On a late fall day, volunteers laid the framework for what will be a bustling place full of fruits, veggies and children come next summer.
The Metcalfe County community garden is an outreach of the county’s office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and its farmers market. It is a direct result of the growth of the market and the expansion of extension efforts on local gardening for children.
Read MoreIt’s common knowledge that plants grow up from the ground, supported by a root system, but until now scientists were unable to understand how that process starts during fertilization at a cellular level. An international team of scientists that includes a University of Kentucky researcher has visualized how the fertilized egg cell divides unequally after fertilization.
Read MoreKentucky net farm income is expected to dip to less than $1.5 billion in 2016, down from $1.7 billion in 2015 and potentially its lowest level since 2010. A significant decline in cash receipts the past couple of years, plus the end of tobacco buyout payments in 2014, have been the major reasons behind the rapid fall in Kentucky’s net farm income since peaking at nearly $3 billion in 2013.
Read MoreBracken County deer hunters set out on a brisk fall morning with more than antlers on their minds. They were hunting to provide meals to the hungry in their communities.
Read MoreThe forestry sector plays a major role in Kentucky’s economy. The state has recently been hit hard by forest fires in the eastern and southern regions, and the damage will be felt statewide.
Read MoreMost dishes for a family feast can be found right here in the Bluegrass State.
Three key ingredients to a successful holiday gathering in Kentucky.
In homes all across the Commonwealth, loved ones gather to eat, giving thanks for another bountiful Kentucky harvest.
Read MoreOn a warm fall day nearly 200 children and their families laced up their sneakers to read. The Owsley County office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service recently received funding to install a StoryWalk in the Owsley County Park.
Read MoreKentucky college students and anti-hunger advocates recently gathered at the University of Kentucky to discuss ways to end hunger across the state as part of the Inaugural Kentucky Hunger Dialogue.
Read MoreWhile turkey numbers in Kentucky have not been counted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service since 1972, Kentucky Poultry Federation Jamie Guffey said that there has been a resurgence in the industry.
Read MoreIt’s an epic journey by a creature so fragile that it is almost beyond the imagination. Thousands of times a monarch butterfly’s wings stroke the air, buffeted by winds and soaked by rains on its 3,000-mile autumn trip from southern Canada to central Mexico. Faced by numerous threats, their populations are in decline. University of Kentucky graduate student Jerrod Penn spearheaded a project to collect data and also help the butterfly.
Read MoreWhat does the term “Kentucky thoroughbred” mean to anyone outside the Bluegrass State?
“The fastest racehorses in the world.”
Chauncey Morris gets paid to say that. He’s executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association/Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders. But he is not wrong.
Read MoreAgricultural exports will increase by 30 percent over the next decade, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) projections. This is due in part to global population growth and a rise in demand for food and fiber. That’s why the Kentucky Department of Agriculture(KDA), the World Trade Center Kentucky, and the University of Kentucky are working diligently to help the state’s producers and agribusinesses capitalize on that demand.
Read MoreWhether it’s nuisance weeds like thistle and teasel, or insects like mosquitoes and black flies, these “pests” can cause as much stress as they can damage. While Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices are a key component to the solution, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) recognizes that pesticides also hold risks and must be regulated to protect human health and the environment.
Read MoreIn the past 18 months, Jamie Porter has faced many challenges. Her husband passed away, and she quickly became a single mom to three children—one grown, one 17 and one 6 years old. She homeschools the youngest child, Lacey, and was grateful to find some helpful resources through the Boone County Cooperative Extension Service.
Read MoreSecuring working capital is often one of the largest hurdles agricultural programs must jump in order to achieve success. The Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, which was established in 1998 to provide a link between the governor’s office and the ag industry, awards grants, low- interest loans, and other financial incentives through the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund to help the industry evolve and grow.
Read MoreThe Farm Bills of today contain multiple components and include mountains of information and regulations related to a variety of sectors including nutrition, the environment and rural development to name a few.
Read MoreFrom horses to bourbon to tobacco, Kentucky has long been known for its agricultural offerings. As one of the state’s leading and most vital industries, agriculture contributes approximately $45.6 billion to Kentucky’s economy each year, according to the most recent statistics.
Read MoreAs the average age of farmers in Kentucky continues to rise and longtime producers near retirement, the industry depends on new farmers like Ryan and Misty Bivens, owners and operators of Fresh Start Farms, to carry on Kentucky’s rich agricultural tradition.
Read MoreStudents across Kentucky are learning more about agriculture, thanks in large part to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Mobile Science Activity Centers, which are trailers with 10 interactive stations that visit schools throughout the Commonwealth. In addition to serving as hands-on educational tools, the trailer’s stations provide fun, out-of-the-classroom experiences that can also introduce students to possible careers in agriculture.
Read MoreDid you know one in six Kentuckians, including one in five children, is food insecure? That means they lack reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. And for too many Kentucky residents, hunger is a harsh reality.
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