Local food production systems have become a staple in many communities throughout the Commonwealth.   As buying local food products has continued to gain popularity, the Simpson County Extension Agent works with small and beginning farmers to ensure that appropriate resources are available from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service to provide the best opportunity for success.  Many small and beginning farmers utilize the Franklin-Simpson Farmers’ Market to help get started selling local food products. 

In an effort to promote local foods, increase customers at the Farmers’ Market and introduce youth to agriculture, the Agriculture Agent and the 4-H Agent initiated a pilot 4-H Summer Gardening Club.  Other partners include Franklin-Simpson Community Education Director and the Franklin-Simpson Farmers’ Market Coordinators.  The objective of the club is to give youth gardeners hands on experience in club meetings.  Many participants then apply this knowledge and experience in their home gardens.  As they participate in the 4-H Summer Gardening Club, they have the opportunity to sell their own produce in the “Youth Booth” at the F-S Farmers’ Market.     

The club meets on a weekly basis and they have planted peppers, tomatoes, squash, and strawberry containers, along with an eggplant in a grow bag and flowers in a hanging basket to attract bees. Each member started trays of oregano, basil, cilantro, cantaloupe, pumpkin, spaghetti squash, & luffa seeds then transplanted the seedlings two weeks later to larger containers. The youth built a raised bed at the Extension Office with the Agriculture Agent then planted seedless watermelon and watermelon pollinator plants in it.  They planted marigolds around the raised bed to attract bees and have learned to deadhead the flowers each week.  The youth have learned the importance of bees in pollination and learned about germination by germinating bean seeds.  They will also learn about marketing their product.  

While the 4-H Summer Gardening Club is a pilot project in the early stages we are already seeing a lot of impact!  Four of the club members joined our Farmer’s Market as youth vendors and have sold their produce through the “Youth Booth” the last two weeks, with more planning to sell in the coming weeks as their produce starts coming in.  Agents and club leaders have already seen so much success from what the youth are learning & producing, and look forward to even more impact throughout the summer.  Overall, vendors at the Farmers’ Market have reported increased traffic flow and revenue since youth have been setting up as well!!