Author: Edwin Ritchey
Major Program: Soil testing
This short publication was developed to supplement the 4-H Land Judging publication in 2015. There were no simple and easy to follow publications that were available to the public prior to the development of this publication. The publication has been downloaded over 45,000 times since it was developed and over 6,300 times during this cycle. This includes downloads from 185 different countries and over 2,200 institutions. This publication continues to be used heavily all over the world as an easy
Author: Glen Roberts
Participants: Farmer Producers, ANR Agent Glen Roberts, Assistants Terry Bertram and Steps employee Lynn Slagle and KSU Small Farms, Danny Adams. Farmers are not adopting soil testing to the degree they should be. Part of this is due to the time involved. The average age of farmers, especially beef cattle farmers, is getting older and all of the walking involved taking soil tests is a barrier.The educational program response to this problem is one of demonstration and of
Author: Dee Heimgartner
The problem Taking a soil test can be a daunting task for many, especially those who have never taken a test before. Gathering the soil sample correctly is a key component to getting good sample results. The correct depth, enough probes in varying spots in the field and proper handling are important while taking a sample. To assist producers Crittenden County Extension has started utilizing plastic buckets with directions on the side and soil probes with tape marking the proper sampling depth fo
Author: Rebecca Konopka
Carter County boasts a rich agricultural heritage, but many farmers still sometimes rely on intuition and tradition to guide their nutrient management decisions. This often leads to over- or under-application of fertilizers, impacting both crop yields and the environment.That's why the Carter County Extension Service encourages farmers to utilize soil sampling services. Currently, the Carter County Soil Conservation District pays for soil testing for local residents through a gr
Author: James Morgeson
In Washington County, as in other Counties in Kentucky, gardeners don’t understand the importance of soil testing and then actually following the recommendations. To combat this the Horticulture and 4H agents developed a contest on growing the largest and tallest sunflowers with an adult group and a 4H group. Each participant attended a session on the culture and care of sunflowers, was given seeds of two varieties of sunflower varieties, and was given instructions on how to ta
