Success StoryModern Homesteading Series



Modern Homesteading Series

Author: Gary Hamilton

Planning Unit: Montgomery County CES

Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home

Plan of Work: Production and Economic Challenges Facing Crop Producers

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

Meeting the needs of and attracting new clientele to Extension programming is an on going task. In an effort to do so the total Montgomery County Extension staff has deveped a new and very successful Extension program series entitled Modern Homesteading. The sessions planned and conducted in this series have included: Fruit Tree Grafting, Bread Making, Gardening in Small Spaces, Food Preservation and Composting/Wild Edibles. The response to this program series has been overwelming. All of the classes have reached their signup limits and have initiated waiting lists to attend future offerings. This agent has conducted and taught both the Fruit Tree Grafting class and the Gardening in Small Spaces class. 40 individuals attended these classes with 50% being first time Extension program participants and 75% being new gardeners and or fruit producers. In the Fruit Tree Grafting session participants learned the process of grafting Apple and Pear trees through demontration and hands-on activities, In addition they learned how to care for their grafted tree seedling, so they could begin their own fruit production at home. In the Gardening in Small Spaces session, particpants learned about garden location selection, soil types and ammendments, how to build raised beds and select containers, vegetable variety selection, and general vegetable production and care infromation. Each participant potted a container and planted an strawberry plant to take home and experience the caring and growing process. 100% of the participants expressed knowledge gained in these classes. Through surveyed results in this program series, additional topics and repeat classes are being planned to continue the efforts of meeting the needs of clientele.






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