Cooperative Extension Service Shelby County Newsletter

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1117 Frankfort Road ● Shelbyville, KY 40065 ● (502) 633-4593 ● Fax: (502) 633-6713 ● www.ca.uky.edu

APR I L

4-H Shooting

Sports

Parent/New Member

Organizational Meeting

Tuesday, March 22

6:30 p.m.

Shelby County Extension

Office

MARCH

Private Use Pesticide Training

Horseman’s Short Course

Outdoor Naturalist

Small ruminant Series

For more information, see Pages 8-9

SPRING FASHION

SHow & Luncheon

Thursday,

MARCH 31

NOON

Health & Fitness

Fun Day

A Community Health Fair

Saturday, April 30

9 a.m. to noon

at the Clear Creek PARK

Family Activity Center

See Page 2 for more details

See page 10 for more information

Spring Fashion Show and Luncheon To see the latest in Spring fashions, you are

invited to attend the annual Spring Fashion Show

sponsored by the Shelby County Extension

Homemakers. The Fashion Show begins with a

buffet lunch at noon on Thursday, March 31, at

your Shelby County Extension Office. A Silent

Auction will take place with the proceeds going to

the Ovarian Cancer Screening Research Project.

The $12 lunch reservation is due to the Shelby

County Extension Office by Friday, March 25.

Homemaker models are needed. Please call

633-4593 for more information.

Health and Fitness Fun Day Plan to attend the twelfth annual “Health

and Fitness Fun Day” at the Clear Creek Park

Family Activity Center on Saturday, April 30 from

9 a.m. until noon. During this annual community

Health and Fitness Fair, you can watch mini-

classes on physical activity opportunities. Free

health screenings such as blood pressure, glucose,

and vision will be available. A children’s activity

section will include lots of active games and

prizes. A bike rodeo will be held for youth to teach

bike safety.

Over 40 health, fitness and safety booths

will provide free giveaways and valuable updates

on health and safety issues. This event includes an

educational scavenger hunt and the annual “Get

Moving Kentucky!” Kick-Off where the first 100

participants will receive a pedometer. Everyone

will have an opportunity to win door prizes

including four bicycles, a month’s Family Activity

Center pass and golf passes! The elementary

school with the most youth in attendance will

receive recognition and $500 for their physical

education department. Everyone will receive

valuable information and gain skills for a healthier

tomorrow. Rain or shine, this is a Saturday

morning adventure that you, your family and

friends will enjoy!

March is National Colorectal

Cancer Awareness Month Did You Know …..

All Kentuckians age 50 and older should get

regular colon cancer checks.

Early colon cancer may have no symptoms.

9 out of 10 colon cancers may be prevented or

cured with regular checks.

Now You Know! Talk to your doctor now about

getting checked for colon cancer!

March is National Nutrition Month Take action on the Dietary Guidelines by

making changes in these three areas. Choose steps

that work for you and start today.

Balancing Calories — Enjoy your food, but eat less.

Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase —- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.

Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.

Foods to Reduce —- Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and

frozen meals—and choose the foods with lower

numbers.

Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Sewing Circle Join us on Tuesday (March 1, April 5,

May 3, June 7) anytime from 3 until 8 p.m. to sew

with others. Teachers will help you as you

complete sewing UFOs (unfinished objects) or

work on the sewing project of the month. Email

Rachelle.sharar@uky.edu or call 633-4593 to find

out what the sewing project of the month is and to

have the supply lists sent to you.

Family Fun Night—

Dabbling in the Arts Plan to join us for the next Family Fun

Night from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 11. Artist

Janice Emery will teach Crafting Greeting Cards

using different media. Join us to learn and

complete this special art project. Reservations are

required because class size is limited. Call 633-

4593 to reserve your and your family members’ or

friends’ seats in this class. The cost is only $2 per

person. A delicious, nutritious snack will also be

served.

Healthy Beverage Choices Many people do not realize that making

healthy food choices also includes paying attention

to what we drink. Join us at 10 a.m., on

Wednesday, March 23 to learn impor tant

information on drinks that are very high in calories

PAGE 2

F AM I L Y

&

CON S UME R S C I E N C E

S

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Articles By: Sheila Fawbush Cooperative Extension Agent for Family & Consumer Sciences

F AM I L Y

&

CON S UME R S C I E N C E

S

and very low in nutrients. This lesson will include

some beverage sampling.

