Success StoryDeveloping a Women in Agriculture Program at Kentucky State University



Developing a Women in Agriculture Program at Kentucky State University

Author: Marion Simon

Planning Unit: Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs

Major Program: Small Farm Management

Outcome: Initial Outcome

In the fall of 2020, a Kentucky State University team began working with the Women of the Land subcommittee of American Farmland Trust.  Over the first two months, we held two virtual focus groups focusing on African American women and Caucasian women farmers  in Eastern and Central Kentucky.  The results of these focus groups were evaluated and resulted in a presentation at the Kentucky Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference.  Committee members were from Kentucky State University, Virginia State University (retired professional, currently employed by Women of the Land), and a representative of American Farmland Trust's Women of the Land staff in Oregon.  The program went well and plans for "women's learning circles" began.  Throughout the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021, agents, specialists, and farm women shared timing preferences, location preferences, and remote and "in-person" potential meetings using the popular Third Thursday Thing as a guide.  The program underwent a trest run on June 16, 2021.  This being successful, the first two virtual "women's circle trainings" will be held on June 22 and June 24, 2021 (forthcoming).  We anticipate that this will result in a successful learning and sharing program that continues well into the future.






Stories by Marion Simon


Remote Sessions Lead to Successful "Third Thursday" workshops in a Pandemic

about 4 years ago by Marion Simon

With the COVID-19 causing havoc with planned Extension programs and peoples lives, we began trying t... Read More


The Fourth Wednesday Night Small Farmer Beef Cattle Workshops

about 4 years ago by Marion Simon

Many small and minority farmers in Kentucky raise beef cattle with most selling weaned calves at the... Read More


Stories by Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs


Virtual Orientation of New Extension Agents

about 4 years ago by Ricky Yeargan

The novel coronavirus forced major changes to Extension training efforts. Shortly after lockdown, 2 ... Read More


Leadership Development through Grantsmanship

about 4 years ago by Ricky Yeargan

Our 1890 institution approached Ag Programs about submitting a joint proposal to the Beginning Farme... Read More