I'm Back

It is good to be back at the Franklin County Extension Office! Like last summer, it is still a great place to work. This time, I knew what I was getting into, so we jumped right into business without any hesitation. This year we have 3 interns in our office, so there is no shortage of help and team work. Our first day started off very busy. We hosted an alternative school to come to the office and learn about nutrition and cooking. 4-H and Snap-ed took on the nutrition and healthy eating side of the cookout. While ANR helped with the grill safety and techniques part of the day. The kids were all interested and did a good job on grilling their own food. The day wasn't over yet, because the Home Makers club was having their annual meeting so the Cattlesman's association offered to host their dinner. So we grill over 60 steaks for the meeting and got to stay around to watch their Elvis impersonator perform.

Throughout the week, we had various things we had to take care of. One of the big events that took place was the CAIP training. Many members of extension and government arrived at our office to sit through the training. It was interesting because I had little experience with the CAIP, but they went into a lot more detail. A diner catered so we got to enjoy lunch and discuss ideas afterwards. Friday morning was very enjoyable as well. One of the Snap-ed workers has member from the drug court come work in our garden every other Friday. I was able to hands on teach and help with planting vegetables and organizing the garden.

The second week was just as busy. We started off Tuesday with a meeting about applying various applicants onto pastures and observing the results over time. Thursday we went downtown to the Franklin County Fiscal Court and met with officials that were in charge of the new deceased animal decomposition facility that they have been trying to install in the county. Last year my project was to present at Farm City Field Day to everyone the benefits of the facility and provide answers and information. We drove to the site where they wanted it to be and discussed location and various information. Directly after, I went on a farm visit to plot out where we would put the applicants that we would be observing and planned the overall project. We spent most of the day Friday at the Farm City Field Day site planning routes and plans. Locations of each exhibit and transportation around the farm are crucial, so we spend a lot of time on it.

I'm already looking forward to next week. The first two weeks went well and were enjoyable. 

Ready for Camp!

Marion County is finally ready or 4-h camp! All of the campers have been sorted into their cabins, the teens and adults have been trained, and the leader’s folders are stuffed full. Marion County is leaving bright and early for Lake Cumberland 4-H Camp on Monday morning, I know the kids are externally excited to go and have been looking forward to camp all year. The Extension office is also extremely excited for camp.   

This week has been mostly focused on getting everything together for camp. Last night I went to Adair County with our teen leaders for the teen leader training, Marion County has some excellent teen leaders that are going to do great at camp.

 Yesterday some of the adult leaders were taught how to lead the rocketry class that Marion County is putting on at camp; the adults (and I) made and launched our own rockets using PVC pipe and a 2 liter bottle. We had a blast launching our rockets so the kids at camp with definitely enjoy themselves in the rocketry class. 

As a camper I never realized how much work went into going to camp, all I had to worry about was packing for myself. I now see that agents and volunteers have a lot more to do then just assign everyone to a cabin and I know that I haven't even seen all of the stuff that actually goes into 4-H camp. Agents and volunteers deserve a huge thank you for making sure the campers have a great time.

My Flip-Flops are Packed!

Camp. Camp. Camp. The first two weeks of my 4-H internship at the Clark County Extension Office has included the HUGE preparation for camp. On Monday morning, 194 campers will be loading four school buses and heading to North Central 4-H Camp. The to do list has consisted of searching for trash bags in the office for cabin boxes, stabling sheets on tobacco sticks, meeting with the camp director, inspecting the cabins, two Wal-Mart trips, holding camp training for all counselors, camp orientation for new and returning campers and their parents, and so much more. When I was a 4-Her, I never attended camp because sharing a bathroom with fifty plus girls and wearing flip-flops while showering did not appeal to the ten year old Haley. Eleven years later, my flip-flops are packed and ready for camp Monday morning. In-between camp preparation, I have also helped three 4-Hers wash and rehang their hams, cooked dinner for D-4 District Teens during their monthly meeting, and helped assign tracks to Teen Conference participants. To say we have been busy is an understatement. But, what I love about the atmosphere in the office is everyone seems willing to help each other out. Rather it be looking for tasty recipes to teach at camp or moving luggage trailers around, the other agents seem to jump right in and help wherever is necessary. I look forward to the next weeks at the Extension Office and to all of the events coming up in June!