What Women Should Know About

Finances: Planning for Life’s

Major Events Throughout life, women experience life

events and challenges that present new financial

circumstances. Join us at 10 a.m. on Wednesday,

April 27 to learn about factors that place

women in financial risk, identify retirement

financial needs and understand financial

considerations for specific life events.

International Luncheon

Adventures in China The Shelby County Homemakers invite

you to join them for this year’s International

Luncheon at noon on Friday, March 18. China is

the country to be explored. Join us to learn about

Chinese culture, taste some Chinese foods and

expand your culinary skills with the addition of

new Chinese recipes! The $12 lunch reservation

is due to your Shelby County Extension Office by

Friday, March 11. We would love to have you

join us as we explore another part of our world!

March is “Living Well” Month As we “spring” into a new season, families

across Kentucky are re-thinking healthy

resolutions and re-focusing on the things that will

truly help them in “living well”. Your Cooperative

Extension Service is here to help you in eating

right, spending smart, enjoying home, sharing

time or any area that can help you and your family

in living well!

March Extension Living Well Month is the

perfect time to take a look at ways the Extension

Family and Consumer Sciences program can help

you if you are:

*Looking for savings of time and money

with meals?--low cost doesn’t have to mean “no

flavor”—learn how to save time and money to

enjoy delicious meals

*Keeping an eye on nutrition?--learn how

to eat healthy for life

*Looking for quality time?--learn how to

build personal time and great family relationships

*Want to save for something special?--

learn to manage money to achieve your goals for

housing, retirement, education & more

*Looking for great ways to make your

home comfortable and inviting? --learn how to

create a relaxing atmosphere both indoors and

outdoors with each season

*Looking for ways to share your time and

talents with the community? --find out about

volunteer opportunities with organizations

involved in learning, leading & serving!

Visit your Shelby County Cooperative

Extension Service 8 a.m.– 4:30 p.m. Monday

through Friday. You can also call us at 633-4593.

Our mission is to use the educational resources of

UK to make a difference in the lives of people,

families, and communities! Let us help you in

LIVING WELL!

Planning Ahead Meet and Greet Bingo—1 p.m. on March 31,

April 26 and May 31. Br ing a $5 gift.

Homemaker Book Club—10 a.m. on March 23.

State Homemaker Meeting in Northern Kentucky

—April 18—21.

Shelby County Annual Homemaker Meeting—

10 a.m. on May 10.

Early Detection Matters If you notice memory changes that disrupt

daily life in yourself or a loved one, such as

forgetting something recently learned, asking the

same information repeatedly, or relying on

memory aids or family members for things you

used to handle alone, talk to your family and

medical provider about these changes. Getting the

right treatment is crucial! For more information

about the 10 Warning Signs: Early Detection

Matters visit the Alzheimer’s Association. at

www.alz.org or call the 24 Hour Helpline at

1-800-272-3900.

Food Gardening Classes Start

March 15

There is still time to sign up for Food

Gardening classes this spring. This year, we’ve

condensed the number of classes to six,

including a field trip. Topics

include how to plan your best

ever vegetable garden,

starting tomatoes and peppers

from seeds, growing cool and

warm season crops and

battling pests.

Classes start March

15 and will be held at 10 am

and 6:30 pm assuming we have at least 10 for

each session. Remaining classes are March 22,

March 29, April 12, April 19, and April 26. All

of the classes will be held at the CES office and

on the day of the field trip we will meet here

and go as a group.

Green Thumb Gardening Classes

The first of the Green Thumb Gardening

classes—Fruit tree pruning and care—will be

history by the time you read this. But there is

still time to sign up for the

remaining classes.

April 28—City Garden Tour

May 26—Growing Herbs

June 9—Country Garden Tour

July 7—Tree ID

Classes are at 6:30 pm.

We will meet at Extension and

head out to the location as a group. Classes are

free but we ask you to register by calling

633-4593.

New Hort Publications

Many gardeners would like to grow

their own fruits and vegetables but they want to

do as little spraying as possible to control

insects and disease. Most vegetables and some

fruits can, in fact, be grown with little or no

spraying, and the University of Kentucky has

recently released several publications to help

home growers grow fruits and vegetables with

no to minimal spraying. Publications are

available on a low-spray program for stone

fruits (peaches, plums, cherries, nectarines and

apricots), apples, pears, blueberries and grapes.

