Homesteading has been increasing in popularity since 2020. According to data from the Homesteaders of America website (homesteadersamerica.com), 59% of people engaged in this once mainstream production system, stated that food security was a primary incentive. Additionally, 58% noted that the desire for healthier food drove them, 56% longed for a simpler lifestyle while around 52% reasoned that government unrest and policies caused them to begin the homesteading journey. 

To address this phenomenon, a multi-part program was instituted in 2023 and is now in its second year of implementation. Classes have been offered on meat bird husbandry to various groups of youth and adults. 2024 marked the second year for a meat bird pen of three competition at the LaRue County Fair with a follow up workshop held to teach participants how to humanely slaughter, efficiently process, and freeze birds for extended preservation. Partnering with the local Southern States Cooperative, Cornish Hybrid chicks were ordered and pick up at the store. Families raised the chicks at their respective homes and farms. 4-H Livestock Club leaders then assisted with the live show at the Fairgrounds and the processing workshop at the High School.

Over 200 birds were grown out by twelve families. From these, twenty individuals representative of four ethnic groups, brought over 80 birds to the workshop for processing. For some, this was the first time ever doing something of this nature. Others were refining skills learned the previous year or re-learning better tactics from how they may have slaughtered birds in the past. All represented the target audience of individuals seeking to supplement their family's protein needs through raising chickens.

The impact of this project are extensive. With active participants ranging from pre-school through senior adults, multiple generations were assisted in their quest to expand practical life skills and provide better food security for their families. By knowing the inputs and care the birds received, stakeholders ensured a healthy meat source. While requiring daily input, a sense of satisfaction was achieved from learning skills lost to most of society leading to a sense of independence indicative of the homesteading lifestyle. This was an area effort with participants coming from LaRue, Taylor, Nelson and Hardin Counties.