Author: Ralph Hance
Major Program: Leadership
The Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference is a multi-state leadership conference that was created to bring together youth from across the southern region. (https://4-h.ca.uky.edu/SRTLC) This year the conference had over 400 attendees and through their community service project, were able to create 1000 paper cranes, dog toys and help spruce up the camp! Trimble County has participated in this conference for over 10 years now. This year we had a record number of youth partici
Author: Wade Raymer
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
The Webster County Cooperative Extension office collaborated with Providence school to provide a Holiday Themed Day Camp for 50 kindergarten students featuring a craft project, physical activity and cooking lesson. The Day Camp encouraged children to use their imagination and creativity. Working with their hands and creating crafts helps them develop fine motor skills and allowed them to express themselves artistically. This also enhanced their confidence when they completed their craft pr
Author: Michelle Simon
Major Program: Beef
Campbell County farmers have been challenged with the task of finding a large animal veterinarian for the last fifteen years when the last large animal vet practice closed. This has created even more challenges than farmers already face from unpredictable weather and economic changes, including but not limited to lack of access to antibiotics, emergency veterinary care and preventative health recommendations.In response to this issue, Campbell County ANR Agent collaborated with the Campbell Coun
Author: John Tucker
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Crop production accounts for 85% of the land use in the river counties of far Western Kentucky. Additionally, more than 11,000 acres of Wildlife Management Areas are located in Carlisle, Hickman, and Fulton Counties (Public Land Search, KDFWR website). Recognizing the need to balance wildlife conservation with minimizing crop damage, Extension Agents in Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman Counties organized a wildlife management meeting to address deer management challenges and a Chronic Wasting Disea
Author: Daniel Kahl
Major Program: Community Leadership Development
Collaborative Partners:Sarah Congleton, UK Cooperative Extension, Montgomery CountyRon Catchen, UK Cooperative Extension, Montgomery CountyDan Kahl, UK Extension, CLD Associate Professor, CEDIKAudriana Palmer, KSU Community Leadership Specialist Nicole Breazeale, UK Extension, CLD Associate ProfessorThe second Kentucky Leadership Summit was held at the KSU Benson Farm on May 22, 2024. Seventy participants representing leadership programs from across Kentucky participated in the summit. The
Author: Brent Arnoldussen
Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial
Describe the Issue or Situation.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience.Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.
Describe the Issue or Situation.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).Provide the Number and Description(s) of Participants/Target Audience. Provide a Statement of Outcomes or Program Impact. Please note that the outcomes statement must use evaluation data to describe the change(s) that occurred in individuals, groups, families, businesses, or in the community because of the program/outreach.
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Describe the Issue or Situation.ANR and Hort agents across the state provide grafting and pruning of fruit crops as part of their consumer horticultural program. These are both issues that are very popular with local clientele. In the past, the former fruit specialist would travel the state doing these demos in concert with agents at their events. With the changes in responsibilities of the new fruit specialist role, a gap exists for agents who might want to do this type of programing, therefore
Author: Laken Campbell
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Describe the Issue or Situation.In Lee County, there was a growing concern about the lack of basic culinary skills, nutrition knowledge, and physical activity among children. Many parents reported that their children did not know how to prepare simple meals, understand the principles of food safety, or appreciate the importance of physical activity. This gap in knowledge was contributing to poor dietary habits and increasing the risk of childhood obesity.Describe the Outreach or Educational Prog
Major Program: Aging-General
Describe the Issue or Situation.Many seniors face challenges in cooking for themselves due to physical limitations, lack of confidence with kitchen tools, and difficulties in meal planning and portion control. These barriers can lead to poor nutrition, reduced independence, and an increased reliance on convenience foods.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).To address these issues, a two-day Senior Cooking School was developed with the support of KRA
Author: Judy Vaughn
Alzheimer's and dementia disease affects people from all walks of life. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly 7 million people in America are living with Alzheimer’s. Kentucky’s data from Alzheimer’s Association is shown below:81,000 people aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s in Kentucky.11.2% of people aged 45 and older have subjective cognitive decline.157,000 family caregivers bear the burden of the disease in Kentucky.302 mil
Describe the Issue or Situation.In Lee County, many residents have limited exposure to diverse vegetable varieties and may lack knowledge of how to prepare them in healthy and appealing ways. Encouraging residents to explore fresh, locally grown produce can promote healthier eating habits and increase awareness of the benefits of gardening.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).The Lee County Extension Office Ag & Natural Resources Agent and FCS A
Author: Erika Wood
Major Program: Master Gardener
The Extension Master Gardener program is a volunteer organization dedicated to teaching and training people about horticulture related topics. This program is a part of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and assists county extension agents in providing education and outreach in the community. Master Gardeners are required to undergo training and complete 40 hours of volunteer service in their first year before becoming certified. After the first year, Master Ga
Author: Jonathan Oakes
In rural areas of Kentucky, farmers face significant challenges in managing cattle reproduction. Limited access to large animal veterinarians and veterinary supplies hinders the ability to utilize modern reproductive technologies, such as artificial insemination (A.I.) and on-site pregnancy checks. Many farmers are constrained by time and financial resources, making implementing these essential practices that could improve herd productivity and overall farm profitability difficult. The lack of t
Author: Marsha Hagler
Major Program: Trail Design
A lack of affordable family friendly activities is regularly cited in community surveys as a challenge for the growing communities in Nelson County. The Nelson County Bale trail was started in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic when social distancing was encouraged. The trail was patterned after existing projects but enhanced to include educational components and to encourage agritourism throughout Nelson County. After continued success and positive feedbac
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
As their membership ages, the Kentucky Extension Homemakers recognize the challenge that is facing their mission of providing education, community service and leadership development. To address this challenge, the Lincoln Trail Area Extension Homemaker Kick-off program is held annually to build excitement and provide resources for the new program year. In planning for the 2024 event, the LTA Homemakers Council applied, and they were awarded a $500 KEHA Development Grant to sponsor the kick-off.
Major Program: Super Star Chef
Superstar Chef is a three-day hands-on cooking and nutrition Cooperative Extension program. The program was designed to empower limited-resource youths with basic cooking skills so they can make the healthy choice the easy choice. Program content primarily focuses on hands-on food preparation skills, kitchen safety and appliance use, food safety procedures, nutrition education, and physical activity. The camp even included a family visit to the farmers market where youth learned about local food