For the home

vegetable

gardener,

UK’s plant

pathologist have

recently finished

a series of

publications on

low-spray programs for handling diseases.

“Sustainable Diseases Management of Cucurbit

Crops in the Home Garden” covers disease

control for cucumbers, cantaloupe, squash,

gourds, and watermelons. Probably the most

used will be the publication, “Sustainable

Disease Management of Solanaceous Crops in

the Home Garden.” This publication covers

tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes.

Tomatoes and peppers, especially, are prone to

disease; many home gardeners told me that last

year they didn’t get any tomatoes because of the

diseases caused by the wet summer. There are

also publications for managing disease in leafy

crops (lettuce, etc.) and legumes (beans and

peas), though these are probably the crops least

likely to get harmed by disease in the average

growing year.

If you are interested in any or all of these

publications, drop me an email,

walt.reichert@uky.edu, and I can send them to

you electronically or by mail. Or call the office,

633-4593.

Extension Orchard and Vegetable Garden

We’re going to be adding to our

horticulture enterprises here at Extension this

spring.

We’re adding a small orchard! We’re going to

plant five dwarf apple trees and two peach trees

this year. At least three of the apple trees will be

of disease-resistant varieties recommended by

UK, and two may be more ordinary varieties,

such as ‘Yellow Delicious’ or ‘Gala.’ The plan

is to use a low-spray program to

see how well the different

varieties do. We will also plant

‘Contender’ and ‘Sentry’ peach,

two industry standards.

PAGE 4

H O R T I C U L T U R E

PAGE 5

Articles By: Walt Reichert Horticulture Technician

H O R T I C U L T U R E

I get more questions about fruit growing and

fruit trees than nearly everything else put

together, so I’m hoping this will be a chance to

have a “classroom” close at hand. Trees should

arrive in early March.

Speaking of fruit trees, if you plan to buy

trees this spring, the University of Kentucky

recommends buying bare-root fruit trees. While

we do not make recommendations about where

to buy, we do suggest not buying extra large

trees already potted up. The smaller, bare-root

trees almost always outperform the larger potted

ones in the orchard. And they’re much easier to

plant!

Get Your Soil Test—soon!

Fall and early winter are great times to get a soil

test done before you plant, but if

you didn’t, go ahead and get it

done before you plant this

spring.

Why do a soil test? The

truth is, you are literally digging

in the dark if you don’t know

what’s in your soil. You may be adding too

much lime—or too little—too much fertilizer—

or too little—or the wrong kind of fertilizer if

you haven’t done a soil test.

For example, many folks planting a

vegetable garden come into the office and tell me

they lime the garden every year. The truth is,

most of them probably don’t need any lime at all

and may be causing harm by adding lime. You

see, lime raises the pH of the soil, but most soils

in Shelby County have sufficient lime that the

pH is already high enough for vegetables and

flowers. In fact, raising the pH much above 7

puts vegetables out of their comfort zone. But if

you don’t know what your pH is, you won’t

know whether you need to add lime or not; a soil

test will tell you. That’s also true for fertilizers

that contain phosphorous. Most soils in Shelby

County have plenty of phosphorous and adding

more is not only a waste of money, you risk

harming water quality of nearby ponds and

streams with the runoff of excess phosphorous.

Again, a soil test will tell you what you need to

add, and probably,

more important, what you don’t need to add to

your spring garden.

If you are a Shelby County resident, we will do a

soil test for you for free; otherwise the cost is $5.

If you’ve never done one before, we have a

publication that tells you how. It’s a very simple

and cost-effective thing to do. So get it done!

Master Gardener plant sale

Be sure to mark your calendar for Saturday,

April 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. so you don’t miss

the Shelby County Master Gardener plant sale.

The sale will again be held at the

Shelby County Cooperative

Extension office, 1117 Frankfort

Road.

The plant sale is a great

opportunity to buy home-grown

perennials directly from the yards

of Master Gardeners. They are

locally-grown, so you know they

will work in your yard. That’s not always true

when you buy from nurseries or garden catalogs.

In addition to perennials, Master Gardeners will

offer a nice selection of herbs and some shrubs

and possibly some small fruits, like blackberries.

