Magoffin County • 2019

4-H Campers learn practical skills, develop effective interpersonal relationships with adults, learn how to function in a community setting, as well as develop personal standards and values for living. The youth attending 4-H Camp participate in activities that focus on teamwork, physical activity, and personal development. Personal develop includes leadership, responsibility, independence, and more. For many, the opportunity to attend camp depends greatly upon the availability of scholarships. These scholarships would not be available if it were not for the financial support of community sponsors. 4-H Camp is becoming one of the more popular 4-H activities in Magoffin County, with youth asking about camp throughout the year. The dates are discussed with youth during club meetings and other 4-H activities. Nature, canoeing, swimming, archery, rifles, high ropes, volleyball, crafting, fun foods, basketball, and recreation were a few of the classes offered.

In June 2019, Magoffin County had 62 people attend 4-H Camp: 50 campers, 6 JCITs, 2 teens, 3 adults, and 1 agent. With the generous donations of community members and businesses, Magoffin County was able to provide financial support to every camper who applied for assistance. The record breaking camping week was the largest group Magoffin County has ever taken to 4-H Camp.

For More Information, Please Contact us at:

Magoffin County Extension Office • (606) 349-3216 • https://magoffin.ca.uky.edu

15 Rockhouse Fork Rd., P.O. Box 349, Salyersville, KY 41465

Magoffin County 4-H has a record year of 4-H campers!

High Tunnel Field Day Introduces Farmers to Alternative Production Practices

High tunnel production, a method that allows growers to increase production of certain crops, while also extending the growing season, is gaining popularity in Eastern Kentucky, including Magoffin County.

Three growers in Magoffin County are currently utilizing high tunnels for commercial vegetable production and countless others have reached out to Extension with questions regarding the practice or requesting information and resources about high tunnels, especially as funding remains available through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Even though crops grown inside a high tunnel are sheltered from the elements and growers have the ability to partially control the environment, there are still challenges, as well as pests and diseases, that may pose even greater problems in a high tunnel than outdoors.

In order to educate farmers about these challenges and introduce them to high tunnel production, Magoffin County Extension, in partnership with Grow Appalachia and horticulture specialists from the University of Kentucky, hosted a High Tunnel Field Day. The program allowed participants to develop a better understanding of high tunnel construction, basic production practices, weed management, and pest and disease control.

Nearly 50 local farmers attended the event and 100% said they gained practical knowledge of weed, pest, and disease management, regardless of growing environment! The majority of the producers who attended with the intent to apply for funding through NRCS, left the program with enough information to know that high tunnel production is more intensive and requires more scouting than initially thought, resulting in their decision to continue only with their current outdoor production practices. Others wanted to keep doing their research to determine if a high tunnel would fit their current operation, while two producers proceeded in their effort to obtain funding and add a new enterprise to their existing system.

Extension Responds to Cattle Crisis After Wettest Year on Record

2018 was Kentucky’s wettest year on record. This resulted in livestock producers dealing with excessive and unprecedented mud, poor quality hay, pugged pastures, scours, poor nutrition and calving issues. Local veterinarians reported high cattle loss numbers, especially among marginal cows and weak calves. One producer in Magoffin County reported losing eight calves due to weather-related events and lack of proper nutrition.

Utilizing resources developed by UK Extension Beef Specialists, a series of meetings was planned for local producers to not only understand and combat this issue, but also how to prepare for continued wet weather conditions. The series included the distribution of related publications and podcasts recorded by the specialists and ended with a presentation by Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler at the February meeting of the Magoffin County Cattle Association. The series was also supplemented by a regional cow/calf management demonstration herd at the Extension Farm where participants saw firsthand the difficulties associated with thin cattle. Ninety percent of producers indicated new knowledge gained while 70% reported they would be changing or adding practices. Attended by more than twenty producers from Magoffin County throughout the series, results of this series included:

1. The construction of three new winter feeding systems to combat mud.

2. Increased numbers of hay samples and

Dr. Rachel Rudolph, UK Extension

Horticulture Specialist, discusses high tunnel

construction options and basic production

with growers.

ration balance reports. (Two farmers even worked with the County ANR Agent to schedule a private meeting with Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler to develop plans for providing better nutrition to their herds.)

