This project brings together the farmer networks and interviewing/storytelling capacities of Black Soil (Ashley Smith) and Need More Acres Farm (Michelle Howell) with the technical expertise of Agricultural Education (Stacy Vincent & Dallas Cooks) and Community Development Extension (Nicole Breazeale) at UK. It is funded by a $80,000 Southern SARE Professional Development Program grant (Breazeale-SUB00002624) and a $2500 Food Connection Student Opportunity Grant.  

The project involves developing an interactive curriculum and providing professional development to equip middle school agriculture educators and 4-H Agents at KSU and UK to teach about inclusive local food systems. Employing a storytelling pedagogy, we developed ten lessons built around digital stories that center black Kentucky farmers and a racially diverse array of local food systems professionals. Youth ages 11-14 are the target audience for this curriculum. As they move through the lessons and collaborate on a social action project, they gain knowledge about local food system, but also learn to appreciate the value of diversity while taking steps to build an inclusive and sustainable system. The project also seeks to expose Kentucky youth to a range of career paths in agriculture and local foods. 

During the 2022-2023 year, our team worked with Brandon Turner of Unsung Hero Productions to film, edit, and produce a 3-part digital storytelling video series (each episode is 20 minutes). Episode 1 is about what it means to be a Kentucky farmer producing for the local food system. This episode is for youth who may be interested in farming in urban or rural areas. It shows students how to get into this field and highlights how farmers work together to create a community of mutual aid and support and expand options for everyone.   Episode 2 demonstrates that farming is only one aspect of the local food system, emphasizing the diverse ways that students can play a role in their local food system to support their community.  This episode focuses on the importance of education, food access, and supporting the local food economy through farmers markets and co-ops. It underscores the importance that everyone, regardless of income or circumstance, can access fresh, local produce. Episode 3 illustrates diverse ways that teenagers can be important players in the local food system. The video features 3 Kentucky youth in rural and urban settings who are passionate about making a difference in their communities through beekeeping, farming, and community-based local food systems work. The youth also speak to the importance of sustainable agriculture practices for the future. A key message is that there are many meaningful ways for youth to get involved in their local food system, and that there are resources (like ag educators/4-H agents) to support them along the way. 

The team then developed ten 45-minute lesson plans plus a social action project around the 3 videos.

Lesson 1: Nike shoes, systems thinking, and consumer responsibility (introduces systems-thinking)

Lesson 2: The path of my popcorn (introduces the parts of a food system)

Lesson 3: Global and local food systems (differentiates between types of food systems)

Lesson 4: Challenging the “single story” of a Kentucky farmer (includes first half of Episode 2)

Lesson 5: The importance of partnerships for local food producers (includes second half of Episode 2)

Lesson 6: Food, culture, access, and community (includes first half of Episode 2)

Lesson 7: Beyond farming: The role of local food connectors (includes second half of Episode 2)

Lesson 8: Careers in agriculture and local food systems (includes first half of Episode 3)

Lesson 9: Sustainability and ecological diversity

Lesson 10: Just get started (includes second half of Episode 3)

On July 20, 2023, the team will introduce the curriculum to middle school agriculture educators at the annual Kentucky CTE conference during a two-hour workshop.   Teachers will be introduced to the videos and lessons and will also have an opportunity to try out activities and explore how the content and conversation might develop differently in light of the needs and lived experiences of differently positioned youth in their classrooms.  We are seeking 10 educators to pilot this curriculum in their classrooms during the 2023-2024 school year.  In the late summer/early fall, a team of 4-H Specialists and Agents will adapt the curriculum for use in 4-H.  We will then provide a training for UK & KSU 4-H Agents and their volunteers, seeking to identify 10 individuals to pilot the curriculum in their counties during the 2023-2024 school year.