In addition, Master Gardeners will have a

“garden boutique” featuring quality garden-

related items.

The Shelby County High School FFA will also

sell their ferns, tomato plants and annuals; the

ferns are always popular and a great deal. Also

check out the other vendors who will offer

heirloom tomato plants, fruit trees and other gar-

den-related items. Lunch and breakfast will be

served on the grounds.

The plant sale is the only Master Gardener fund-

raiser. The money is used to buy new plants for

the Tim McClure Botanical Gardens and to help

maintain the grounds. Shelby County Master

Gardeners also plant and maintain the planters

along Main and Washington streets. So you will

be doing your community as well as your own

garden a favor by stopping by.

Last year, we had a great crowd despite the rain.

This year’s prediction is for sun and 75 degrees!

Don’t miss it!

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4 - H

Y O U T H

D E V E L O P M E N T

4-H Camp Update Response to attend 4-H Camp has been

overwhelming! We have only a few spots

remaining for both boys and girls. If you want

to attend camp, get your form in today!

Teen Leaders and CITs must have their

applications turned in by March 15. Make sure

that you get those in so we can begin interviews

and our selection process. Applications are

available at the Extension Office or on our

website.

I still need adult

volunteers to attend 4-H Camp.

If you are interested please

complete an application and

volunteer packet. We will have

an orientation for all volunteers

that go to camp.

Spring Project Day Shelby County 4-H will host a Project

Day on April 5 at the Extension Office. 4-H

members will complete projects that can be

entered in the County Fair throughout the day.

Information on specific projects will be posted

on the 4-H page of the website and will be

mailed to 4-H members.

Anyone that would like to volunteer to

teach a class should contact Candice or Regina.

We are always looking for new ideas and

projects for the 4-H members to complete.

Voluntary Donations Commissioner of Agriculture Ryan

Quarles announced that he will continue the

Voluntary Farm Tag Program. All farm license

plate voluntary donations will be split evenly

among 4-H, FFA and the Kentucky Proud

program.

Farmers can make the voluntary donation

of $10 when renewing their farm license plates

at the county clerk’s office in March. March is

the month that all farm tags expire and need to

be renewed. Last year Shelby County 4-H

received over $1800 from the program. Funds

were used to support the 4-H program in Shelby

County.

Making the voluntary

$10 donation is an excellent

opportunity for our

agricultural community to support the youth of

our community and help fund the programs that

can make a lasting difference in their lives.

Public Speaking and

Demonstration Contests Public speaking is an important skill that

you can use throughout your life. However,

many young people and even adults are very

nervous and even afraid when they are called

upon to do so. The best way to overcome this

fear is to do it over and over. One opportunity

for 4-Hers to improve their public speaking

skills is to participate in the Shelby County

Communication Event. The event will be held

on March 15, at the Shelby County Extension

Office starting at 6 p.m. If you wish to

participate you must pre-register. Shelby

County winners will have the opportunity to

compete at the Louisville Area competition

hosted by Henry County on April 23, with a

chance to advance to the state

event at the University of

Kentucky in July.

Variety Acts and Talent

Acts are also included in the

competition. Participants will be

required to bring their own equipment. Area

winners can perform during the Kentucky State

Fair in August as a part of the District 3

Showcase in Cloverville.

We need volunteers willing to come and

judge our county contest and the Louisville Area

Contest. Anyone interested in serving as a judge

should contact Regina or Candice.

Shooting Sports Shelby County Shooting

Sports will kick off a new year

at a Parent/New Member

Organizational Meeting on

Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m.

at the Shelby County Extension Office. This

meeting will provide new members and parents

important information about the club and

expectations for both parents and 4-H members.

We encourage anyone interested in shooting

sports to attend this meeting. Shooting Sports

includes the disciplines of archery, riflery and

trap.

June 28

to

July 1

The informational meeting will discuss

the rules for each discipline, practice dates,

required equipment and safety information. A

small fee will also be collected to cover

insurance at the range. Finally, a wavier to use

the range will need to be completed by a parent

or guardian.

Health and Fitness Fun Day When we say the 4-H pledge, we always

pledge our “health to better living.” One way to

reach that goal is to participate in the Health and

Fitness Fun Day at the Clear Creek Park Family

Activity Center on Saturday, April

30 from 9 a.m. to noon. Families

will have the opportunity to observe

many of the classes offered at the

park, receive educational materials

and free screenings, participate in

children’s activities, receive give-away items,

and possibly win a great door prize. It is a great

event for the entire family.

