Rowan County • 2019

For More Information, Please Contact us at:

Rowan County Extension Office • (606) 784-5457 • https://rowan.ca.uky.edu

600 West Main Street, Morehead, KY 40351-1887

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Community Engagement

Engaging with nontraditional users of Extension through community efforts can expand program

outreach. Members of UK’s OSHER Lifelong learning institute expressed interest in working with

Extension to improve turf used for their croquet class. Cooperative Extension, OSHER leaders, and

City of Morehead Parks and Recreation partnered on an educational demonstration intended to

show recommended practices on site preparation, establishment, management, and weed control

for bermudagrass sports turf use. Educational efforts included remote and site visits between Ex-

tension specialists and cooperative partners and hands-on experience implementing recommended

practices. Volunteers provided approximately ten hours on seeding, watering, and weed control ef-

forts. All participants in the demonstration have said or inferred they learned a lot about all aspects

of establishing and maintain bermudagrass. Parks and Recreation workers holding pesticide certifi-

cation gained specific knowledge related to labeled herbicide applications and sprayer calibration.

Rich nutrients and organic matter in the soil produces a healthy pasture and hay field.

4-H Youth Development

Youth Agricultural Incentives Program (YAIP)

According to the USDA State Agriculture Overview in 2017, the number of farm operations in Kentucky is 75,800. Considering this large number, further research shows that in 2017 Rowan County included not only livestock operations, but crops as well.

With this in mind, the youth in the county needed an opportunity to grow their knowledge and skills in all aspects of agriculture.

In the spring of 2018, an agriculture committee met, including 4-H and Agriculture Extension Agents, FFA advisor, Morehead State University Farm Manager, and Rowan County Extension District Board, which decided that it was necessary to apply for the Youth Agricultural Incentives Program through the local Ag Development Council. The Rowan County Extension District Board took on the application and processing of

funds for the program. The application requested $20,000.00 for the 2018 year to benefit youth in Rowan County interested in learning more about agriculture.

A total of 24 applications were reviewed and approved by the YAIP Committee for a cost share of 50/50 up to $1,600.00 Investment

areas that youth participated in included small animal, fencing and on-farm water. Ninety-two percent completed the project and gained agriculture knowledge. This program has been beneficial to the youth in the county and is being considered for the future.

Environmental Youth Day

Rowan County 4-H Council had identified environmental education as a need for local students. During that time, a newly developed group of volunteers called Friends of Rodburn Hollow was interested in partnering with Rowan County 4-H to conduct environmental youth education days for elementary age students.

During the 2018-2019 school year, Rowan County 4-H Extension Agent, Friends of Rodburn Hollow, Morehead Parks and Recreation Department and Rowan County Schools, collaborated on teaching environmental education to 219 4th and 5th grade students.

Students were divided into groups and had the opportunity to visit each station that consisted of Archery, Spiders and Webs, Leaf Prints, Madagascar Cockroaches, Poison Ivy, Monarchs, Forestry, Wildlife Skulls, Honeybees, and Mapping.

The volunteers had multiple hands-on activities to help engage students at each station. In working with the local teachers, these classes were identified as covering a broad range of the natural sciences curriculum.

Maps and Compass Class with instructor,

Dave Dummer

Justin Anderson 2018 YAIP participant car-

ing for his livestock

Two hundred nineteen (219) students, ten adult volunteers and eight youth volunteers participated in the program. Ninety five percent (95%) of the students reported that it was their first time being acquainted with that local park; 97% of the students rated the camp as “a lot” of fun and educational; 100% of the teachers reported that it was a great outdoor learning experience.

Other agencies involved were Morehead Public Works. Jennings Portable Toilet Rentals, KY State Division of Forestry and Painted Hills Garden Club.

When verbally asking the students what they learned, some of the comments included the following:

I learned how to hike in the woods with a map.

I learned how to identify trees by the shape of the leaf.

I learned the importance of leaving no trace behind and respecting the environment.

Family and Consumer Sciences

Grandparents/Relatives Steppin Up

Seven percent (7%) or over 70,000 of Kentucky children live in households headed by grandparents and/or relatives according to the AARP Foundation. Of those combined numbers, more than 30,000 children have no parent present in the home where they live. Rowan County is included in this with drug use by parents, imprisonment, illness or death of the parent. To address this issue, the RICA

Regional Interagency Area Council made up of Gateway Pathways, Rowan County Board of Education, Court Designated Worker, Legal Aid and Rowan County Family & Consumer Sciences Agent conducted a two-day workshop on Relatives Raising Others Children, Steppin Up.

Information on legal help, requirements for school age students to go to Rowan County, nutrition and exercise program to stay healthy, information on raising others children, working with special needs children and day care was provided.

Twenty-two (22) participants - adults and youth attended. Impact from post surveys 100% returned, showed 90% significantly increase knowledge and parenting best practices for traumatized children; 90% can recognize drug and alcohol effects on children; 60% increased knowledge of legal process, 80% extended skill set for nutritional and exercise care. 100% agreed that a support group would be of assistance to their situation.

Summer Fun Cooking Camp

Once school is out for the summer, most students like to learn a new skill, maybe try some cooking skills and make new friends. What a perfect reason to attend Summer Fun Cooking Camp with the Rowan County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, Rowan County Youth Service Centers and local volunteers.

Grandparents and relatives raising others

children are being connected to well needed

information.

Area youth are enjoying the practice of real

life skills in the kitchen.

Rowan County students are surveyed as being 100% free lunch in our school system, therefore, making them the perfect candidate to attend our camp.

The Summer Fun Cooking Camp was offered to the middle and high school students for a three-day workshop. The sign-up was unbelievable with the limit of twenty (20) was filled with a waiting list of fifteen (15) for standby. The need for extra activities in our area is overwhelming. The three-day camp taught nutrition, basic food cooking, preparation skills and storage.

100% of the students asked for the camp to come back another year.

95% of the students improved their food cutting techniques.

100% of the students improved label reading.

The camp has offered students in Rowan County basic adulting life skills to use daily. The camp started with 20 and ended with 17. Eighty-five give percent (85%) completed the camp. Physical activity was also incorporated into the teaching lessons, which allowed the students to unwind and interact ever more. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the students understood the need to physical activity in the day.

“Cutting fruit is easier that I thought it would be. Now I can do my own apples at home.” Calen “Raising money for the Rowan County Homemakers scholarship fund is our first priority every year.” Brenda “Having manners at lunch is really fun. I want to get to go to more places to practice.” Landon “I enjoyed doing it. A new experience for me. Mixing some technical with hiking was good.” David “It was a joy for me to be a part of this effort and it went off like clockwork.” Mary Ann “This program is wonderful for our kids, because so many don’t know about agriculture.” Angie

250 Number of people who demonstrated spending time in physical activity

250 Number of youth that report feeling good about themselves.

450 Number of participants who demonstrate healthy lifestyles and behaviors.

1500 Number of EBT, WIC or Senior benefits redeemed at Farmers Market.

150 Number of youth who reported that they demonstrated what they learned to do for themselves.

350 Number of individuals who demonstrated safe handling and preparation of food.

397 Number of youth that report making healthy lifestyle choices.

450 Number of people reporting improved lifestyles through a focus on proper nutrition, disease and injury reduction and comprehensive health maintenance.

300 Number of youth who use knowledge and skills developed from 4-H Science and Engineering and technology programs in daily life.

400 Number of people reported eating more of healthy foods

219 Number of youth who use their skills to conserve natural resources.

250 Number of individuals who report intention to cook more.

50 youth that have improved their communication skills.

Extension At a Glance