Author: Kate Thompson
Planning Unit: Campbell County CES
Major Program: Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud
Plan of Work: Family & Consumer Sciences Education - Improve Physical and Mental Health
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, “A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar, which can help keep appetite in check.” Eating more fruits and vegetables could also help lessen the obesity rate, which in Campbell County is 36% (US Census Bureau, 2022).
In order to address these issues, the Family and Consumer Sciences and Horticulture agents in Campbell County collaborated on a quarterly adult program titled Festive Fundays to an average of 20 participants. The program was designed to build awareness about nutrition (by increasing fruit and vegetable intake), food preparation, food storage as well as providing information to gain small space gardening skills. Agents provided seasonal Kentucky Proud Plate-It-Up recipe tastings along with a seasonal horticulture lesson. Seasonal horticulture lessons included floral design skills, flower identification, floral care, house plant and propagation, and small space vegetable gardening.
End of the series written evaluations spanning over 12 months showed the following:
Some of the participants’ comments from the program were the following:
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