COVID was an opportunity for Extension to find new ways to reach people. Webinars and grab bag kits, although not face-to-face, attracted non-traditional clients to their local Extension offices. 

 Horticulture Webinar Wednesdays, a weekly webinar on horticulture topics, presented by Horticulture Agents and UK Specialists, continued into 2021-22.  The Pulaski County Horticulture Agent presented 4 webinars. These webinars are live but are also posted to the YouTube channel. Metrics from YouTube show that these 4 have been viewed a total of 326 times.

 Grab bag seed kits are another non-traditional, COVID legacy. These kits became a regular activity in the Horticulture Program at the Pulaski County Extension office during the winter/spring of 2022. Seed packets were donated by a local box store. Monthly seed kits, featuring vegetables and herbs were available February through May (2 kits went out in May, one included flowers). In those kits were seed packets for planting that particular month, growing information, recipes, UK Healthcare items, and a child’s item.

 The grab bags were to be given out starting at noon, hoping that working people could come during their lunch hours. The events were advertised in the Pulaski County Horticulture Newsletter and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

 In addition, a tomato kit went out in June coinciding with the last safe date to plant tomatoes in our region. The kit contained 3 tomato plants, growing information, recipes, a cutting board, canning information, an Extension food calendar, and other items. 

 In all, 150 families were reached through grab bags during winter/spring of 2022. One hundred percent indicated they planted the seeds provided in the kits. Roughly 40% of the participants had never attended a horticulture program through the Pulaski County Extension Service office. 

 A little less than half indicated they had harvested a vegetable/herb/flower from the seed packet kits (as of late June 2022). Some favorites were cilantro, tomatoes, broccoli, and herbs. A little over half of the respondents had used one of the Plate It Up recipes included in the kit.