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transcript
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
AUGUST
JULY AG Programs
WOODLAND SHORT
COURSE
LEADERSHIP IS
M.O.R.E.
CAPITAL CLASSIC
STEM DAY July 10
PINTEREST DAY
July 17
FOOD-A-RAMA
JULY 25
(Details on page 7)
HORTICULTURE
Master Gardener Orientation
Controlling destructive Insects
Honeybees or Yellow Jackets?
(See pages 4 & 5 for details)
Kids in the Kitchen Thursday, July 12 9-11 a.m.
Thursday, July 12 1-3 p.m.
Driver Safety for Over 55 Thursday, August 23 12:30—4:30 p.m.
Farmers Market Demos Saturday, July 14, 8-11 a.m.
Saturday, August 11, 8-11 a.m.
See page 2 for more information on Kids in the Kitchen and Driver Safety
Sit and Sew If you enjoy sewing, you are invited to the Sit and
Sew Days at your Shelby County Extension
Office. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. people will be
sewing on Thursday, July 26, and on Tuesday,
August 21. Bring your current sewing project and
lunch. Spend a summer day sewing!
Kids in the Kitchen Youth (ages 5 – 12) are invited to participate in
this year’s Kids in the Kitchen, a delicious, fun,
learning adventure! The youth will enjoy
hands-on cooking experiences and nutrition
education. Registration is required for this free
program Thursday, July 12, at your Shelby County
Extension Office. Call 633-4593 to reserve your
child’s spot in the 9 – 11 a.m. session or the
1 – 3 p.m. session. Space is limited to 45 youth
per session.
Want Lower Car Insurance? Plan to attend the AARP Driver Safety Program
for drivers age 55 and older on Thursday, August
23 from 12:30 until 4:30 p.m., at your Shelby
County Extension Office. Please call 633-4593 for
more information and to reserve a space. A
Kentucky Law requires that car insurance
companies give a reduction in premium to drivers
55 and older who complete an authorized driving
course. Check with your insurance company!
Beginning Sewing Classes Shelby County’s Master Clothing
Volunteers will teach a Beginning Sewing Class
from 3 to 8 p.m. on September 4 and October 2.
Mark your calendar if you would like to learn to
sew! For intermediate sewers, the September
project is an origami seven-pocket purse and
October’s project is a pinafore apron. Call 633-
4593 to get the sewing project supply lists.
State Fair Demos Stop by the textiles area at the Kentucky State Fair
to visit the Shelby County Extension Homemakers
and friends who will be doing the following
demonstrations:
Needlework, from 10 a.m.—2 p.m. August 23
Caning, from 10 a.m.—2 p.m. August 24
Calling All Homemakers!!! You are invited to an Indoor Summer Picnic at
11:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 9, at your Shelby
County Extension Office. Just bring a salad to
share. Drinks will be provided. Following lunch
we will have an hour of Homemaker Updates and
Goal Setting. This training will be beneficial for
all homemakers. We hope to see you August 9, as
we make exciting plans for our new homemaker
year. Call 633-4593 to RSVP.
Homemaker Adventures! Reservations are coming in for this summer’s
Homemaker Trips. We are going to the following
locations …
* The Dinner Detective—July 14
* The UK Arboretum—August 22
These trips are open to all Shelby County
Extension Homemakers. If you would like to join
us on some of these learning adventures, just
become a Shelby County Extension Homemaker
and pick up the trip information and registration
form. We have 10 Shelby County Homemakers
planning to go on the “Georgia Mountain Fall
Festival” trip on October 17—19. Join them!
Safe Canning Practices
Keep Everyone Healthy Gardens are beginning to bear the fruits of our labor.
Soon, it will be time to start thinking about preserving
some of the excess produce for winter months. Safety is
of utmost importance for those of us who will be
preserving food, because, let’s face it, no one wants to
get sick from poorly processed food.
Bacteria, molds and yeast can grow quickly on
fresh foods, and fruits and vegetables contain oxygen
and enzymes that can cause food to spoil. Safe home
canning methods help prevent the growth of these
bacteria, yeast and molds in addition to removing
excess oxygen from the food, which destroys spoilage
enzymes and helps form strong vacuum seals on the
jars.
You should remember several key points of proper
food preservation to keep yourself and your family
healthy and safe from botulism, which can be a deadly
form of food poisoning.
