Author: Tyrone Atkinson
Major Program: Nurturing Families (general)
Funding year 2018 of the Kentucky Military Teen Adventure Camps (MTAC) has been yet another success! With a total of 5 camps from April 2018- August 2018. Families including service members or spouses along with their teenage children were able to go high adventure trips such as whitewater rafting and canoeing, rock climbing and rappelling, and much more. This program has developed into an efficient and beloved program by all family members and the staff who facilitate it. Continued
Author: Tanya Dvorak
Major Program: Science, Engineering and Technology 4-H Core Curriculum
The state of Kentucky's agricultural education programs in high schools have several career pathways in which students may choose to emphasize. One career pathway is the agribiotechnoloy pathway, which is only taught in 10 schools in Kentucky. Due to the nature of future STEM careers being unknown, agribiotechnology courses in high school play an important role in enhancing students’ perspectives and learning experiences in the fields of STEM. Since there is no current agribiotechnolog
The U. S. Department of Commerce declared that science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) occupations are growing at a 7.2% quicker rate than other occupations. STEM employees play a critical role in the sustained growth and sustainability of the U. S. economy. Thus, STEM education is key for creating the next generation of innovators to fulfill future STEM jobs. To help increase the STEM literacy of 4-H teens, a series of two days of three hour hands-on workshops (six total hours) was tau
Author: Morgan Hayes
Major Program: Poultry
Ventilating pastured poultry farms is challenging because the openings to allow the birds onto the pasture create cold air drafts in the barn in winter. Through a relationship built with a farmer here in Kentucky, I was able to visit a very successful pastured laying hen operation in Wisconsin. This farmer has practical working knowledge of ventilation and a thought-out strategy for managing his ventilation systems, which we were able to discuss. I was able to package his concepts with the venti
Major Program: Beef
In summer 2017, I made a site visit to beef operation in the process of building a cow-calf confinement barn. I provided feedback on the facility design and management strategies for the barn. The farmer completed construction in fall 2017 that is nearing one year inside the barn currently. In two follow-up conversations, the farmer has expressed pleasure with the facility and commented that our discussion during the construction phase led to some design changes that were advantageous. Both chan
Author: Mattea Mitchell
Major Program: Grain Crops
Our annual Winter Ag Conference focused on two new chemicals and the new label guidelines for them. With 89% of the land in Fulton County in row crop along with 91% in Hickman and 83% in Carlise County the new guidelines for Xtendimax Max and Engenia for soybeans will be a choice farmers will have to make again this year. Crop sales just in Hickman County is $56,841,000. The need for this new information to get out is necessary to our producers. We teamed up with Adult agriculture educators from
Major Program: Farmer's Markets
Hickman County Farmer's Market has been in operation now for a full year. Bringing locally produced foods to our community, this market has become heavily utilized. Not only is the market been used for "market hours", but it has been utilized for educational programming for the youth and many other community based events as well. Opening Day of MarketLocal Foods Offered at MarketFarmers Market CelebrationOn June 30, Hickman County Extension Office hosted a Farmers Market
Major Program: Sustainable Agriculture
The Four River Counties is bountiful with agriculture. With an impressive 83.53% of the land in all four river counties is used for crop production, it is easy to say that agriculture holds a strong presence in these communities. Working together as one, a committee was developed to highlight agriculture in Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman County.The first annual WAVE River Counties AG Day was held at Fort Jefferson Cross Memorial in Wickliffe on July 13. The theme “Lets
Author: Sam McNeill
Low-Cost Grain Moisture Meter for Developing CountriesSuccess story by Sam McNeill, Extension Professor in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering and Co-PI on two USAID funded projects in Ghana and NigeriaGrain is commonly stored in jute or polyproplyene bags in Africa, Asia, Latin America and many under-developed contries, many of which have environmental conditions that are suitable for mold growth and insect activity throughout the entire year. Current storage losses in many areas are common
Author: Caroline Hughes
Major Program: Community Engagement
Starting out as a new FCS agent in Robertson County, I have had to become imaginative in finding, and sometimes creating, an audience to listen my Extension messages. It isn't always easy to just decide you will have a program and immediately have an audience show up. I have already discovered that, just because you want to have a program and impart information, people just don't always show up at the meeting room in your office ready to listen. On my first day on the job, Sh
Author: Robert Pearce
Major Program: Tobacco
Frogeye leaf spot has historically been a relatively low impact disease for tobacco growers until recently. In the past 4 to 5 years we have seen increasing problems in some areas of the states with significant losses of leaf weight and quality observed by a number of growers. In addition labelled pesticides for this problem do not appear to be performing as expected in field conditions leading to concerns about possible resistance of the disease to current controls. I have been working wi
US Tobacco GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) is an industry led program designed to insure that tobacco growers in the United States are well informed and follow the best practices for the production of all types of tobacco. Kentucky is the second leading producer of tobacco behind North Carolina, but has the most tobacco growers of any state due to the relatively smaller farm size. Tobacco growers are required to attend an annual training session conducted by Cooperative Extension Specialists.
Author: Marsha Hagler
Kentucky 4-H recognizes a strong background in science, technology, engineering and mathematics can benefit young people, not only as they progress through school but as they enter the job market. In 4-H, our educators work to help youth develop an understanding of a variety of STEM-related disciplines. 4-H robotics is a popular STEM offering. Robotics projects can range from junk drawer robots, which teach young people basic robotic construction using everyday items, to robots so large the
Author: Kendriana Price
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to Childcare Aware of America, in 2017 before and after school childcare for school-aged children costs families $5,389. In Christian County 27% of the population that is under the age of 18, and 60% of those youth are in low-income families (below the 200% of the federal poverty level) as reported by Kentucky Kids Count 2017 Data Book. Although the county has 1,260 less children in low-income families (below the 200% of the federal poverty level), this is still 12% higher than other y
Author: Raymond Cox
The success of the 4-H Reality Store for high school students encouraged the beginning of a program for elementary students to teach financial planning and success. The 4-H Dollar and Sense program shows students how important it is to be good money managers for their financial futures. Each student is given an allotted amount of money for an allowance for a week. With this money, students have the freedom to choose to buy a pet, toys, fast food, candy, pet food, bicycle, roller blades or skate
Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum
A component of 4-H Teen Conference this summer was a leadership development experience, where adults and 4-H youth leaders led delegates through a common leadership experience. All delegates experienced the opportunity to network and belong to a group of individuals, explore personal communication styles, and work in a team environment through a community service project. Of the 590 youth attending, 75% of 4-H Teen Conference delegates reported feeling connected to their leadership group. Forty-
Author: Kimberly Schrader
Motivation and the use of incentives are important to positive youth development. 4-H Youth Development programs provide opportunities for creativity in a learn-by-doing environment and encourage youth to become involved in projects and activities. The 4-H Achievement Program intends to recognize 4-H participants who have outstanding accomplishments, and to provide incentives for youth to increase their knowledge, skills and abilities. The overall 4-H Achievement Program design includes th
Author: Ruth Chowning
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Community service and leadership by the Bullitt County Homemaker members have a major impact on the county. Homemakers develop personal leadership skills through the organization and then lead in projects and programs throughout the county. After years of developing leadership, there are three Homemakers who serve on the County Extension Council and District Board level. They are blazing a new trail to foster and develop an approach of "Extension" as one big program in