Plan of Work The Shelby County Extension Office is

currently working on a new Plan of Work for the

next four years. If you have any topics or

educational programming you would like to see

us include, please feel free to call and let us

know. We would love to hear your suggestions!

Talking to Children About Drugs Many conversations are hard to start. One of

these conversations may be talking to your

children about drugs. There are many different

ways to talk about this subject that could make it

less stressful for the both of you.

Children may hear about drugs and abuse

from many different places. They also may learn

by seeing family members use a drug, such as a

daily medication, at home. Your child may have

questions about drugs, both prescribed and

illegal.

Starting the conversation about drug use and

abuse may make the most sense after a school

presentation. This could open the door for

conversation about the topics discussed during

the program and allow the child to ask questions.

It is important to remember to keep the

conversation private when talking about drugs

and drug use. Answer your child’s questions

honestly. Also, make sure that there is enough

time for you and your child to talk. Do not rush

through the conversation, and make sure that all

of their questions are answered.

If your child does not have a school

program about drug use approaching, you may

want to start a discussion by talking about your

own medicine cabinet. If you, your child or other

family member takes a daily medication you

may want to explain the reason for that

medication. You can talk about how the drug

was prescribed by a doctor, why only a certain

amount is to be taken daily, and the importance

of taking only the prescribed amount. You may

find that your child has questions about other

medicines in the cabinet that are not taken

regularly or ones that he or she has taken in the

past.

Talk to your child about being sure that he

or she takes medicine only from someone that he

or she knows or trusts such as a parent, family

member or doctor. As a parent, make sure you

keep drugs stored out of reach from children. For

even more protection, install a safety lock on the

medicine cabinet. If you take a regular

medication, make sure to put it away

when you are done. This can prevent a

child from mistaking the drug for

something else that is edible.

While it’s a difficult subject to approach,

studies have shown that when parents talk to

their children about drugs, their children are 50

percent less likely to use or misuse drugs.

Talking to your child about responsible drug use

may help them in the future. For more

information about this topic please visit http://

www.drugabuse.gov/ .

PAGE 7

Articles By: Regina Browning Cooperative Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development

4 - H

Y OU T H

D E V E L O PME N T

PAGE 8

A G R I CUL TURE

Farming 101 We are excited to offer a

new course series this year!

Farming 101 will cover some of the

basic information new farmers (or

experienced farmers who need a

refresher) need to know.

Remaining courses are scheduled for Wednesday

nights from 6-8 p.m. on March 2 and 9. Topics

will include:

Basic Fences, Barns, Machinery & Zoning

Basic Feeds & Forages for Livestock,

Horses & Poultry

Whether you farm 5 acres or 500, many

farming tasks are the same; we will help you get

started on the right foot! Please call 633-4593 to

reserve your spot.

Private Use Pesticide Certification If your pesticide certification is expiring in

2016 or if you need a new

certification, please plan to attend

one of two sessions being offered on

Thursday, March 3. Call 633-4593

to sign up for either the 10 a.m.

session or the 6 p.m. session.

This will be your primary opportunity to

receive pesticide training this year, so make every

effort to attend one of these sessions.

Horseman’s Short Course Equine enthusiasts should plan to attend

the 2016 Louisville Area Horseman’s Short

Course on Saturday, March 5 from 8 a.m.—1 p.m.

at the Henry County Extension Office. This is an

awesome learning opportunity and will feature

some top local equine experts. Topics will

include:

Hoof Care, Foot & Leg Issues

Nutritional Disorders

Feed & Hay Selection

Forage Species & Grazing

Management

For more information or to register, please

call 633-4593 or 845-2811. Breakfast will be

provided. *This program will satisfy 4-H Horse

Certification & Education hours for leaders.*

Outdoor Naturalist Series Are you an avid outdoorsperson? Do you

want to learn more about the local ecoscape and

many facets of our natural resources? Join us for

the newly-developed Outdoor Naturalist program.

