2020 certainly wasn’t the easiest year (for anyone), but it did have some positive outcomes. KHC launched 6 new grant programs, hired 2 new full-time staff members, delivered educational programming to more than 2,500 Kentucky growers, and reached a total audience of almost 200,000 on social media. We are so excited to continue supporting Kentucky horticulture into this new year! Our major project areas for 2021 are outlined below.
Direct Marketing:
Bethany Prekopa is leading a project focused on elevating farmers markets, agritourism operations, CSAs, and other horticulture enterprises that sell directly to consumers. In 2020, she focused on promoting Kentucky operations to potential customers, primarily using the KHC social media platforms. Bethany has traveled around the state meeting with market managers and farmers to help grow their customer base and improve their marketing strategies. In 2021, she will provide direct technical assistance to growers and managers across Kentucky and continue to highlight farms and locally-sourced ingredients through cooking demos and features on social media. There are many new projects on the horizon, so follow KHC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube!
Farm to School:
McKenzie Fox is the lead on our farm-to-school initiatives. Currently, KHC has two Farm-to-School projects – one in southeastern Kentucky (Knox, Laurel, and Whitley counties) and another in central Kentucky (Clark County). Farm-to-school project goals include:
- Promote understanding of local food, farmers, and production practices by food service personnel and students resulting in increased interest in, demand for, and receptivity to consuming locally-produced items
- Provide technical assistance to new and experienced produce growers to increase farmer comfort in navigating school food market procurement and bid processes and strategies to ensure products satisfy school purchasing requirements
We hope to get as much local produce to kids this year as possible, and we are working very closely with schools and growers interested in this marketing channel!
In 2021, we will publish several video clips and educational cards for students on what they’re eating, where it comes from, and who grows it. Our Harvest of the Month curriculum will be completed by the end of the year, with curriculum “previews” released each month. We plan to host four educational workshops on farm-to-school for growers as well as trainings for food service staff. We have an upcoming grower webinar on February 25th. Interested growers can contact the Clark County Extension Office at 859-744-4682 to register for the free webinar.
A unique piece of our farm-to-school work is a partnership with FoodChain of Lexington to develop a KY-grown snack food for school children. Last year, FoodChain developed and tested recipes and we expect to have 10,000 units of product ready this year for distribution. Ideally, the product will be a prototype to get high-quality, nutritious Kentucky produce into schools.
Kentucky Small Fruits Initiative:
KHC is continuing to focus on expanding the production of and markets for small fruit crops across the state. Blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries, for example, can be particularly profitable for Kentucky growers. Our program includes technical support for growers as well as financial assistance in establishing and expanding small fruit crop plantings and technologies to improve production and fruit quality. In 2021, we will continue to inventory production capacity across the state and launch a buyer survey to learn more about wholesale opportunities for growers. More details about this program can be found on our webpage.
Small-Scale Vegetable Production:
There is great interest (and potential revenue) in starting market gardens and smaller-scale operations to grow produce for commercial sales. From 6-8 pm (eastern) on March 30, 31, and April 1, we will host an Introduction to Vegetable Production Short Course with the UK Horticulture and Entomology Departments and the UK Center for Crop Diversification. The training will take place virtually over Zoom and topics to be discussed include marketing channels, site selection, pest management, equipment, production tips, and more. This course has no registration fee and is open to anyone in Kentucky interested in or just starting with producing vegetables. More details about this program are available on the event webpage.
KHC is leading and partnering on several other programs supporting horticulture operations in Kentucky. These projects include food safety education, protected ag production, analysis of ag water quality for produce growers, value chain assessments, and support for regional food systems. Watch for future blog posts covering our projects in greater detail and announcements for upcoming educational opportunities!