Author: Elijah Wilson
Major Program: Economic Development
Extension Agents are informed community leaders and can add value to planning efforts on a wide range of diverse topics. The active community involvement of Extension Agents, coupled with ongoing Extension volunteer development and leadership programs, help communities to increase capacity to address challenges and to develop community assets. Extension adds value and helps to maximize the positive impact of public and private available resources. In 2019, as part of an on-going comm
Cumberland County continues to reap the benefits of a project that first began 8 years ago as a youth service project focused on community beautification and revitalization. The Partners with Pride project convened a group of dedicated community leaders that resulted in a long-term partnership among local businesses, Cumberland County Extension, and the Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. In 2018, Partners with Pride created and sponsored a new festival designed to grow the local economy
Key to the success of any community is the active involvement and collaboration of government agencies, civic organizations, businesses, and residents. Networking and collaboration are essential for sustained community and economic development, especially in a community such as Cumberland County, which has limited resources due to a relatively small population (5,879 US Census, 2021) and tax base compared to other Kentucky counties. The perceived need for collaboration is evident by its in
Author: Ronald Hustedde
The Extension specialist designed and delivered an entrepreneurial training program for high school youth and teachers in coal dependent counties in Eastern Kentucky. This initiative was designed for youth to develop entrepreneurial opportunities around abandoned coal mine sites which can be useful for community economic development. Students worked in teams during a four month period to develop detailed business plans around these sites. Some of the entrepreneurial plans were
Author: Vicki Wynn
To strengthen ties between the local Chamber of Commerce and the county’s agriculture community, the Marshall County Extension Office hosted a Chamber breakfast for members to network with others within the organization. Agriculture & Natural Resources, Family & Consumer Sciences, and 4-H Youth Development agents opened the program with an overview of services and programs provided by the Cooperative Extension Service. Two local businesses were spotlighted and offered brief present
Author: Thomas Miller
Early in the Fall of 2021, Paula Jerrell, Ballard County 4-H Agent approached Tom Miller, Ballard County ANR Agent about developing a driving tour around the county to highlight historical places. The intent was that 4-Hers could participate in the tour over fall break and earn some achievement points in historic landmarks.Tom Miller went around the county locating all historic markers and developed a route that coincided with the historical development in the county. Transportation
Author: Roger "Darrell" Simpson
The Muhlenberg County Farmers Market Pavilion and Honey Kitchen had its grand opening in 2014. The Kentucky Agriculture Development Board provided some of the funding thus required an annual receipts report for five years. Although that report is no longer required, this agent has continued to utilize a vendor survey to collect that information. Nine vendors responded to the 2021 survey as compared to five responses in 2020.The 2020 combined annual receipts totaled $41,104.19 as compared to the
Author: Shad Baker
The greatest testimony to the work of Extension, is when the community embraces our programs and designates them as critical to the future health of the county. This endorsement comes when our efforts are truly locally driven and with our neighbors' best interest at heart. The Letcher County Extension Office has taken a broad approach in our programming, often thinking outside the box of what is expected of Extension. Listening to the community and evaluating the assets of what we have, rath
Author: Sarah Drysdale
The 4th annual, WAVE River Counties Ag Day, was held in Downtown Hickman, KY in Fulton County on July 22 from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm. The goal of the initiative when it first started was to host an Ag Day in all four river counties. Due to COVID-19 we were unable to have an event in 2020. The theme “Lets Grow With It” was chosen yet again as it encompasses the goal of the WAVE committee: to utilize what we have at hand in the four river counties and grow upon it. The WAVE Ag Day is
Author: Sarah Fannin
With vaccinations available, the summer of 2021 enabled a brief reprieve from COVID and allowed for Morgan County Extension leadership to plan and conduct the 10th Annual Market in the Park in a safe manner for vendors and attendees alike. Morgan County Extension Council volunteers are actively engaged in organizing and financially supporting Market in the Park to inspire a “grow local, eat local, buy local” mentality that celebrates our community’s creativity and entrep
Author: Daniel Allen
Entrepreneurs are Part of 2021 Kenton County Farm TourAccording to an article in Entrepreneur Magazine’s August 2020 on-line edition, local artisans will be a powerful force in the new economy. The article goes on to explain that local artisans are increasing because of the buy local trend. These artisans contribute to the culture of the local economy and makes resilience from things like a pandemic easier. The 2021 Kenton County Farm tour had 11 hosting farms on the tour. &nbs
