Extension
It Starts With Us
| 1055 - Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1055.1) | 20 |
Number of participants in Extension horticulture programs at senior centers, detention centers, or rehabilitation centers |
| 1055.11) | 1242 |
Number of people who developed employment skills from participating in gardening |
| 1055.12) | 1242 |
Number of people who improved or maintained physical, emotional, or mental health from participating in gardening |
| 1055.15) | 0 |
Number of pounds of food provided to local non-profit organizations |
Author: Bethany Pratt
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
After leading a recovery garden program in Jefferson County for four years, the Horticulture Agent reached out to Extension Specialists at UK Community and Leadership Development to help develop a plan to move the current recovery program into a self-sustaining model. The initial conversation lead to the idea of developing a Toolkit for Extension professionals and recovery centers to help them develop or transition a recovery garden program into one that is eventually managed primarily by the re
Author: Bethany Pratt
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
The Jefferson Co. Extension Office manages ten community gardens across Jefferson Co. that have averaged 400 registered gardeners over the past four years. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic increased participation in the community garden program as folks looked for alternative ways to access healthy foods and/or seek time outdoors. In 2020, there was a 25% increase in the total number of registered gardeners for a total of 501 community gardeners growing food in 2020.In order to understand how the