Barren County Cooperative Extension- Week One & Two:

I thought I was aware of most things that happened with in UK Extension, but I was wrong.  I have already learned a tremendous amount in these first two weeks. Growing up as a member of Hart County 4-H since I was a clover seed, and participating in every contest and, event made possible I had a great feeling about this opportunity as an Intern. That feeling hasn’t changed two weeks in as a UK Cooperative Extension Intern.  I have been thrown to the other side of the fence, as you may say. I am interning at Barren County Cooperative Extension Office under Agriculture and Natural Resource Agent, Chris Schalk. I have one example to sum up an Extension Agent….they are like Energizer Bunnies!! They go nonstop, with unlimited energy and passion to build leaders, and help others in the agricultural industry. Week two is almost complete, and I have done a little bit of everything from 4-H Camp camper/parent orientation, agent training, 4-H Bicycle Rodeo, many farm visits, Extension Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon,  Pasture to Plate Program, Homemaker meetings, and Mammoth Cave Area Agent IP Meeting.  These first two weeks have taught me more than words can describe. I can say for a fact that you have to be ready and up for anything when it comes to working in extension. I have absolutely loved my first two weeks and I am very excited to see what the rest of the summer has in store.

A New Adventure Begins!

The old adage "time flies when you're having fun" has never applied more to my life than during the past two weeks! I began my internship at the Fleming County Cooperative Extension office on Monday, May 18th. Shortly after arriving for my first day the 4-H agent Staci Thrasher and I sat down to start filling out my calendar for the summer. After filling out my calendar I jumped right in to help Staci set-up for the Licking Area Teen Leadership Academy banquet to be held at the office that night. The banquet recognized nineteen 4-H’ers from five different counties for successfully completing the teen leadership academy.

On Wednesday I headed to Blue Licks Battlefield State Park in Carlisle to meet with the 4-H agents that would be going to camp during our week. We made cabin assignments, designed our camp schedule, and made arrangements for instructors to teach the various classes that will be offered that week. I am very excited to be teaching a scavenger hunt class during Cloverbud Camp and an arts and crafts class during 4-H Camp. After finalizing the details, Staci and I headed off to Hillsboro Elementary School to deliver owl pellets to the 4^th grade class for their dissection.

Thursday was a very busy day! We started the day by hosting a farm safety day at Fleming County High School, over 200 4^th graders attended and learned about various farm safety topics ranging from animal safety to electrical safety. I taught the farm animal safety lesson and even got to play with two adorable pigs! 

Thursday evening meant it was time to clean country hams. I had a little experience with country hams in Dr. Gregg Rentfrow’s meat science class, but getting the opportunity to help these 4-H'ers with their country ham project was awesome! We took each ham out of the ham house, unwrapped and washed them in a cold water bath. These hams were placed in the ham house in January, so the kids were extremely excited to see how their ham had changed since then. Many of them were slightly grossed out that they had molded a little bit, however after learning this was a critical phase in curing meat they were more than happy to see the change in their hams. After being washed the hams were placed in a new sock and re-hung in the ham house. They will be taken down and prepared for the Kentucky State Fair in August.

Friday was spent with the students of Ewing Elementary for their annual Spring Fling field day. Bounce houses, relay games and other activities were a highlight for many of the students. Staci and I hosted the relay games. I’m not sure who was more entertained, me or the students. Everyone in attendance had a great time!

On Sunday I attended the Fleming County 4-H Golden Reins Horse Club’s spring horse show. I don’t have much experience with horses however I learned quite a bit from the 4-H horse club members during the event. The show had 26 classes ranging from showmanship to barrel racing. Barrel racing was my favorite, watching those horses circle around the barrel pattern and race back to the finish line in under 20 seconds was incredible!

During my second week I have been busy working on an article about the Golden Reins 4-H Horse club’s first show. I have also been preparing a lesson to teach next week on retail beef cuts for our farm tour.

These past two weeks have happened so quickly, however each day has been a new, fun filled adventure! I can't wait to update you on the adventures to come! 

Until Next Time,

Katie D. Conn 

Adair County Cooperative Extension: Week One and Two

Week One:
If there was one word that would describe the life of an extension agent it would be: busy. Before I even made it to the office my first day, Kelli and I met at the radio station to talk on air about Water Awareness Month. I was also a judge for the Lake Cumberland 4-H showcase. I  judged the 11-12 year old speech contest and really enjoyed listening to all of the different speech topics they had come up with. I also attended our District Staff Meeting. It was great to meet agents from other counties. I felt so welcomed at the staff meeting and I was glad that I was exposed to this side of extension. Later in the week, we went shopping for our new office building. We traveled to Hardin County and literally shopped till we dropped! Who knew there were so many different types of power strips and mops to choose from?! To wrap up my first week I attended a health fair at the local elementary school where I presented on Sun Safety. I loved working with the children and making UV bead bracelets with them.

