The Kentucky State University (KSU) Small Farm Program is an Extension program designed to help farm families with decision-making skills to solve farm and home problems. It includes educational programs that emphasize farm production, farm management, and marketing.  It also includes the use and understanding of local county programs and USDA agencies and their programs, plus providing technical assistance in completing applications for the program and the entire application process.  The KSU Small Farm Program’s Area Agent for Small Farms works with small, limited-resource, and minority farmers, most of whom have not used Extension prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.  He targets minority farmers, farmers who are new to Extension, or farmers who think that Extension is not for them.  First he has to gain their confidence.  Then he has to show them that he can help them to meet some of their needs. 

This is his experience with one family that requested technical assistance in Garrard County, Kentucky.

On February 16, 2022 the farmer phone called, KSU Small Farm Area Agent about getting a farm enterprise started on his farm in Garrard County. The KSU Small Farm Area Extension Agent listen to the farmer request for wanting to start a small farming operation, then the KSU Small farm Agent made a recommendation to the farmer to consider during an on-farm demonstration entitled “Kratky Hydroponics” for vegetables with KSU Aquaculture Department at Kentucky State University. The KSU Small farm Area Agent phone called the KSU Research Associate in Aquaculture to schedule farm visit with the farmer in Garrard County. The farm visit was confirmed and scheduled for March 9, 2022.

On left of picture Mr. Barrett Weathers, a farmer in Garrard County, Kentucky, on right Mr. Richard Bryant, Research Associate in Aquaculture at Kentucky State University.  Photograph taken by Mr. Edwin Chavous, Small Farm Area Agent II, with Kentucky State University.  Mr. Weathers is getting instructions on how to start the “Kratky Hydroponics” system for growing vegetables from Mr. Richard Bryant, Research Associate in Aquaculture at Kentucky State University.