Despite what you may find on the Web or social
media, only two methods are acceptable for home
canning safe, quality products. They are the boiling
water canning method and the pressure canner method.
The type of food you are preserving will dictate which
method to use. Boiling water canners can be used on
fruits and other products that have a high concentration
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F AM I L Y
&
CON S UME R S C I E N C E
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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
of acid, such as salsas or pickles with enough lemon
juice or vinegar added. Acid helps prevent the growth
of harmful bacteria in canned food. Vegetables,
poultry and meats do not contain enough acid to
prevent the growth of bacteria. For these foods, a
boiling water canner will not reach a high enough
temperature to destroy the bacteria that can cause
botulism, so you must use a pressure canner to ensure
safe processing.
Make sure to use up-to-date equipment that’s in
proper working condition. It’s never a good idea to
purchase a pressure canner at a yard sale as
replacement parts and manufacturer’s instructions may
be no longer available. Pressure canners made after
1997 were designed with more safety features and
weigh less than older canners. Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions on canner care and
maintenance. For dial gauge pressure canners, the
accuracy of the gauge should be tested each year. This
can be done at your local extension office.
Remember to always use tested, research-
based recipes to preserve foods. These recipes are
available in Cooperative Extension Service home
canning publications, in the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Complete Guide to Home Canning or on
the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s
website. Follow each recipe as closely as possible. Do
not make additions or changes unless options are
provided in the recipe. Not following the recipe
precisely or using a recipe that is not research-based,
may not completely kill all bacteria and result in
sickness.
Use only Mason-type canning jars and self-
sealing lids. Do not reuse old jars like those that
previously contained peanut butter or mayonnaise.
After processing, allow the jars to cool naturally. This
helps form a good vacuum seal.
Source: Debbie Clouthier, extension associate,
University of Kentucky
Visit your Shelby County Cooperative
Extension Service office where home canning
publications are available (also online at
Shelby.ca.uky.edu). They cover the basics of safe
home canning and provide tested recipes for canning a
wide range of products — everything from jams and
jellies to soups and stews. You’re sure to find recipes
that will please your family!
Keep cool in the summer heat In the midst of summer, Kentucky’s extreme temperatures,
high humidity and prolonged heat can make being outdoors
uncomfortable and dangerous. During this time, it’s
important for you to know the signs and symptoms and
prevent heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion, heat
cramps and the most serious heat-related illness, heat stroke
(also known as sun stroke).
Heat-related illnesses occur when a person’s body
cannot properly cool itself. These illnesses can occur at any
age, but people who are old, young and obese, and those
who have compromised immune systems or abuse alcohol
and drugs are at increased risk. Even people on certain
medications, such as antihistamines and antipsychotics are
more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.
Older adults are at risk for many reasons. Sweat
glands, which help cool the body, often diminish in number
with age, and those remaining may not function as well as
they once did. Existing health problems, especially
involving the heart, lung and kidneys, and some medications
can also increase older adults’ risk of heat-related illness.
You can take steps to protect yourself and your loved
ones from overheating. Here are some tips from the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention:
*Keep up-to-date on the weather forecast,
and stay in your home or another air-conditioned
facility, such as a mall, public library or heat-
relief shelter, if the temperatures and humidity are
forecasted to be extreme.
*Avoid strenuous outdoor activities, such
as exercise or gardening, during the heat of the
day. *Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of
water, fruit or vegetable juices. Drink even when
you are not thirsty. Avoid caffeine and alcohol.
* Wear loose, lightweight and light-
colored clothing.
*To keep your house cooler, refrain from
using your oven and cover windows that receive
direct sunlight.
* Take cool showers or baths to help
yourself cool down. Know the signs of overheating—dizziness, fatigue,
lack of coordination, cold and clammy skin, thirst,
headache, nausea, muscle spasms and/or cramps and ankle
swelling. Seek immediate medical attention if you
experience signs of heatstroke. Heat stroke is a potentially
life-threatening condition that requires medical
attention. Signs of heat stroke include high body
temperature, confusion, changes in behavior, fainting (or
feeling faint), staggering, rapid or weak pulse, dry or
flushed skin and lack of sweating despite the heat.
If you are a neighbor, friend or family member of an
older adult, regularly check on them during warm days and
extended/excessive hot periods to make sure they are
staying cool, hydrated and that they have access to air
conditioning. Seek immediate medical attention if you think
someone has signs of a heat-related illness.
