Success StoryMoving From the Past to the Future Field Day



Moving From the Past to the Future Field Day

Author: Gregory Drake

Planning Unit: Butler County CES

Major Program: Farm Management, Economics and Policy

Plan of Work: Unrelated to a specified County Plan of Work

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Increased prices have recently caused some enthusiasm in beef cattle markets.  Producers are looking to improve their management practices and boos profitability.  This year’s weather pattern caused difficulty getting crop protection chemicals applied in a timely manner.  Several farmers turned to drone operators for chemical application.  A field day was planned to address these diverse topics and more.  A large percentage of Butler County’s 150,000 acres of farmland is used for grain production.  The program was developed by the Butler County Agriculture Agent and leaders in the Bancok community.   It was marketed to row crop farmers, beef producers, and families with farmland they intend to transition in the reasonable near future.   There was a presentation on KY Beef Network programs and using the “Bud Box” concept to better handle cattle.  A demonstration of a DGI-40 spray drone was augmented by a discussion of the requirements and economics of using this technology.  To address the issue of losing farmland to development in KY there was a presentation on “Transitioning Family Farms”.  We also offered updates from extension’s partner agriculture agencies.   The agent and volunteers 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 food safety.  They prepared, served, and cleaned up the meal for all the participants.  Pork was sourced from a local meat processor and chicken was donated by a chicken integrator.  The program was delivered in the Banock  community.   This is a very rural community in northern Butler County.  The event is rotated around the county to give more people the opportunity to attend.   The event was held at the Banock farm.   The Banock Farm is a multi-generation farm that is very diverse.  The FFA facilitated parking for the event.  The following organizations worked together to make the program successful:  UK Extension (Butler County and UK specialist Josh Jackson), The KY Beef Network, Valley View Applications, FSA, NRCS, USDA, B. C. Farm Bureau, The Farmland Preservation Initiative, and the host family.     There were 136 that attended the program.  17 of these were children.   A qualtrics evaluation was collected from 59 participants prior the meal.  This instrument gives participants a chance to report what the learned and what information they will use.  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.  35 percent of respondents said they learned something from the field day that they would use this year.  There is intermediate impact as 2% said they would change a farming practice.  They listed 9 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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