3. More soil samples and seeding recommendation requests to repair pugged pastures.

4. A greater number of farmers are now using body condition scoring to evaluate their herds.

Pink Ribbon Luncheon

The Magoffin County Homemakers are proud to sponsor the Pink Ribbon Luncheon, celebrating breast cancer survivors, each year. This year was celebrated in old Hollywood fashion, by “Rolling Out the Pink Carpet”, for ninety-three ladies who attended the event. A delicious meal of soups and sandwiches, and a beautifully appointed dessert bar, complete with a chocolate fountain, was enjoyed by everyone.

The program this year focused on making the ladies feel beautiful and glamorous and was highlighted by a speaker who demonstrated how to apply make-up during and after chemo treatments, to enhance natural beauty. The ladies were also presented with an educational packet full of information about screening, early detection and treatment options available for breast and other cancers, and free gifts. Materials were provided by UK Healthcare, Magoffin County Health

Department, Southeast Kentucky Regional Cancer Specialist, and the Magoffin County Extension Service.

Magoffin County Homemakers presented each cancer survivor with a gift, and local businesses donated door prizes for the event. The Magoffin County High School dance team attended the luncheon and volunteered to assist in breakdown and clean-up for volunteer hours. A local photographer also donated his time and talents to photograph the event, and share the photos online with the ladies who attended.

The Pink Ribbon Luncheon continues to grow in popularity and attendance each year, and has been the springboard for recruiting many new Magoffin County Homemakers members. Our homemakers take great pride in sponsoring this activity for our community each year. It is the belief of the group that if one person can receive an early diagnosis and treatment, which results in a positive outcome, then the entire program and the hard work put into the event is certainly worthwhile.

Plate It Up Grow Appalachia

Feeding Kentucky, a non-profit organization out of Berea, released a study called Map the Meal Gap, which indicated that 22.5% of Magoffin County’s population, compared to the state average of 15%, experiences food insecurity – or not knowing where their next meal will come from at some point during the year. Children are the most susceptible to food insecurity, the study found, affecting 31.5% of children in Magoffin, compared to the state’s average of 18%.

In the spring of 2019, the Supplemental Nutrition Education Program Assistant Senior, partnered with the Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator to do a series of food demonstrations based on “Plate it up!” Kentucky Proud recipes. “Plate it up!” Kentucky Proud encourages people to buy local, in-season fruits and vegetables for to achieve the best quality and price.

The sampling took place at the beginning of each educational class offered as a part of the county’s Grow Appalachia program. Recipes from “Plate it up!” were chosen by what was in season at the time or available at the local

Dr. Jeff Lehmhuhler, Extension Beef

Specialist, speaks to the Magoffin Cattle

Association about managing cattle nutrition

through the wet weather.

farmers’ market. A total of twenty-five Kentucky Proud recipes were prepared and sampled over the growing season. Some of the recipes that were demonstrated, tasted and evaluated were: Tex-Mex Spaghetti Squash, Herbed Pasta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Spring Harvest Salad, Kale and Potato Soup, Cabbage Noodle Casserole, Cucumber Corn and Bean Salsa, Very Berry Salsa, and Bacon and Tomato Dip.

As a result, more than 200 recipe cards have been distributed in the past year. 65% of the Grow Appalachia participants indicated they would be more likely to grow or buy the produce to make the recipe.

During the recipe taste tests, 50% stated that their decision to buy that fruit or vegetable was influenced by the recipe card. The recipe demonstrations at each Grow Appalachia meeting, as well as the County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Education, the guest speakers, and the educational materials and resources provided during these meetings all aspire to the same goal—to get the residents of Magoffin County to eat more locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Amanda Howard, SNAP-Ed Assistant

Senior, demonstrates a recipe for

participants to sample.

96 Number of producers who reported saving money or reducing cost of operation.

1137 Number of youth who apply the skills learned in 4-H and in other activities at home, school or in the community.

427 Number of individuals actively engaged in collaboration and programs that build community capacity to nurture families.

348 Number of participants gaining access to Extension programming at local farmers markets.

220 Number of youth who can identify the natural resources in their communities.

162 Number of youth who reported gaining at least one new life skill as a result of participating in day camps and summer residential camps.

250 Number of residents indicating a willingness to support local food markets as a result of awareness raised through Extension programming.

42 Number of youth that report making healthy lifestyle choices.

75 Number of producers willing to adopt improved soil health/quality practices to improve profitability due to Extension programming efforts.

115 Number of producers reporting an increase in general marketing knowledge.

Extension At a Glance