Source: Amy Kostelic, associate extension professor,
University of Kentucky
Master Gardener orientation
Anyone interested in becoming a Master
Gardener should attend an orientation session
on Wednesday, Aug. 1 at 6:30 at the Extension
office. The session will cover the dates and
times of the next set of classes, costs,
obligations – and how much fun it is! If you
can’t attend, you can have a private session by
appointment before Aug. 13. Please let us know
if you plan to attend the orientation by calling
633-4593 or email walt.reichert@uky.edu.
Invasive plants
Many of our woodlands, gardens and lawns are
under assault by plants that are invasive. Some
of those plants are natives that
get out of control, but most are
exotics brought to the U. S.
accidentally or on purpose.
Learn how to identify and
control some of the most
common and obnoxious
invasive plants from Dr. Ellen Crocker, UK
Extension Forestry professor on Thursday, July
26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Cooperative Extension
office. Weather permitting, we may take a field
trip to Clear Creek to see invasive plants up
close and personal. The class is free but we ask
that you register by calling 633-4593.
Three bad boys
Most insects are harmless or actually beneficial
because they kill bad insects. But there are a
few that zero in on our vegetables, flowers,
trees and shrubs and need to be controlled. Here
are three you are likely to have to deal with in
the next few months:
Stink bugs: Stink bugs are shield-shaped
insects that do most of their damage in the
vegetable garden. A few stink
bug species are harmless and
actually beneficial, but several
do damage when they suck
juices from tomatoes, peppers
and other fruits with their piercing mouthparts.
And because they have a hard exoskeleton, they
can be hard to kill with most insecticides
available to homeowners. If possible, monitor
for them starting in July and pick them off
whenever found. Dispose of them any way you
see fit – two flat boards work. Sevin will also
kill them but you need the 50 percent strength.
Try to avoid spraying blooming plants with
Sevin because it kills pollinators.
Japanese beetles: Japanese beetles are
copper-colored insects that
emerge in mid-June and hang
around until early August
when they become the
C-shaped grubs that infest our
lawns. As adults, the beetles can defoliate
ornamental trees, shrubs and some perennials.
They are particularly attracted to plants with
purple leaves. They also do most of their
feeding in the tops of plants because they like
being up in the sun. They also damage fruit
such as peaches and blackberries, but except for
those, most of the damage is cosmetic – looks
ugly but really doesn’t harm the plant all that
much. If possible, covering plants for the six
weeks of their stint above ground works. Sevin,
malathion or spinosad also works against them.
If plants are blooming, spinosad is the best
choice; it is less likely to harm pollinators.
Spider mites:
Spider mites love hot, dry weather, so they’re
out and about now. Like stinkbugs, they
damage plants, usually ornamentals such as
evergreens, by sucking juices from leaves and
stems. Spider mites are almost microscopic, but
you will often see webs when there are large
numbers of them. Damage looks like the leaves
have become bronzed or stippled. Spider mites
don’t like humidity, so one control is to simply
hose off the plants with a blast of water.
Malathion, insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
also works. Read labels because many
insecticides do not work on mites.
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H O R T I C U L T U R E
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Articles By: Walt Reichert Horticulture Technician
H O R T I C U L T U R E
Keep trees watered
If you planted trees or shrubs this
spring, be sure to keep them well
-watered through the summer and
even into fall if rains fail. Plants
need an average of an inch of
rain per week; if we don’t get that, be prepared to
supplement. Plants are best watered deeply at the
root line; spraying the entire plant invites
disease. If you must spray the entire plant, with
an overhead sprinkler for example, be sure to do
it during the morning hours to give the plant a
chance to dry off before dark. Ideally, new trees
and shrubs should be kept well-watered through
the first two years of their planting. And in
severe drought, even mature trees and shrubs will
benefit from a deep watering. Many times trees
that experience drought will decline and die
several years after the event, which often leaves
homeowners puzzled about what happened to the
tree.
Honeybees or yellow jackets?
Lots of calls come into Extension during the
summer regarding controlling (aka killing)
stinging insects. Be aware that most insects that
sting do so only when crushed or stepped on or
when they are defending their hives or nests.
Also be aware that most stinging insects are
beneficial; they eat insects such as caterpillars
that harm our plants. But if you are allergic to
stings, then you need to take precautions,
especially against yellow jackets, which will
defend their nests ferociously and in large
numbers.