Week Two:
We finally moved into our new office! YAY! For the majority of this week we were unpacking and organizing. Kelli and I spent most of our time in the kitchen where we organized the pantry and cut out drawer liners for what seemed like a 100 cabinets. During this time, Kelli and I laughed, complained, and talked about all of the great things about extension. In the midst of our building project activities, we attended the Lake Cumberland Area Annual Homemakers Meeting. It was a boots and bling theme. I LOVED meeting the Homemakers and spending time with them. They were so sweet and welcoming.

These first two weeks have taught me more than words can describe. One thing I can say for certain is that you have to be ready and up for anything when it comes to working in extension. I have absolutely loved my first two weeks and I am very excited to continue learning.

Always Come Prepared

Week two presented many opportunities for me to get involved in the hands-on activities that agents at the Boone County Cooperative Extension Office participate in. It was a completely different experience from the first work, but I was prepared for the week with changes of clothes and shoes and an eagerness to get involved and a little messy.

This week I was able to meet with the new staff members of the Nutrition Education Program and learn about what they do. After this, the agents demonstrated their roles in extension and we visited the nature center and the arboretum. Country Ham washing was also this week, which was a completely new experience for me. I had no idea as to what goes in to taking care of and producing a country ham, and watching the 4-H members wash, dry, and hang their hams was a very educational and enlightening experience. With all of the salt that comes off of the hams once they're removed from the ham house, it was a good thing I had an extra change of clothes in my car.

Wednesday and Thursday was spent preparing the garden beds and then planting with a local elementary school. We laid plastic and then the children visited the nature center to help plant the peppers, squash, and watermelon that they would be raising throughout the summer. I was able to use the work boots I had stored in my trunk, and felt like I was back in school traversing the dusty fields and kicking up the newly tilled soil. With my horticulture background and the fun from working with kids, this task proved to be my favorite duty so far- It didn't even seem like a job because I enjoyed it so much. 

I was also able to visit a local elementary with one of the 4-H agents, and I helped do a food activity with a class of special needs students. We made ice cream in a bag with approximately 15 students, and it turned out to be a messy morning! Several of the kids were so excited and focused on shaking their bags of ice cream that the bags began leaking, and the water covered the floor and the desks. Eventually, all of the students got their ice cream and the mess was cleaned up, however, the decision was unanimous amongst students and teachers alike- the mess was definitely worth the finished product! It's all in a hard day's work. 

First Week at Christian County

My first week in the Christian County extension office was very exciting. We did something different everyday. From 4-H Council meetings to hiking, every experience was new and a lot of fun. Since it was my first week I spent most of my time learning about the office environment and different things that the agents did. I got to see how 4-H works with the military kids, which I'm really excited about because it is very different than regular 4-H. During my first week I got the chance to go to a Jr. MANRRS banquet and see all of the kids and some of the things they have accomplished throughout the year. The first week was a little preview of what I will be doing the rest of my time here and I am super ready and excited to see what the next weeks have in store for me.

What Doesn't an Extension Agent Do; Weeks One and Two

            After my first week as an intern one of my friends asked me “So, what will you do all summer?”

            So far, the answer has been, “Well, I think everything.” Trust me when I say that it has been far from boring in the Hardin County office.

            The week before my internship started I finished with my finals and moved myself home for the summer. Though I grew up only twenty minutes from the office I will be working in this summer, I didn’t know much about the office. I stopped by the office a week before my internship would begin to get a tour of the building and eat lunch with Marla Stillwell, my supervising agent and Amy Aldenderfer, the horticulture agent in the office. I came in that day because apparently Monday I would be “baptized by fire” and that phrasing was enough to make me nervous until my internship would begin.

            Really, Monday wasn’t nearly as scary as they made it seem like it would be. We just went to a camp planning meeting and I learned a lot about what camp would be like as an intern as opposed to a camper. That week consisted of a log of meetings, conferences, and trainings. I wasn’t prepared for the end of the week though.

That Saturday would be the Master Gardner Plant Fair as well as the Clover Bud Club Family Picnic. You couldn’t really call that first weekend as an intern a baptism by fire. Really, if anything, it was an attempted drowning. They say when it rains in pours and it definitely poured on Saturday. The 4H Lego dragons raised money during the plant fair by providing a plant taxi and accepting donations in return. The members of the club got soaked but I was amazed at the positivity within the group. I’m sure the rain kept some people from attending the event but it was still bigger than I was expecting.

