Upcoming Community Events

Ann’s Backpack Buddies

In January 2016 the Backpack Program was started in Wolfe County. The purpose of the program is to send food home for the weekend for children that are in need. The bags are packed at the Wolfe County Extension Office and then taken to all of the schools in the County. This is a collaborative effort between Wolfe County Extension, Community Education, Family Resource Centers, and SNAP-Ed. Most of the food comes through donations from local churches.

The Backpack Program was very special to our former Family & Consumer Science Agent, Ann Hollon. One of Ann’s missions in life was to see that no child went hungry. In honor of Ann, the Backpack Program had been renamed Ann’s Backpack Buddies. During the 2016-2017 school year, Ann’s Backpack Buddies sent food home to 150 children in Wolfe County.

If you would like to help, contributions of food and money are accepted and greatly appreciated.

All food that is donated must be non-perishable, single serving, easy open (i.e. pop tops), easily prepared and contain no peanuts or nuts.

Examples of food that can be used:

· Tuna pouches

· Vegetable cups

· Fruit cups

· Snack crackers

· Juice boxes/Yoohos

· Breakfast Bars

· Pudding cups

· Cream of Wheat

· Oatmeal

· Cereal

· Ramen noodles

· Popcorn

Gardening Grows Great Young People

It’s gardening season in the Bluegrass state.  Before you get your hands dirty preparing the  garden beds, make sure you involve your children.

Gardening has many benefits for children beyond fresh fruits and vegetables. Research has shown that youth gardening projects increase young people’s self-esteem, teach them responsibility, improve relationships with family members and increase parents’ involvement in their child’s school.

Research conducted by several land-grant institutions found similar outcomes among young participants in Cooperative Extension’s Junior Master Gardener Program. Their findings include an increased youth interest in science and in overall learning, higher test scores in science, a greater interest in eating more fruits and vegetables and an increase desire to give back to their community through other projects outside of the classroom. 

Even if you aren’t a gardener, you can get your young person involved in gardening through      4-H.

For more information on youth gardening projects, contact Jessica at the Wolfe County          Extension office.

Source: Ashley Osborne, 4-H Youth Development Specialist

When food grows, community and family grows too."

Join Grow Appalachia for these upcoming classes:

August 15^th, 6-8pm: Extending the Growing Season

Learn about how to grow veggies in your garden through the fall and even through the winter with valuble tips and techniques taught by UK specialist, Krista Jacobsen. Also, learn about best practices for cleaning up your garden tools for next year and over-winter cover cropping to add back to your soil while it’s not in use.

All classes are open to the public

For more information about the Grow Appalachia Program, call the Extension Office at 606-668-3712 or visit our website

https://growappalachia.berea.edu/  or Facebook page www.facebook.com/wolfecountygrowappalachia

Wolfe Co. Extension Office

Wednesday August 9th

@ 11 a.m.

Come sample 2 great recipes

 Farmer's Market Skillet

&

Melon Berry Smoothie

Call Stacy @ 668-3712 for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

In the World of 4-H: July Highlights

We would like to send out a great big THANK YOU to all of our adult and teen volunteers!! We couldn’t have done it without you!

Check out our Facebook page, Wolfe County 4-H, for more pictures of our summer adventures!

 

 

Junior Chef's Academy

Are you interested in learning about food and how to cook? Do you have an appetite for healthy eating?

Junior Chef's Academy is all about helping young kids becoming self sufficient in the kitchen while learning healthy habits that will last a lifetime and influence the people around them.