Before discussing controls, make sure
you know the difference between
yellow jackets and honeybees.
Honeybees are very beneficial insects
and are having enough problems with
mites and disease without our adding to their
troubles by dousing them with insecticides.
Honeybees and yellow jackets are about the same
size, but honeybees are a duller brown/yellow,
while yellow jackets are bright yellow with clear,
crisp horizontal stripes across their abdomens.
Honeybees are fuzzy; yellow jackets are not.
Both will defend their nests ferociously but
honeybee swarms or hives are usually obvious
and if you stay away they will leave you alone.
Yellow jackets, on the other
hand, nest in the ground,
sometimes in mulch or under
rocks where they might be
accidentally disturbed. When they sense
disturbance, yellow jackets will attack en masse
and can repeatedly sting. They will even follow
you quite some distance, stinging all the way.
If you find a swarm of honeybees in an
inconvenient place, call Extension and we can
contact a beekeeper who can safely remove the
swarm. If you spot a yellow jacket nest (You will
see them coming and going from a hole in the
ground.) stay clear of it if you can. If the nest is
in a place that you can’t avoid, then you may
want to destroy the nest. You can have a
professional do the job, or you can do it yourself.
But wait until dark and don’t shine a flashlight
down the nest or they’ll come swarming out.
Pour as much of a powdered insecticide down
the hole as you can. As the insects come and go,
the insecticide will kill them and the rest of the
colony. Destruction may take a few days. Please
do not pour gasoline down the hole. Never a
good idea.
Fall gardening
Many vegetables grow better and taste better
when grown during the warm days and cool
nights of fall. Those would include broccoli,
cauliflower, kale and various greens, cabbage,
turnips and carrots. Seeds of those can be started
in early to mid-August for transplanting in early
September or seeds can be sown directly in the
ground starting in late August. The trick is to
keep the plants well-watered as September and
October can be the driest times of the year. The
UK publication Home Vegetable Gardening in
Kentucky has a table of which crops do best in
fall and how to grow them. Let us know if you
need a copy.
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4 - H
Y O U T H
D E V E L O P M E N T
4-H Floral Hall Class Champions
Arts and Crafts
Class 727A: Junior Acrylic Still Life
Erin Shuck
Class 728A: Junior Watercolor
Emma Kendall
Class 731A: Junior Self Portrait
Hannah Hogg
Class 748A: Junior Color Pencil
Opal Best
Class 757A: Junior Clay Container
Opal Best
Class 763A: Junior Art Trends- Mixed Media
Opal Best GRAND CHAMPION
Class 763B: Senior Art Trends- Mixed Media
Destiny McDonald
Crops
Class 600: Alfalfa Hay
Madeline Perry
Class 604: Mixed Hay
Blake Wilson GRAND CHAMPION
Electricity
Class 654: Wired for Power Lamp
Kyle Stine GRAND CHAMPION
Food Preservation
Class 862: Salsa
Bristol Wallace
Class 863: Dill Pickles
Shelby Wallace
Class 864: Strawberry Jam
Bristol Wallace
Class 865: Green Beans
Shelby Wallace GRAND CHAMPION
Foods
Class 841: Three Oatmeal Muffins
Lilly Phillips
Class 842: Three Cheese Muffins
Hannah Hogg
Class 843: Three Rolled Biscuits
Katie Stine
Class 844: Three Scones
Katie Stine
Class 845: Three Cornmeal Muffins
Katie Stine
Class 846: Three pieces of Coffee Cake
Laura Vidourek
Class 848: Three Brownies
Katie Stine
Class 847: Three Chewy Granola Bars
Kyle Stine
Class 849: Three Snickerdoodle Cookies
Elaina Hamilton
Class 850: Chocolate Cake
Katie Stine
Class 851: Carrot Cake
Kyle Stine
Class 853: Apple Pie
Katie Stine GRAND CHAMPION
Class 856: Oatmeal Bread
Kyle Stine
Class 857: Honey Wheat Bread
Katie Stine
Class 858: Chocolate Fudge
Erin Shuck
Home Environment
Class 890: Simple Cloth Item for the Home
Kaleb Barnes GRAND CHAMPION
Class 893: Decorative Item for the Home
Opal Best
Class 895: Cloth Item for the Home using a
sewing machine
Destiny McDonald
Horticulture
Class 244: Blueberries
Bristol Wallace
Class 566: Dish Garden
Kendra Wilson
