Author: Whitney Carman
Planning Unit: Grayson County CES
Major Program: Small Farm Diversification
Plan of Work: Diversified Agriculture and Rural Development
Outcome: Initial Outcome
Grayson County has had an overwhelming amount of clientele reach out to the Extension Office during and after the pandemic, wanting information on small farm topics. This is due to the amount of people wanting to be more self- sufficient, and to also The Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent created a survey to send out via social media and in office to indicate what topics clientele were most interested in. Based on survey results, the agent worked with Master Gardener Volunteers, local horticulturalist and Beekeepers to create a program that would fit for small farmers in the area. It is important to note that the speakers were all experts in their field and are community leaders in the topic. The topics were: Blueberry/Bramble Production, Square Foot Gardening, Beekeeping, High Tunnel Production, and Small Ruminant Production. The program was on a Saturday and had multiple sessions giving 20 participants the opportunity to all programs that interest them. Based on the exit survey, ninety percent of the participants gained knowledge in the topics that they attended. As a result of the workshop, many planned to use the knowledge they gained by knowing where to go for grant information, changing method of how they grown blackberries from wild to tame, high tunnel purchase, and improving soil health on their farm. Overall, the program was a success and will be a founding block to a bi-yearly program. The participants were able to provide feedback on more topics, so the ANR agent will use the information to make a fall program.
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