Extension
It Starts With Us
4-H Agriculture
Agriculture, Horticulture and Environmental Awareness
Christy Eastwood, Steve Conrad, David Koester
Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
Agriculture is Kentucky's largest employer and accounts for the greatest amount of revenue in Kentucky's economy. Every person in Kentucky is impacted by Agriculture every day in the foods that they eat and the fibers that are used in their clothes, homes, work places and vehicles.
Youth will:
Engage in entrepreneurial enterprise.
Gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
Be advocates for agriculture and healthy and sustainable food systems.
Youth will:
Practice and apply skills and knowledge in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant science, horticulture and animal science.
Adopt and practice skills that contribute to employability.
Explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others.
Set a goal and accomplish it.
Influence the purchase of Kentucky Proud products.
Practice entrepreneurship skills related to agriculture and food systems.
Youth will:
Gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant science, horticulture and animal science.
Gain an understanding of healthy and sustainable food systems.
Develop valuable life-skills, including decision-making, communications, record-keeping, leadership and service.
Initial Outcome: Increase Equine Skill Set
Indicator: acknowledgement of increase
Method: written evaluation
Timeline: end of program year
Intermediate Outcome: Responsibly take care of animals on their own
Indicator: little or no help from family/leaders
Method: observation
Timeline: 2-3 years
Long-term Outcome: 4-H youth with employment in the equine field
Indicator: increase in employment of our youth
Method: observation
Timeline: 5-10 years
Initial Outcome: 4-H livestock project participants will increase their knowledge of animal husbandry while caring for their livestock project.
Indicator: project participants will have healthier livestock.
Method: observation, written evaluation
Timeline: end of the project
Intermediate Outcome: livestock judging participants will evaluate, judge and select livestock in terms of competency.
Indicator: improve their placings at competitions.
Method: competition results
Timeline: at the end of the season
Long-term Outcome: participants will have more success with their own livestock projects in the show ring due to picking better animals at the start of the project.
Indicator: higher placing's in the show ring.
Method: competition results
Timeline: county and state fair participation
Initial Outcome: country ham project participants will cure 2 green country hams.
Indicator: both country hams will not be spoiled.
Method: observation
Timeline: end of the project
Intermediate Outcome: country ham project participants will write and present a speech on the assigned topic.
Indicator: participants will receive a blue or red Danish ribbon
Method: speech competition and the county and state level.
Timeline: end of the project
Long-term outcome: individuals will feel confident speaking in front of others.
Indicator: individuals will participate in other areas of their life taking on additional roles of leadership.
Method: evaluation
Timeline: 6 months after completion of project.
Audience: 9-18 year olds
Project or Activity: 4-H Horse Educational Hours
Content or Curriculum: state supported
Inputs: extension staff and resources; certified volunteers; private equine facilities
Date: October-April
Audience: 4-H Livestock Club meetings
Project or Activity: mandatory educational hours
Content or Curriculum: certified 4-H livestock curriculum, livestock kits
Inputs: Extension office, volunteers, 4-H members, club leaders, parents, Extension funding
Date: Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. 2017; Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May 2018
Audience: 4-H livestock judging team
Project or Activity: meetings and competitions
Content or Curriculum: certified 4-H livestock curriculum, other resources, livestock kits
Inputs: Extension office, 4-H members, volunteers, leaders, parents, Extension funding
Date: Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec. 2017; Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June 2018 (weekly meetings)
Audience: 4-H country ham project
Project or Activity: curing ham, writing speech and presenting speech
Content or Curriculum: certified 4-H livestock curriculum, other resources
Inputs: Extension office, 4-H members, volunteers, leaders, parents, Extension funding, ham house
Date: Jan., May, July, August 2018
Author: Stephen Conrad
Major Program: Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
Florence Elementary put out a request for help in soils/gardening. Because of their location, the vast majority of the students are never around a flower or vegetable garden. In an effort to answer their request, the Boone County Cooperative Extension Service offered a soils/vegetable lesson. 215 3rd and 4th grade students learned about the appropriate make up of soil, proper aeration, and why vegetables/fruits are important to our diet. The lesson ended with each student filling a pot with pott
Author: Christy Eastwood
Major Program: Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum
Throughout the history of 4-H youth programming, the development of valuable life skills such as communication, problem solving, and understanding one’s self have been taught through experiential learning activities (Boyd, Herring, & Briers, 1992). When youths learn the process of evaluation through livestock judging, these same skills can be integrated into other real life situations. McCann and McCann (1992) reported that the livestock judging activity provides youth with an opportun