Class 235: Green Onions
Shelby Wallace
Class 571: Herb Container Garden
Justin Lyons
Class 568: Annual Container Garden
Erin Shuck GRAND CHAMPION
Class 569: House Plants
Kendra Wilson
Class 573: Upcycle Container Garden
Maddie Burbage
Needlework
Class 833: Quilted Mat
Emma Kendall GRAND CHAMPION
Class 813A: Crochet
Erin Shuck
Photography
Class 770: Black and White
Abby Hodder
Class 771A: Rule of Thirds
Opal Best
Class 772: Space that Tells a Story
Nikiya Smith
Class 781C: Shape and Form
Opal Best
Class 782A: Expression through Color
NIkiya Smith
Class 782B: Expression through Color
Opal Best
Class 786: Black and White Horticulture
Abby Hodder
Class 787: Color Horticulture
Abby Hodder GRAND CHAMPION
Class 788: Sequence of 4 Photographs
Horticulture
Abby Hodder
Class 789: Horticulture Collection
Abby Hodder
Sewing
Class 790A: Unit 1Non-Clothing
Adison Barnes
Class 790B: Unit 1 Clothing
Stella Thomas
Class 791: Unit 2 Clothing
Emma Kendall
Class 792: Unit 2 Non-Clothing
Erin Shuck
Class 793: Unit 3 Clothing
Opal Best JR GRAND CHAMPION
Class 795: Stretch your Knit
Maddie Burbage
Class 803: Match it Up
Katie Stine SR GRAND CHAMPION
Tobacco
Class 5: Flying
Shelby Wallace
Class 6: Lug
Bristol Wallace
Class 7: Leaf
Shelby Wallace
Class 8: Tip
Bristol Wallace Class 15: Best Crop
Shelby Wallace GRAND CHAMPION
Trends
Class 1050: Junior Upcycling Project
Erin Shuck
Class 1051: Senior Upcycling Project
Destiny McDonald GRAND CHAMPION
If your items qualified to go to the State Fair,
we will send you a letter with details about
entering your project. The Kentucky State Fair
is August 16-26. Cloverville has moved to the
South Wing this year and will be a part of new
section called Ag Land.
4-H Food -A- Rama
All 4-H members are invited to participate in
4-H Food-A-Rama on July 25 at 10 a.m. This is
a fun cooking contest for youth. Participants
bring in their favorite recipes so our judges can
evaluate their dishes and make their selections.
While the judges are at work, a demonstration is
presented on a foods topic for the attendees.
Afterwards, participants sample all the dishes
and vote on their favorites. Prizes are awarded
in each category and a Grand Champion is
selected. The participants also vote on a
“Taster’s Choice” award for a special prize.
Bring your completed dish and two copies of
the recipe for the contest. A 4-Her may enter as
many items as he or she want. A Cookbook of all
the entries will be sent to the participants
following the contest.
STEM Day
Shelby County 4-H is hosting a special
STEM Day for 4-H Members interested in
Science, Technology, Engineer ing and Math.
The class will be held on July 10 from 9 a.m. to
noon at the Shelby County Extension Office.
Our Summer Intern will lead 4-Hers through
hands on activities including DNA Extraction,
Magnetic Slime, Physics Fun and more!
There is no cost for this program but space is
limited. Please call or stop by the Extension
Office to register.
4-H Pinterest Day
On July 17, Shelby County 4-H will be
conducting a “Pinterest Day” for 4-Hers. All
members that attend will have the opportunity to
make pom-pom rugs, create a wax painting and
complete a string art project.
The class will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the
Extension Office. There is a $5 fee that covers
all three projects. Space is limited, so sign up as
soon as possible if you are interested in
attending.
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Articles By: Regina Browning Cooperative Extension Agent for
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Y OU T H
D E V E L O PME N T
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Woodland Owners Short Course Make plans to join us for this year’s
Woodland Owners Short Course (WOSC), hosted
by Jerry and Portia Brown and Shelby County
Extension Service on Saturday, July 28, 9 a.m. – 5
p.m. This program is a great opportunity for you
and your family to learn how to enhance your
woodlands and
get the most from
your ownership
experience. Most
woodland owners
are not aware of
the wide variety
of organizations
and programs
available to help them care for their woodlands.
