Natural resource management is an important issue for any community.  Cut flower production is a quickly emerging segment of Kentucky agriculture.  A field day was planned to address these diverse topics and more.  A growing percentage of Butler County’s 150,000 acres of farmland is used for grain production.  Recent growth in row crop acres are coming from ground that has historically been used for forage production.  New farms that get started are looking for alternative crops, and several Butler County farms have began to produce cut flowers.  The program was developed by the Butler County Agriculture Agent and the Warren County Horticulture Agent.  It was marketed to row crop farmers and landowners looking to protect sensitive acres, and farms looking to diversify their operation.  There was a presentation on “direct to consumer marketing,  a soils demonstration addressing farming highly erodible and fargipan soils, a talk on fertility considerations when farming sensitive acres, a cut flower production demonstration,  a presentation by SOKY Floral Exchange that is a marketing co-op, and farm agency updates from extension’s partner agencies.  The agents organized, promoted, secured sponsors for, arranged volunteers for, and facilitated the event.  Extension staff helped facilitate registration and feeding the crowd as well as providing samples of “plate it up KY” recipes for all in attendance.  The 4-H agent used the opportunity to work with the 4-H teen club on food preparation and safety.  They prepared, served, and cleaned up the meal for all the participants.  Waigu influenced beef was donated by the host family for attendees to try.   The program was delivered in the Davis Cross Roads community.  This is a very rural community in southern Butler County.  The event is rotated around the county to give more people the opportunity to attend.  The event was held at Hunt Family Farm.  This is probably the most diverse farm in Butler County.  Several attendees had never been on this farm or in this community.  The FFA facilitated parking for the event.  The 4-H band entertained during supper.  The following organizations worked together to make the program successful:  UK Extension (Butler and Warren), KSU extension, UK specialists and associates in soil fertility, direct to consumer marketing, and horticulture, FSA, NRCS, USDA, KY Fish and Wildlife, B. C. Farm Bureau and the host family.     There were 151 that attended the program.  18 of these were children.   A qualtrics evaluation was collected from 80 participants prior the meal.  This instrument gives participants a chance to report what the learned and will use during this event and also what they are now doing differently as a result of past extension programs.  The initial outcome of the program is that 82 percent said they got something useful from the program or would put new information to use.  45 percent of respondents said they learned something from the field day that they would use this year.  There is intermediate impact as 7% said they would change a farming practice.  The listed 14 specific practices they would change.  Evaluations continue to show that attendees learn at these programs and enjoy the opportunity to network.

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