Cooperative Extension Service Clark County 1400 Fortune Drive Winchester, KY 40391-8292 (859) 744-4682 Fax: (859) 744-4698 extension.ca.uky.edu As this growing season is coming to a close, we are starting to look forward to future growing seasons. Our local Winchester/Clark County Farmers Market has grown so rapidly, and we are starting to look at possibilities of further diversifying Clark County farms through vegetable production. As you look at different ideas and consider the future, I hope you will contact us at the Clark County Extension Office. October is also the month of Halloween. I have included a few safety Trick-or-Treating tips in this edition of the newsletter. Please be safe as you participate in Halloween activities! Sincerely, David Davis Clark County Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources Pest Proof Your Just in Time for Fall As the temperatures cool, you may experience outside invaders in your home. Rodents, insects, spiders, and other pests often look for winter homes. Here are a few steps to take to avoid these unwanted intruders. 1. Install door sweeps at the base of all exterior doors. You should not be able to see light coming from under the door when it is closed. 2. Seal off openings where pipes and wires enter the foundation and siding. Look in particular around outdoor faucets, receptacles, gas meters, clothes dryer vents, and access points for telephone and cable TV wires. You can plug holes with caulk, cement, urethane expandable foam, steel wool, or other suitable sealants. 3. Caulk cracks around windows, doors, and fascia boards. 4. Repair gaps and tears in window and screen doors. 5. Install ¼ inch wire mesh over attic, roof, and crawl space vents. 6. Consider applying an exterior (barrier) treatment with insecticides. Monday, November 27 6:30 pm Clark County Extension Office Call the Extension Office at 744-4682 by Friday, November 24, to register.
Page 2 Diversifying the farm is never a bad thing. After all, we have always been told don t put all your eggs in one basket. Vegetable production is just one of the possible ways to diversify the farm, but producing for the farmers market is not always an option. Other vegetable marketing opportunities can be hard to come by. One of the challenges that we always come to discuss with vegetable production is the issue of marketing vegetable crops. It seems that there are so many hoops to jump through. Many wholesale entities require GAP Certification (including a GAP Audit), which can be somewhat expensive. Trucking vegetables to restaurants is also often not an option for individual producers. Meeting Good Agricultural Practices requirements for vegetable packaging on a larger scale can be difficult for growers as well. The Clark County Extension Service is looking into some potential ways of assisting with some of the challenges facing vegetable producers. Some vegetable producers have expressed interest in working toward the development of a vegetable packaging facility here in Clark County that would help with accessing marketing avenues to restaurants, retail stores, or other wholesale outlets. There have been other ideas for creating vegetable marketing opportunities as well. We have an upcoming opportunity for producers interested in potential ways to develop markets for vegetable crops. Over the past few years, an organization called TRACTOR (Toe River Aggregation Center Training Organization Regional) has had success in Western North Carolina. This is a group of farmers in a former small tobacco production region that have come together to start marketing small acreages of vegetables to local restaurants, to grocery store chains, and to other distribution companies. In that area, there were many small farmers that would have had difficulty finding markets for their products on their own, and they would have had trouble meeting the GAP requirements for most commercial markets. They came up with the TRACTOR organization as a very unique solution. On Thursday, November 16, starting at 7:00 pm, at the Clark County Extension Office we will be sharing about the successes of TRACTOR. We will also discuss potential ways to create new marketing opportunities in vegetable production for Clark County farmers. The TRACTOR Board of producers will be joining us by conference call, and they will share their experiences. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions. This meeting does not require you to be or become a vegetable producer. If you have interest in further diversifying your farming operation, or to be a part of the discussion on creating new marketing opportunities for Clark County farmers, I would like to encourage you to attend. Please let us know you plan to attend by calling (859) 744-4682. Vegetable Growers / Buyers Meeting A meeting for produce growers wanting to sell wholesale will take place on November 8 at the Fayette County Extension Office. Growers can be of any size. Some companies do work with small farmers. Buyers will be there to talk about their grower requirements. There will be at least 10 companies represented, and probably more. The meeting will be on Wednesday, November 8, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Fayette County Extension Office (located at 1140 Harry Sykes Way, Lexington.) If you would like to attend, RSVP by emailing roger.snell@ky.gov.