After a very short weekend we went back to work on Monday. Due to the snow weeks and standardized testing, 4H club meetings in local elementary schools got pushed back and it just so happens that  four days this week we are launching rockets that the students made during a previous meeting. School clubs were interesting because you could see how different teaching styles impacted the students. Some teachers had very firm control over their class, while others gave more slack. What was really cool was that when we launched the rockets we would always announce 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place and usually, the top rockets all belonged to either all boys, or all girls and that trend would hold true through the whole school. You could tell that some schools and teachers would put a greater emphasis on science and math skills with girls.

From launching rockets in the day to attending meetings that night we had an incredibly busy week. Each night we had another meeting or banquet for different clubs within 4H and all of these varied greatly. From Hot Stoves on Monday night to Teen Leadership Academy graduation on Thursday, our week was all over the board. I know that in Extension I’ll never get tired of doing the same thing over and over again!

A very exciting start into Week 1

This past week has been a fun first week! On my first day I got to go to one of the local elementary schools with the 4-H agent Regina Browning, where we showed the kids how to plant windowsill gardens. It is always fun to teach kids about growing the different plants. Tuesday I started a lesson plan and activity for middle school club day and also started finding materials for a class called the culinary institute that will be held in June. On Wednesday I helped design flyers for different events that are going on in June. Thursday was East Middle School Club Day and we did a activity on identifying your learning styles. Friday I got to go with the Ag agent Corinne Belton to a new meet a new land owner that needed help with removing weeds and planting new grass on their property. Overall it was a very busy week and I have learned so much already and cannot wait to see what this coming week will bring!

Week 1: Hit the Ground Running!

Hello all! My name is Alissa Ferguson, a rising Senior Early Childhood Education and Family Studies student all the way from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. I am originally from New Haven, Connecticut and would say that I am a pretty big city girl...probably the definition of it. This summer I have the opportunity to conduct my internship as a 4-H and Youth Development Agent with the Franklin County Extension Office. With that being said this post (and the many more posts to come) will mostly be about my overall experience. Not only how amazing my internship is and the amazing things we will be doing this summer with children and young adults, but also how I become acquainted with everything Kentucky, horses, outdoors, bugs, and becoming comfortable outside of my comfort zone.

I started my internship on Monday May 18th and it was more than I expected my first day to be. I arrived to the office to friendly welcomes by everyone, including the other two interns, Beth and Ben, that had already arrived, and then we were off to Kroger to prepare for our barbecue culminating activity with the high school portion of The Academy in a few hours. We had a short agent meeting upon arrival back to the office to meet everyone and share our schedules for the week. Once we were done, we quickly starting preparing for The Academy's arrival. On the menu for that day, the children got to grill their own hot dogs, chicken, and vegetable kabobs loaded with peppers, zucchini, and onions. For dessert, my supervisor, Whitney, found recipes on Pinterest such as grilled peaches rolled in cinnamon and sugar (we used splenda) and grilled pineapples which were a hit! The children really enjoyed grilling their own food and learned about cooking temperatures and preparation for each item. At the end of the day Whitney and the other 4-H agent, Leslie, took Beth, the other 4-H intern, and I into a meeting room to discuss our schedule for the entire summer. Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed about all the things we had planned and were responsible for, but I left the meeting more excited than nervous.

On Wednesday, I accompanied  Leslie and Beth to Collins Lane Elementary where we facilitated a lesson/activity called Lemonade Wars with four different groups of 5th graders. The children were broken into groups to create their own lemonade business. We talked about some of the components it takes to make a business, then the children were responsible for creating a name, billboard or flyer, commercial, price, and recipe for their lemonade business. They then got to make their product with lemonade koolaid packets and splenda that they had to "purchase", which made them do a little math to compute how much profit they would make per cup. Once each team made their lemonade according to their recipes, they had to go to the front of the class and perform their commercial while showing their billboard/flyer design. During the performance, two of us tasted their lemonade concoction and declare a winner. The children then got to drink their own lemonade and the lemonade made by their "business competitors".

With the long weekend ahead, we stayed in the office on Friday. Beth and I spent the day planning for our craft day, Longest Day of Play, and meal planning for our craft day and camp. We finished our work really early, so we spent the rest of our time getting to know one another and the rest of the agents in the office.

After my first week interning with the Franklin County Office and really learning more about what 4-H is all about, I cannot WAIT for what the summer has in store.

-Alissa Ferguson

Blog 1 - Daviess County Extension

My first two weeks of the Extension Internship have been very busy!  Planting season is underway here in Daviess County and the Extension Office is dedicated to making sure farmers have everything they need for this busy time of year.  During the past two weeks I have planted variety trial plots throughout the county, attended a district agent meeting, went to a 4-H  banquet, and so much more. 
One of the biggest projects I have been working on is a newspaper article for the Messenger Inquirer.  Every week, Clint Hardy, the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent in Daviess County, writes an article for the paper about a pressing agricultural topic amongst farmers.  This week Clint gave me the opportunity to write an article for his section of the paper! Since hay harvest and storage is approaching, I decided to write an article concerning this topic.  I have displayed the article below for everyone to enjoy!

