Author: Megan Wetenkamp
Major Program: Substance Use and Mental Health - ANR
“Loneliness is the root cause and contributor to many of the epidemics sweeping the world today – from alcohol and drug addiction to violence, depression, and anxiety. It affects not only our health but also how our children experience school, how we perform at work, and the sense of division and polarization in our society.” This excerpt from the book entitled “Together” written by Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general of the United States has become the cat
Author: Annette Heisdorffer
The substance-use epidemic touches all areas of the commonwealth, and treatment programs are using creative, research-based approaches to assist those impacted. Extension Agent for Horticulture Education in Daviess County, Annette Heisdorffer, and Daviess County Nutrition Education Program Assistant, Catherine Dowdy, collaborated with Owensboro Regional Recovery from May to October 2023 to teach both gardening skills and nutrition education. The gardening, meal planning, and cooking skill
Author: Robert Brockman
The Brighton Recovery Center is designed for women who have have had issues with substance abuse. For several years, we have had a gardening program with the women. This gardening program occurs on the Brighton Center's property within a series of raised bed gardens. In recent years, the vegetable and herb plants have struggled to succeed due to poor soil and an insufficient fence which allows rabbits to constantly raid the garden.The Boone County Horticulture Program successfully applied fo
Author: Chelsey Anderson
The average age of a farmer in the United States is now 58.1. This is according to the 2022 USDA Ag Census. Keeping this in mind along with several farming accidents taking place in the county within the last year and a half, it was decided to host a farmers’ dinner theater. This event took place on February 22, 2024 at the Cumberland County Extension Office. The audience, which consisted of 55 listened to speakers about suicide awareness in the farming community, local farmers who had rec
Author: Sarah Fannin
Farming is rated the sixth most dangerous occupation, beating out powerline workers and steelworkers (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). There is also a high concentration of mental illness among farmers, including depression. These conditions are often stress-induced and can be life-threatening if left untreated.Building on last year’s success, Extension engaged additional community organizations for the USDA “Raising Hope – Supporting Healthy
