Farm and Family Night is scheduled for Sept. 6

David Kessler

With the cool mornings and school being open it is starting to feel like fall! I don’t look forward to cold weather and short days, but the recent weather is certainly a welcome relief from the heat and drought we experienced earlier this summer. We still need rain in most areas of the county, but what we have had has certainly greened up our pastures and hayfields and helped the tobacco and soybean crops. Most corn, however, was too mature for the rain to be of any help.
The Marion County Extension Office will host Farm and Family Night on Thursday Sept. 6. Registration will begin at 5 p.m. and educational programs will begin at 5:30 p.m. After the programs a meal will be served by the Marion County Cattlemen’s Association. The event will be held at the Marion County Extension Office located at 415 Fairgrounds Rd next to the Fairgrounds.
Family and Consumer Science will be providing information on winter squash and pumpkins. This information will consist of how to select, prepare, and cook the various types of squash. There will be recipes provided. We will also be doing a cooking demonstration for a spicy baked squash recipe.
Youth events will include demonstrations by each 4-H Club and information on how youth can join 4-H. Members of the Marion County 4-H Shooting Sports, Livestock Club, Fishing Club, Sewing Club, Country Ham Club and Rabbit and Poultry Club will be giving demonstrations related to their respective projects. There will also be a scavenger hunt and the bookmobile from the Marion County Public Library will be on site with fun youth activities.
Agriculture and Natural Resources will have presentations by specialists from UK on several topics. Dr. Donna Amaral-Phillips will speak about alternate feeds that may be available at lower cost than high cost grain. Dr. Kenny Burdine will speak about the outlook for livestock markets and Dr. John Strang will speak about commercial and home horticulture crops. I am also trying to get someone to speak on the outlook for grain prices.
Reservations will be required so we know how many meals will be served. Please call the Extension office at (270) 692-2421. The event is open to all Marion County residents.
Congratulations to Bethany Purdom and Mark Jones of Marion County. Bethany was the 4-H Senior Overall Champion for her Country Ham at the Kentucky State Fair!
Mark won the Junior Holstein Show with his yearling heifer, and then placed second in the Open Holstein show with the same heifer. Mark and his heifer were bested in the Open show by the winner of the Indiana State Fair Holstein Show, so he had the best Holstein from the Commonwealth of Kentucky!
Congratulations to all from Marion County who have or will participate in the State Fair.
A reminder to all successful applicants for the County Agriculture Investment Program (CAIP) cost share funds that the mandatory training program will be held on Thursday August 30. Producers have a choice of attending at either noon or 6 p.m. Beef Quality Assurance training will be provided at both sessions for any Beef Producers who need such training for their cost share program. Cost of the BQA training is $5 and must be paid at the time of the training. If you have had the training before, please check your card as the certification must be renewed every three years. If your card has expired you will need to be retrained to qualify for your cost share program.
Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin.