Monroe County CES

County Emphasis:

Strengthening Family Farms.

Concentration 1:

Food Safety, Quality, and Access

Concentration 2:

Plant Production and Management

Concentration 3:

Family and Youth Development

Situation:

With the goal of increasing the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) aims to increase access to fresh food, as well as increase knowledge and awareness of how to select, store, safely prepare, process, and preserve these foods. CES prioritizes statewide partnership development that helps us meet our goals and objectives. We collaborate with statewide agencies including Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Community Farm Alliance, KY Farm to School Network, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife and others to help build statewide systems that increase access and usage of fresh fruits and vegetables. These programs benefit Kentuckians because they support food access policy, systems and environmental changes in communities and across the state. They increase knowledge of how to grow, prepare, and preserve fresh fruits and vegetables.

County Situation:

According to the Monroe County Community Needs Assessment, Sustainability of Family Farms and Strengthening/supporting the local food and agriculture industry were top priorities of our stakeholders. Growing and developing family farms can lead to ensuring individuals have access to affordable nutritious food, a concern also indicated in the community needs assessment.

Long-Term Outcomes:

1. Family farms become economically viable.

2. Youth decrease poor overall health.

Intermediate Outcomes:

1. Increased production of Kentucky-grown food, increase market opportunities for those products, and improve dietary habits through: consumption of more fruits and vegetables, a variety of proteins and the number of meals prepared at home. 2.Youth will practice making wise nutrition choices.

Initial Outcomes:

Increased awareness of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increased awareness and accessibility of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Indicator:

• Number of individuals reporting an increased awareness of how to find and prepare local food including responsible hunting/fishing/foraging. 
• Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding nutrition and accessing healthy foods through Extension programs and resources. 
• Number of youth who reported that they learned the difference between healthy and unhealthy snacks
• Number of youth who reported that they learned about kitchen safety.  

  

Method: Agent prepared paper and oral 

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration; annual fiscal year 

Intermediate Outcome: Increased awareness and accessibility of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Indicator:

• Number of individuals who reported that they applied skills and/or knowledge to prepare healthy foods for self or family.  

Method: Standard Evaluation 

Timeline: Ongoing 

Long-term Outcome: Increased awareness and accessibility of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Indicator: 

• Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding nutrition and accessing healthy foods through Extension programs and resources. 

Method: Standard Evaluation 

Timeline: Ongoing

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Individuals & Farmers 

Project or Activity: Nutrition Education 

Content or Curriculum: Nutrition Education Program, SNAP-Ed toolkit, Publications, Faithful Families, Cook Together Eat Together, Savor the Flavor, Dining with Diabetes, Plate it up! Kentucky Proud, Food as Health Toolkit, Family Mealtime, maternal and child health program materials, www.planeatmove.com, Super Star Chef, Farm to School, Hunger in Kentucky, Cooking Through the Calendar, LEAP

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, volunteers, faith-based organizations, health coalitions, healthcare Providers and local clinics, health department, non-profits, schools, company health & wellness, 4-H, Homemakers, farmers’ markets, local farmers/growers/producers, commodity groups, community centers, etc.

Date: Ongoing 

Audience: Individuals & Farmers 

Project or Activity: Farmers Market Toolkit 

Content or Curriculum: Farmers’ Market Toolkit

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, volunteers, community partners, facilities, health department, non-profits, schools, faith-based organizations, Homemakers, community centers, farmers, farmers’ markets, etc

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Communities 

Project or Activity: School, Community or Recovery Gardens

Content or Curriculum: NEP “Grow your own” publications, Hort. Dept. publications, youth gardening curriculum, Recovery Garden Toolkit

Inputs: Gardening materials, paid staff, community partners, 4-H, volunteers, grant funds, local organizations and community partners, schools, recovery centers, Nutrition Education Program

Date: Spring 2026, Ongoing 

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increased awareness and accessibility of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Indicator:

• Number of individuals reporting an increased awareness of how to find and prepare local food including responsible hunting/fishing/foraging. 
• Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding nutrition and accessing healthy foods through Extension programs and resources. 
• Number of youth who reported that they learned the difference between healthy and unhealthy snacks
• Number of youth who reported that they learned about kitchen safety.  

  

Method: Agent prepared paper and oral 

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration; annual fiscal year 

Intermediate Outcome: Increased awareness and accessibility of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Indicator:

• Number of individuals who reported that they applied skills and/or knowledge to prepare healthy foods for self or family.  

Method: Standard Evaluation 

Timeline: Ongoing 

Long-term Outcome: Increased awareness and accessibility of Extension resources and programs supporting food access.

Indicator: 

• Number of individuals who reported increasing their knowledge, skills, or intentions regarding nutrition and accessing healthy foods through Extension programs and resources. 

Method: Standard Evaluation 

Timeline: Ongoing