Boone County, Kentucky is best described as unique in many different aspects. This county has a rich and diverse history of agriculture despite the spread of industrial and suburban growth. 65% of Boone County is thriving farmland which shows that agriculture has adapted to survive in the changing landscape of Boone County. Honoring a request from the Boone County Historical Society, Boone County ANR Agent developed a presentation discussing the evolution of agriculture over the last 100 years and emphasized the importance of agriculture in fast-growing Kentucky counties. The presentation included the changes and adaptions of farms with pictures of agricultural tools from the past and present and taught this evolution of agriculture to the Boone County Historical Society.

Historically speaking, farms used to be smaller and raised their own livestock and produce for their own consumption. Over the years as research, economic demands and management techniques improved, farmers became more productive and expanded their operations increasing acreage and yields and focusing on less crops decreasing the diversity of their products. With recent market and consumer trends there are a small percentage of full- time farmers that operate on a large scale in Boone County with many developing into the small to medium size range practicing subsistence farming similar to the 1950’s era. Ironically, the average farm size in Boone County remained at approximately 100 acres although the farms at the opposite ends of the spectrum changed drastically.

32 citizens from the community participated in this program; some of the comments generated by the audience were: “I didn’t know there were any farms left in Boone County!” and “I expected a bleak outlook for farmers, I had no idea they (farmers) were still thriving and successful here in Boone County!” From observation, the majority of attendees better understood the complexity of the consumer and market trends that dictate the diverse agricultural products grown in Boone County and that Boone County agriculture, is in fact, thriving and successful.