There is an increased demand in popular culture for local food, reduced chemical usage and in preserving your own food. In Bullitt County the Orchard Production Series helps to address this growing interest. The Orchard Production series teaches homeowners to grow and properly manage fruit trees. Allowing residents to grow low impact (agriculturally sound practices) fruit, and increase production while minimized efforts and chemical usage. Using research based information from KSU and U of K, this program employs a series of classes on topics such as pruning, spraying, grafting and fruit selection to educate participants in the most recent techniques in fruit and orchard production.

Based on the results of our post survey participants use fewer chemicals (39% reported reduction in chemical usage), produce better quality and quantity of fruit (61% reported) and save time and effort. Participants make or save money from producing their own food. Some participants develop home based businesses (7%reported) based on fruit production and/or improve their business profit margin (by an average 11%) by utilizing learned techniques. 

In addition to the program value in educational opportunities afforded to the participants of this program, this program has become a wonderful program for volunteers to develop their skills while at Extension. Volunteer leaders in the program learned new sustainable agriculture practices and passed them on to program participants, developed their public speaking skills, built relationships with both clientele and other volunteers through the program, bolstered their self-esteem by successfully presenting and gained many new skills while practicing sustainable agriculture. The main volunteer teaching the Fruit Production series has been mentoring a small group of volunteers over the past 2 years to fully train them to take over the orchard and continue the program series.