Author: Jessica Bessin
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
With Harrodsburg’s 250th anniversary right around the corner the Harrodsburg’s local Tree Board has been working tirelessly to beautify our community and help the environment. Trees are more than aesthetically pleasing. They combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen to provide crucial habitats for wildlife, trees offer a plethora of benefits. Their shade and canopy help mitigate the urban heat island effect, reducing energy consumption and improving air q
Author: Tyson Gregory
In light of the increase of severe weather events, evolving climate, and biodiversity crisis, homeowners are increasingly seeking methods to uphold aesthetically pleasing landscapes while minimizing their ecological footprint. To provide local citizens with pertinent information, the Woodford County Extension Office hosted it's 6th annual Spring Gardening Workshop.The workshop featured educational sessions led by Extension specialists and industry professionals. These sessions delved into lo
Author: Stacy White
Homegrown apples are culturally important in our region. Many heirloom varieties found here are not available commercially. Grafting is the most efficient way to maintain important apple varieties. The Whitley County ANR agent annually hosts apple grafting seminars for the general public and for high school agriculture students. Participants learn the science of tree grafting and get to graft their own tree during the seminars. Both whip grafting and bud grafting t
Author: Bethany Wilson
This home gardening series is in its second year, created by the Pulaski Co Horticulture Agent and one Extension Master Gardener. During summer 2023, the program had over 30 different participants over the 5 monthly programs. During 2024, xx people participated in 7 monthly programs.This Pulaski County Extension Horticulture program brought together gardening enthusiasts of all skill levels, empowering them with knowledge and skills to cultivate thriving gardens in limited spaces. Through
Author: Jessica Wells
It has been stated by specialists at the University of Kentucky that 85% of the diagnostic tree samples that are submitted to the lab and/or questioned by extension agents and homeowners are a result of a below ground issue. Since a large number of issues occur underground and are not visible by the eye, it stands to reason, that it is best to prevent tree issues as opposed to treating or fixing tree issues. With that idea in place, in September of 2023, the Harrison County Horticult
Author: Benjamin Prewitt
The problem: The Whitley County Cooperative Extension Service has been working with an influx of individuals and families that have decided to move into our community from numerous places around the United States. Many of these individuals and families are moving from a way of life centered around inner- city or suburban type of lifestyles and have never had the opportunity to try and grow their own food. On top of that, many of these individuals have never had the opportunity to participate in
Author: Sharon Flynt
The problem The University of Kentucky Extension recently hosted a Horticulture Webinar Wednesday, marking the fifth season of the webinar series. Initiated as an outreach method during the pandemic, the webinars offer valuable insights and information on various horticulture topics. Expert speakers cover plant care, gardening techniques, and industry trends, providing a platform for attendees to interact, ask questions, and glean practical tips to enhance their horticultural pract
Author: Savannah Gilbert
The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service hosts a Toolbox Garden Series which takes place on the first Tuesday of every month. Each session covers a different topic to educate the public on a variety of horticulture subjects. For January, the Horticulture Assistant coordinated with Lindsay Tatum Bowles of Tatum Studios to plan a flower arranging Toolbox. It took place on January 2nd, and not only was this the first session of 2024, but it was also the first Toolbox that Savannah had tak
Author: Nicole Rhein
Every spring when the forsythia bushes start to bloom, the local Extension Office's phone starts ringing. Clients with home horticulture questions start buzzing with anticipation for the upcoming garden season and as their preparations are made, they have many questions. The string of questions continues as the season progresses, making home horticulture questions a very demanding and time consuming responsibility for Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents, especially those who do not have
Author: Lindie Huffman
The Garden Extravaganza Seed Giveaway at the Pendleton County Extension Office was an extraordinary event that united community, education, and sustainable practices.Behind the scenes, volunteers from the RSVP program, including seniors, meticulously sorted and prepared the seeds. Their dedication and expertise ensured the seamless operation of the event.Participants were thrilled to explore the diverse selection of vegetable seeds, with many pleasantly surprised by unique varieties like purple
Author: Christopher Schalk
The problemNo doubt that one positive result of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown was an increase interest in gardening and home food production. Many home owners planted fruit trees in an attempt to produce some high quality fresh fruit at home. West 8 Agriculture Agents have been getting requests for more programming on fruit tree care and pruning. The educational program responseIn February 2024 a fruit tree pruning workshop was held on the farm of the Dennison family
Author: Carrie Spry
The ANR agent and Horticulture agent worked together for the 2024 Winter School series. Clark Extension hosted 3 full nights of education for the public. Topics included biting insects around the home, bats in the backyard, reading EPD's, fertilizer needs for pastures, the benefits of storing hay, pond construction, and farm planning and layout for water and feed areas. More than 80 people attended each night for a combined total attendance of over 260 people. the local farm bureau group, ca
Author: Emma Lee
Many producers in Estill County produce apples and different kinds of fruit. Last year, I held my first grafting class and it was very successful. I held the same class again this year to teach/refresh producers on how to graft scion wood onto rootstock. A local orchard farmer of many years attended to assist me with the class. We discussed the background and importance of grafting, and then began the demonstration of different ways to graft. Producers watched and then attempted to graft their r
Author: Jamie Dockery
Fayette County is one of Kentucky's most populus cities. The demand for accurate, reliable gardening information is great. The Fayette County Extension horticulture program is well known, and we strive to provide relevant information in a variety of ways. One of our most popular offerings is a series of informal gardening classes called Gardener's Toolbox. We discovered that teaching classes helped circumvent countless phone discussions. Horticulture staff often source new or improved va
Author: Lindsay Heyvaert
The problemCommunity members most have forgotten about Kentucky's Pawpaw trees and I wish for people to experience the unique flavor of the pawpaw and learn how to grow their own. My goals is to help make this beloved tree common once more!The educational program responseSo far, I have done pawpaw programing throughout a few counties and have had a great response. Since the beginning of 2024, I have done pawpaw programming at the community farmers market twice and have a great turnout schedu
Author: Adam Leonberger
Addressing the issue of food deserts is a pressing concern for many communities, and Frankfort is no exception. The city lacks grocery stores close to most residential neighborhoods. The public transit routes are limited and only run during the day. The transit system also restricts the riders to bringing only four grocery bags on the buses. Moreover, food prices are rising, making it difficult for the low-income residents to afford healthy food. This situation has led to a severe fo
Author: Shad Baker
Many people make soil preparations and invest in inputs for gardening, but only reap half the harvest because they only utilize half the growing season. This shortfall especially impacts those who rely upon gardening to stretch their food dollars.In order to help encourage full-season production, the Letcher County Extension Office partnered with Tractor Supply in a mid-summer seed donation program. The donation of seed amounted to over $14,000 worth of free seed being distributed to clientele,
Many citizens in Clark County love adding fresh cut flowers to their home during the summer season. Often times these flowers can be found at the local farmers market, or even handed to them from a neighbor. Sometimes that come already arranged in a bouqet, other times they are individual and need to be arranged. Some people want the cut flowers, but can't make it to the market to purchase them or even can't afford them. A few citizens even expressed the desire to learn how to grow cut f