With the COVID pandemic keeping many people home over the past two years, more and more families were able to rediscover homesteading skills they may not have had time or knowledge to do pre-pandemic. With this increase in interest in all things homesteading, the Boyle County Horticulture and Family & Consumer Sciences Agents created a series of classes aimed at those clientele. The agents called this series Backyard Homesteading as a way of letting people know that no matter how much land you did or did not have, you can use homesteading skills.  

The series consisted of both classes and workshops including: 

•  Basketweaving 

•  Raised Bed Gardening & Composting 

•  Beekeeping 

•  Backyard Chickens 

• Canning & Fermenting 

•  Fruit & Nut Production 

• Backyard Meat Processing 

• Wild Game Meat Processing 

• Sewing Basics 

The classes brought in expert speakers from KY Department of Fish and Wildlife and KY State University and through their workshops, allowed clientele to get hands on experience. Workshops like basketweaving, beekeeping, chicken slaughtering and breaking down a deer, had clientele reporting how much more comfortable they felt now to be able to perform such tasks. An attendee of the Wild Game Meat Processing workshop said “I’m glad you are teaching this so that younger generations can learn if they aren’t from the country.” Other participants of classes like the Raised Bed Gardening Course, left that course feeling confident with the most efficient and cost-effective way to build beds and produce food for their families. A participant of the basketweaving workshop said “I now understand why homemade baskets cost so much at craft shows because they are so much work!”