Hay Harvest and Storage

            My name is Lauren Settles and I am an intern for the Cooperative Extension Service in Daviess County this summer.  I am an undergraduate at the University of Kentucky studying Plant and Soil Science with minors in Animal Science and Agricultural Economics.  Throughout my time as an intern this summer I am shadowing the role of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent, Clint Hardy.  By the end of the summer I hope to be better prepared to go into the agricultural industry after graduation and make an impact in the Daviess County community that I grew up in.  One of my requirements is to write a newspaper article.  Since some farmers are starting to harvest hay in the county, I thought an article about hay harvest and storage would be appropriate.  As most producers know, it is very important to take precautions when harvesting and storing hay. 

            As hay harvest quickly approaches, producers are looking forward to storing high quality hay for their livestock.  Producers endeavor to produce, store, and feed high quality hay, however a great deal of hay is lost each year through storage.  Most hay producers in Kentucky store round bales.  Although large round bales are an efficient feeding method, they are most prone to losses.  Hay losses can mostly be contributed to the conditions the hay was harvested and stored in.  When hay has been damaged it is less palatable to livestock and does not have good nutritive value.  Weather conditions and the type of storage methods play a huge role in minimizing hay losses. 

To reduce hay losses during harvest and storage, producers need to remember to think about fire prevention.  Hay changes significantly after baling.  When baled, a spontaneous combustion fire can easily occur.  Spontaneous combustion fires are caused by extreme heating in stored hay resulting from microorganism activity in bales stored at too high of a moisture level.  Even if the excessive heating doesn’t cause a fire, it will reduce forage quality.  It is a good idea to periodically monitor hay temperature until you are sure there is no danger of fire.  All baled hay at moisture contents above 15 percent will experience some elevation in temperature, also referred as “sweating.”  When the hay is stored at too high of a moisture the color of the hay can also change.  This is another way to detect the amount of moisture and heat damage within the bale. 

            Hay commonly reaches temperatures of 120 to 130 degrees F.  This heating level poses no serious threat of fire or quality loss. Temperatures ranging from 130 to 160 degrees F decrease forage quality by reducing protein and dry matter digestibility, and increasing fiber levels.  At temperatures of 160 degrees F or higher, it is possible the hay will heat further, reach combustible temperatures, and catch on fire.

            There are many hay storage options, depending on the type of operation and how much money the producer is willing to invest.  In the Daviess County area, most hay producers store hay either outside on the ground with plastic wrap or in permanent hay structures.  One of the cheapest hay storing options producers use is outside/on the ground.  However, this option can often result in the highest hay loss percentage.  Moisture is very susceptible to reaching the hay (especially at the bottom of the bale) resulting in low air movement and damaged hay.  To prevent hay losses while storing outside, a well-drained area should be selected while using pallets or tires to lift the bales off the ground.  This would allow sufficient space between the bales for air flow and prevent collection of water and potential spontaneous combustion fires.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture offers a Forage Testing Program to producers to test the quality of their hay.  A producer has the opportunity for a KDA staff member to take samples of hay at the farm and analyze them in the KDA Forage Laboratory.  By testing forages and knowing the nutritional value, producers can minimize cost and maximize production.  Any hay producer in the state of Kentucky is eligible for this service.  If you are interested please contact Jim Wade at (270) 776-2172 or jim.wade@ky.gov. 

"...Wood Bees to Willow Trees."

Week One McCracken County
By: Cole Bell


     The first day I sat in on staff meeting at 9:00 where I got to meet the agents and staff. Shortly thereafter we made a trip to Sam’s club for to pick up supplies for the Backpack Food for Kids program. I have spent four days working with Kathy Wimberley the Horticulture Agent here in McCracken County. The first three days we spent a large amount of time working at the UK Extension Demonstration & Trial Gardens. We spent one day pulling weeds from the beds, removing old perennials that will be given away at farmers market, and preparing the soil for new plants. We were lucky enough to have help from one of the students of the Master Garden Class. The following day we began planting the beds, the plants will be evaluated by Master Gardeners each month and at the end of the year the information is available for local gardeners to use in selecting plants for their home gardens. Another day I got to make a power point presentation on entomology that I presented to Kathy’s Master Gardener class that evening.