Outdoor Naturalist is an educational

program about Shelby County’s natural resources

and outdoor history. The class will meet on the

third Thursday of each month for 12-14 sessions

beginning on March 17. The class will meet from

6-8 p.m. at the Extension Office or an on-site

location, depending on the topic. Classes will

include:

Course Introduction/Expectations

Geology & Soils

Ponds, Lakes & Streams

Botany

Native Plants

Forestry

Wildlife Management & Agricultural

Lands

KY Parks & Recreation

Practical Entomology & Pollinators

Archaeology

Environmental Ethics & Philosophy

Reptiles/Amphibians/Fish/Birds

Mammals

Participants may choose to attend any

number of segments, but space for some sessions

will be limited, so we request that you sign up for

each one you plan to attend to help us plan

accordingly. Call 633-4593 to register for the

first session on March 17, which we recommend

for everyone.

Small Ruminant Series Sheep and Goat Producers who wish to learn

more about managing their flocks and herds

should plan to attend the spring Small Ruminant

Series on Wednesdays, April 20 & 27 and May 4,

PAGE 9

Articles By: Corinne F. Belton Cooperative Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources

from 6-8 pm at the Extension

Office.

Tentative topics will include:

FAMACHA parasite-load

evaluation and control

Hoof trimming and shearing

demonstrations

Housing, fencing, and/or pasture

management

Plans are still being made for this course,

so watch our Extension Facebook page or call

633-4593 for more information or to register.

Help livestock handle cold weather Sources: Les Anderson, UK beef specialist; Bob

Coleman, UK equine specialist; Matt Dixon, UK

agricultural meteorologist

The three most important things you can do to

protect livestock in cold weather are providing

sufficient water, giving ample high-quality feed

and offering weather protection. Cold stress

reduces livestock productivity, including rate of

gain, milk production and reproductive difficulty,

and can cause disease problems.

Pay special attention to very young and very

old animals that might be less able to tolerate

temperature extremes and have weak immune

systems. Also monitor heifers and cows as calving

time approaches. They have a high risk of

frostbite, because the swelling of the udder and

teats causes poor circulation.

Dehydration and hypothermia are the two most

likely life-threatening conditions for livestock in

cold weather. Necropsies (autopsies) have shown

that dehydration causes more livestock deaths

than cold during the winter and early spring.

Animals tend to drink less water in severely cold

conditions, increasing their risk of dehydration.

Many animals, especially young ones, might not

know how or be able to break through ice to reach

fresh water. Livestock need water to aid digestion,

which produces heat when fiber breaks down.

Be sure your livestock always have plenty of

clean water in liquid form. Dirty water is a host for

disease organisms. Disease can rapidly spread if

animals drink from a trough containing dirty

water. If an animal gets sick, isolate it from the

trough and thoroughly clean and disinfect the

trough.

Cows given free access to water will produce

more milk and more butterfat than those allowed

to drink only twice a day.

Water ranging from 40 to 65 degrees

Fahrenheit is the most ideal temperature to ensure

adequate livestock intake under cold conditions.

The amount of water needed daily varies based

on the temperature and animals’ size, lactation and

feed intake. Generally, horses will need eight to 12

gallons of water per day; cows, seven to 12 gallons

and sheep and goats, one to four gallons.

Before severely cold weather arrives, haul

extra feed to the feeding area. It’s important to

provide extra hay, forage or feed, because

livestock might need up to twice as many calories

to maintain normal body heat under extremely cold

conditions.

Livestock produce body heat through fiber

fermentation, which produces heat while releasing

energy. Good quality grass hay or alfalfa are the

best source of total digestible nutrients for cold

weather. Feeding some feed concentrates also

provides energy to maintain body temperature.

Finally, it’s important that you provide some

sort of protection for livestock because wet

conditions and wind chill add to animal cold stress.

Windbreaks provide protection, especially for

young animals. Reducing the winter wind

exposure lowers animal stress, improves animal

health, reduces the amount of feed needed to

maintain body temperature and increases feeding

efficiency, and that can lead to increased

profitability. You can design windbreaks to meet

needs of your specific livestock operation.

Windbreaks also

have the

advantages of

providing wildlife

habitat, protecting

the working

environment of the

livestock area and

screening noise

and odors associated with livestock operations.

Using a three-sided shed opening away from

prevailing winds is another way to protect

livestock from the cold and wind. Be sure to allow

enough room for animals to enter the facility and

have protection from the wind. Also provide clean,

dry bedding to provide insulation from the cold

ground.

