Author: Carol Hinton
Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy
Extension MinuteIn 2016 we had a dream of getting space on the local radio station to give quick and to the point Extension information and leave the listener with the tag, ‘for more information, call your local Extension Service’. The dream came true, we have 3 full time sponsors for the program called, Extension Minute. We do see an increase in questions on the topics that were discussed that week. I am also met on the street with, the tag, And Now for Your Extens
Author: Camille Dant
To add to our current MarketReady trainings, we are expanding into value-added dairy. With many dairy producers in the state creating value-added dairy products, we are adapting our MarketReady training to fit those needs. Along with the University of Tennessee and the Center for Profitable Agriculture we are educating the producers on how to get their products to larger markets as well as expand their brand awareness and the importance of local dairy.This year we will host a MarketReady Dairy t
Author: Phillip Long
Since we use these stories as a resource for multiple requests, don’t restrict Success Stories only to traditional Extension appointments and activities. Any accomplishments and efforts that are noteworthy may be included.Recently, the hot temperatures that we normally have in Kentucky in early summer, have created problems in ponds for farmers and homeowners alike. Algae that are produced in farm ponds can be a nuisance for farmers who rely on this source for livestock water. Algae c
Author: Sarah Fannin
Morgan County is one of the few counties in Eastern Kentucky that is experiencing population growth. This trend reversal is due to the in-migration of new landowners and farmers from the western and northern United States. Enabled by internet property listings, many new owners are purchasing farms sight unseen and often with little to no experience in agriculture. Armed with enthusiasm for their new venture, many of them are reaching out to the Extension office for education an
Author: Vicki Shadrick
Tri-County Ag Extension Group consists of Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents in Webster, McLean and Hopkins Counties. The counties are not only alike geographically, but also agriculturally. Many producers in the tri-county area farm in all three counties. With specialist demand during the “winter meeting season” coupled with travel constraints, moving toward multi-county educational opportunities just makes sense. The Tri-County Ag Extension Group offe
Author: Gregory Halich
Programming in Bale Grazing 2021-2022Bale Grazing is a winter feeding practice originally developed in the western Canadian provinces and portions of the northern US. Done correctly, it can reduce equipment and labor (no tractor is required for feeding) and dramatically increase pasture fertility. However, it had to be adapted to work well in the Upper South as our soils aren’t frozen over for months at a time during winter. I started bale grazing on one of my personal fa
Author: Nathan Rider
There are only 486 farms in Bullitt County according to the 2017 USDA Ag Census, a number that shrinks each year. As such, there are fewer and fewer opportunities for children in the county to gain perspective on the source of their food. To address the farm-to-food disconnect in April 2022, University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in Bullitt County welcomed 125 students from Mount Washington Elementary for a day of hands-on learning at the 2022 Youth Farm Field Day. Studen
Author: Savannah Columbia
In 2021, the MarketReady Training Program went from an in-person event to a virtual platform. The virtual learning experience was well-received. From July 2021 to June 2022, we have had 94 Kentucky growers and/or producers participate in our virtual trainings [this includes our MarketReady Training and its follow-up Adv. Topic trainings]. The sustained interest in MarketReady has led our team to develop plans for two Buyer Tours in August – one in Lexington and one in Louisville. During ea
Kentucky’s Farm to School Network (KF2SN) hosted two virtual training sessions for Kentucky Extension Agents interested in teaching farm to school lessons in the classroom. During the program, titled Highlighting Farm to School in the Classroom, members of the KF2SN showcased farm to school lessons for all levels of primary and secondary education. 30 agents attended on our August 30th training and 22 agents attended on our September 1st training. Post training, agents were prompted to tak
In May, Dr. Tim Woods and I held a Market Ready training specific to Sheep and Goat value-added products. This training was held with help from the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office. We had three participants attend the event and all three were attentive and involved during the training. Once producer out of Owenton is currently working with Dr. Woods on branding and how to make their product stand out from their competitors. Each producer had different needs and our training was struct
Author: Matthew Futrell
The accessibility of information to farmers has never been higher. Emails, blogs, social media, videos, and online training are bridging the information gap. This is true for all agricultural sectors except Amish and Mennonite farmers. Christian and Todd counties are two of the most Amish-populated counties in the state. Kentucky is the 8th most Amish-populated state with 15,000. Limited access to phones and internet sources, make it challenging for Amish farmers to get timely production informa
Author: Roger Mollette
The Martin County Agricultural Development Council recently received $30,000.00 from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Council. The County Council with the Martin County Soil Conservation District acting as the Administrator of the program has chosen the County Agricultural Investment Program (CAIP). Producers with a Farm Number and Water Quality Plan may apply for up to $5,000.00 for Primary Focus Areas and up to $1,500.00 for Secondary Focus Areas. Producers will be respo
Author: Jay Stone
Crop production is a major part of the agriculture economies in Western Kentucky, with Corn, Soybeans, and wheat being the major crops produced in most counties. To meet the needs of producers, Ag agents in Hopkins, McLean, and Webster Counties have worked together to identify the educational needs of Grain Producers and develop programs to meet those needs. In addition to the Tri-County plot work that has been done in the past, agents have worked to provide additional opportunities and del
Author: Kenneth Burdine
Following the success of the Cow-calf Profitability Conferences in 2020 and 2021, Extension economists (Kenny Burdine, Greg Halich, and Jonathan Shepherd) wanted to offer something similar, but targeted at backgrounding and stocker operations. With the help of funding from the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund and the partnership with the Kentucky Beef Network, the Backgrounding and Stocker Profitability Conference was developed. The program was intended to provide a detailed educational se
Beginning beef producers need to develop skills in goal setting, farm financial management, and basic marketing. At the same time, new beef cattle producers often struggle to attend in-person programs due to demands on their time from off-farm employment and often having young families. With this is mind, the concept for an educational video series targeting new beef producers was born. The Beef Business Foundations series is a collection of 8 educational, conversational, Youtube-style videos de
Author: Ricky Arnett
Phase I funding continues to play an integral part of the agriculture of Green County. The Green County Agricultural Development Board helped to administer over $300,000 to the agriculture producers of Green County.The council funded producers with the C.A.I.P. program that included: genetics, fencing, on farm water development, cattle handling, hay storage, diversification, technology, dairy diversification, and forage improvement. Several different educational offerings included as part of the
KY Ag Matters Over the past 2 years, we have all learned new ways to connect with people. Even during a global pandemic, businesses found ways to continue to meet the needs of their clientele and families found ways to stay connected without gathering in person. Stepping out of our comfort zones to learn new skills quickly became the new normal. The pandemic is nearly over, but learning and adapting to new ways to connect to our clientele is still a priority. After
Over the past 2 years, we have all learned new ways to connect with people. Even during a global pandemic, businesses found ways to continue to meet the needs of their clientele and families found ways to stay connected without gathering in person. Stepping out of our comfort zones to learn new skills quickly became the new normal. The pandemic is nearly over, but learning and adapting to new ways to connect to our clientele is still a priority. After attending a podcast
