Author: Shane Bogle
Planning Unit: Caldwell County CES
Major Program: Local Food Systems
Plan of Work: Local Commodities Provide Agriculture Income
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Requests for local foods, Homesteading, and beginning farmer information has been on the rise since the onset of Covid 19 and has continued into 2022. Kentucky has a vast of array of resources available in multiple formats and over a dozen agencies to answer questions producers might have. After a lengthy planning process, agriculture agents in Caldwell, Crittenden, Calloway, Livingston Marshall, McCracken, and Trigg Counties partnered to develop and host the Small Diversified Farm, Homesteading for profit series. This series merged these scattered resources into monthly educational programs presented by agents, specialists, and industry partners. Topics covered included but were not limited to; Marketing for All, Evaluating Your Farm’s Potential, Sustainable Vegetable Production in High Tunnels, Backyard Meat Animals, Grants and Cost Share Programs, and a Field Day at a successful small, diversified farm in Caldwell County.
Over 70 individuals participated in one or more sessions. Surveys of interest in future topics, knowledge gained, and participant stories have indicated the success of the series. Follow up visits of participants in Caldwell County have showed a steady forward progression of 4 producers all new to small scale farming.
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