Page 3 Leaves are continuing to fall from the trees. I know that many, especially in the Winchester city limit, have an abundance of leaves to deal with in the lawn. On the first impulse, you may want to rake those leaves into the street, or at least to the curb. However, be mindful of where leaves are stored waiting to be picked up. One of the most common concerns with leaves is blocking storm drains. It is also a concern that collected leaves and yard waste will end up in the landfill. Still others may turn to burning yard waste and leaves. Why not use those leaves in a more useful manner? void Blocking Storm Drains When you rake those leaves out into the edge of the street it is no big issue right? It may be a bigger issue than you think. Leaves raked out into the street may hinder storm water drainage. Leaves piled in storm drains can collect trash and debris run-off and eventually clog drains. This can lead to street flooding issue in the next rain event. Even if the drains do not clog, leaves and other plant debris can cause issues if they are washed into streams. The natural process of decay can rob the water of oxygen. Also, as the excessive plant debris is broken down nutrients are released, which can result in the formation of algal blooms. Algal blooms also rob oxygen from the water. Low oxygen levels are harmful to aquatic life. It is best to avoid this issue entirely by keeping leaves and other yard debris clear of storm water drains and drainage pathways. sing Collected Leaves in Composting If you are a gardener that makes compost for the garden, you will know that making a really good compost for the garden or flower bed requires a certain desired Carbon to Nitrogen ratio. Nitrogen sources are things like food scraps and grass clippings. Carbon sources include materials like dry straw, black and white non-glossy magazine pages, or newspaper clippings. Another good carbon source can be leaves gathered out of the lawn in the fall. One way that leaves can be used is to store them in a composting bin. Chop them or mulch them, then add them to other Nitrogen sources as needed throughout the year to make compost. Finished compost can be added to flower beds or gardens to enrich them. However there are often many more leaves that fall from the trees than space that you will have to contain them. ulching Leaves is Good for the Lawn Another way to use leaves is to simply mulch them with the lawn mower, and leave them on the lawn. This can be done by raking or blowing leaves into piles and then running over them several times with a lawn mower until they are hardly seen in the lawn. Mulching leaves adds organic matter to the soils of the lawn, and also adds some nutrients. Despite the common myth, you do not need to completely remove leaves from the lawn. Mulching them with a mower can also help make the lawn more aesthetically pleasing since leaves are removed.
Page 4 1) Parents or adults should always accompany children during trick or treating. 2) Trick-or-Treat in well-lit areas, and only visit neighborhoods where you know the homeowners. 3) Never allow children to consume homemade treats. This may seem harmless, but if your child has food allergies, you will not know the ingredients. You also will not know if proper food safety practices were followed as these treats were prepared. 4) Think about your child s costume. Make sure that it is not a tripping hazard. Make sure that masks fit securely and do not obstruct vision, or use face paint instead. Also, make sure that hats fit securely so they are not distracting, or so that they do not fall down over your child s eyes. Make sure that the shoes that go with your child s costume are comfortable and fit well. Loose-fitting adult shoes such as hi-heels or work boots may not be safe. To reduce the risk of burns, always choose costumes that are made of flame resistant materials. 5) Make sure children are visible to moving traffic if approached from front or behind, especially if participating in Halloween or Fall Festival activities after dark. Glow sticks, vests, reflective tape, or other glow in the dark accessories may be helpful to increase visibility. 6) Give children flashlights to make sure they see clearly, and to increase their visibility to others. 7) Make sure props such as swords, staffs, wands, etc. are made of pliable, safe materials so that they are not a risk to your child in the event of a fall; or that they are not a risk to other nearby children during play. 8) Make sure to discuss safety rules while around traffic with your child. Some rules to consider include not darting between parked cars. Always look both ways for traffic before crossing streets, driveways or alleys. In the absence of sidewalks, always walk facing traffic instead of walking with traffic. 9) Instruct your children to always use the sidewalk or walkways to homes when possible instead of cutting through yards to avoid potential unseen tripping hazards. 10) Inspect candy before allowing your child to consume it. Make sure there aren t any holes, torn packaging, and make sure that the candy has not been altered in any way. 1) Keep the porch light on if handing out candy, and make sure that walkways are well-lit and free of obstructions. 2) Use battery powered candles or lights instead of open flames to decorate. 3) Be mindful of safety when placing decorations to make sure that they will not be trip hazards. Pay particular attention to electrical cords, and other possible hazards. 4) Put away ladders, tools, or other household items that might be laying around walkways or in the yard. 5) Always inspect candy before giving it out and discard any that is open or may appear altered. For more tips, questions about safety, or other information to help keep you safe this Halloween, contact the Clark County Extension Service by calling (859) 744-4682.
Page 5 We did not have enough participants to offer Master Gardener in the fall. However, many of the participants on our interest list indicated that they would be available if the Master Gardener Class is to be offered in the spring. So, we will offer Master Gardener this coming spring. There will be 12 sessions starting in February and ending in April. A class will not be offered during the week of spring break. Each participant must register, and be subject to a background check required of all Cooperative Extension volunteers working with youth or other at risk audiences. There is a registration fee of $100 to cover the cost of the background check and course materials. Remember also, Master Gardener also has a volunteer aspect. In order to become a Kentucky Master Gardener, each participant must complete 50 hours of volunteer service prior to December 31, 2018. Volunteer hours will include time spent toward a Master Gardener project, and assisting with other Clark County Cooperative Extension Programs. The first class is scheduled for Thursday, February 1, 2018, starting at 5:30 pm at the Clark County Extension Office. Registration for the 2018 Clark County Master Gardener program will need to be completed by Friday, January 26, 2018. We must have 10 participants to offer the program, and a maximum of 20 participants will be accepted. If you would like to register, or to receive application materials, contact the Clark County Extension Service by calling (859) 744-4682. Complaint Procedure To file a complaint of discrimination, contact Tim West, UK College of Agriculture, 859-257-3879; Terry Allen or Patty Bender, UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity, 859-257-8927;or the USDA, Director of Civil Rights, Room 326-W Whitten Bldg., 14th & Independence Ave, SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 (202-720-5964).
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