Agriculture
Through its Adult Agriculture program, KCTCS provides agricultural education to equip students with valuable industry and leadership skills annually, with educational sessions that will benefit farmers and agricultural producers throughout the year.
In addition to these bi-annual instructional sessions, our instructors serve as advisors for a local Young Farmer Chapter that is affiliated with the Kentucky State Young Farmer Association (YFA). The Kentucky YFA has a set of regional officers and a State Officer Team that provides opportunities for young farmers to develop their leadership skills.
Want more information about our program and classes? Call or email Dennis Perry (606) 783-9342.
Horticulture
Through our partnership with the Mason County Extension Office, there are several activities available for you to attend this season.
Gardener's Toolbox Series
The needs of the local small agriculture and horticulture based businesses are high because they conduct the most important work in the world! Along with local extension agencies, educational institutions, and community organizations, Carrie Taylor helps to develop and sustain activities and projects that improve the work of these businesses and support educational initiatives throughout the counties we serve.
Individual or group projects are offered through Workforce Solutions that benefit individual businesses or multiple horticulture related projects. Farm and Family Night is an example of educational sessions which have been very helpful for the past two years. We offer multiple concurrent sessions that focus on plant and garden design, propagation techniques, diversification projects, like: Viticulture, Vegetable crop production and Bee-Keeping sessions. Small business development through site based visits and classes offered at the college, allow us to focus on the needs of small businesses. Some of our small new or established businesses and schools need training in plants production and design and business endeavors including marketing and advertising.
Mason County Middle School: Last spring Carrie Taylor worked with Mr. McDowell’s classes to create educational sessions that focused on the business of growing plants in the Mason County Greenhouse and the MCTC Greenhouse. There were over 100 teens that worked on propagating techniques, fertilizing and pruning to establish beautiful annuals and perennials which were sold in the spring. They raised enough money to buy four iPads for the classroom!
This fall the college and Mr. McDowell’s classes have partnered to grow chrysanthemums. They are learning about business and successful plant growing techniques.
Why we need Agriculture and Horticulture
In The News:
Community Projects
There are numerous partnerships that have been established within the local community that are vital links to the success of our community’s well-being.
The Children’s Crisis Center gardening project, the Mason County Hospice of Hope, and the Mason County Detention Center’s Women’s Horticulture Work Program are a few of these partnerships.
The campus greenhouse is used for plant production and as an educational tool for growers. Future beautification and gardening projects will be developed between MCTC and other non-profit organizations to promote positive agriculture and horticulture practices through projects within our community.