Project Overview
Commodities
Practices
Proposal abstract:
Now in its 27th year, The Third Thursday Thing (Third Thursdays)
features monthly sustainable
agriculture training sessions. The sessions take place at the
Kentucky State University Harold R.
Benson Research and Demonstration Farm on the third Thursday of
every month with no session in
December. Agricultural professionals and farm leaders throughout
the Commonwealth and surrounding
states are the target audience for the trainings. These trainings
are structured for multiple
learning types, with lecture style presentations followed by hands
on demonstration/activities. KSU has also added
a Fourth Wednesday program on sustainable beef cattle production
and marketing based on requests
from the agricultural community and are exploring the addition of a
Women in Sustainable
Agriculture Group. KSU is also including funds to support some of
our KSU agents to seek
professional development in sustainable agriculture in other
venues. Third Thursdays have become
an institution in Kentucky's professional development educational
programming. The broad range of
topics (listed in a later section) ensure that agricultural
professionals and producer leaders have
training in the skills necessary on a diversified small farm. Third
Thursdays also serve as a space
for synergies in small farm education. Many conferences and
educational meetings are planned around
"Third Thursdays" including: the Annual Small, Limited
Resource/Minority Farmers Conference, the
International Pawpaw Conference, the Reqional SARE Goat Project's
Collaborator Conference, and many others.
Project objectives from proposal:
- Kentucky's SARE PDP Model State Program objectives are to build
a broad base of interest and skills
in agricultural sustainability among extension agents, other professionals, and farmers,
particularly mentor farmers, in the state to equip them with the needed skills to assist farmers,
marketers, and community leaders, and to facilitate a diverse range of collaborative projects. - Continue to offer basic science-based information on sustainable
agriculture production and
marketing. While some Third Thursday months may share themes from the previous year, the topics and
materials presented will be different. - Increase participation for the Homesteader Symposium and help
additional small farmers improve the
sustainability of their operations and farm diversification. Forums for underserved farmers and professionals to network with USDA, State, Research, Extension, NRCS, and other professionals to learn about their programs and opportunities and learn about Third
Thursdays. - The Third Thursday Thing Workshops for 2025 are listed below,
including the International Paw Paw
Day, Juneteenth Program and Small land Limited Resource Farmers Conference. - All educational workshops will be recorded and posted on Social
Media sites such as YouTube to make
information obtainable for a wider audience that may not have the opportunity to attend in person.
2025 Third Thursday Thing Workshop Schedule
January : Farm Safety & Disaster Recovery
February : Organic Agriculture
March : Natural Resource Management
April : Grow, Buy, Eat Local
May : Aquaculture
June : Juneteenth/ Business Planning
July : Cattle & Poultry
August : Agri-technology & Vertical Farming
September : Horticulture & Urban Agriculture
October : Small Ruminants
November : Small, Limited-Resource, Minority Farmers Conference