copies provided, farm visits, website posts, social media
July 2023 through June 2024
Audience: Kenton County youth
Project or activity: Horse Bowl contest
Content or curriculum: 4-H Horse Bowl manual
Inputs: 4-H leader training, volunteers, copies of study materials, agent, computer, flash drive
Date: September 2023 through June 2024
Audience: Kenton County 4-H Horse club members
Project or activity: 4-H Horse education classes
Content or curriculum: KY 4-H Horse manuals and kit, Achievement book series
Inputs: 4-H leader training, volunteers, volunteer certification, agent, horse kit, feed samples
Date: September 2023 through April 2024
Project or Activity: KEHA lesson, Backyard Butterflies-Zoom session
Content: UK Hort publications, KEHA Housing Plan of Work
Inputs: Boone Co. Natural Resources Agent designed, Area Homemaker Chairmen
Date: August 2023
Audience: Kenton County residents
Project or Activity: 4-h Farm to Table Dinner
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Council
Inputs: Agents, Volunteers, Assistants & Council
Date: Fall 2024
Author: Daniel Allen
Major Program: Beef
Beef producers put a lot of effort into raising, breeding, and feeding cattle. These producers must also have a strategy for selling these cattle. For those producers who do not have a clear direction and goals for marketing their cattle there may be lost income opportunities. Local cattlemen indicated that they wish to have a program aimed at developing and maintaining a marketing plan. The Kenton County Extension office offered a Beef Marketing class in early September. Worki
Author: Brandon George
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
On October 7th, 2023, from 10 am- 4 pm, people from Kenton County were able to visit four unique sites within the county, showcasing gardens that are managed in a more sustainable way. Based on questions I am asked frequently as a horticulture agent; many people have a desire to understand how they can support wildlife while also looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact through their gardening and landscaping efforts. The garden sustainability tour intended to help bring to the peop
Author: Diane Kelley
Major Program: Agriculture & Natural Resources
The U.K., Cooperative Extension Service, Kenton County 4-H livestock volunteers, plan and facilitate youth livestock education and activities. In conjunction with the Kenton County Fair Livestock committee the groups indicated prior also plan and execute the youth livestock shows hosted during the Kenton County Fair. 4-H livestock projects involve raising and caring for live animals while learning about animal health, nutrition, breeding, selection and marketing. Animal projects offe
Author: Brandon George
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Success Story 01/10/2024Brandon George, Kenton County Horticulture Extension Agent Addressing Plant Awareness Disparity On November 21, 2023, during the afternoon on a mild Autumn day, 24 students in grades 5th-8th participated in a lesson on seed dispersal and identification at St. Anthony Elementary in Taylor Mill, KY. In collaboration with 4-H Assistant Vanessa Sturgill who taught a lesson on seed dispersal mechanisms, I asked students if they could identify the species of plant acc
Author: Daniel Allen
Major Program: Small Farm Management
Digital Marketing of Agriculture ProductsAccording to a 2020 USDA NASS report 10.4% of direct-to-consumer farms have an online marketplace this is up from 8% in 2015. Working with Kenton County Agriculture Advisory Council a branding and marketing program was offered in November. The Agent worked with the Center for Crop Diversification to develop a program to assist small direct-to-consumer operations with their digital marketing. The program was constructed in such a way that
Author: Daniel Allen
Major Program: Financial Education - General
According to LegalZoom (www.legalzoom.com) only 33% of American have an estate plan/will. It is estimated that 52 percent of Americans don’t know where their parents will is located; 60% of people without a will reported not taking any action to create a will and also haven't made a living trust or any other estate planning document. (Caring.com)The Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service held a two part series of programs focused on planning for and communicating end-of-life wishe
Author: Daniel Allen
Major Program: Beef
The pressures of sustainability, high in put costs and reviewing practices of small cow calf operations, can help farmers be more efficient and profitable. Kenton County ANR agent paired a local small beef operation with UK Beef IRM specialist team to be part of a local demonstration farm. The participating farm worked with specialists in all areas of their farm. Special emphasis included forage production, grazing plan, water development for their largest pasture, genetics, an
Author: Daniel Allen
Major Program: Agriculture and Extension Leadership Development
Volunteer leaders based in the Cooperative Extension Service can become an integral part of the communities where they live. The Kenton County Agriculture Development Council is a community citizen program that oversees the funds for the Tobacco Settlement funds from state funds. As part of this program there are funds available for non-traditional direct to farmer program. One such program is the Market Shed Program where as each county may qualify for funds to build a farmers Mark
Author: Brandon George
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
Brandon George, Kenton County Horticulture Agent Kenton County Cooperative Extension’s Arboretum Tour On Saturday, June 8th, the Kenton County horticulture agent delivered the first public tour of the arboretum at the extension office. Fifteen people, including adults and children, attended the two-hour tour that included highlighted features such as the no-mow lawn, meadows, and pollinator garden, that showcased the diversity of plant species, as well as the commitment to sustai