     I couldn’t even tell you how many people have been looking for answers about cicadas, everyone that I have had the pleasure to talk to has been eager to listen. I've also gotten to talk to homeowners about everything from Wood Bees to Willow Trees. I have learned that simply listening to someone who comes in to the office eases them almost as much as any of the advice we may be able to offer them. Listening is a great skill.

     Later in the week I was able to go with Ag agent Amie Buckman to a local blueberry patch where we set up traps for Spotted Wing Drosophila. The traps will be checked each week and contents of the trap will be sent to the department of Entomology in Lexington. The owners of the crop were very eager to participate, knowing that trapping the insects will help them out. I am excited about the opportunity that I have to go to Princeton next week and visit the Research and Education Center. It has been a great first week, and I am sure many more like it to come!

 Cole Bell McCracken County

Off to A Great Start!

I am so stinkin’ excited to finally be a part of a County Extension Office! (Even though it is only for the summer). My name is Aubrey Clark and I am the 4-H intern for Jessamine County this summer. Our office has one 4-H Agent, Cathy Weaver, one ANR Agent, Rob Amburgey, one FCS Agent, Porsha Batts, one 4-H Program Assistant, Abby Sorrell, and our support staff, Jessica Lawrence & Shellie Castle.

I am now ending my second week as an intern and so far, & I love it! Last week I went to the KVF (Kentucky Volunteer Forum) Planning Committee Meeting, the District 4 Staff Meeting, a Fitting Show (had no clue what that was until last Friday), an overnight JC (Junior Counselor) training, I led teambuilding activities for CITs (counselors-in-training), and much more.

            Monday of this week I had the opportunity to spend some time with our ANR Agent, Rob. We went to the community garden at Asbury Seminary to make sure everything was growing properly. It was located in an area where international families lived so they could use the gardens to grow plants that were native to them. This garden had a nice gazebo area and had dozens of raised beds for gardening. The gazebo area was the perfect location for Rob to do programs and reach a diverse audience. After making this stop we went to look at a tree that had thinning leaves. Rob determined that it had a gall & it need to be trimmed. In the afternoon we attended a gardening club meeting. Here, Rob spoke about herb gardening and answered questions that the club members had.

          Tuesday I spent some time with Porsha, our FCS Agent. We went to the local housing agency, daycares, and community action center to pass out flyers on two of her upcoming programs, canning & meal planning.  In the afternoon we met with a Homemaker to go over the yearly revisions of the bylaws. I had a slim understanding of what the Homemakers did before Tuesday and am now hoping to get more involved with this club in the future.

           The rest of the week was filled with errands, meetings and hams. So far I love this job! Having something different to do every day is a blast. The diversity of the projects, activities and people makes 4-H and Extension such a fun thing to be involved with and it’s exactly what got me interested all those years ago. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer is like!


Aubrey Clark

Week 1 Intern

Week 1

                My first week as an extension intern has quickly flown by. Monday was my first day as an intern at the Franklin County Extension Office I was quickly emerged into a project which had previously been implemented. That day I was fortunate enough to be able to work with the students from the Academy and educate the importance of nutrition. We allowed students to cook their own food, while learning about the nutritional value of certain food.   

               My second day I spent most of my day in the office and then that night attended a horse show meeting which was held at the Jessamine County Extension office. Throughout the meeting I corrected and recorded entries for the upcoming horse show. Wednesday I was able to participate in a project held at Collins Lane Elementary. As a team we taught students about economics by allowing them to participate in Lemonade Wars. Through this experience the students were able to see the process of marketing and the steps of creating a business plan. Students were able to create their own lemonade stand business and create their own business plan to sell their product. 

               Thursday our team attended the University of Kentucky Appreciation Day. Last but not least Friday I spent all day at the office planning for upcoming student and community events. Although this week has gone by fast I have quickly realized the time and the effort that goes into to being a 4-H extension agent. Can’t wait to see what next week has in store for me.

Week One!

Hi everyone!

I am just now finishing up my first week of being a summer intern in my home town of Letcher County, KY. I have had a great experience thus far working with my supervisor Ann Bradley, the FCS agent, and the rest of the staff here in Letcher County. I began this journey on May 18th with a welcoming introduction to the people that I will be spending most of my time with this summer, which was followed by a staff meeting. The meeting gave everyone a chance to discuss any questions they may have about what was to come during the upcoming weeks and to give any announcements they felt were necessary for others to know.

Having a meeting the first day of my internship was only a glimpse of what was to come. The next day I attended a meeting in Hazard, KY with 4-H agents in surrounding counties to discuss the plans for 4-H camp. The meeting was very successful, the agents were able to finalize all of the day-to-day schedules for camp and plan for all of the supplies that needed to be purchased for camp to run smoothly.

