Small farms and limited-acre farms bring different challenges to new residents.  Knowing where to begin and how to make all needed purchases puts these farmers in a better starting position.  The Menifee ANR Council and ANR/4-H Agent applied and received a small grant through the University of Kentucky ANR Office that will work with new residents and small farmers willing to work with the project.  Beef producers, Equine Producers, and small ruminant farmers will be eligible.  An information meeting was held in May of 2024.  Three applicants were funded with grant money for the 2024-2025 program year.

One producer learned about goats and used them in a rotational system to help clean up his farm. The farmer struggled to clean his farm and even flipped a tractor in a pond the prior summer. The project's goal was to let the goats work on cleaning the farm safely, allow the producer and his grandchildren to learn about raising goats, and teach the producer how to use a netting fence and solar panel fence charger.  Farm visits during the summer of 2024 to help with the demonstration project also turned into many agriculture questions and soil tests for his small operation.  At the end of the project, the changes to the forage quality and the goats' health were noticeable.  The producer was very appreciative of the opportunity to participate in the program.  He also attended the CAIP informational meeting to learn about other grant opportunities for his farm.  Two producers are using Orange Ultra Hay Nets with their horses to help with hay waste for the winter of 2025.  

The grant funds were used to do small on-farm demonstrations to see if they would like to use these items permanently in their farming operations. Plans to recreate these small farm demonstrations for the 2025 – 2026 program year will be created in mid-spring 2025.