Author: Kara Back-Campbell
Major Program: Commercial Horticulture
The Taylor County Extension Office partnered with two local producers to provide agriculture education to the residents of Taylor County. The primary focus of this years Family Farm Field day was agriculture safety, along with showcasing the producers' operations. This was chosen as the theme, because everyday about 100 agriculture workers suffer a lost-work-time injury, and in 2016, 417 fatalities occurred according to the CDC. Extension agents, local first responders, RECC, the MS4 Co
Author: Kelly Jackson
Fruit and vegetable production sales at the Fairview Produce Auction, servicing Christian and Todd county farmers, exceeds $3 million annually. However to remain profitable growers need training on best management practices and proper use of pesticides. To meet this need members of the Fairview Educational Committee partnering with the Cooperative Extension Service in Christian County and University of Kentucky specialists sponsored a Twilight Tour training. Topics included a demonstration on sp
Flower sales are an increasingly growing commodity in Christian and Todd counties. However, to remain profitable growers need training on management practices including reducing heating and cooling costs for greenhouses. To meet this need members of the Fairview Educational Committee partnering with the Cooperative Extension Office in Christian County sponsored a flower production training which included local growers and speakers from the University of Missouri and the University of Kentucky. E
Kentucky has the fastest-growing Amish population in the U.S. According to the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, the population of Kentucky Amish grew by 3,060 people in the last five years and is currently 8th in population with approximately 12,060 Amish. Christian County and neighboring Todd County are two of the three most populated counties in Kentucky. Many Amish in these two counties, grow and sell vegetables and depend on these sales for their livelihood. Due to limited ac
Author: Kevin Lyons
A High Tunnel System, commonly called a “hoop house,” is an increasingly popular conservation practice for farmers, and is available with financial assistance through the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Since the establishment of this program, many high tunnels have been built throughout the state. As these high tunnels are being constructed many producers have questions. It is a new growing system for them
Author: April Wilhoit
A local restaurant in Flemingsburg, Kentucky decided to start growing some of the vegetables that they utilize a lot in their day-to-day operations. When the owner discussed his ideas and concerns with me during a training at the local Extension office, I suggested plastic mulch as a possibility to assist in his weed control for this endeavor. Unfamiliar with the practice, and the equipment utilized in laying plastic mulch I enlisted the assistance of a neighboring ANR agent. &
Author: Bethany Wilson
Pulaski County boasts a robust commercial vegetable and fruit industry. Between two farmers’ markets, several large on-farm markets, and one of the largest commercial wholesale vegetable and strawberry producers in the state, growers range from small to large and their needs can be quite different. Several trainings for Pulaski County’s commercial horticulture producers were offered during the year. A training on growing crops in hi
Author: David Hull
Though arguably the smallest county in the Commonwealth, Gallatin County appears to be big on hemp! Over 200 acres of ground is set aside for hemp production. The vast majority of the production is for the medicinal oils the plant produces. But in order to grow hemp, a producer must complete a long and fairly complicated application process required by the Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture. This alone has swayed some producers away from growing a potentially profitable crop.Because of this, the Gall
Author: Paul Andrew Rideout
Local school systems often lack funding for many areas of education. Sports field maintenance is important for athlete safety but also the aesthetics of sports fields play an important role with community pride.In 2016, the Henderson County School System contacted the Horticulture agent requesting help with developing a long-term maintenance plan for the sports fields at the high school. With limited budget and limited experience, the maintenance manager struggled to keep the fields in acc
New crop opportunities are exciting but often come with high risk. Hemp in Kentucky is quickly becoming a major crop and these new producers are in need of good information. Henderson County Extension recognized the need early in 2017 and responded.In 2017, Henderson County had only 2 producers. Both producers made regular visits and calls to the Extension office requesting updated information on best production practices, what varieties to grow, where to find a processor, and
Author: Nicole Gauthier
Hemp is a new crop for Kentucky and for the US. Urban myth describes hemp as resistant to disease and insect pests, but recent surveys and samples indicate otherwise. Since 2014, hemp acreage has increased in the commonwealth, and disease reports have also intensified. To date, over twenty-five different pathogens/diseases have been confirmed. Some of these diseases are common on a wide range of hosts, while others are unique or specific to hemp. For example, hemp
Author: David Davis
Over the past 8 years, Clark County Extension Service has implemented various programs to assist fruit and vegetable farmers. Previous efforts have included various black plastic mulch demonstrations for vegetable and strawberry production, season extension technology demonstrations, a small scale market garden mentor program, various “classroom” course offerings, tours, and more. In follow up surveys from each of those programs, accessing suitable new small scale wholesa
Author: Christy Cassady
Kentucky is home to 30,480 farms of 49 or fewer acres (Census of Agriculture, 2017), and the state’s small farmers rely on up-to-date production and marketing information to help them make the best decisions for their operations. Part of that decision-making process involves determining which crops to grow based on profit potential. Enterprise budgets are tools that farmers can use to help make those decisions. As part of a 2016 Kentucky Specialty Crop Block Grant from the Kentucky Departm
Author: Shawn Wright
Working with Kevin Gurtowski from Kentucky State University, we obtained funding to for season extension projects. A portion of the funding was used to construct cold frames/solar dryers. All ANR/Hort Agents in Districts 1 & 2 were asked if they wanted them for their educational efforts. 10 Counties responded and two for each of these counties were constructed at the RCARS Wood Utilization Center. A Zoom presentation was given so that all the Agents knew the advantage
Author: Myron Evans
In our ever increasing efforts to increase agricultural income and find alternative crops, commercial vegetable production always offers many opportunities. Agent has gotten many calls from individuals requesting information on greenhouse vegetable production. The construction costs of greenhouses and production expenses often make it cost prohibitive for individuals to pursue the endeavor. However, one large greenhouse operation, Garden Gate Greenhouse, applied for and received funds for a gree
Author: Glen Roberts
Growing Fruit and Vegetables in a large school garden utilized by the school food serviceby Glen RobertsMajor Program: Youth Fruit & Vegetable AccessCollaborators: Glen Roberts, ANR agent, Ashley DeBord, ANR assistant, Danny Adams, KSU Small Farm Assistant, Justin Horton, FFA Adviser/VoAg instructor, Karen Gibson, School Food Service Director, Master Gardeners, VoAg and FCS students, Terry Bertram ANR Assistant.Situation: Todays youth are unaware how good their food is grown.
Author: James Morgeson
Each year the states Agents for Horticulture meets for inservice updates and to network. This year the Washington County Horticulture Agent hosted and planned the inservice with the help of Dr. Nicole Gauthier. Thirty horticulture agents and several agriculture agents attended the meeting. With the current explosion in interest in industrial hemp the second day of the program was dedicated to hemp as a horticulture crop because agents have been bombarded with hemp information reques
Author: Anthony Tackett
The Bourbon County Extension Service added new horticulture therapy and rehabilitation garden sites during the past year. The goal of these projects was to engage local residents in gardening and plant-based activities which would promote overall health and rehabilitation. The Extension Service partnered with two community organizations, Accutran and Bourbon County Senior Citizens Center, in planning and carrying out these garden themed projects. Individual participants were in
