Need:   Due to Covid pandemic guidelines in early months of 2021, the Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Assistant, and the McCracken County Extension Master Gardeners (MCEMG) were faced with the challenge of how to conduct the annual flower show in Floral Hall of the county fair. Planning begins in January of each year for the June edition of the County Fair. An alternative to the usual was needed to fit last-minute decision by the Fair committee to hold the 2021 Fair. 

Agent and Assistant roles: To help make a simpler version that could be set up quickly, the alternative was to hold an educational display of horticulture. At the suggestion of Horticulture Agent, Master Gardeners agreed that 2021 County Fair should help to 1.) showcase the 2020 Virtual Flower Show 2.) promote the 2022 Standard Flower Show and 3.)feature entries by youth. On the stage, the Horticulture Agent, Horticulture Assistant and Extension Master Gardeners set up an educational display to demonstrate the concept promoted at the McCracken County Extension Office’s Demonstration and Research Garden of “Pallet Gardening.” (Pallet gardening is a low-impact method to garden both vegetables and ornamentals in a small space, at a relatively low cost.) Horticulture Agent also helped to teach Fair-goers about ornamental perennials, shrubs and cut flowers by adding many displays along the floor of Floral Hall. Three local businesses were selected by the Agent  for obtaining the items used. 

Seed Giveaway: One of the local-big-box stores donated vegetable seeds from the end of the previous growing season for Extension to give away. On the entry table, the UK logo and signage were displayed. On the table were 3 buckets of about 3-gallon size with vegetable-seed packets for Fair goers to take at no charge. The seed giveaway had the potential for 100 Fair-goers to take home seeds for growing their own vegetables. All seed packets were given out to the public.

 At the Fair: For the 2021 McCracken County Fair, 12 Extension Master Gardeners helped to set up, maintain and take down the displays at Floral Hall.  Extension Master Gardeners led a class of 24 Youth to create designs from fresh-cut flowers supplied by the Agent. the MCEMG donated The MCEMG donated 120 hours of volunteer time. Due to the trimmed down version of the 2021 McCracken County Fair (2021 McCracken County Fair had the carnival and one horse race only, plus Floral Hall displays.)   About 8,000 Fair goers passed through Floral hall where the educational displays were featured. 

 After the Fair: Bouquets were made of the remaining cut flowers and taken to local hospital workers. One of the McCracken County Horticulture Council members directed that the plants should be given to MCEMG after the County Fair was over. From this, MCEMG sold some, and donated 15 shrubs and perennials to beautify a local woman’s shelter. The 4 pallet gardens were relocated to the McCracken County Extension Office’s Research and Demonstration Garden where MCEMG help to maintain the summer Demonstration garden.