Author: Levi Berg
Planning Unit: Clark County CES
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Plan of Work: A Well Farmed Countryside
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
In the spring on 2020, COVID-19 was found in KY, and extension agents had to find new ways of reaching clientele. Due to safety reasons, in person classes were postponed, and this brought up how the Henry County Extension Office could assist clientele remotely. After numerous discussions with volunteers and receiving numerous gardening questions from clients, the Henry County Extension Office focused on gardening as a way to help the residents of Henry County. This focus took a two way path; the first path was to help promote local foods through the Henry County Farmers Market, and second path was to provide information for Henry County residents to raise and preserve their own produce. As for the Henry County Farmers Market, the Henry County Extension Office promoted the market frequently using the local newspapers and social media. Also the Henry County Extension Office trained vendors over the phone or zoom to accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Coupons, managed the paperwork for the Henry County Farmers Market, and even assisted in helping the Henry County Farmers Market gained a few new vendors. The added marketing for the market as shown to raise awareness of local produce to those in Henry County, and market sales have seemed to increase during this time. The second aspect the Henry County Extension Office focused on was providing information for those to raise their own gardens. During this time, over 100 gardening bags including soil sample bags, seeds, "how to" information, recipes, and more where available free of charge. In the "to go" bags created, there was enough seeded distributed to cover a 20ft by 30ft area in squash, corn, and green beans. The Henry County Extension Office also increased social media presence with garden information, and wrote numerous newspaper article explaining raising produce and preserving produce. COVID-19 has caused issues, but the Henry County Extension Office made a point to help residents access local produce through either the Henry County Farmers Market or by growing the produce themselves.
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