SITUATION: 

It is critical for a healthy and sustainable community to have contributing members of society with necessary life skills. Currently in McCracken County there is a need to learn and practice healthy habits, create and live within a budget and form positive relationships with others.

Success Story

Toolbox Series is a monthly class that is a source of free information on horticulture-related topics. The people of McCracken County are the target audience. Toolbox Series is offered the first Tuesday of most months at 5:00 p.m. at the McCracken County Extension office. Guest speakers are featured so that each Toolbox is different each month. 

The Agent for Horticulture from McCracken Extension combines with the McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners (MCEMG) to select the speakers and the topics, many of which are related to the gardening season. Average attendance is about 18 people. The Toolbox Series, under the current Horticulture Agent, has been a monthly series since 2010. To date, there have been 75 Toolbox Series classes. 

Sometimes MCEMG members are the featured speaker(s) of the Toolbox Series. As a featured speaker, the MCEMG member(s) earn volunteer hours needed as part of the requirement from University of Kentucky Statewide Master Gardener Coordinator to maintain certification. Toolbox Series also provides MCEMG an opportunity to earn educational hours as requested by University of Kentucky. 

Some topics of 2018 Series from January to June: 

• Proper Pruning Practices

• Garden Recycling

• Tea: What and How

• Preparing Entries for McCracken County Fair

• Featured below is an example of one of the Toolbox Series classes:
  
  
  

The Toolbox Series for 1 May 2018, was a selection from contacts made by the MCEMG.  Their annual event called “Herb Appeal” has a committee who chose the topic of A Garden Tea Party for Kentucky as the 6^th year’s program. The committee found a local entrepreneur who has begun a retail store called “Piper’s Tea and Coffee Company.” Peter Barnett, owner and creator, was so helpful for teaching MCEMG about how to hold a high tea, that the MCEMG asked him to teach the Toolbox Series: Tea, What and How?  Mr. Barnett agreed. Horticulture Agent oversees the Toolbox Series and met with him to see what was needed for a successful class. 

Piper’s Tea provided most of the freshly-dried herbs. Agent contacted a local producer whose enterprise is called, “Koru Gardens” to learn what herbs they were growing. Selections were obtained for the Toolbox Series. 

Toolbox Series was advertised by UK Horiculture newsletters with 805 audience, Paducah Sun newspaper, social media and the McCracken County Extension’s electronic sign on New Holt Road, a high-traffic road in McCracken County.

Due to practicality and quantity of tea and herbs needed for the event, Horticulture Agent limited the participation of tasting tea to the first 35 persons who entered the classroom. As people entered on a first-come, first-served basis, they received a number for their personal use, with the numbers 1-35 represented. And Justice for All Posters were stationed in the classroom. The building was ADA compliant.