If you keep animals in a barn, be sure to

reduce drafts.

A G R I CUL TURE

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UK Commercial Vegetable Production Plasticulture Demonstration Plots Available

What we provide: - Equipment necessary for laying plastic, transplanting and removing plastic at end of season. - Up to one acre of plastic mulch and drip tape. - Weekly on-farm consultations to maintain quality of crops. - Educational materials pertaining to most vegetable and some fruit production using plasticulture. - Any crop suitable for plasticulture production can be grown. Minimum Requirements: - 75 horsepower tractor to pull bed shaper - Bucket loader or forks to remove equipment from trailer - Record keeping abilities - Availability for on-farm field day Additional Questions: Please contact Ty Cato at tyrrell.cato@uky.udu or at the Shelby County Cooperative Extension Office 502-633-4593

C A L E N D A R

O F E V E N T S

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The Cooperative Extension Service prohibits discrimination in its programs and employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, religion,

disability, or national origin.

To file a complaint of discrimination, contact Rosemary Veach, UK College of Agriculture, Lexington, KY 40546, or Terry Allen, UK

Affirmative Action Director, Lexington, KY 40546, or the Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.

20250.

KEY: 4-H 4-H Youth Development AG Agr iculture HORT Hor ticulture

FCS Family & Consumer Sciences EFNEP Expanded Food & Nutr ition Ed. Program

MARCH 1 AG/HO Hort & Ag Advisory Council, 6 p.m. Extension Office 1 FCS Sewing Circle, 3-8 p.m. Extension Office 2, 9 AG/HO Farming 101, 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 3 AG/HO Private Use Pesticide Training, 10 - Noon or 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 5 4-H Equus Horse Club, 10 a.m. Leader’s Farm 5 AG Horse College, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Henry Co. Extension 5 FCS First Saturday Walk About, 8:30 a.m. Family Activity Ctr 8 HORT Shelby County Master Gardeners Assn, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 10 4-H Saddles and Spurs, 7 p.m. Extension Office 11 ALL Family Fun Night—Card Making, 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 14 4-H Livestock Club, and Fur & Feathers, 7 p.m. Extension Office 15 HORT Food Gardening, 10 am and 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 15 4-H Communication Contest, 6:00 p.m. Extension Office 17 AG/HO Outdoor Naturalist, 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 18 FCS International Luncheon—China, noon Extension Office 19 4-H Equus Horse Club, 10 a.m. Extension Office 21 4-H Dairy Club, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 22 4-H Shooting Sports Informational Meeting, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 22 HORT Food Gardening, 10 am and 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 24 HORT Shelby County Beekeepers Association, 7 p.m. Extension Office 29 HORT Food Gardening, 10 am and 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 29 FCS Meet and Greet Bingo, 1 p.m. Extension Office 31 FCS Spring Fashion Show, noon Extension Office

APRIL 2 4-H Equus Horse Club, 10 a.m. Leader’s Farm 2 FCS First Saturday Walk about, 8:30 a.m. Family Activity Ctr 5 4-H Spring Project Day Extension Office 5 FCS Sewing Circle, 3-8 p.m. Extension Office 8 ALL Family Fun Night—Dabbling in the Arts, 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 11 4-H Livestock Club and Fur & Feathers, 7 p.m. Extension Office 12 HORT Food Gardening, 10 am and 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 14 4-H Saddles and Spurs, 7 p.m. Extension Office 16 AG/HO Earth Day at Red Orchard Park, 9 am—2 p.m. Red Orchard Park 18 4-H Dairy Club, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 19 HORT Food Gardening, 10 am and 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 19 AG Shelby County Cattlemen’s Assn. 7 p.m. Extension Office 20 AG Small Ruminant Series, 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 21 AG/HO Outdoor Naturalist, 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 25 ALL Shelby County Extension Council, 6 p.m. Extension Office 26 HORT Food Gardening, 10 am and 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 27 AG Small Ruminant Series, 6-8 p.m. Extension Office 28 HORT Green Thumb Gardening, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office 28 HORT Shelby County Beekeepers Association, 7 p.m. Extension Office 28 4-H 4-H Fashion Revue, 7 p.m. Extension Office 30 HORT Master Gardener Plant Sale, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Extension Office 30 ALL Health and Fitness Fun Day, 9 a.m.—noon Family Activity Ctr