Later that week, I also attended a meeting in London, KY with the camp manager from J.M. Feltner campgrounds, where my county will attend camp. Before the meeting began the camp manager offered to give us a tour of the grounds, since I had never attended camp. The campgrounds were greater than I could have imagined. As I walked through the cabins and out to the lake, I could envision all of the children participating in the activities that we had spent hours planning a couple of days before. Knowing that I am playing a small part in planning the camp that the children from my county and surrounding counties are getting to attend fills me with pride.

I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer holds for me! If it is anything like this first week, then I know I will have an amazing summer surrounded by amazing people.

I hope that all of you are having a great first couple of week as well!

Caitlin Collier
Letcher County FCS Intern

Intro to Extension

 

By the time I was through half of my first day interning with Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent Brian Jeffiers in Johnson County, I realized that I was certainly going to enjoy this position. I started last Monday, May 11. After a very welcoming introduction to the office staff and all the agents, I jumped right into the action by helping begin to fill out Senior Citizen vouchers for our upcoming Farmer's Market. Voucher distribution has continued up until now, and it's a great thing to see the involvement and the interest generated about our Farmer's Market! I also sat in on the district staff meeting last week, which was on the Link system.

Throughout last week Mr. Jeffiers and I responded to several home and farm visits. It was my pleasure to meet and help advise homeowners on issues ranging from landscaping freeze damage to soil acidity issues. It was also fantastic to meet some of the county's farmers, which I expect to be working with throughout the course of my internship. I also have been scheduling workshops for the county's beekeeping and cattle producers, which are coming up within the next few weeks. The Highland Beef Cattle Association's next meeting is on a variety of topics, including synchronizing breeding cycles and the economic benefits for producers that go along with that practice. This week has encompassed my training for our 4-H camp attendance with the Johnson County 4-H Teen Club, and I assisted the county 4-H agent, Dianna Reed, with a few of her camp planning and inventory needs.

In terms of upcoming events, I'll be getting ready for our beekeeper's workshop next week, preparing for 4-H camp, and continuing with Farmer's Market prep. I've  had a great first two weeks with Johnson County Extension, and can't wait to see what the rest of the summer holds!

Josh Baldwin
Johnson County Ag and Natural Resources Intern

Harrison County Extension

Interning at the Harrison County Extension office in my hometown of Cynthiana, KY has been a great two weeks so far. Even on my first day, I was treated as another agent. The agents and support staff here are great people to work with and are very welcoming. I have always known that extension is something extremely important to this community, but after being in the office for two weeks, I have been able to witness first-hand how important the services the agents provide truly are to these people. During the internship, I am working primarily with the county 4-H Agent, Mike Meyer. I have become good friends with Mike over the past several years through livestock judging and showing cattle together, so I was excited to be paired with him for the internship process. He has been the person to get me interested in extension from the beginning, so it's fitting that he would be the agent that I work with the most.

I have packed a lot into these first couple of weeks. I have been helping out with the livestock judging team and the horse judging team at least once a week. Judging is something I feel pretty strongly about, because I think there are many characteristics that can be learned by being on a judging team that are important later in life as well. Last Friday, Mike and I went down to Jessamine county to teach a showmanship and fitting clinic to their livestock club. I enjoy working with 4-Hers and their project animals and teaching them things that they can improve upon during the summer show season in preparation for the Kentucky State Fair in August.

The livestock judging team competed in the Boyle County livestock judging contest last Saturday, and were well represented, despite having many of our senior division judgers at another leadership event hosted by the Kentucky Junior Cattlemen's Association. The contest was well put together with extremely high quality classes, and we certainly appreciate the work that went into hosting such a great contest before the state 4-H livestock judging contest in June.

I was expecting there to be meetings associated with being an extension agent, but there are certainly more than I anticipated. My first week, we had the district staff meeting in Lexington. It was great to be able to meet a lot of the other agents and interns in the district and see more of what goes on behind the scenes with extension. I have also been to a couple meetings about Teen Conference coming up, as well as planning for 4-H camp and Clover bud camp. I also attended the Farm Bureau meeting last Thursday where we had an appreciation dinner and there were representatives of many politicians that discussed what they were trying to do about the concerns that have been brought up by Farm Bureau members. It was great to see how concerned they were to help local agriculturalists by passing certain bills in Washington and Frankfort that were relevant to the livelihood of not only Harrison County farmers, but farmers across the state as well.  

It has been a great start to my internship in Harrison County, and I am looking forward to the coming weeks. I am assured that I will get the full extension agent experience by working with the staff here, and for that, I am grateful.

