Years ago tobacco was the major crop for Mason County farmers. According to the Census of Agriculture from 2012 to 2017 the total acreage of tobacco grown in Mason County has decreased by 1300 acres and continues to decline. Farmers have been desperately looking for a new crop to help increase their income and have turned to growing industrial hemp. The Buffalo Trace Agriculture and Horticulture agents partnered together to offer a series of field days and workshops to further grower education.&
This year Chad and Shawna Lippert owners of "Lippert's Greenhouse" decided to expand their operation to include growing mums. The Lippert's worked with the Mason County Extension office Horticulture agent Macy Fawns to improve their greenhouse plants but wanted more so they asked for assistance growing mums. Shawna said, "When the door opened with this opportunity, we chose to run through it with great anticipation in all the processes to increase our production season and
