Fun in the Sun First Two Weeks!!

    So the first two weeks at the Knott County Cooperative Extension Service have been a challenge and a learning experience.  I spent the first couple of days shadowing my agent Chad Conway, we went around the county and I was introduced to some of the local farmers that we work with and help quiet a bit.  It also took me quiet some time to organize my office space but once this was done I was finally able to get to work with some projects and attending different events around the county with my agent.
    The first few days of the first week were very busy Tuesday our morning was spent at the county court sitting in a the drug abuse council meeting where they discussed how the county as a whole should move forward with combatting the drug problem that is continuing to spread in the community.  Then on Wednesday we attended my first staff meeting which was by far the most exciting moment of my week, only not really but it was extremely informative and was a great experience for me to see how things operated and the different regulations that went along with being a county ag agent.  Later in the week we also went to the settlement school and helped install a raised bed for the local gardening club and had a great time working with and getting to know them, to me that is one of the best perks of this job meeting and getting to know new people almost everyday!
    The second week didn’t give any slack in my schedule, Monday and Tuesday were spend in Lexington at the Alltech Symposium learning about new advances in farming the sea and some of the opportunities that we have through the growing of algae and the positive health benefits that it can have.  It was an awesome experience and very informative to anyone who stays up to date in the agriculture communities.  The rest of this truly busy and amazing week were spent visiting the homes of local growers who were having issues with their gardens and we helped discuss the problems and the best ways to combat the issues.  Finally Friday we visited a local cattle farmer and helped him to work up his herd that were in need of vaccinations. 
    So far this has been a great and rewarding experience and next week is 4-H camp that I attended for 8 years 4 as a camper and 4 as a teen leader I look forward to going back and hope the rest of the summer has been as awesome as these first two weeks!!!!

Michael Conway

Knott County Extension