Do you have questions about: how to receive a
fair price when you sell your timber, making your
woodlands wildlife friendly, or simply making
them as healthy as they can be? If you want to
maximize your woodlands and get answers to
your questions about them then the WOSC is right
for you!
The WOSC is designed to assist
Kentucky’s woodland owners in the care and
management of their woodland resource and is
conducted on a regional basis with full Saturday
programs in the East, Central, and West regions of
the state. The regional programs have been
developed by local planning committees with
local needs in mind and cover a wide variety of
subjects. The WOSC offers two programming
tracks: green for woodland owners just getting
started and gold for those already actively
managing their woodlands. The WOSC is one of
the best woodland owner educational
opportunities available in the state and anyone
with an interest in forestry or wildlife
will benefit from attending.
For more information and to
register, contact the Shelby County
Extension Office at 633-4593.
Leadership is M.O.R.E. Based on the success of and positive
feedback from 2017’s inaugural class, the
Leadership is M.O.R.E series will be offered
again in 2018. Leadership is M.O.R.E. is
designed to encourage and facilitate the
development of skills and to foster the self-
confidence needed to accept leadership roles
within Extension and the community as a whole.
A large part of being a leader is
recognizing and encouraging leadership
development in others. Leadership is M.O.R.E
will aid participants in not only developing their
own leadership skills, but also in taking an active
role in facilitating leadership development among
their peers.
Leadership is M.O.R.E is a four-part series
beginning on Wednesday, September 12 from 6—
9 p.m. Remaining sessions will be held on
consecutive Wednesdays, September 19, 26 and
October 3. Session topics will include: Color
Me a Leader, Speaking to Be Heard, Meetings
That Matter, and Becoming MORE
The Leadership is M.O.R.E program is
open to anyone, including those outside
Extension. If you or someone you know would
like to participate, please call 633-4593 to register
for this valuable training program.
Capital Classic Heifer Sale The Capital
Classic Heifer Sale will
be held on Friday,
October 26, 2018 at
United Producers
Stockyards in Owenton,
KY . The sale is
currently accepting consignors of bred heifers
meeting the KDA Herdbuilder guidelines.
Heifers will be screened for quality and must be
guaranteed safe in calf. For more information or
to receive a consignment packet with complete
guidelines, please call 633-4593.
Good Neighbors Farm Tour Mark your
calendars, it’s almost
here! The sixth
annual Shelby
County Good
Neighbors Farm
Tour will be held on
Saturday, September 15 from 9 a.m.—4 p.m. at
various farms around the county!
We have nine amazing farms who have
agreed to open their gates to give you a glimpse of
Shelby County’s oldest industry—agriculture!
The Farm Tour has received rave reviews for the
A G R I CUL TURE
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past five years—don’t miss your chance to see
what all the excitement is about! For more
information, call 633-4593.
Opportunities for landowners to
maximize their woodlands Maximizing every bit of profit from a farm
is one of the keys to success. One thing that may
not be at the top Kentucky landowners’ minds is
their farm’s woodlands. You should be thinking
about and managing your woodlands just like
crops, fields, gardens or other agricultural
endeavors. You can benefit by understanding the
forest industry and learning basic forestry
concepts, such as how to control light and
density and how to manage pests to steward a
healthier, more sustainable forest.
Timber owners may also realize important
tax benefits and take advantage of available
secondary markets for nontimber products such
as hunting leases, ginseng, shiitake mushrooms
and fence posts.
Private citizens own approximately 88
percent of Kentucky’s timberland. It is one of
the largest agricultural and natural resource
industries in the state. The statistics are
impressive: Kentucky consistently ranks in the
top three hardwood producing states in the
country and ranks first in the South for sawlog
and veneer production. More than 12 million
acres, almost half of Kentucky’s land base, are
forested. According to the U.S. Forest Service,
the total economic impact of Kentucky’s forests
and related industries contributes more than $12
billion each year to the state’s economy, and it
employs more than 51,000 people.
Most of Kentucky’s forests consist of
hardwoods, with oaks, yellow poplar, hickories,
ash, cherry and walnut contributing to the
economic value of the forest industry. Red
maple is the most common individual tree
species, accounting for a little more than 12
percent of all Kentucky trees.
Woodlands also are valuable for providing
habitat to a wealth of wildlife. These woodlands
also serve as a backdrop for much of the
recreational and tourist activities in the state.
