Fayette County is one of Kentucky's most populus cities. The demand for accurate, reliable gardening information is great. The Fayette County Extension horticulture program is well known, and we strive to provide relevant information in a variety of ways. One of our most popular offerings is a series of informal gardening classes called Gardener's Toolbox. We discovered that teaching classes helped circumvent countless phone discussions. Horticulture staff often source new or improved varieties of seeds and plants that provide superior outcomes. Many of these varieties are unknown or unavailable locally. This combination has led the program to be one of our most successful endeavors, educating thousands of residents each year. Topics span a wide range of horticultural topics.

In the past year, these programs amounted to over 2400 individual contacts. As a result of these classes; 41% indicated they grow more of their food; 31% saved money; 37% increased their physical activity; 22% reported eating healthier; 78% have more confidence in gardening decisions, and 98% of the group shared their knowledge with others.

One participant shared this comment, "The Gardener’s Toolbox series gave us the confidence to begin growing both edible crops and cut flowers on our property. This is the first time we’ve felt supported in our goals to grow as small-scale operators and first-time growers. Many times, throughout our first season, we applied the insights gleaned from class and leaned on extension to problem solve along the way. We can’t wait for the next series/class and would recommend this class series to anyone looking to learn/grow their gardening skillset".