Author: Sarah Fannin
Major Program: Small Farm Diversification
Farmers are facing unprecedented challenges with increasing input costs, volatile markets and weather changes. Every tool is needed in their arsenal to help address these issues. Often times, small changes in management practices can help pay unexpected dividends. Individual stories from producers this past year have proven once again the value of Extension education, services and demonstrations.Examples include:*a Master Cattlemen participant changing immunization programs res
Author: Deborah Stumbo
The first every Wine Cap Mushroom Workshop was held at the Pike County Extension Office. It was developed in response to requests from our new farmers to add another produce to their sales. For years the Extension Office has been sponsoring a "Shiitake" mushroom workshop every spring and fall. The advisory group recommended to add other varieties of mushrooms to our trainings. Wine Caps were chosen because it is almost impossible to mistake the Wine Cap for a po
Author: Edwin Chavous
Prior to the pandemic many farmers didn’t utilize the internet for any kind of meeting conferences, workshops or any other platforms for agriculture business, farmers were accustomed to face to face contact for business and dealing with people. Now that business are slowing opening up in Kentucky there are many resources needed by limited-resource minority farmers in the world including Kentucky. The Kentucky State University (KSU) Small Farm Program is an Extension program des
Author: Paul Sizemore
The zoom series began on February 1 and continued through the end of April. Topics were: Small Ruminant Management, Preparing for Spring Gardening, Calving & Calf Health, Farm Management Strategies for Improved Decision Making, Diagnosing Problems in the Home Lawn, Fruit Tree Grafting, Produce Best Practice Training, Marketing at the Farmers Market, Raised Bed Gardening, and Pond Management. Fruit Tree Growers Workshop, Mushrooming & Foraging 101, and Wilderness Safety & First Aid. T
Author: Heather Graham
In response to COVID and the desire to continue programming, the Quicksand Area Agriculture Agents decided to offer a weekly virtual program for our clients. The series has been titled, "Mountain Monday Zoom Series" and it offers participants to "explore various topics impacting farming, natural resources, gardening, agriculture, and more in the mountains." The series began on February 1 and is continuing through the end of April. Past topics were: Small Ruminant Managem
Author: William Crawford
Near the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020, all of Kentucky State University’s (KYSU’s) Cooperative Extension field staff were assigned to work remotely from home offices. In an effort to maintain contact with stakeholders, we were tasked with creating a weekly newsletter. As an Extension Associate that formerly worked statewide, I had a client base that covered all areas including Agriculture/Small Farms, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), Nutrition, Community Eng
The disruptive impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the U.S. agricultural system have been broad and varied.Under the current circumstances, it’s hard to predict how long the COVID-19 pandemic will last for. Food and livestock producers face an extremely difficult situation. An alternative solution is to search for ways to sell their products. Producers feel that the only way to survive is by organizing themselves and selling their produce on-line via a social media platform. Prior to
Author: Gregory Drake
The Mammoth Cave agriculture and horticulture agents collaborated to produce a Virtual Field Day in October of 2020. The agents in our ten county area worked as a team to develop educational farm tour videos of three very different operations across south-central Kentucky. The concept was to simulate a traditional field day and reach a diverse audience. McKinney Farms in Butler Co. produces and sells 70 acres ear corn primarily to deer hunters, and is a great example of ag diversific
The Kentucky State University (KSU) Small Farm Program is an Extension program designed to help farm families with decision-making skills to solve farm and home problems. It includes educational programs that emphasize farm production, farm management, and marketing. It also includes the use and understanding of local county programs and USDA agencies and their programs, plus providing technical assistance in completing applications for the program and the entire application process.  
Author: Robert Kirby
Four years ago Hillview Stables approached the Knox County Extension agent for Agriculture asking for ideas to increase farm income and ease their dependency on tobacco. With Ag Tourism in mind the ANR Agent suggested a pumpkin patch and corn maize. Four years later Hillview Stables, with the educational help from the University Specialist and ANR Agent, has expanded to not only a pumpkin patch and corn maize but have gem mining, pony and camel rides, train ride, exotic and farm animal petting z
Author: Keith Hackworth
The Floyd County Extension Service normal ways of communicating with clients changed dramatically with the onset of COVID -19 pandemic as a whole: however, the ANR program not as much. The following are ways that I have reached out to the agriculture community during the pandemic. &nb