Another important contribution of woodlands,
but harder to put a dollar figure on, are the
ecosystem services, such as water and air
filtration, carbon sequestration and flood control,
they provide.
More than 11 million of Kentucky’s
forested acres are classified as timberland,
meaning they are capable of growing
commercial timber at a rate of 115 board feet of
wood volume per acre per year. (A board foot is
12 inches by 12 inches by 1 inch). Logging in
Kentucky is renewable, as tree growth in the
state exceeds annual timber removal. The
industry also ensures that commercial operations
have a Master Logger graduate on-site and
follow best management practices for protecting
water quality at harvest sites.
Sawmills and other industries produce much
less waste than in the past. Advances in
machinery and utilization of sawdust and bark
residue have fueled a significant reduction in
waste. Now, mulch, fuel, composite wood
products, charcoal and animal bedding are
products of leftover wood, reducing the
industry’s impact on the environment.
Anyone, who is interested in learning more
about how to realize a potential economic value
from forested land, has many resources. The
University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension
Service offers technical training classes and
programs, professional forestry workshops,
technical publications, logger training and more.
The annual Woodland Owners Short Course, a
yearly learning conference with three locations
across the state, is coming up in July and
August. Visit http://forestry.ca.uky.edu/wosc for
more information.
For more information, visit http://
www.ukforestry.org or contact the Shelby
County Cooperative Extension Service. Source: Billy Thomas, UK extension forester
Meeting Season is Coming! It may not seem like it
right now, but Extension meeting
season is just around the corner.
Beginning in September and
lasting through April, the bulk of
Extension educational courses will be offered.
This year we have several new and exciting
programs in the works. Watch future
newsletters and our Extension Facebook page so
you don’t miss any of the fun!
Articles By: Corinne F. Belton Cooperative Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources
A G R I CUL TURE
PAGE 10
C A L E N D A R
O F E V E N T S
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JULY
10 HORT Master Gardener Association, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office
10 4-H 4-H STEM Day, 9 a.m. Extension Office
12 ALL Kids in the Kitchen, 9-11 a.m. & 1-3 p.m. Extension Office
14 FCS Homemakers Trip—Dinner Theater, 4:45 p.m. Louisville KY
14 FCS Farmers Market Sampling, 8—11 a.m. Fairgrounds
17 4-H 4-H Pinterest Day, 9 a.m. Extension Office
17 AG Cattlemen’s Association, 7 p.m. TBS
20 FCS Homemaker Trip—Belle of Louisville, 10:30 a.m. Louisville KY
25 4-H 4-H Food-A-Rama, 10 a.m. Extension Office
26 HORT ID and control of invasive plants, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office
26 HORT Shelby County Beekeepers, 7 p.m. Extension Office
26 FCS Sit and Sew, 9 a.m.—3 p.m. Extension Office
28 AG Woodland Short Course, 9 a.m. Extension Office
30 ALL Extension Council, 6 p.m. Extension Office
AUGUST
1 HORT Master Gardener orientation, 6:30 p.m. Extension Office
4 FCS First Saturday Walk About, 8:30 a.m. Family Activity Ctr
9 FCS County Homemaker Council, 10 a.m. Extension Office
9 FCS Homemaker Welcome Back Potluck, 11:30 a.m. Extension Office
11 FCS Farmers Market Sampling, 8—11 a.m. Fairgrounds
14 HORT Master Gardener Association 6:30 p.m. Extension Office
16-26 ALL Kentucky State Fair Louisville
21 FCS Sit and Sew, 9 a.m.—3 p.m. Extension Office
22 FCS Homemaker Trip—UK Arboretum Lexington KY
23 HORT Shelby County Beekeepers 7 p.m. Extension Office
23 ALL Driver Course for over 55, 12:30-4:30 p.m. Extension Office
23 FCS State Fair Needlework, 10 a.m.—2 p.m. State Fair
24 FCS State Fair Caners, 10 a.m.—2 p.m. State Fair
SEPTEMBER
1 FCS First Saturday Walk About, 8:30 a.m. Family Activity Ctr
4 AG/HO Agriculture / Horticulture Council, 6 p.m. Extension Office
4 FCS Sewing Circle, 3-8 p.m. Extension Office
KEY
4-H 4-H Youth
Development
AG Agriculture
HORT Horticulture
FCS Family and
Consumer
Science