Author: Ricky Yeargan
Major Program: Small Farm Management
Senior Extension Associate led a team that submitted a Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant proposal in spring 2020. In spring 2021, Covid-19 relief money allowed our approved proposal to be fully funded ($200,000 per year for 3 years). This project will provide training, resources and networking support for farmers with less than 10 years' experience and specifically targets military veterans beginning agricultural careers. Additionally, it will provide a
Author: Laura Maggard
For many years, funds derived from the Tobacco Settlement Fund have helped improve small family farms. Farmers who would not normally be able to make large improvements to their farms are able to apply for county funds to build barns, purchase heifers, and build fence. During the winter of 2019, the Lawrence County Agricultural Development Council voted to offer the County Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP). Lawrence County Farm Bureau applied to administer the $120,000.00 that was available
Author: Danny Adams
Two young Mennonite ladies called me and said they were planning on growing strawberries in the fall and spring of 2020-2021. They were planning on growing strawberries through plastic mulch and drip irrigation and didn't have the equipment to do that agriculture practice. Someone told these Mennonite ladies that the Wayne County Extension/ KSU Small Farm Assistant had equipment that could be used to demonstrated these agriculture practices. I told them we do have the equipment an
Author: Marion Simon
In the fall of 2020, a Kentucky State University team began working with the Women of the Land subcommittee of American Farmland Trust. Over the first two months, we held two virtual focus groups focusing on African American women and Caucasian women farmers in Eastern and Central Kentucky. The results of these focus groups were evaluated and resulted in a presentation at the Kentucky Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference. Committee members were from Kentuc
Author: Lyndall Harned
The month of March was mostly dedicated to assisting our local Farmers through an ice storm and flood Farm Relief Effort. This was coordinated with the Carter and Lawrence County agents and the Greenup County agent. During this effort, over $9,700 cash donations were raised, which were spent on purchasing fencing supplies. Donations of hay and fencing supplies were $15,995. The tot
Author: Rebecca Konopka
A devastating ice storm hit Northeast Kentucky in February 2021 and was followed by flooding. The ice storm left many without power or any amenities for several days and took out large areas of farm fencing when large trees and limbs either broke or were uprooted and fell on the fence. As local farmers were slowly beginning to get out from under that catastrophe the widespread flooding began. The floods were made worse by the debris from the ice storms that clogged culverts an
Young grain farmers need to know soil fertility, herbicides to use, and insect and diseases that can occur in their fields. The extension service is a good resource for information and diagnosis of problems in grain production.A young grain producer calls on me for information concerning fertility, weed management, disease and insect controls. I help him with his soil test information, seed planting rates and herbicides he uses on his corn and soybean fields. This young grain farmer is trying to
Author: Lorin Fawns
In fall 2020, COVID-19 still had many restrictions, but this did not stop the Buffalo Trace agents from hosting the Farm School for Women program. We offered the program virtually through Zoom for four sessions and had 28 women signed up and participated. We wanted to provide an exciting program, but this is not an easy task as many programs are offered virtually. We based the sessions on 2019's survey that asked what type of workshops participants would like to see for 2020.The first sessio
Author: Shane Bogle
As the impact of Coronavirus continues to affect our communities, Extension has been a driving force of consistency, efficiency, and leadership in Caldwell County. Service calls to the agriculture agent have increased by 40% since the beginning of the pandemic. Our traditional and non-traditional clientele have been at home and on the farm for extended periods of time. Agriculture agents are being called on more than ever to answer questions, solve problems, and help plan for future agriculture
Author: Heather Graham
For the last three years, the Wolfe Co ANR program has hosted a Farm & Safety Field Day. The program has grown over time and more partners have been added, expanding the program to become multi-county. The Wolfe and Breathitt County ANR Agents met early in the Fall to discuss the 2020 program and how to continue in the midst of a global pandemic. It was decided to host a virtual Farm & Home Safety Week and to not only partner again with the county Farm Bureaus, but to also partner w
The covid-19 shutdown became a problem of people getting information on different things in their lives. One of the problems were people being assured they would have a food supply for their families. So I had an African American family that wanted to grow their on garden during the shutdown call me. They asked and told me about what they new about growing a garden, but the biggest concern was keeping wildlife from eating the garden. They had plenty of deer, raccoon and rabbits playing in
The year 2020 has been a difficult year to get information out to the farming community. The help of news letters and webinars has kept most farmers informed of information they need. As a KSU Small Farm Assistant I was able to take phone calls, text messages and emails with the under served audiences I work with. I was able to get the small farmers in the Wayne County area the KSU Small Farmer Grant Applications and the Wayne County CAIP Cost Share Applications so they could apply for thes