Until next time,

Luke Arthur

Great beginnings! Blog post 1, week 2.

I have the wonderful opportunity to be able to intern in my home county of Spencer, were I was a former 4Her! Growing up in 4H gives you an appreciation for all things that extension offers in youth development, however my eyes have truly started to open over the past (almost two weeks) to just how much extensions involvement is reflected into the county on so many levels, from Cloverbuds to the Homemakers.

During week one of interning I was able to sit in on the teen conference online orientation in order to prepare for TC in June, since I have the opportunity to attend as an adult for the first time. Also on my second day I was able to help host an SOS cooking class with special guest Josh Moore, Head Chef at Volare Italian restaurant in Louisville, he is also a local farmer and extension supporter. At this SOS class attendees were able to be walked through step by step preparations for three different dishes and had the chance to taste test them as well! Later in the week I was able to attend the district 3 staff meeting in Burlington, at Boone County's Enrichment Center. Which was a beautiful brand new facility! Wednesday afternoon, I assisted with the tag in validation of the youth livestock that is hosted at our high school, we tagged in 94 in-county market livestock and 90 out of county! Week one ended at the Spencer County Shooting Sports Invitational, where our shooting supports club hosted a 13 county competition, I learned so much about shooting terminology and adding up different disciplines' score cards.

Week two has been just as busy, if not more! I am currently in process of working on my special project with the Livestock Club, and with the Summer Enrichment Program hosted with the Family Resource Center at the middle school. I have sat in on Teen Council and Livestock meetings so far this week.

On to week 3! 

-Emily Hume, Spencer County Extension Intern 

Chickens, Cockroaches, and Cooking...Oh my!

If there is one thing I have learned from my short week and a half as an extension intern it's that in extension no two days are the same. Yesterday was cooking today was cockroaches. I am interning in Marion County and getting to work with all three of the Agents as well as the EFNEP assistant. My first week I worked primarily with the 4-H Agent Rebecca Hill. As you may know 4-H camp is coming up quickly so we have been prepping, my first day on the job, May 11th, I help with ordering T-shirts. I also went to St.A, one of the elementary schools in Marion County, for their school club. We talked about Kentucky agriculture, specifically Marion County’s major ag enterprises. As a special treat Ms. Rebecca and I brought along two newly hatched chicks, we talked a little about the breeds of chickens and the life cycle. 

Throughout the week I visited a few other schools including a head start and 7th grade science class. I went to head start with Lizzie Spalding, the FCS agent, we talked to the kids about protein and sampled turkey barbecue. In the science class Ms. Rebecca and I did a lesson on electricity using snap circuits, we also did a lesson about energy and raced cockroaches. Over the past week and a half I have also gone to several meeting including the Marion County Cattlemen's with our Ag and Natural Resource agent David Kessler, and the district board meeting. I did several cooking classes with FCS agent and EFNEP assistant, Juanita Herron, as well gone to the local radio station to talk about some of the upcoming summer programs. I observed the Ag agent install a nook of bees in the Extension Office bee hive, I have definitely dealt with more insects than I had thought I would. If the past few days have been any indication of what’s to come I know I am never going to have a boring day at the office. I hope to update this blog every week or so that I can share all of the fun and exciting things I will be doing this summer. I hope everyone is having as much fun with their internship as I am.   
-Meagan Lucas

Week One!

Hello!

I hope everyone is enjoying his or her first few days of work! I'm updating this blog from Meade County, where I am serving as an intern this summer. I have discovered that I will be participating in a number of amazing projects, and I thought my first post should be about what you can expect from me this summer. I will be spending most of my time working with the FCS agent Jennifer Bridge. Our first project will be doing Plate It Up demos at the local farmer's market every Tuesday throughout the summer. We will also be conducting a family nutrition series at a local church during the months of June. I will be assisting with a six-week diabetes education program as well. There will be many smaller projects like HBM courses and FNEP lessons that I will be assisting with. However, I am most excited about my special project. I follow a plant-based diet and love sharing my recipes with others. My agent has agreed to let me conduct a two-week plant-based nutrition series.  Though the idea is still in the beginning stages, I will explain what a plant-based diet consists of, demonstrate the preparation of a healthy plant-based meal, and encourage my audience to incorporate more local fruits and vegetables into their diet. This project will enable me to incorporate Plate It Up recipes and promote the consumption of produce from the Meade County Farmer's Market all while discussing something I am passionate about. I am beyond excited to see what this summer has in store! I look forward to learning more about everyone's time as an intern!

Sydney Hobbs